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Katz deli is a New York institution, much visited and loved by locals, celebrities and presidents alike. Try and get your mouth around the incredible pastrami on rye, matzoh ball soup is fabulous, Knisch, egg cream .... all lovely stuff. Place itself looks like it hasn't changed in a hundred years. It is vibrant, lively and every member of staff is a character.
205 East Houston Street. www.katzdeli.com/
Katz deli on New York's lower east side has been serving a slice of real New York since 1888. On our first trip to this city we went on a search for somewhere that captured the essence of New York people. Taking a bus ride to 205 East Houston street we found it. Greeted by our waitress (stern, mature, lady complete with pinny, red lipstick and New York drawl) took us to our table and on asking for a burger, swifty told us that we were here for a pastrami sandwich and nothing else! We did not argue. I could have stayed for hours listening to the banter and looking at the celebrity galleries hanging on the wall, I did refrain from acting out that famous scene from 'When Harry Meet Sally' (filmed here) so not to embarres my husband. Go, sit, an soak up the atmosphere and feel part of this amazing city.
205 E Houston St, New York, NY, United States - (212) 254-2246
katzdeli.com
It's a reliable online restaurant guide that also has background info e.g. a recurring piece on Spanish food and wines. Useful for general info and also for making online reservation. Check it out.
Slap bang in the centre of Madrid near to many of the major attractions, the old town, main shopping areas and a block from the Plaza Mayor is 100 Montaditos. It's your best bet for cheap lunch on the run in the city. Take a ticket and wait for your turn to order from the extensive menu of bocadillos (small Spanish sandwiches), starting from just a Euro, there's something for all tastes.
Calle Mayor 22, 5 mins from the Sol metro station
Head to Russ & Daughters (179 E. Houston St) for a true taste of New York. This historical deli, which specialises in bagels, cream cheese, caviar, smoked salmon and pickled herring, was opened on the Lower East Side by Jewish immigrants 95 years ago and it’s been in the Russ family ever since. It’s a downtown institution with the feel of a friendly, family-run, neighbourhood deli.
Be sure to try the Schmear (a made on site bagel with a choice of cream cheeses – I recommend the chive), for around $2.50, or the Classic (smoked salmon and cream cheese bagel – voted the best bagel in NYC by New York Magazine, and deservedly so), which is around $8-$9 and wash them down with deli favourites – a cup of cwawffee, a New York egg cream or a Dr Brown’s soda.
179 East Houston Street, New York, NY 10002
T (212) 475.4880
www.russanddaughters.com
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
For me, nothing comes close to Cadaques on the Costa Brava in Spain. Cadaques was a favourite haunt of Salvador Dali - once you have seen the light there you'll understand why. Crystal clear waters, fresh air, long walks, even longer lunches!
www.cadaques.co.uk
North-East Spain just south of the French border
Just a two minute hop down the hill from Lausanne gare/station, this lovely little Swiss/French-style brasserie/bistro is packed every night (so get there in good time!)
Sumptuous steaks, fantastic veal chunks with mushroom, and good wine list, with a bustling ambience and lovely staff.
+41(0216163822
Rue du Simplon 7, 1006 Lausanne
Ok, so it's a Seattle Institution and every tourist bus goes here, but it would be a crime not to visit this historic market.
America's oldest Farmer's Market hasn't lost any of its buzz, with an underground maze of mezzanines filled with weird and wacky shops, the overflowing blossoms of the Hmong flower market, and stalls laden with fresh fruit, vegetables and an international sweep of gourmet treats.
The entertaining fishmongers put on a good show, hurling fish over customer's heads, whilst street performers and musicians add to the chaos - look out for the kazoo and spoons player!
During the Spring and Fall harvests, the market hosts 'Organic Wednesdays', where you can scoop the best local produce for a cheap picnic.
You could spend hours browsing the stalls, but there are a few that really stand out - 'Read All ABout It' sells unusual newspapers and magazines from all over the world, Three Girls Bakery does the BEST garlic rosemary bread and peanut butter cookies in Seattle, and you can visit the very first Starbucks (quaint and nothing like the cookie-cutter chains across the country) for the original Tall Skinny Latte.
Between Pike and Virginia Street, from 1st-Western Avenue.
A very good restaurant on the Cais da Ribeira. There are a line of these places. I went to most of them and this is the best. Good food and really great staff. They gave me a special table upstairs for the Portugal-Sweden match
Cais da Ribeira 29
I found a great restaurant in the Alfama on Rua dos Remedios, I think it’s number 127.
It’s small and new, very homely, serving a lovely mix of Portuguese cuisine with an Italian accent. The owner, Nino, is of Italian/Portuguese descent and grew up in South Africa, so he speaks perfect English (Afrikaans too if that helps anyone) and it turned out we have mutual friends there too!
The first night I had a delicious Lasagna al forno, even better than my own, and my partner had a typically Portuguese dish, Feijoada a Portuguesa which is a pork and bean stew, very tasty and much better than it sounded.
They also have things like fish lasagne, Lasagna al Bacalhau, lots of pastas such as bolognese, putanesca, aglio olio, peperoncino with a breaded steak, prawns in a cream and cheese sauce, and Bacalhau com natas (cod with potato cream and cheese). They’ll do pretty much any combination you want and it’s all good. We ate there twice and wished we’d discovered it earlier.
With a nice bottle of wine, neither of our meals for two came to more than about €25, as the main courses are mostly well under €10. Even for Lisbon that’s good value and the place is fun!
The Alfama, as I’m sure anyone reading this will know, is a very typical and ancient area of Lisbon, full of lovely little corners and alleys, it used to be more or less a slum but is now clean and safe.
Alfama on Rua dos Remedios. Next to a metro station.
I went to Fellini only once on a quick business lunch while in Rio. I was impressed with the sophisticated dishes they offered at such reasonable prices. I was surprised with the discount policy for people who are over 65 years old. I never heard of this before. The pay per pound system also suits me well. Overall a nice place. I am just astonished because usually I spend a lot of money on these business lunches. I recommend this place for anyone that wishes to have a nice and tasty meal for a really good price.
R. General Urquiza, 104.
Leblon
There is no better way to see Croatian coast than sailing. Late spring and early summer is a great time as you get the unspoiled coast with all the summer features such as
warm temperature of the sea and nice weather but without all the summer crowds and season pricing.
I have recently had a great gastronomic cruise there, and without any hesitation I warmly advise you to check www.tajnamora.hr for the friendliest and comfiest gastro cruise around Adriatic!
www.tajnamora.hr
It was good to read of someone who appreciates the unsung delights of the Cambridgeshire fens (Rowan Pelling, Guardian Travel 14-2-09), especially since my partner and I spent Valentine’s Day in the same area, around Denver. But we didn’t have the “iron-grey” sky that she describes! The sky was blue and the winter sunshine brought out the best of the vast landscape of the Fens, with its big sky.
She visited the famous Denver sluices, impressive indeed. But how can she have missed the other attraction nearby, the Denver windmill with its wonderful tearoom and home bakery (where you can buy fresh bread of various kinds), and accompanying bookshop and leather worker?
From Denver, via Downham Market, you can pick up the A1122 which winds its way to Wisbech through a landscape criss-crossed with waterways. And just to the north of Wisbech, at West Walton village, is a great rarity: a church with a tower, but the tower separated from the church, standing 50 metres away. The church was originally built by Normans in 1240 and, with later modifications, is a real mixture of styles. It is quiet and communicates a great sense of peace.
Cambridgeshire
A hidden treasure! Absolutely amazing food, makes you feel like a real New Yorker simply because you just know that your regular tourist would never visit the place. I went there in '98 and had my first knish - a taste sensation you'll never forget, and one which may well cause you to waste many an hour for the rest of your life visiting kosher delis trying to re-live that moment! Told one of my friends who recently went to NYC that he must visit Liebman's, and he's been raving about it since - says that was the absolute highlight of the trip!
552 West 235th St.
Riverdale, NY 10463
Tel: 718-548-4534
www.liebmansdeli.com/
There are literally many magic places in Greece but Kardamili is almost unknown to many people. It is a little pretty village in Mani with loved beaches (to name a few Ritsa, Salio, Limanaki, Kalamitsi, Foneas, Delfinia, Kalogria, Stoupa), amazing cooking (Elies restaurant is literally great) and beautiful friendly people. It is a delightful place to take a break. The stone building architecture, crystalline waters, wild olive groves and distant mountains overlooking the calm sea and sunsets of the Messinian Gulf make the place a treasure that has been rightly kept away from the spotlight.
Kardamili is in the southern Peloponnese. The nearest station is Kalamata. Elies restaurant is located at Ritsa.
This is a stunning place with a huge garden surrounded by vineyards. The rooms are large, clean and well decorated. We were welcomed by the host with nibbles and wine like friends and not like paying guests. They provided us with all kind of information even for our way back home. I especially loved the breakfast with all kinds of hot and cold food, freshly picked out of the garden. It was a fantastic stay and we will definitely come back.
'Corfu' and 'island retreat' may not be words which the traveller may think go together but there are still a few underdeveloped pockets located on the Albania-facing coastline of this green Greek isle. Tucked into the north-east is the village of Kalami, which makes a great base for exploring this rocky peninsula by bus, car, moped or legs. Heading north along the pretty coastal path leads you to a bay backed with swaying eucalyptus. Here at Kerasia, the lone taverna is the coolest move to avoid the midday sun. South of Kalami, a more rugged path, which itself passes through deserted bays and coves, ends at Agni. This gourmet's paradise plays host to three tavernas - all revered by gastronomes from the island and afar. Indeed, the most popular, Agni Taverna, was the purported location of the meeting between Peter Mandelson and George Osborne last year. I guess they thought it was a neat retreat as well!
Went there in 2008 and 2009 (March) and each time found the food to be well above average and much better than in other bodeagas nearby. It is a lovely location and service is very friendly.
Mykonos does have the reputation for being a party island but if you are looking for a serious bit of R&R, head to Ostraco Suites. Situated on a hilltop just above the hustle and bustle of Mykonos town, this is a fantastic place to stay. We were met at the airport by one of the staff and welcomed with an upgrade on arrival to a suite for a few nights which was heaven! Rooms are really luxurious and the breakfasts are served on the veranda - fresh fruit, home baked breads and so on - the list goes on. If you do feel like heading into the lively town centre, try Interni restaurant, an incredible setting tucked away in the old town and delicious food/cocktails. One other tip, Ostraco Suites will organise jeep hire for you - we hired one for a few days to explore the island and stumbled across beautiful Fokos beach, deserted with a huge stretch of white sand (just remember to take your own picnic/water etc as there are no bars or kiosks nearby, just one taverna on the beach only open from 1-7pm!)
Ostraco Suites - www.ostraco.gr
Interni Restaurant - www.interni-restaurant.gr
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