The reason for recommending this place is not only the food but the setting. If you are going for a wine tour in the winelands region of Stellenbosch, Franschhoek, Paarl, then the combination of view and food here is ideal. It is slightly elevated as it requires a five minute drive up the valley, but this elevation offers beautiful views of the whole valley.

www.dieudonnerestaurant.co.za/
PO Box 94, Franschoek, 7690
+27(0)218762493

Google map: tinyurl.com/yaxwupn

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Toni's pizza in Pretoria north have amazing and unique flavour combinations, which are pretty hard to find in the pta generally. The pizzas are stonebaked and the bases deliciously crisp, as they should be. Try the following, one of my favourites:

Prawns with lemon and garlic butter, fennel seeds and rocket.

www.tonipizza.co.za
676 Chamberlain Street
Deerness, Pretoria, 0084, South Africa
0123299000

Google map: tinyurl.com/ykv7af5

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A fantastic restaurant located next to the Phoenix Hostel on Yunnan Street in central Shanghai. There is a wonderful array of local and Chinese provincial specialities on offer including Hunnan style pork buns and lamb and shrimp dim sum. All are utterly cheap in price as well as being exquisite in taste. Definitely worth a visit if you get a chance.

17 Yunnan (South) Road, Shanghai

Google map: tinyurl.com/ydqwaat

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This was my first taste of Korean Barbeque, and my friend, a native Korean, mentioned that this was one of the finest places in Shanghai. My friend couldn't have been more right, as the food served here was excellent and very light.

Huai Hai Zhong Road, Shanghai
www.pankoo.com.cn/

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This Malaysian roti and satay establishment may have a queue forming outside from the moment it opens but it's worth the wait. The freshly made rotis and Malang styled curries are spicy, authentic and ultimately, delicious.

15 Goulburn St, Haymarket NSW 2000, Australia
(02) 9211 1668
www.mamak.com.au/

Google map: tinyurl.com/y92eshz

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This cafe is hidden away on a leafy street in Kings Cross. The Italian owner, Vittorio, loves to chat and laugh along with the clientelle and the coffee is superb.

6 Roslyn St, Kings Cross 2011 NSW
(02) 9368 1356

Google map: tinyurl.com/ycphksz

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Never mind a great restaurant in South Africa, this is one of my favourite restaurants in the world. It's upmarket South African cuisine with Bobotie starters, Ostrich steaks and a superb South African wine list.
Vegetarians - don't worry. They can cater for you as well.
The decor is warm and candlelit in the evening making it a romantic place to go. The staff are efficient yet friendly and really make you feel like you are dining at a friends restaurant. Even the clientelle are set on making you feel welcome - when we retired outside after the meal with our coffees, a regular at the restaurant insisted on buying us an after dinner drink and even invited us the next day to visit his local vineyard. I've eaten in a few swanky places in my time, but none of them are a patch on this place and I cannot recommend it highly enough.

www.jemimas.com
Baron van Reede Street
Oudtshoorn
6625
Tel: +27 (0) 44 272 0808

Google map: tinyurl.com/yzb3n6b

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If you're staying in Swellendam as a staging post on the Garden Route, I can recommend La Sosta Italian restaurant.
It's run by a former Milanese optician and his ex-banker wife (he's front-of-house, she's the chef) who decided to down-size their lives and move to South Africa.
The peasant-style food is as good as you'll taste in SA or anywhere else. Try the tagliatelle with porcini mushrooms, or the pork with apples and prunes.
We took our own wine along and they charged us a nominal sum for corkage.
They have rooms to stay, so you don't have to stagger too far to bed.

145 Voortrek Street, Swellendam
Tel: +27 28 514 14 70

Google map: tinyurl.com/yclt3lz

www.lasostaswellendam.com

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Aubergine is a fine dining restaurant, regularly rated in Cape Town's top 10. It's in the Gardens area, so walkable if you're staying in Oranjezicht.
We treated ourselves to dinner there on our last night in Cape Town and enjoyed it immensely.
We had a delicious rack of lamb, accompanied by a serious red blend from Springfield Winery ('The Work of Time'), recommended to us by the very friendly (and unintimidating) sommelier, Dom.
It's not cheap - we paid R900 for two courses (for two of us).
Well worth the visit though!

39 Barnet Street, Gardens, Cape Town, South Africa

Tel: +27 - 021 465 4909
www.aubergine.co.za/

Google map: tinyurl.com/yzkb4g3

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How about this for an authentic French meal?
A starter of goats cheese salad, a main course of steak frites (with an absolutely fabulous piece of steak) followed by a cheese platter and rounded off with a crème brûlée dessert. At the end of the meal we’ll have an espresso coffee and during the meal two glasses of pleasant local wine. Well, this was what was on offer last week at our local bistro for an unbelievable €12! This isn’t an isolated example and around our local area of the Loire Valley, just north of Saumur, we are close to at least ten restaurants, which offer us amazing lunchtime feasts. Head down to Saumur and though on the main tourist route, you can still find great lunchtime menus for less than €15.

The secret is to always go for the set Menu of the Day – ‘Le Menu du Jour’, the Dish of the Day – ‘Le Plat du Jour’ or the Workers Menu – ‘Le Menu Ouvrier’. As well as providing great value, you can be assured that the meal is prepared fresh that day. So, choose carefully and you can eat like a king. However, stray off the ‘Menu du Jour’, ‘Plat du Jour’ or ‘Menu Ouvrier’ and onto the ‘a la carte’ dishes and you will end up with a bill that is closer to 35 Euros per head once you have added in wine and coffee.

How do you uncover these great deals and have a great value and great tasting meal?

In a large town just trawl the streets and read the blackboards describing the Menu du Jour and Plat du Jour along with the prices. In more rural areas either head for the nearest village or keep your eyes open as you travel around – some of the restaurants seem to be in the middle of nowhere! When you do find an establishment, don’t judge the restaurant from the outside. Some of our favourites are nothing to look at from the outside, some even look a little run down. One local eating spot has a tobacco kiosk at the entrance end then a traditional bar and the cosy restaurant, which serves exquisite food, is hidden at the back – you’d never know unless you went inside. Discovering these places in all part of the adventure. Don’t discount the restaurants that may look like lorry stops – these can be real hidden gems offering what seems like unlimited buffet starters, cider and wine! Take a look at the number of cars parked outside – there will be a mix of tradesmen’s vans, trucks, large lorries and family cars, reflecting the mix of clientele inside. If the place is pretty full with this mix then you are on to a winner – the locals don’t patronise a poor menu!

Once inside, just stick to the ‘Menu du Jour’ – even if you are presented with the ‘a la carte’ menu. The proprietor is just chancing his or her arm to see if you will pick one of the more expensive dishes. Sometimes you will have to specifically ask about the ‘Menu du Jour’, especially in more touristy locations where the assumption is that you will choose something more expensive! When you are asked for water don’t be afraid to ask for a ‘carafe D’Eau’ or ‘eau de robinet’ (tap water) – bottled water is not mandatory and if you look around the other tables you’ll find the locals, in general doing the same.

Don’t discount some of the more exclusive restaurants, either. Those that position themselves at the upper end of the price bracket still need to bring in the lunchtime diners, so they will also offer a ‘Menu’ or ‘Plat du Jour’. One of the most expensive restaurants in Saumur can costs you an arm and a leg in the evening, but at lunchtime you can have an upmarket starter and main dish of the day for €16 Euros. The wine however, isn’t included in this price!

Eat like the French and you are benefitting from one of France’s great traditions. Whatever a person’s occupation or status a meal at lunch is an important part of the daily routine. No shorter than 1 ½ hours, lunchtime eating starts at an early age in French schools. Many primary school children will receive a starter, a main course and a dessert for school dinner, followed by ten minutes ‘repose’. Only then are they unleashed into the school yard for the remainder of lunchtime. So the pattern is set for life! To ensure this tradition doesn’t die out, in 2009 the French government reduced the rate of sales tax on certain items in the Menu du Jour. Lunchtime dining in France is big business, is widespread and a massive employer and as we can see, great value. So make the most of it and enjoy!

L'Art Obase, Mouliherne, Maine et Loire
Le Boufftard, Hommes, Indre et Loire
Les Menstrels, Saumur www.restaurant-les-menestrels.com

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Some of the greatest take away pizzas in Venice are to be found here at MauMa’s. The shop is just to the right, straight across the little bridge to the east of the Campo dei Frari (in front of the Frari Church).

It has no official sign – we only found out its real name after talking to the exceedingly friendly owners, Mauro and Massimo. Their English is limited but it’s possible to get by without having Italian.

It’s a tiny place with a shutter front which, when open, houses an appetizing display of bulging calzone and pizza slices. Calzone are around three Euros and pizzas start from four Euros.
Both are very generous; with a thin, crispy crust and delightfully herby and flavourful tomato sauce.

The place is tiny with no seating so everything is to take away. Buy a soda while Massimo prepares your pizza to order before your eyes; in the light summer months you could just take it across the bridge into the campo to enjoy.

There are no official business hours (whenever the guys feel like opening up!) but it’s usually open every day except Wednesdays.

Undoubtedly some of the best (and cheapest) pizza in Venice. I’ll definitely be going back next time I visit the city, as much to chat to the lovely owners as to sample the mouth-watering fare.

Campo dei Frari, San Polo 30125, Venice

Google map: tinyurl.com/ybmhccm

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I recommend a quick drink and a bit to eat with the kids in the Obama Bar in Barcelona. We were walking around in the rain looking for a nice place to have a drink, and by luck we came across the Obama Bar, just days before he was elected!

Gran via de les Corts Catalanes 603
08007 Barcelona
Tel: 933016524
www.obamabcn.com

Google map: tinyurl.com/y8g8j3a

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A small restaurant in La Balme, recently converted from a series of old cow sheds. It's near the bottom of the Aiguilette (a short red run with a button lift). There's a lovely sunny terrace and they do great value lunches for around €10. Try the assiette de pisteurs, a huge plate of salad, rosti, goats cheese on toast and lardons.

00 33 683 33 86 61 (Booking is essential)
No website
www.snowcarbon.co.uk/ski-resorts/chamonix/chamonix-eat-drink-party

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Southern cusine is America's most distinctive. I've found few better places in Dixie than Arnolds to experience the genuine article. The mystery of all those obese folks you've observed will be solved.

605 8th Avenue South, Nashville, TN 37203
+1 (615) 256-4455

Google map: tinyurl.com/ybgqesu

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Avoid the touristy tapas bars near Giralda. Poor service and greasy food and ice cold red wine.
Try the tapas where you see lots of the local people and you are sure of finding excellent food and wine.
Two we found were fantastic, one the other side of the Cathedral on Calle Santo Tomas near the Archivo de Indias. And the other called Cinco Jotas, Calle Castelar in the Arenal district.
Both serving delicious tapas, look and see what the locals are eating and drinking and point to the waiter, you can't go wrong.

Cinco Jotas, Calle Castelar 1, 41001, Sevilla
+34 954 210 763
www.mesoncincojotas.com/index_english.htm

Google map: tinyurl.com/y8zpl23

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Go to Horno de San Buenaventura for breakfast.
We stayed in a hotel nearby where the breakfast was 20 euros each. As a family of four we decided to explore an alternative and found this great place. Great food, great value and the best coffee we have had in Spain.
The cost for the four of us was only about 16 euros.

Avenida la Constitución 16. Sevilla, 41002
Teléfono.: 95.422.18.19

Google map: tinyurl.com/ycumrpp

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A day trip to fantastic Siena and an excellent lunch at this osteria. It made our day.
Great Italian food, great Italian wine and great atmosphere.
Arrive early or book as this is a popular restaurant.
We had to wait a half hour for a table, but it was definitely worth it.

Via del Porrione 33, Siena, Italy
0577/48-013

Google map: tinyurl.com/y8dhz2j

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What great Italian food and service at this Trattoria situated in a small back street.
Just ask the owner Carlo what is the special today, relax and take your time sampling the excellent food and wine.
This is a must for anybody who likes fresh genuine Italian food.

Vicolo del Popolo, 9, 05018 Orvieto, Italy
0763343916

Google map: tinyurl.com/y9vaxed

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Locanda palazone near Orvieto is a great place to stay.
The owners have done a great job at restoring the place and are excellent hosts. You must stay for dinner as they serve excellent Italian cuisine served by the charming owners. A pre dinner drink of wine produced by them before dinner to meet the other guests is a must.
We had a great time there and would recommend it for anyone staying in the area.

www.locandapalazzone.com/
Rocca Ripesena - Orvieto (TR) Italy - Tel.: +39 (0) 763 344921

Google map: tinyurl.com/y8kydy2

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Set-price lunch of gourmet cheese, bread and salads by award winning cheesemaker, set in an elegant farmhouse with a lovely view of green. Everything in your meal is grown and made on the farm.

Off the N2 Highway across from Tsitsikamma Lodge
Calling ahead for reservations and directions is essential
+27 42 280 3879

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