This very beautifully decorated wine bar is in the Realejo part of Granada (the old Jewish quarter), very close to Melia hotel. What a great place to have tapas and a huge selection of Spanish red and white wines and cider. Carlos, the owner, knows his stuff and will be very happy to talk you through each of his selected wines and point you in the right direction should you want to take some home with you. We will be back.

Calle San Antonio, next to (Plaza de Los Campos). Granada, Andalucia, Spain
+ 34 666 238 485
Google map: bit.ly/tvqqef

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TuttiFrutti, in the heart of what used to be Rome's Smithfields, is an inexpensive family run restaurant. It's Italian, so you'll always find variations of the what makes Italian cuisine so famous (gnocchi, pasta dishes, pizza) on the constantly changing menu. TuttiFrutti does for food what Paul Smith does to traditional English fashion: old style with a twist. The wine list is extensive and the staff are sophisticated and incredibly genial. This restaurant has become my regular spot to take people when they visit Rome.

Via Luca Della Robbia, 3/A, 00153 Roma
+39(0) 65757902
Nearest Metro: Piramide
Buses: Marmorata
‎Google map: bit.ly/sRAJ7r

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This is a great restaurant right in the centre of Amalfi. Great cooking and wines. Quite pricey but worth it.

www.trattoriadagemma.com/
Via Frà Gerardo Sasso, 11 84011 Amalfi SA, Italy
+39(0)89 871345
Google map: bit.ly/uPcWVu

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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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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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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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You'll easily spy the Revolving Restaurant if you are in downtown Cairo and look up - it's the tall building on the Nile which looks like a UFO has landed on top of it. It's not nearly as futuristic once you've made the ear-popping lift journey up to the 44th floor, but it is just very sleek.
If you really want to splash out then you can have dinner in the restaurant, but a more affordable way to enjoy the view of central Cairo is by having a drink in the bar on the floor below the restaurant. They have a minimum charge, but two or three drinks will usually meet it.
The best time to go is just before sunset as you'll see the sun going down behind the pyramids, and the city lights coming alive.

1089 Corniche El Nil, P.O. Box 63 Maglis El Shaab, Garden City 11519, Cairo, Egypt
+ 20 (2) 2791-7000
Google map: bit.ly/u89og6

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The name Čajovna Ve Věži (the tearoom in the tower) gives you a fairly big clue as to what to expect. A tea room right at the top of the remarkable tower at the edge of Letna park. The whole way up, you will be wondering if you have come to the right place. Don’t worry, you have. Just keep going right to the top.
As well as a special location, Čajovna Ve Věži's boasts a lovely herbal smell throughout and a cosy ambience - decor includes mismatched chairs and tables, Persian rugs, a large Buddha and several small oriental wall hangings. Like a favourite teddy bear, everything looks a little tired but well loved.
The menu is only available in Czech, although as most teas have Japanese or Chinese names, this is not too tricky. Staff speak some English but a phrase book might be useful.
Čajovna Ve Věži offers over 80 teas (from 40 to 115 CZK) from India, China, Japan, Turkey, Nepal, Vietnam and Tibet, as well as some fruit teas and non-caffeinated teas. A small selection of soft drinks is also available, as well as wine.
Light snacks are also offered – nuts (from 30 CZK), sandwiches (35 CZK), corn on the cob (44 CZK) and sushi (85 CZK).
Slightly slow service is more than compensated for by the location, atmosphere, and the excellent teas.

www.dojo.cz/cajovna/rozvrh/index_eng.html
Na výšinách 1/Korunovační, Prague 7
+420 724 593 215
Nearest tram: Sparta (trams 1, 5, 8, 25 or 26).
Open 16:00 - 22:00 in winter and 17:00 - 23:00 in the summer.
Google map: bit.ly/vbodTC

* 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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Toronto’s downtown core has an underground tunnel system that links over 50 buildings and office towers, five subway stations, six hotels, parking garages and major attractions in the city, all with underground passageways full of places to shop.
According to the Guinness World Records, PATH is the largest underground shopping complex linking 28 km (17 miles) with over 1,000 shops and services. Once a year, the PATH hosts the world’s largest underground sidewalk sale. The underground system also provides a great haven from the elements, with heating in winter and air conditioning in summer.
I love taking the PATH in the cold, winter months, where I can walk without a coat for miles at a time. I must admit, it can be a bit confusing getting around, but that’s all part of the fun.
Wandering around, not really knowing where I’m going on a lazy day, browsing shops, sitting in a café, it’s all great fun when the weather outside is dreadful.
To help you get around easier, each letter in the PATH is a different colour and represents a
direction: P is red and represents south, orange, A, directs pedestrians to the west, blue, T, directs them to the north, and the H is yellow and points to the east.

www.toronto.ca/path/pdf/path_brochure.pdf

* 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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Originally an old Haveli, the Jagat Niwas is a delight. A central courtyard with verandas in layers around it, with plants, and antiques. Bedrooms decorated in Rajasthani style, many with balconies overlooking the lake. You can recline in jarokhas to watch the sunset while deciding what to eat that evening in the renowned roof terrace restaurant. This restaurant is so popular with the locals, it is best to book in the morning. Staff helpful and always cheerful - they encouraged us to join them to watch the cricket which indicates the relaxed environment. The approach down Lal Ghat is also part of the charm. Very much old Udaipur and a short distance from the Palace complex.

www.jagatniwaspalace.com
23 - 25 Lal Ghat, Udaipur 313001 Rajasthan
+91 294242286
Google map: bit.ly/vydPcR

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Cafe and bar with a stupendous view of the beach. Great tapas, hearty lunches and snacks, comprehensive wine list.
Five of us ate for £77 including three bottles of wine.

www.porthmeor-beach.co.uk/cafe/
Porthmeor Beach, St Ives, Cornwall TR26 1JZ
01736 793 366
Google map: bit.ly/slWw2m

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A really chilled out restaurant in Wahchai. Great for Sunday brunch. Fabulous old building and close to Wanchai MTR.

62 Johnston Road, Hong Kong
+852 2866 3444
Google map: bit.ly/sEZ6NY

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