The Lazy Toad Inn, in Brampford Speke, a village some 15 minutes drive from Exeter city centre, serves excellent food and drink at reasonable prices. Much of the food is locally sourced, including some produce raised in the Inn's own garden.
The Toad also offers accommodation, with the usual facilities, including Wifi access, flatscreen tv, radio alarm, and iPod dock.
It has an attractive interior, with a decorative emphasis upon the eponymous Toad, plenty of space between tables, and a small garden close by with tables for eating and drinking outside in good weather.
The chef/proprietors, Mo and Clive Walker, offer a warm welcome, and the staff generally are knowledgeable and cheerful. The atmosphere combines informality with elegance. It is no surprise that a number of worthwhile awards for quality food have been garnered in recent years. They are highly deserved.

www.thelazytoadinn.co.uk
Brampford Speke, near Exeter, Devon, EX5 5DP +44(0)1392 841591
Google map: bit.ly/MeHAa2

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If you have dreamt of walking though fields of lavender, then Apt is the perfect base to do this. About 1 ½ hours drive north from Marseille airport, Apt is a market town in the heart of Provence. Although not especially pretty, it is perfectly located to visit other wonderful sights – the perched villages of Roussillon, Menerbes and Gordes, wineries with grand, old chateaus and best of all, vast fields of lavender in every direction. Even my reluctant husband and brother drank in the scent! On a practical note, Apt has three supermarkets to stock up with provisions. We also stumbled upon a fantastic restaurant, Chez Nous and enjoyed sublime food, charming service and great value at 28 Euros for three courses. In the middle of July, we may not have been on the Riviera but there were so few crowds! We hired a villa with a pool, with stunning views of the hills surrounding the town. The market in Apt on Saturdays transformed the town, with its colour and perfumes and enabled us to bring back memories of a special Provencal holiday.

Chez Nous, 87-93 rue de la republique, 84400 Apt, France
+33 (0)490743277
Google map: bit.ly/Prob1f

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Saint-Paul de Vence is a picturesque village perched on top of a hill, the little streets are filled with quaint shops selling homemade soaps and lavender from the nearby Abbey Senanque. There are fantastic restaurants on every corner, sit outside among the fragrant flowers and enjoy the local cuisine then visit the Fondation Maeght art gallery; striking pieces set in beautiful gardens.

www.saint-pauldevence.com/
www.fondation-maeght.com/
623, chemin des Gardettes, 06570 Saint-Paul-de-Vence, France
+33 (0)4 93 32 81 63
Google map: bit.ly/T64y3q

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Ah, Nadege. This patisserie is truly a little piece of France in Toronto. I adore this shop. Upon entering, your senses are inundated with the smells of freshly baked croissants and bread, your eyes feast on the beautiful array of pastries, tarts, cakes, buttery croissants, a few sandwiches and various flavours of macarons including salted caramel, rose, pistachio and mojito.
Nadege is also the name of the owner: a pastry chef, chocolatier, confectioner, ice cream maker, traiteur, artist and baker, with experience running Michelin award-winning restaurants in France.
The space has a beautiful outdoor patio, where you can enjoy one of many delicious sandwiches, including smoked turkey with cranberry sauce, or even a pastry with coffee or tea.
This is the place to go to for a gourmet indulgence. Desserts and sandwiches may be a little pricey, but worth every single penny.

Nadege is open every day, beginning at 8AM.

www.nadege-patisserie.com
780 Queen Street West, Toronto, ON
+1 416 368 2009
Google map: bit.ly/R81tS6

* 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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When I’m looking to have an extra special brunch, one of my favourite spots is Dessert Trends. Here, the food is made using high quality ingredients and the presentation is just as important as taste. I’ve had everything on the brunch menu, with all items being delicious and memorable.
For meat lovers, the house made fennel and pork sausage with scrambled egg on cornbread, balsamic onion compote and a side salad is sure to please. On days when I’m not so ravenous, I go for the lemon dill scramble which comes with a buttery brioche, smoked salmon and salad. The salade nicoise is also a lovely choice, especially if I’m brunching later in the day; it comes with seared ahi tuna, fingerling potatoes, eggs, olives, anchovies, French beans and a champagne vinaigrette.
The real reason I come here, though, is for the desserts. The master pastry chef, Donald
Duong, is a classically trained French chef who has won numerous awards, having made cakes for the Queen, the Pope, the Canadian Prime Minister and several other dignitaries. The desserts and cakes are all works of art that are as delicious as they are beautiful. Rows and rows of lovely creations line the glass counter: mini cheesecakes, tarts, cakelets, I can never resist them and have also tasted most of these creations. Happily, though, different desserts rotate every few weeks, so I always get to try something new.
If you’re not able to make it for weekend brunch, I recommend visiting this place for a great cup of coffee and a splendid dessert. Afternoon tea is now also being offered in the newly renovated space upstairs, with the mandatory fresh scones, croissants and clotted cream, as well as other delectables, like melon and prosciutto sandwiches, pineapple and watermelon gazpacho, and various petit fours.

Brunch is available on weekends, starting at 10 AM. Please note this place is closed Mondays and Tuesdays.

www.desserttrends.ca
154 Harbord Street, Toronto, ON
+1 416 916 8155
Google map: bit.ly/PlGkxo

* 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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Torontonians, myself included, love to brunch on weekends and dining at a new venue is always a treat. That’s not so difficult to do, as the city has so many brunch options to choose from. Most recently, I tried a popular hangout in Toronto’s west end, Saving Grace, located in the city’s Little Portugal neighbourhood.
This spot is renowned for its great food as well as its famously long line-ups on the weekend. Having been forewarned, my friend and I arrived on a Saturday, a few minutes before the 10AM opening and within minutes, there were at least 10 people behind us.
Saving Grace is a very small restaurant in what used to be a residential home. The small, high- ceilinged room seats about 20 people at closely placed tables. Servers were constantly smiling and attentively serving customers in this bright and airy space with whitewashed walls and sparse décor. No one seems to mind the close quarters or long line ups, though, because this space is all about the food.
Serving brunch seven days a week, the menu consists of a variety of egg dishes, French toast, sandwiches and salads. The chalkboard on the wall always lists the specials of the day. After careful consideration and much thought, I ordered the savoury french toast, which lived up to my expectations. Made with melted Gruyere, baked apples, and caramelized onions, the flavours were spectacular and I also enjoyed the large salad that came with it. My friend ordered the pancakes with fruit, which was also a hit. Four small, dainty pancakes came served with sliced fruit and maple syrup: not too filling and just the right amount. The freshly squeezed juices were also delicious: the pink grapefruit is not overly tart, and the pear and ginger is perfectly refreshing on a hot summer morning.
I was seriously impressed with the food and am already planning my next appearance, but I haven’t decided whether I’ll have the Old White Cheddar Sandwich, which comes with bacon, tomato, avocado, lettuce and rosemary mayo on a toasted whole wheat raisin bread or the Rajasthani scrambled eggs with spicy red onions, tomatoes, chickpea masala, and spicy paratha.

Saving Grace is open for brunch at 10AM on weekends, and 9AM weekdays.

907 Dundas Street West, Toronto, ON
+1 416 703 7368
Google map: bit.ly/PrM358

* 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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It's a 'formategeria' (cheese restaurant) but although it has a lovely fondue on the menu, its menu isn't especially cheesey. It's a lovely place, great service, attentive and passionate chef who talked us through the Catalan menu. The town itself is nice but provincial and this restaurant is not what you'd expect there.

www.pktus.com
Calle Capdevila, 14, (entrada calle la cruz/carrer la creu)
Google map: bit.ly/T20lOi

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Easily Stockholm's finest lunch, in the most beautiful setting. Take the ferry from Slussen (return ticket costs about a tenner, leaves on the hour, trip takes 25 minutes) to Fjäderholmarna Island and go to the first restaurant on the left. It will appear incredibly busy but ask for a quiet table round the back, and if you're lucky you will have a whole sun terrace to yourself. Order smoked prawns to start and herring with mash and lingonberries for your main. Thank me later.

Rökeriet på Fjäderholmarna, 100 05 Stockholm
+46 8 716 50 88
Google map: bit.ly/MVtI3X

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Greek Restaurant.
Quality, well thought out menu and wine list plus attentive service.

www.parthenonas.co.uk
290/292 London Road, Sheffield S2 4NJ
Google map: bit.ly/PlrcAf

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Every Monday from around 9am to 2pm there is an amazing regional market in the adorable little village of Forcalquier. It's year round but in the summer it's absolutely heaving to capacity - in the best way. Mouthwatering produce of course but also a fantastic variety of other things like beautiful Provencale tablecloths, homemade soaps, artisan crafts. It seems to take over the entire town and extends onto the "ramparts" and upper square. There are often second-hand clothes bargains to be found (tables of lovely stuff to dig through for 1 euro!) and usually there is some extremely funny demonstration going on of the latest cooking implement like a frites-cutter. It's definitely the type of place you can pass the whole morning (and fill your shopping baskets).
I also love dining at any "Bistrot du Pays" whenever I'm in Provence (they have them in other regions as well). This is a regional network of bistrots in very tiny villages that are the lifeblood of the villages. They all serve tasty, inexpensive three course lunches and most serve dinner too. The focus is on regional traditions and local food. My two favourite near Forcalquier are Pierrerue and Cafe de la Tonelle (reservations recommended at both).

www.forcalquier.com/
Google map: bit.ly/MVFCsz
A list of Bistrot du Pays is at:
www.bistrotdepays.com/
Cafe de la Tonnelle:
04230 Ongles
+33(0)4 92 73 19 89

Pierrerue:
Rue de la ferraille
04300 Pierrerue
+33(0)4 92 75 33 00

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Ly Quoc Su is a street on the western edge of the old quarter and is full of interesting and good cafes (Joma), pho restaurants and tourist shops, it has less hawkers than the other streets and is popular with locals as well.

Ly Quoc Su
Google map: bit.ly/OCy2qf

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Kensington Market in downtown Toronto represents true multiculturalism, with people of many backgrounds owning shops side by side, including Portuguese, East Indian, African, Asian, South American and Caribbean.
This bohemian neighbourhood offers everything you could ask for, with over 245 local, independent businesses, including some of the best vintage clothing shops in the city, eclectic cafes, funky art galleries showcasing local talent, ethnic butchers, grocers, fishmongers and cheese merchants, several bakeries, spice and dry goods stores, as well as a wide variety of dining options, ranging from classic French to Jamaican patties, and Central American treats such as empanadas and arepas.
I’ve been visiting this area since the early-80s and it hasn’t changed much: brightly painted Victorian homes, some of which have been turned into shops lining the narrow streets, alleyways covered in graffiti, modest family-run stores, grocers displaying a colorful outdoor array of exotic fruits and vegetables, and in summer, many cafes and restaurants offer live music on their patios. While real estate prices in the area have increased sharply since then, Kensington still remains a predominantly working class, immigrant community.
This tight-knit neighbourhood has worked hard to preserve its heritage: there are no chain
stores of any kind here. In fact, when Nike opened a shop here about 10 years ago, the locals forced them to shut down and move away. This is a very friendly enclave where organic bakeries take the place of fast-food restaurants, and vegan and vegetarian restaurants are the norm. Remember to bring cash, as many of the smaller shops do not take credit or debit cards.
Because the narrow streets make it challenging for both pedestrians and drivers, the local
businesses have organized a series of Pedestrian Sunday events in August and September from 12pm to 6pm where some streets are closed to motorized traffic.

www.kensington-market.ca
Google map: bit.ly/MwAbAj

* 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 is a small, but perfectly formed little diner in the heart of student central. The decor is "interesting" and the welcome is friendly. While not top end food the menu includes some of the most authentic Korean food I've had outside of Seoul. Try the brown rice tea. A cracker !

kimsminimeals.com/
5 Buccleuch Street, Edinburgh, EH8 9JN
+44(0)131 629 7951
Google map: bit.ly/NhBSoB

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Step off the tourist treadmill and into sleepy Alaro, a small town of narrow streets from where you can follow graded paths and running trails through pine woods and stunning valleys.Try lunch at the best lamb eating place in the Balearics in the foothills of the Serra de Tramuntana after a lovely walk or drive. The small family -run Petit Hotel is beautifully furnished and reasonably priced, offering authentic Mallorquin cuisine. It is located close to the shady plaza where you can enjoy delicious local ice cream or pastries from the bakery and where markets and fiestas will be held during August.

www.petithotelalaro.es
Camp Roig 43, 07340 Alaró Mallorca
+34 971 518 751
Google map: bit.ly/OWmjhE

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Nicely decorated cafe restaurant on a quiet street in the Chueca district in Madrid is a great spot to stop off for a bite to eat. Go for the homemade cocido madrileño(type of stew) or the brunch banquet with its four+ courses made with artisan and fresh premium ingredients. If you like you can continue and have a cocktail and let your thoughts wonder listening to the great tunes.

Calle Pelayo, 60, Chueca
+34 911694179
Google map: bit.ly/M65wc5

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If you go to Cadaques, probably the most unspoilt coastal village in Spain, there are two main pleasures: food and sea. Food: skip the tourist restaurants, and walk round the Punta de Sa Costa on the eastern side of the town centre – you’ll find much more authentic beach restaurants frequented mostly by local people and pungent with the smell of delicious frying fish. Sea: kill three birds with one stone by taking your swimming gear and a picnic and setting off in the morning for the thirty minute walk towards the Cala Nans lighthouse. You get vigorous exercise, beautiful national park scenery, and a magic little cove (Sa Sabolla) where you can spend the day, snorkelling in limpid waters with almost no one else around.

www.visitcadaques.org/?lang=uk&sec=
Google map: bit.ly/NCT5D8

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A warm welcome after a marvelous walk in Lisbon! Cafe Pois is a very relaxing and friendly place, just what you want after a hot morning of walking around the historic Alfama district of Lisbon. The food is not the traditional Portuguese, it is salads with couscous, smoked salmon and hummus, these are just a few of the delights on offer. I will definitely return to this restaurant on my next visit to this charming area of Lisbon.

www.poiscafe.com/
Rua São João da Praça 93-95, 1100-521 Lisboa
+351 218862497
Google map: bit.ly/NlQ4eE

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It would be a crime against gastronomy to visit Normandy without sampling the local delicacies: the famous cider and galletes (savory crepes). Nestled between the scenic 'Vieux Bassin' harbour and wooden Sainte Catherine cathedral, La Cidrerie bar and creperie offers the perfect environment to try both. The service is friendly, the prices affordable and the crepes are fantastic. This is the perfect place for a light lunch or a sight-seeing break. If you have a sweet tooth the 'crepe caramel au beurre salé', salty caramel, is surprisingly tasty and is also considered a regional delicacy.

creperie-lacidrerie-honfleur.com
26, place Hamelin - 14600 Honfleur
+33(0)2 31 89 59 85
Google map: bit.ly/NmKXu2

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Taking inspiration from the picturesque beauty of it its location on the banks of the River Serthe, artists flock to Saint-Céneri-le-Gérei all year round. When you have scoured the galleries, walked through the medieval lanes, stared at the frescoes in the ancient church and prayed for a miracle in the saint's chapel, take a break for lunch at L'Auberge des Peintres. More bistro than fine dining room, it's a friendly place to while away a couple of hours over a bottle of wine. As you happily chat to competent waiters in the relaxed atmosphere, it's not a bad idea to try the local Calvados either.
This is a popular place, so book before you go.

Le bourg, 61250 Saint-Ceneri-le-Gerei, France
+33 (0)233264918
Google map: bit.ly/MidK1w

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By night Dragon-i is home to the rich and the beautiful. Models prowl in packs, the finance boys compete to buy ever bigger bottles of ever more expensive champagne, the It Girls lounge at tables resting their Louboutin clad feet while they sip grey goose poured from a bottle so big that it makes them look the size of Borrowers... By day though, Dragon-i is a whole different story. Book for lunch for a table full of not Dom, but dim sum. If it's cool enough to sit outside, bag a table on the large terrace perched just above Wyndham Street which you share with a flock of twittering birds housed in a giant black birdcage. If the mercury's rising, seek sanctuary inside the sleek, glossy restaurant decked out with sunken leather sofas and red Phoenix print lanterns - the perfect fusion of East and West.

Then for the main event, time to get stuck into the dim sum... For the bargain price of HK$188 you get as much dim sum as you can manage and unlimited tea. And we're not talking low grade, buffet eat-all-you-can, this is little parcels of deliciousness ordered straight from the a la carte menu. Don't miss the Shanghai Dumplings with Ginger Vinegar, the Baked Barbecued Pork with Sesame Puff or the Steamed Rice Paper Rolls with Fresh Prawns. Dragon-i is the ideal stop off to refuel after a hard morning's antiques shopping on Hollywood Road giving you the sustenance to tackle an afternoon's sightseeing or an excuse to do nothing but lie by your hotel pool like an overstuffed dumpling.

Be sure to return after dusk to see all evidence of dim sum swept away, and the Jeroboams of Champagne being wheeled out complete with sparklers to a soundtrack of cooing models and thumping music spun by the best DJs in town.

www.dragon-i.com.hk/
UG/F The Centrium,, 60 Wyndham Street,
Central, Hong Kong.
+(852) 3110 1222
Google map: bit.ly/MLFcHM

* Natalie is our local for Hong Kong. You can read all about her here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/articles/hong-kong-local-natalie-robinson.jsp and follow her tips here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/travellers/natalierobinson
She also has her own blog at: www.3badmice.com/

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