PEPE NERO restaurant ,
( www.pepenero-marrakech.com )VERY GOOD RESTAURANT with very professional team: They noticed that we were very interested in Italian menu and they tell us all about the dishes and wines. My wife wanted to know some details about a recipe and they guided us through the really spotless kitchen and introduced us to the cooking staff. The young Chef was very kind explaining how he was working hard for achieving the maximum level of excellence in his work starting from the ingredients’ quality: He owns a farm few Km far from Marrakech to produce bio ingredients and go personally everyday to the markets to select the rest. His words revealed the enthusiasm that is beyond his successful work.

Concerning the food, we had Moroccan food for our entire trip so wanted to change, we preferred the Bel Paese menu, that includes a selection of their best Italian dishes. I had as starter the Chef’s salad and my wife the salmon’s carpaccio: Both exquisite and well presented. We continued with courgettes’ ravioli and saffran risotto: Really delicious!!! The roasted lamb en croute d’epices and the sea bass’s pave were the yummy end. No space left for the dessert..
We will try them next time.. we will be back by sure!!

www.pepenero-marrakech.com

17, derb Cherkaoui - Douar Graoua
Marrakech
phone : 00212 524 389067

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I’m surprised this café hasn’t been reviewed before. My daughter had mentioned this place to me several times but I didn’t think I wanted to eat there because of its location on Westgate Road among the motor bike shops.
It’s a small café selling authentic Persian food with a special Persian dish of the day, including minced lamb skewered kebabs, saffron marinated chicken with rice and flatbread everything made fresh that day.
This is also the place for a big Sunday cooked breakfast (under £5) to cure hangovers, popular with those staying local for the weekend. Couples and families take over on a Sunday afternoon.
On my first visit I ate aubergine dip, which is to die for (you could taste the smoked aubergine and garlic). I could have eaten a whole plateful with flatbread - the flatbread is made to order and takes a couple of moments to cook. Then I had the special of the day, salmon in a green herb sauce with rice, mint and coriander salad.
My daughter ate mixed meats, saffron chicken on the bone, lamb chops and lamb kebab with rice and endless cups of Persian tea. Cost was £15 for both of us, bargain. (I’m working my way through the menu and have never been disappointed.)
It’s a café so don’t expect linen table cloths, the staff were friendly, the food tasted delicious, they explained the dishes are authentic and not adapted to the western palate and for that reason I love it.

233 Westagate Road, Newcastle upon Tyne
+44(0)191 232 0276
Google map: bit.ly/ttOngJ

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Part café, part shop, part postcard museum. Choco Café is definitely one for all chocoholics.
Set in the Old Town, Choco Café offers the widest variety of chocolate and chocolate drinks I have ever seen. Its offerings include chocolate with quinoa or pineapple and hot chocolate served with ginger or chili.
Be prepared, the hot chocolate is pretty much just melted chocolate – rich, smooth and thick enough to stand a spoon in. 55 CZK for the standard. Whipped cream and other ingredients such as chili, fruit, and alcohol are extra.
Choco Café accommodates non-chocolate fanatics as well, offering a small non-chocolate menu including teas, and some food. A good central lunch stop.
Café Chocolate also operates as a postcard museum and shop and a chocolate shop. It sells some of the most beautifully presented chocolate bars you’ll ever see – mainly by Italian chocolate company Stainer. Each wrapper is a work of art in itself, and the chocolate is delicious.
Cosy and snug in the winter. The back opens onto a small garden for fresh air in the summer.

www.choco-cafe.cz/
Liliová 4/250, Praha 1, 110 00
+420222222519
Mon – Sat 10:00 – 22:00, Sun 10:00 – 20:00
Nearest metro: Staroměstská or Mustek
Google map: bit.ly/tTlXuf

* Helen is our Been there local for Prague. Her page is here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/articles/prague-local-helen-ford.jsp and she has her own blog here: czechingin.wordpress.com/

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River no. 2 beach, Sierra Leone.
Some 16km out of Freetown’s dust and noise is a piece of unexpected paradise. River no 2 beach, the film location for the 70s Bounty ad, is a tranquil bay mostly frequented by NGO workers on their days off. Along the sandy bay are perfectly positioned beach chairs, tables and parasols facing the Atlantic, where the occasional passing canoe catches your eye. With temperatures at around 29 degrees, December and January are ideal months to go. Don’t expect any frills, the only facilities are a latrine in a shed. But the piece de resistance has to be the hut in the trees where they’ll cook your food – or better still, serve up specialities from their menu including huge prawn kebabs on spicy couscous. You won’t be hassled by the beach sellers offering their ornaments and jewellery but do buy one of their deliciously fresh coconuts to finish off your lunch.

16km outside of the capital, Freetown. Drive there (4X4 recommended) or local taxi.
Google map: bit.ly/uBoicH

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Right in the heart of the shopping district, the ‘Place to Eat’ at John Lewis in the St James Centre, is a great place for a bite to eat. It might be in the middle of a department store, but the food is good and the restaurant has stunning views out across the city if you can elbow your way to a window seat.

www.johnlewis.com
St James Centre, Edinburgh EH1 3SP
+44(0)131 556 9121
Google map: bit.ly/ux1yCS

* Rachel is our Been there local for Edinburgh. You can view her profile here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/articles/edinburgh-local-rachel-brown.jsp and follow her tips here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/travellers/RachelBrown

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If you’re near to the Royal Mile you could try the little Turkish treasure Café Truva. The hot chocolate is to die for, and the place just charming. The danger is you’ll make yourself so comfortable you’ll forget all about the Christmas shopping.

www.cafetruva.com/
251-253 Canongate Eh8 8BQ
+44(0)131 556 9524
Google map: bit.ly/rM6LCm

* Rachel is our Been there local for Edinburgh. You can view her profile here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/articles/edinburgh-local-rachel-brown.jsp and follow her tips here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/travellers/RachelBrown

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Henderson’s Vegetarian Restaurant at 94 Hanover Street provides anything from light snacks to a full meal – and with its location just minutes away from the charming George Street, it’s a great place to rest your feet and tuck into a hearty healthy lunch. There is a gorgeous deli and shop too – the perfect place to stock up on gifts for foodie friends.

www.hendersonsofedinburgh.co.uk/
94 Hanover Street, Edinburgh, EH2 1DR
+44(0)131 225 2131
Google map: bit.ly/tPQ6vi

* Rachel is our Been there local for Edinburgh. You can view her profile here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/articles/edinburgh-local-rachel-brown.jsp and follow her tips here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/travellers/RachelBrown

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There are so many restaurants in Cairo with international influences that you could easily visit for a week and not sample any traditional Egyptian food, but you’d really be missing out.
If you are out and about exploring in Cairo and want a quick, cheap and filling meal then Egyptian fast food is the way to go.
Cheap, simple dishes that are popular are ‘koshary’ (with its layers of rice, macaroni, pasta and lentils this is a carb-overload, but very filling and served with a little tomato sauce and with lemon and spicey sauce on the side) and ‘shawerma’ (marinated kebab meat served in a wrap or roll). You should also try falafel (‘tameya’), stuffed vegetables (‘mashi’) and 'fuul' (fava beans) which are often served in round flat bread ('aish baladi').
Arzak and Gad are both chains of Egyptian fast food restaurants. There are branches of both all over Cairo and they serve Egyptian fast food (and 'traditional' fast food of burgers and fries if you're feeling less adventurous).
Most restaurants will have a counter where you place your order, pay and are given a receipt. Take this receipt over to the serving counter to pick up your food. Some branches will also have a second 'back' room with table service, AC and bathrooms.

www.arzakegypt.com/home.asp
Maadi Grand Mall, 12 Road 257, Maadi, Cairo, Egypt
+20 2 5195282
Google map: bit.ly/v7Qcdo

Gad restaurants: bit.ly/ttEkNY

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There are so many restaurants in Cairo with international influences that you could easily visit for a week and not sample any traditional Egyptian food, but you’d really be missing out.
Starters that you should look out for include dips like babaganough (aubergine) and tahina (sesame) which will come with the round Egyptian flatbread known as ‘aish baladi’ (in many places this will arrive steaming to your table as it is probably cooked on site). You should also try falafel (‘tameya’) and stuffed vegetables (‘mashi’).
A classic main you might try is ‘molokheya’, which is a broth made with greens that is often served with a meat and rice. Many places will serve a range of grills including ‘shish tawook’ (chicken), ‘shish kebab’ (lamb) and ‘kofta’ (minced meat on a skewer).
Cheap, simple dishes that are popular are ‘koshary’ (with its layers of rice, macaroni, pasta and lentils this is a carb-overload, but very filling and served with a little tomato sauce and with lemon and spicey sauce on the side) and ‘shawerma’ (marinated kebab meat served in a wrap or roll).

For dessert you might try ‘om ali’ which is pudding rice, bread and raisins in sweetened milk.

If you're visiting the Khan El Khalili you'll be hounded to visit one of the many cafes on the main square, but venture in and you'll find the Khan El Khalili Restaurant (and Naguib Mahfouz Cafe). This is an excellent restaurant with attentive service and good food. A real haven from the hustle and hassle outside. They accept credit cards (a rarity in Egypt), and in the cafe area musicians play traditional music.

Khan El Khalili Restaurant and Naguib Mahfouz Cafe
5 Sekket al-Badistan
+20 2590 3788
To find the restaurant, stand in the main square of the Khan El Khalili (Midan Hussein) and face the row of cafes. Take the narrow street to the right of the cafes which goes slightly downhill (not the street that goes beside the mosque). Keep going past all the stall holders who will try hard to get you to buy from them. The street will widen slightly and you will see a metal detector in front of a door on your right (this is more obvious then the restaurant sign next to it!) and then you will know you are in the right place.
Google map: bit.ly/rXvhFQ

* Alip is our Been there local for Cairo. Her page is here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/articles/cairo-local-alice-allsop.jsp and you can follow her tips directly here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/travellers/alip

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Abou El Sid serves traditional Egyptian food and all their restaurants (there are branches all over Cairo) are decked out to fit the theme. Abou El Sid serves alcohol and shisha.

www.abouelsid.com
157, 26th July Street, Zamalek
Google map: bit.ly/sVzIvC

* Alip is our Been there local for Cairo. Her homepage is here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/articles/cairo-local-alice-allsop.jsp and you can follow her tips directly here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/travellers/alip

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Great home baking plus Italian coffee. Also baguettes, cakes, juices, pies and pasties. Plus they do soup which is brilliant in Hanoi's cold winter.

www.thecartfood.com
18 Au Trieu, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi
+84 (0)4 3928 7715
Google map: bit.ly/uQQlSg

8B, Lane 1, Au Co, Nghi Tam Village, Tay Ho, Hanoi
+84 (0)437186967

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I did a food tour of East Los Angeles that is hosted by a group called Melting Pot Tours - it's their Latin Spice Tour. My guess is very few tourists go anywhere near this part of town so if you're looking for something different, and off the beaten path, check out this LA tour. The food was great, the guide was a hoot and I got to see a cultural side of Los Angeles (East, Latino, authentic) that most of us usually only get to drive by. It was wonderful, just loved it.

www.meltingpottours.com
8484 Wilshire Blvd, Ste. 220, Beverly Hills, CA 90211
+1 (424) 247-9666
Google map: bit.ly/tnuGmg

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It has the most incredibly friendly staff. They will help will all sorts of things, not just waitering, and the chips come in little silver buckets. They also know the area and can tell you where to windsurf, theatre etc. The food is inventive, healthy and cheap, and the range of coffees is superb! I've joined the local poetry group escapeshute who meet there once a month (the date changes but you can find it on their website) and I've just discovered you can book either the downstairs or upstairs room if you're having an event. I find that if I sit in the first few seats near the doorway people at neighbouring tables will strike up a conversation with me as a matter of course! Definitely a supportive environment for anyone new to Brighton. And they have free WiFi. Enjoy!

www.kobauk.com/
135 Western rd, Brighton, East Sussex BN3 4FF
+44(0)1273 720059
Google map: bit.ly/v7pxiv

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Don't let the fact that Dobrá Čajovna is located on tourist-heavy Wenceslas Square dissuade you. Credited with being the lynchpin of the 1990s revival of Czech tea houses, Dobrá Čajovna is a refreshing change from some of the other international or tourist-priced options in the area. Tucked away off Wenceslas Square, it is hidden from view in a little courtyard, the entrance to which is marked by a discreet sign. It is a quiet, still haven, not drowned out by the hustle and bustle of Prague’s main street.
The menu (available in English and Czech) is fantastically informative and includes over eighty loose-leaf teas. With a three or four line description of each tea, the menu reads more like a novel and includes “a good tea to drink whilst reminiscing” (The Calling for Nepal), tea that is “suitable for drinking when returning from a walk in the park at twilight”, (Silver Monkey’s Paw), and tea “for a quiet meeting with close friends” (Sencha Kyoto). Dobrá Čajovna also has a small food menu offering snacks such as nuts and Japanese rice crackers. Savoury dishes including couscous and hummus are also available. Soft drinks are offered and are, happily, limited to exotic sounding chilled fruit juices – no crowd-pleasing Coca-Cola!
Dobrá Čajovna has inside seating as well as an outside area with bamboo sun umbrellas, low tables and stools, and is non-smoking throughout. Excellent service - attentive and very well informed.
Dobrá Čajovna also has a shop selling leaf teas, teapots and cups.

www.tea.cz/cajovna/
Václavské Náměstí 14, 11100 Prague 1
Open Mon-Fri 10:00 to 21:30, Sat-Sun 14:00 to 21:30
Nearest metro: Mustek
Google map: bit.ly/uKditw

* Helen is our Been there local for Prague. Her page is here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/articles/prague-local-helen-ford.jsp and she has her own blog here: czechingin.wordpress.com/

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Its a lovely, real, no pretence English thatched village. With a proper village pub, a proper village shop and just an all round relaxed place. The Church House Inn is just amazing. We had their Church House Pudding. What a feast, and such lovely people. Anthony is a marvelous landlord. Go there and have your faith in Englishness restored.

www.stokeinteignhead-village.co.uk/
Google map: bit.ly/sCXnNp

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A nice restaurant in the heart of Sofia, very close to the main landscapes. It is interesting with the ancient Roman wall passing through the restaurant and also with the nice paintings (the restaurant has expositions of Bulgarian artists). The food and the wines are very good, the service is quite attentive. They have also a nice bar to continue the evening ...

17 Al. Stamboliyski Blvd
+359 980 74 77
Google map: bit.ly/rU5YdS

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Most Torontonians love their coffee and donuts and the place to go is Tim Hortons, also known as “Tim’s” or “Timmies”. This chain of restaurants, found every few blocks throughout Toronto and its suburbs, is as Canadian as the maple leaf.
Line-ups in the morning are usually right out the door at most locations, as a decent cup of coffee and a breakfast sandwich won’t put a dent in your pocketbook. The coffee is actually quite good, for a fast-food joint, and they have other options besides donuts: tea biscuits, sandwiches, wraps, and soups. The restaurant prides itself on their “always fresh” policy and their coffee is served within 20 minutes of brewing.
Founded in 1964 by a Canadian hockey player, Tim Hortons is Canada’s largest fast food
service with over 3,500 stores in Canada. It also has locations in the US and many Canadian Forces bases, including Kandahar.
The most famous of its donuts are the “Timbits”, donut holes available in various flavours: Dutchie (donut with raisins, covered in a sugary glaze), Honey Dip, Chocolate, Jelly Filled, Glazed, and Apple Fritter.
Donut flavours vary from store to store, and they always have special flavours throughout the year: red glazed donuts for Canada Day and the Strawberry Bloom donut, a bloom-shaped donut, dipped in vanilla fondant with a strawberry filling and topped with strawberry-flavoured sprinkles.
To experience true Canadiana culture, every visitor to Toronto must step into a Tim Horton’s at least once.

www.timhortons.com

* Giulia is our Been there local for Toronto. You can see her profile here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/places/canada/toronto/index.jsp and follow her tips here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/travellers/GiuliaFalsetti

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This cosy little place next to the Sagrada Familia is the only place I found in the tourist heart of the city that does not try to ruin your wallet. It has an eclectic decor with Banksy prints and about 100 pairs of sunglasses. All the tables are home made, and the food is extraordinary. It ranges from salads and soups, to burritos and nachos and covers tapas in between. The quality is very good and its not expensive at all. They have a terrace overlooking the Sagrada Familia, and if you stay there till night falls like we did it all goes a little bit crazy. How they fit that many people in the place escapes me, but the owners introduced us to about 20 new friends from all over the world. Great food, great company, good times, highly recommended

www.chillbarcelona.com
Provenca 424 (corner with Sicilia) 08025 Barcelona
+34 934762270
Google map: bit.ly/rr3eE4

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Pub with grub.
Sarah and her team create a homely atmosphere with log fire, generous portions of well cooked food and a good range of ales.
Well priced too!

63, Main Street, Staveley, Kendal, Cumbria,
LA8 9LN
+44(0)1539821447
Google map: bit.ly/uwyz6r

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Moonlight restaurant was found purely by chance: out of the centre of town, you could walk right by and not realise it was there. Entered at the side of the building, up steps, you climb to a tiny rooftop terrace with simply amazing views over Kalkan, probably the best. There is only space for 10 tables and all were full the night we ate. You will not get a table here without booking well in advance. The food can be chosen from a set menu or a la carte but, if the latter you must notify your choices at the time of booking. I recommend that you stick to the set menu: I defy you not to be able to find something you like and at under 35 TL it is staggeringly good value for money. The wine list is limited but contains good choices. The food is very much local in orientation and utterly delicious. This was definitely the best food we had tasted anywhere in Kalkan. So, what's the down-side? Not discovered until we came to pay, they do not accept credit cards! Fortunately, they are happy to take any currency; we paid in sterling - £40 for two, including wine and tip. Unbelievable.

www.kalkanmoonlight.com/
Yali boyu mah. Hasan altan cad. No:17
Kalkan, Antalya, Turkey, 07960
+90 242 844 39 79

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