A shop selling all manner of arts and crafts, modern and traditional - jewellery, textiles, ceramics, textiles. Apparently run as a charity, this is a "fair trade" outlet. An excellent place for quality presents

36 Bld Vasil Levski (opposite Hotel Downtown)
tel 02 981 77 65

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I found a laundrette in Studentski Grad (the Student Town) south of the centre, on ul Prof Ivan Stranski.

Open every day until 8pm, they wash dry and fold, but don't iron. Very good service.

There is one in town, address below.

ul Pirotska 120 (near corner of bl.Todor Aleksandrov and ul DimitriPetkov
open 8-19.00

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An Armenian restaurant. The name means "Come, Come". There are two such, and we ate in the ul Dobrudzha branch. Small rooms in what feels like a private house, so a delightfully intimate experience.

The food was delicious, although the service somewhat erratic. Excellent wines - we had the Tcherga white and red, both superb. No holds barred, our bill was about 60 Leva each, but one need not be so extravagant. A very good evening out, if you don't mind it being leisurely.

Booking a must - on a midweek night we couldn't get a table at the other branch, and ours was full.

ul Dobroudzha 10
02 989 33 83
also
ul Sheinovo 18
02 946 17 35

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Where to start? This is a little, six-table, tucked-away Italian restaurant run by patron/chef Emil, a Bulgarian who spent 17 years in Italy.

The night four of us went it was empty (Sofia natives disappear in August). No menu, we willingly went along with whatever Emil proposed. After bruschetta, wonderful antipasti, then a ravioli (home made, of course) of spinach and ricotta with a gentle creamed tomato sauce with shrimps and courgettes. Each flavour given its proper due.

Then two of us shared a salt-baked fish, two shared a fillet steak with fresh peppercorns. Although we had no room for more, Emil suggested we share a tiramisu and a torta ricotta. How can I ever eat another tiramisu, now that I know how it can be? Both desserts made for the Gods. Limoncello on the house.

Only Italian wines here, so perhaps wine is a little more expensive than elsewhere. Each dish simple, each element a perfection of taste and texture, cooked with passion. What more could one want? This was a meal I will never forget. For such a memory, we spent 60 Leva each, about €30. Booking is essential. (I know, it was empty the night we went, but that was chance!)

ulitsa Lavele 11 - entrance in ul Lom
02 986 08 54
(between bul Todor Aleksandrov and bul. Aleksanser Stambolski)
open 11.30 - midnight
Closed Sundays

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There are Irish pubs in the most unlikely corners of the world - I watched the Rugby World Cup final in one such in Almaty, Kazakhstan.

There are three in Sofia. Murphy's is typical of the breed, but has something extra - it is immaculately run by charming staff. On a crowded big match day the empty glasses were immediately removed, as were the used ashtrays.

The bar food (onion rings, chicken wings, chips) crispy and grease-free. There is a wider menu of comfort food such as shepherd's pie. The full glasses quickly arrived, with a smile. One large screen and several smaller ones make sure everyone has a view of the sporting action.

A credit to the genre, and I recommend it highly.

ul Kurnigradska 6
tel 02 980 28 70
open noon-midnight

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Tempted by a guide saying this was "the best pasta in Sofia" we went to this Italian restaurant in a smart residential suburb.

In terms of decor and general ambience this is a stylish and elegant (two words not usually associated with Sofia) restaurant that would not look out of place in Beverly Hills or Belgravia.

Sadly, the food was less imaginative and not up to the cooking standards of the amazing cheap'n'cheerful Double Espresso in Balham. Spaghetti alio olio, my test for an Italian kitchen, had no evidence of garlic. Penne Arrabiata bland. At the upper end of prices by local standards. Sorry. Go for a stylish meeting or a drink - forget the food.

ul Atanas Dalchev 6 Sofia 1113
tel: 02 970 01 28

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A genuine French restaurant, French chef/owner and Bulgarian wife make it welcoming and familial.

The food is superb from the relatively small seasonal menu. Warm fig salad, duck with honey and balsamic vinegar, and desserts to die for, all make this a-little-above-average-priced restaurant worth every Lev.

Closed Sundays and in August (well, it is French!)
Open 12 - 10pm weekdays, 6pm-10pm Saturdays.

ul Tsar Simeon 78
(about four blocks north of pl Nezavismost)
tel 02 983 14 17 or 0887 523 376

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Opened in 1926, timber beamed and clad, a large restaurant with many covers, but with several spaces inside and out, so that everywhere seems reasonably intimate. Tree shaded courtyards.

Traditional Bulgarian food of the highest quality - and huge portions! Plenty for vegetarians, and a meat-eaters heaven. My mixed grill was one of the best I have ever eaten. The large menu and extensive wine list are very reasonable. On a Monday evening, the restaurant was completely full, which would indicate essential booking. Highly recommended. Folk music on weekend evenings, which I haven't experienced.

ul Elin Pelin 1
tel: 02 866 50 53
open 12 noon - 1am

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Just some observations - public transport is poor in Sofia. However, taxis are very cheap and plentiful. I have never had a problem, but of course there are stories of cabbies trying it on. Normal caution should suffice.

Pavements are dreadfully dilapidated, and often obstructed by parked cars. This is not a town for baby buggies, let alone wheelchairs (I have never seen anyone in a wheelchair). The elderly should also beware.

A good guide, published quarterly is Sofia in Your Pocket: www.inyourpocket.com

Also, an English-langauge newspaper Sofia Echo, published Fridays with listings: www.sofiaecho.com

In August, theatres are closed, and some restaurants. Check first.

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Apparently there are 161 monasteries in Bulgaria, and this wonderful restaurant has 161 dishes on the menu taken from them, made an even more lengthy read with its anecdotes, proverbs and cooking tips.

The traditional food is superb, with many dishes not usually found even in other "traditional" menus. An extensive wine list, a very relaxed and friendly atmosphere make this an ideal place to go for a leisurely meal. Like most restaurants in Sofia, it is open all day, in this case from 11am-2am.

In the heat, the courtyard is a delight, with trees and a water mist system that keeps it wonderfully cool. Be warned that in this and most restaurants in Bulgaria, the portions are more than generous - sharing is fun! Booking absolutely essential.

ul. Han Asparouh 67
tel 02 980 38 83
www.magernitsa.com
Off 6 Septemvri Str, one block from Patriarh Evtimrii Bld.

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Scottish pub, with charming Scottish landlord and Hungarian wife who speaks excellent, Scottish-accented English. Good beer (Belhaven), satellite TV for the sports fans, and excellent food. The steak Tartare is one of the best.

Ker. Moazsar u 9
06 1311 7611
Off the north end of Ferenc Liszt ter.

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Became my "cantine" as the French say, a regular, easy place to eat. Very friendly, delicious food - Hungarian and also pizza/pasta, and very reasonable. Open all day, every day 10 - midnight.

Kiraly ut 59b
www.magdalenamerlo.hu
tel 36 1 322 3278
Just off Erszebet near the "Pizza H(ugh)t" on the corner. Opposite side entrance of Ferenc Liszt Academy
trolley 70,78, tram 4,6

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Asian fusion restaurant, attracts the in crowd, and a little more expensive than the average local. The food is very good indeed, and is welcome if you want a lighter meal than the usual rib-sticking Hungarian fare. On Andrassy, in the centre of things. Service a little lax, but all in all a very good experience. Booking advisable.

Andrassy ut 8
tel: 302 2570
near the Opera House

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Italian pizza/pasta of very high standard and very low price. Busy, friendly. Red checked table cloths, a shot of Limoncello with the bill. Pizzas outstanding, as are the pastas. I went several times, but didn't try their other dishes. Popular place.
Open daily 12 - 12.

Lazar u 1 1065 Budapest
tel: 312 - 0080
Just around the corner from the sports bar "Box Utca", on Bajcsy-Zsilinsky behind the Basilica.

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The best possible Thai massage. Step out of a Hungarian street (Terez Korut) into a courtyard, and then into a charmingly shabby Bangkok environment - Thai pop music on the cassette, incense. Book an hour if you must, but an hour and a half of every muscle being given an extraordinary workout costs only 7,000 HuF. Charming girls - an experience not to be missed.

Terez krt 32 (through the arch)
tel: 06 20 8030 859
Trams 4, 6
Metro Oktogon
Just past the Muvizs cinema

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A delightful restaurant with a daily changing special menu and an excellent wine list. Super service in the belle epoque surroundings. Well worth paying a little (not much by London standards) more than average. Very popular, so booking is advisable. Closed Sundays.

Zichy Jeno u. 33
tel: 00 36 1353 4094
Off Nagymezo u trolley 78, 70, metro Opera, tram 4,6

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A very good place to eat, in Buda. Easily reached from Moskva ter by bus 22 or tram 56. The conservatory is particularly pleasant, and the daily specials outstanding. I was there (several times!) in the autumn, but apparently in the season the garden is open and the barbecue going. One of my favourite restaurants in a city of excellent food.

1021 Budapest, Budakeszi street 5
Moszkva tér with Tram #56, and Bus #22 (black).
Telephone: 06-1-275-1396, 06-1-394-1896
Mobile: 06 309 995 131
Fax: 00 36-1-200-3843
E-mail: remiz@remiz.hu
www.remiz.hu

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A friendly laundromat in a small complex which includes the Broadway Hostel and a very pleasant cafe. Do your own laundry or have a service wash. They will also iron.
Open weekdays 9am - 7pm, weekends 10am - 4pm.

O Utca 24-26
Budapest VI
Tel: 06 20 20 36 713
Off Negymezo. Trolleybus 70,78. Metro Opera.

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The public transport system in Budapest is superb, and the traffic terrible, so it's a no-brainer. The new trams are the Bentley turbos of trams. Get a carnet of ten tickets at any metro station, and they are good for all transport. You must validate a ticket for each journey or part of the journey if changing. There is a brilliant website (transport maps do not exist) with an English version. This gives all routes, maps, intersections, stops - a really informative and useful site:
www.bkv.hu/angol/home/index.html

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Apart from in the main station area, there are very few internet cafes in Nice, and this is the only place in the Old Town.

Serving food with fresh ingredients from the market, drinks and snacks, it's a very friendly cafe run by a young Englishman who has lived in Nice for 15 years. There are seven terminals in a separate room, printers and so forth, and ethernet and power sockets by each table in the cafe itself. Also has wi-fi and cable TV for main sporting events.

Happy hour for drinks from 5pm, and English breakfast is on the menu too.

8 rue St Vincent (corner of rue Pontin), 06300 Nice;
04 93 62 68 86;
e-mail: cafe@wanadoo.fr;
Open 9am to 7-ish. Closed Sundays

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