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You can’t talk about cafés and coffee shops in Los Angeles without mentioning one of its most popular places: Urth Caffé. For an organic fix, there’s no better place. There are a number of locations throughout the city and in Orange County, including Santa Monica, Melrose, and Beverly Hills. With their trendy ambience and large outdoor patios, they are the perfect place to spend a sunny afternoon, especially if you love herbal teas, organic coffee, and green-tea Americanos—and if you’re keen to spot celebrities around the metropolis. Aside from delicious drinks, they also have a wide selection of vegetarian and vegan food options.

Tucked away by the Wine Bar at the Lab in Costa Mesa, Old Vine Cafe is one of those hidden gems in the Orange County dining circuit, with both tasting and a la carte menus. The service was excellent and our waiter’s vast knowledge of wine was commendable. The Lab area of Costa Mesa is known for its organic restaurants, locally-grown food, and overall chic bohemian vibe. Old Vine Cafe falls perfectly within those parameters, with food that is innovative, delicious, and fresh. With year round sunshine in Southern California, eating outside on the patio is always a good idea, and I would highly recommend it here. The outdoor seating area is encased by rustic decor and bountiful greenery, making it the perfect place to enjoy a great meal with a glass of fine wine. Recommendation: Handmade Ravioli—Ravioli filled with smoked duck, goat cheese & porcini mushrooms, sautéed in brown butter with sage. Also rave-worthy is its brunch menu: the caramel-apple French toast is too good for words!

Who ever said baby bottles were just for babies definitely hadn’t been to Le Refuge des Fondus in Paris. Cleverly ducking the taxes imposed on wine in glasses, the owner of this culinary gem, hidden away in the vibrant bohemian district of Montmarte, decided to offer wine in baby bottles. Such a cool idea! Lined with communal tables, the experience is extremely interactive and sparking conversation with total strangers has never been so easy. Expect a full-fledged, fun culinary experience with scrumptious fondue, wine-filled baby bottles, and engaging conversations with people from all over the world. Go with an open mind, and this little Montmarte staple will charm the socks off of you.

Brunch on the weekend is one of those must-eat meals while in Los Angeles. Dotted throughout Beverly Hills are heaps of trendy brunch cafes and restaurants, all offering either gourmet mouth-watering staples AND/OR see-and-be-seen experiences. The Ivy on the glamorous Robertson Blvd. happens to fall in the latter category with a big fat OR. With outrageously overrated/overpriced food (didn’t satisfy my palate!), you’d wonder why it’s still ridiculously hard to get a table, with some waiting up to 2-3 hours on the weekends. The biggest draw for The Ivy is its A-list Hollywood clientele, making it acceptable for people to wait for hours to get that proper “Hollywood” experience and track down some of the biggest stars in the entertainment industry. It’s nowhere near my favorite brunch place in LA, but it is the go-to restaurant every time one of my star-struck friends come into town.

With the famous Mariamman Temple nearby, this part of Silom is a stronghold of South Indian culture. Catering to the hungry faithful is Tamil Nadu, which is reliably packed with Indian-Thai diners filling up on the restaurant’s wide selection of veg curries, dosas and thalis. Although the vegetarian options are the main focus, there’s a concise menu of meat curries including mutton, chicken or fish options.

There’s a reason this humble Indian-Malaysian restaurant is consistently packed: It serves mouthwatering curries, naan, dosa, biryanis and murtabak (a stuffed, panfried bread) at very reasonable prices. The extensive menu can be overwhelming, but you can’t go wrong with garlic naan with dal, tandoori chicken and an invigorating freshly squeezed juice.

Belizeans have been known to drive to Belize City for the sole purpose of eating Sumathi’s Indian food. Not only is the authentic Indian cuisine worth a trip, the long-running restaurant’s lunch buffet is also one of the best deals in Belize City. The menu includes everything from curries, kormas, biryani, masalas, and dosas to mango lassis. It’s also a solid bet for vegans. Sumathi is set off the beaten path on a residential street and has a spacious interior as well as an outdoor veranda.

It all started when a Korean couple went on a craft beer trip to the US for their honeymoon, and became enchanted with the sleek, industrial-chic bar in San Francisco. When they returned to Seoul, it was only a matter of time before they decided to open a Mikkeller Bar of their own. With a simple and distinct Scandinavian design, combined with distinctly Korean touches, the Mikkeller Bar Seoul joins the growing global brand that proffers craft beers from over 30 different countries worldwide. Grab a sidewalk stool, order a frosty glass and watch the world go by. 33 Dosan-daero 17-gil, Gangnam-gu

There are some things that are universal, including people’s love of a good dive bar. If you’re looking for a low-key vibe with cheap drinks and greasy bar food, look no further than Cuckoo. Set in the trendy Garusogil shopping area, this unfussy bar and restaurant with graphitized walls and a raucous party vibe is often packed with 20-something locals playing Korean drinking games and downing copious amounts of soju. Although it may serve fried beef tripe, clam soup and stir-fried chicken gizzards with garlic, the beer is cheap and cold and that’s something that can be understood in any language. 4, Dosan-daero 17-gil, Gangnam-gu

In Seoul’s swank Gangnam district, books are the new black. Upscale book publisher Assouline has various concept stores around the globe, with the Gangnam location being the brand’s first foray into Asia. The lounge provides highbrow customers with luxurious art, lifestyle and fashion books, and the elegant space is also a café and gallery. The sumptuously decorated boutique begs you to linger, and it’s hard to say no when cakes, tarts and French wines sing seductively. Jumgyung Building, Sinsadong 631-36, Gangnam-gu, Seoul

For more than half a century, this two-story, largely South Indian vegetarian joint on busy Serangoon Road has pleased palates with its tasty array of dosas—black-lentil-and-rice crepes designed to be ripped into pieces and dipped into heavenly chutneys and sauces. The restaurant’s prices and decor are humble, but the flavors are rich. Choose a tubular or cone-shaped dosa, or ask for one stuffed with potato, onion, or chilies. Other smart orders include buttery naan with a bowl of vegetable curry and Indian-style spinach with cubes of paneer (cheese). The biryani saffron-rice dish is also popular and is served with vegetable curry, dal, raita (a cooling yogurt concoction), and other accompaniments.

Raj is one of Singapore’s most popular stops for Indian vegetarian food. Its rice-and-black-lentil crepes, dosas, come in dozens of variations from onion to cheese, and there are nearly as many vegetable and paneer (Indian cheese) kebabs and curries to choose from as well. The epic menu is also flush with Indian breads—naan, roti, and paratha—and dessert options including gulab jamuns. Few can resist these deep-fried milky flour balls soaked in sugar syrup and served warm.

Step through a flower shop and into this swanky bar in the buzzing Gangnam area and you’ll forget you’re in a major Asian capital city—you’ll think you’ve fallen down a rabbit hole and ended up in an English country manor. With dark wood accents, chandeliers and tufted footstools, you’ll wish you had a tweed hat and a pipe, but what you can have is a fine scotch or a gin and tonic to occupy your hands. Choose a drink from the signature cocktail list, which are served in whimsical glasses, then press a button which makes another drink magically appear. It it’s a whimsical, eclectic evening you’re after, it’s time to introduce yourself to Alice. 47, Dosandaero 55-gil, Gangnam-gu

In a sleek, black brick building lies C27 Cheesecake & Coffee, a trendy café where chicly dressed Koreans take selfies as they sip cappuccinos amidst the whimsical interiors (the entire third floor has been transformed into faux kitchen Architectural Digest would be proud of). A glass case at the entrance displays—you guessed it—27 varieties of cheesecake, from the classic original, to flavors like green tea, Dutch apple, and marshmallow chocolate options. Hang out and choose from the surprising wine selection, or take your cheesecake to go, and they’ll wrap it in an adorable, cheese shaped box. 39, Dosan-daero 15-gil, Gangnam-gu

Al-Dosari Zoo and Game reserve, located next to the camel race track and the stud farm, is a private zoo owned by the Al-Dosari family. It’s by no means, an impressive zoo, but it’s a very popular destination for Bedouin families and has a decent selection of exotic animals, such as Arabian oryxes, barbari sheep, Arabian wolves and even a few cheetahs. It is a place to learn about the local culture as if it frequented by local folk, and see the exotic oryx without having to go to the sanctuary. The place opens every day from 7 am till sunset. There is no entrance fee.