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One of those squares that probably seems quite everyday to the locals, but which typifies the small French square lined with cafes where you can take time out and watch the world go by over a drink.
Place Jean Jaures
This is an absolute gem of a traditional Barcelona cafe, serving food and drink all day in the most charming art nouveau surroundings where you can rub shoulders with the locals reading the complimentary newspapers. The staff are unfailingly polite, even when the tourists have had a few too many of the wonderful Martinez brandy (7 euros a shot) and are getting rowdy... Delicious breakfast food, fabulous fresh orange juice squeezed before your eyes, and later a good range of traditional tapas and simple dishes. Proper alcoholic sangria served indoors or out. Favourite - a huge glass of the Cava sangria.
Las Ramblas, opposite the Liceu theatre
Manor is a huge department store near Cornavin. It has a wonderful food department - akin to M&S or higher quality. The entire floor is taken up with deli counters and wonderful fresh food.
The bakery section is particularly good and you can also watch them make enormous ciabatta sandwiches (1m x 2m) that they then cut up, or roll out croissants to bake on the premises.
If you also go upstairs there is a wonderful cafe/restaurant in a self-service canteen style which is a great place to have breakfast (try the Birchermeusli), lunch (the fried fish is yummy) or tea (coffee and cakes...mmmm). The food is all prepared in front of you, and often cooked for you, but the price is very reasonable, and if you are lucky you can get a seat with a great view across the rooftops to the Saleve.
And then you can do shopping on three more floors filled with everything from beauty products and clothes to electrical items.
Rue de Chantepoulet
Link: <maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=Manor+&sll=46.207361,6.146834&sspn=0.001737,0.004533&ie=UTF8&ll=46.20869,6.14464&spn=0.00695,0.018132&t=h&z=16&iwloc=A>
This is an open air cafe near the cathedral with amazing salads and the best ice creams. It's difficult to know which is my favourite flavour; curry, vanilla or ginger...
This cafe is owned by a woman and run by women but welcomes all and sundry.
You can read the newspapers for free too.
Metro stop Pont Bessieres and then cross the bridge, Le Petit Bar is on your right.
Rue du Pont Bessieres, number 1.
Open every day
The best cream tea - so far. I've tried lots of places and this was the best yet. Large warm scones with lashings of clotted cream and a giant pot of strawberry jam. Served with a pot of tea inside if cold or on the decking overlooking Mawgan Porth beach, fantastic! I will be back -but will also carry on looking just in case I find a better one.
Mawgan Porth main road
An ice-cream parlour/cafe with two sister sites in central Oxford, this one stands out because it takes you into vibrant East Oxford. The ice-cream is great, with 'petition' flavours which change frequently. It's light and airy and seems to be tolerant of the many local freelancers and students who sit and work there. It opens early and closes late - another bonus.
After you've been, wander up the Cowley Road away from the city to get a taste of Oxford beyond the gown-ridden centre.
104 Cowley Road
Oxford
OX4 1JE
Cowley Road Area
Telephone: 01865 727111
Tucked away in Kensington Gardens in the North Laines, The Gardens cafe is quint-essential Brighton. With its quirky artwork throughout, a lovely upstairs balcony looking down on the lanes, and a menu that takes up two whole walls, it is definitely a place you would come back to for its good vibes and comfortable feel.
The food at this place isn't the finest cuisine, but it's location makes up for this. The balcony is a prime people watching spot. You can see right the way along Kensington Gardens which is particularly good on a busy weekend.
1 Kensington Gardens, Brighton BN14AL
www.brightoncafe.co.uk/kensingtons
A small bookshop and cafe with wonderful coffee, biscuits and cake, a clean loo and friendly staff. You can sit undisturbed and gaze out of the open door or sit outside if fine. Located on a very attractive street close to the main centre.
Ul. Kanonicka, Krakow. Opposite Mary Magdalene Square.
Cool, smallish pleasant place to have a snack or drink. Good for vegetarians.
Between the corniche and the evangelical church
The perfect place for a late afternoon or evening drink is from one of the terrace cafes by the castle overlooking Zante town. Great view and you can see the lights of the town twinkling and the whole bay stretching before you.
There's a beautiful little church there which isn't always open, but if it is take a look inside at the gilding and chandeliers - it's a favourite for weddings and christenings.
You can also climb the cobbled lane up to visit the stone Venetian fortress perched on the hill. There's a rather trendy nightclub on the way up if you want to mix with the beautiful people.
Take a taxi or drive up the hill at the back of Zante town and follow the signs - there's a big car-park nearby.
Funky, healthy and bang in the middle of the village. Top prices, great choices. Open till 10pm (There is also a great clothes shop downstairs). Don't miss it!
Great snack and coffee house.
Very cosy with lots of vegetarian snacks and organic and fairtrade products. Plus the capuccino is great!!
Minderbroedersrui 47, 2000 ANTWERP
This is different venue to try when you're in the tourist hub of Covent garden. It houses the Poetry Society and every Tuesday they have an open mic night where aspiring poets read their works as well as a few more established performers and writers. They also have nights where published poets read. It's a lovely place to chill out admist the bustle of London - they serve good coffee and cake and other snacks. Take a book and indulge in some thoughtful repose!
www.poetrysociety.org.uk/content/cafe/
22 Betterton Street, WC2
Tube: Covent Garden
1. A Vietnamese place opposite Cafe 69 on Ma May. Staff wear pink shirts and it's full of locals. Really great food and very cheap. Spanish people we met in Halong Bay had been there too, and they loved it as well.
2. I couldn't find Baguette and Chocolat. I think it may be closed and replaced by a clothes retail outlet. But Golden Land (No. 15 Cha Ca) was a good afternoon coffee stop on the same street.
3. Apsara in Danang (recommended in LP) was very disappointing! It's expensive and food was average at best.
4. However, Cafe 43 on Van Cam in HoiAn (also in LP) was the best food we had in Vietnam. Absolutely excellent. Can't rave enough about it - we even took photos of the food and went there for dinner and lunch, despite only being in Hoian for two days.
Other tips:
1. In Hue, Mr. Pho from Pho's Cafe, one of the little shops and cafe's opposite the train station exit was a God-send. He sorted out taxis and tours for us despite the heavy rain. He speaks good English and was reasonable in his price. (USD$25 for a private car to take us to Hue's main tombs and pagodas - Tu Duc, Thien Mu, the Purple Citadel...etc) for an entire afternoon.
2. HoiAn - If you are planning on visiting My Son, stop off at the Cham Museum in Danang first. Many of the best sculptures and statues from My Son are now kept here, and visiting both will give you a much better understanding of the Cham culture.
3. Go to My Son early (leave before 7am). You'll need an hour to get there and 2 hours to soak up everything, and the tour buses arrive at 9.30am. It's worth the effort! (USD$16-$20 return by private car).
travel.yahoo.com/p-travelguide-6916783-vietnam_restaurants-i - restaurant reviews
www.vietnamtravelguide.com/ - food and drink guide
www.vietnam-hotels.net/ - restaurant list
If the Dracula hysteria of the main square in Sighisoara's citadel gets a bit overwhelming (which it can do when the tourists hit the 'Dracula cafe' in summer) nip along a back street towards the Covered Stairway and you'll find the excellent, peaceful terrace of the Casa Cositorarului. Good juices, coffee, cakes and sandwiches. A bit more pricey than some in the lower town but worth it.
Casa Cositorarului
Str. Cositorarilor 9
Sept-May open daily 9am--10pm
June-Aug open daily 9am--midnight
This friendly cyber cafe recently moved location but it is still conveniently situated in the centre of Brasov and continues to provide a great selection of hot and alcoholic drinks. The staff are always on hand to assist customers with xerox, CD burner, card reader, colour printer etc). The internet costs 3RON per hour which is great value.
Cyber Cafe
Str. Republicii 58
Brasov
mobile 0729 589 618
open Mon-Fri 11am-9pm, Sat-Sun 12.30pm-9pm
Obviously the name is fantastic, but also were the cakes which were all homemade and delicious (and served in massive slices). Staff were also lovely and there's a cute window seat.
Tucked down an alley in Hawkshead.
Simon's place is a throwback of a cafe, reminiscent of a time where not every inch of Dublin was dedicated to profit maximisation. You can get coffee, tea, juice, a sandwich, salad, some homemade soup and a bun, and that’s it. Oh and toast if you get there before 12.
The coffee is good, the hot chocolate strong, the sandwiches fair, the soup middling. The cinnamon buns are meant to be delicious, but as I hate cinnamon I didn't try them.
The ambiance, however, is brilliant. The wall are utterly covered in posters advertising gigs (often serving to show you what you've missed), the music is eclectic but relaxed, the customers the eclectic but relaxed and the staff lovely.
Part of the George Street Arcade
Long-established restaurant/cafe on Placa da Liberdade. Marvellous space with excellent food and efficient waiting staff.
Placa da Liberdade, very close to Aliados Metro
This is a restaurant, or rather coffee shop, where there are lots of cats hanging about for you to pet - really unique!
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