Skåne’s capital city, Malmö, is a forward-thinking foodie hub that capitalises on its location between culinary trend-setting Copenhagen and Skåne’s fruitful larder. Not least when it comes to vegan dining, one trend that has really taken off in the city, particularly in the area around Folkets Park (People’s Park). Vegan restaurants, cafés and food shops have popped up all over in this part of the city, forming a tight-knit community of veg-focused entrepreneurs, each satisfying a different niche. There are even two food tours specifically catered to vegans in the city (Lotta Ranert’s self-guided Madamilen and Linda Dahl’s guided Matkaravan). Join one of them, or read on to follow your own vegan trail around Malmö with our pick of the city’s top plant-based spots.
LYRAN – for vegetarian tasting menus
While not 100% vegan, there’s definitely a focus on veg at this neighbourhood restaurant. Book a seat at Lyran’s six-person wooden counter and watch the chefs prepare pretty dishes in the small open kitchen. Jörgen and his team use ingredients from Skåne’s producers (funny cucumbers, pickled elderflower, beach rose and Swedish cantaloupe) to create imaginative dishes such as mustardy Icelandic sorrel leaf and muskmelon on Icelandic Viking bread, chargrilled leeks served with black garlic and gratings of local cheese, and tender slow-cooked beetroot in a smoky birch sap and floral wild beach rose vinegar.
Nasturtium dish at Lyran. Photograph by Carolina Romare
SALTIMPORTEN – for trendy vegan options
The current go-to spot for trendy Malmöites is portside restaurant Saltimporten. Set in a former salt warehouse, stripped-back simplicity prevails. Brushed-oak tables span the width of the concrete room, a wall of glass gives views out over the water, while another wall is dominated by a concrete counter where you slice fresh sourdough while waiting in line to order from a choice of two daily lunch dishes – one meat, one veggie.
The vegetarian (often vegan) dish works just as hard as the meat option – think fine ribbons of celeriac laid on springy black quinoa with beansprouts and black sesame. Coffee from Malmö roaster Solde is on tap, and served in cute vintage teacups.
Vegan dish of the day at Saltimporten. Photograph by Carolina Romare
MAT & CHOKLADSTUDION – for vegan chocolates, cakes and desserts
Acclaimed Swedish pastry chef Joel Lindqvist uses this shop and studio as his very own chocolate lab to experiment with new flavours and trends. Joel is big on vegan patisserie and chocolates; try his super-smooth pralines made with sustainable Italian almond milk, palm-free soya and ingredients from within a 100km radius (don’t miss bonbons made with citrussy pine shoots, hand-picked strand by strand from the forest between Malmö and Lund). Aquafaba replaces egg white to create raspberry and chocolate macarons, and oat milk makes Joel’s vegan ice cream super creamy (or try blackcurrant and yuzu sorbet topped with crispy dark chocolate and dill).
Joel’s recently launched lunches are another must-do among Malmö’s foodies. There’s a focus on Skånian produce with an Asian flavour (think mushroom consommé with kohlrabi, carrot and celeriac noodles, topped with elderflower, pickled onions and puffed oats) and there’s always a vegan option.
This quirky space is a popular meeting place for Malmö’s twenty- and thirty-somethings. Far i Hatten has embraced the vegan movement with dishes such as aztec broccoli, sliced raw broccoli and broccoli pesto; rare cauliflower mushrooms with puffed wheat and dill; and even vegan pizzas topped with oat-based cream, vegan cheese, courgette and pistachios.
We sneaked into the back for a tour and saw neat rows of jars dedicated to pickling and fermenting vegetables from Skåne’s fertile natural larder. The chefs share these ingredients with mixologists to create Nordic cocktails such as gin fizz with raspberries, rhubarb and lingonberries.
Vegan pizza topped with oat-based cream, vegan cheese, courgette and pistachios. Photograph by Alex Crossley
JORD – for vegan brunch
Jord, meaning ‘earth’ in Swedish, is one of Malmö’s best specialist vegan restaurants. Stop by this light and bright corner café for one of its all-day vegan breakfasts beneath the warm glow of exposed light bulbs – hummus bowls with baked red cabbage and carrot topped with hazelnuts and herb vinegar, perhaps, pea pesto toast with pickled cucumber ribbons and chive, or granola bowls filled with blackberries, coconut shavings and mint.
Vegan bakes include raw brownies sprinkled with chocolate, cloves, walnuts and sea salt, and squidgy carrot cake; pair them with a silky filter coffee.
Though not 100% vegan, this food store has a low-waste ethos and many of its products are vegan. It is Sweden’s first packaging-free grocery store, and encourages shoppers to fill up their own containers with more than 200 Swedish products.
There’s a focus on low mileage, too – vats of Swedish quinoa and rapeseed oil sit above boxes of owner Joel Lindqvist’s broken cloudberry chocolate and reusable glass bottles of kombucha from the city’s own Roots of Malmö brand.
A cheese shop may seem an unlikely stop-off for vegans but Malmö’s Möllans Ost has a whole section dedicated to vegan cheese. Pad across its black-and-white-tiled floor to the far side of the counter to sample and buy vegan versions of smoked cheddar, parmesan and even a grillable halloumi alternative.
Fun fact: these cheeses are currently all Greek because, traditionally, members of the Greek Orthodox church don’t eat animal products on fast days but wanted non-dairy alternatives, so the country is ahead of the game in the production of dairy-free cheeses.
This cosy restaurant and wine bar doesn’t shout about the fact that it’s 100% vegan but those in the know can enjoy hassle-free vegan dining here.
Colourful dishes include roast parsnip with yellow courgette ribbons, cashew ricotta and cucumber salsa with dill; buckwheat risotto with grilled Jerusalem artichoke, pickled carrots and grapes; and fresh corn polenta topped with mushrooms, tomatoes, pickled onions and a vibrant gremolata. Dessert may be pretty coconut panna cotta with freshly picked sea buckthorn berries, or pear with dark chocolate mousse, pine nuts and thyme.
The final three vegan spots on our list are conveniently congregated under one roof at Mitt Möllan food hall, a 60s-era shopping mall in the Möllevången district that was recently reopened to house an impressive array of independent food producers. The food court offers everything from Indian food to ice cream, pizza to kombucha, and plenty of it is vegan. Take your pick from the stalls, then sit and eat at communal tables set beneath funky white lampshades.
The three Lind brothers got their idea to set up Skåne’s favourite sandwich shop after their Sunday ritual of creatively using leftovers from their family restaurant. This small shop takes the open sandwich to new levels by pickling, confiting, frying or baking Skåne-sourced ingredients.
The brothers bake their own sourdough then fry it (to make it super crisp) and top it with the likes of roasted corn, confit cabbage, asparagus and broccoli with tarragon “mayo”.
Zainab specialises in Punjabi food but is influenced by cuisines from all over India and Pakistan, and will make most dishes vegan on request. Among her regular menus there’s plenty of choice for vegans, including pakoras and jalfrezi. If it’s on, don’t miss the potato and aubergine curry with vegan garlic naan.
Peter, the self-dubbed “glasstronom”, gives vegans an ice cream option beyond the standard sorbets, using coconut and cashew creams, made from scratch, in place of dairy. He is constantly inventing new vegan flavours, from the classic Swedish chokladboll cake (made using 72 per cent chocolate and a little coffee) to golden turmeric latte, and strawberry with vanilla and balsamic ripple.
For those who want a refreshing hit, sorbet choices include tart and zingy raspberry and hibiscus, mango spiked with lime and ginger, and pear with white wine and gingerbread.
Looking to visit the most picturesque places in Sweden? Take a tip from the #olivetravels experts and read on for 10 of the best spots to post from in Skåne.
Gram, Malmö
The jar-framed sign in the window of Sweden’s first packaging-free grocery shop makes a striking photo-ready display. Inside there are glass bottles of kombucha, cylinders of all sorts of textured grains and boxes of jewelled broken chocolate, beautiful in its imperfection. Take your own jar and fill it with produce from Skåne’s rich larder.
This seaside restaurant is a one-off – walk over a footbridge to reach it then bag a spot on its patio, where sea buckthorn gently sways in the breeze. Inside, join the queue for the lunchtime basket special – your pot-luck cut of meat, fresh from the on-site smokehouse, could be anything from pork belly to lamb shoulder, packed with pickles, local salad leaves and bread from Söderberg and Sara.
Those pickles are no afterthought; the restaurant gets through 100 kilos of them per week and jars of multicoloured ferments, drinking vinegars and herbal teas are crammed into every nook of Hörte Brygga’s tiny succession of rooms, alongside vintage vinyl and knobbly candlesticks.
The current go-to spot for trendy Malmöites, portside restaurant Saltimporten is set in a former salt warehouse where stripped-back simplicity prevails. Brushed-oak tables span the width of the concrete room, a wall of glass gives views out over the water, while another wall is dominated by a concrete counter where you slice fresh sourdough while waiting in line to order from a choice of two daily lunch dishes – one meat, one veggie.
Whichever you choose, both will turn out to be Instagram-ready plates packed with eye-catching flavours and textures – fine slices of pork neck over vibrant red peppers, bean sprouts and crunchy pork crackling crumb, perhaps, or a striking, almost monochrome, assembly of pale celeriac ribbons and beansprouts with black quinoa and sesame.
For one of the most memorable fika experiences in Sweden, drive through Österlen’s picturesque countryside to track down this rural café. Inside an ivy-covered barn, rows of velvet cinema seats, a chandelier made from old-school glass bottles and a piano that doubles as a dressing table give a museum-of-curiosities vibe. As does a kitsch canister that decants filter coffee into flowery tea cups. If you’re into retro bathroom décor, this one gleams with hues of yellow, from a pale lemon sink to sunshine-hued tiles.
If the weather’s playing ball, take a squidgy spelt bun out into the garden and eat it sitting beneath the orchard’s trees, swinging on a dainty wrought-iron swing chair, or standing beside a ladder lined with colourful pots and plants.
This vineyard makes the most of Skåne’s unique terroir, among rolling hills close to the Baltic Sea, to produce crisp and fruity Swedish wines. In the summer months it plays host to a lunchtime restaurant and occasional themed wine tastings. The restaurant is a colourful, Insta-ready oasis with gingham tablecloths, a pergola festooned with bunches of grapes and angel statues keeping watch over blossoming flower beds.
Venture even further into the garden and you’ll find a greenhouse complete with baskets of freshly picked plums and pink apples from the adjacent trees. Continue down a small ravine and on up the other side and you’re met with miles of picturesque rolling hills.
The whole of Folkets Park (People’s Park) is a hotspot for quirky Instagram shots, from the Mikeller Bar residency in the park’s oriental-style pavilion to a striking fountain where water cascades from the blush-coloured petals of a giant rose.
If you’re after more than just a splash of colour for your feed, however, head to Far i Hatten, a quirky restaurant and bar in the centre of the park. A gingerbread-style cottage, built in 1892, houses the main restaurant, brightly coloured chairs fill the vast outdoor patio, and the indoor-outdoor restaurant space is vintage-chic heaven, with frilly curtains at the windows, pale-pink velvet chairs and trailing ivy overhead.
Food is equally close-up ready: think crushed pistachios studding a courgette and goat’s cheese wood-fired pizza bianca, or raw aztec broccoli, sliced and drizzled with broccoli pesto.
Cool and casual Mati has got the whole family involved in the running of his bakery. After a stint in Copenhagen, he’s returned to his hometown of Sankt Olof, in the Skåne countryside, to cook up some of the best bakes around.
Cinnamon buns are rested for 48 hours before baking to give a unique sour edge, while the devil’s loaf is a fluffy mix of durum wheat, roast potato and an array of seeds (nigella, pumpkin, sunflower and black sesame).
You can try both at the on-site café, as well as savoury options such as pizza. For the most Instagrammable shots, head out onto the terrace and sit beneath one of its pretty white parasols – stylish blankets keep you cosy if temperatures drop.
The latest venture from the baker trio behind Malmö’s Söderberg and Sara bakery and Hedvigsdal pizza spot, Pasta Fabriken is the friends’ take on pasta, having already cornered an eager market for bread and pizza. An old tractor repair hall in the middle of the countryside in eastern Skåne, this funky space now hosts a small pasta factory producing all sorts of shapes and sizes (hello dinosaur pasta!).
Visit and you can watch the team create trays of fresh pasta from ancient Swedish grains, make sauces such as guanciale and wild boar ragu, and whizz up comforting broths such as porcini mushroom and celery root.
The owners are fans of Eastern European wines (try the Serbian Maurer Furmint), so take a bottle out to enjoy on the patio and have a potter around the kitchen garden, taking shots of kohlrabi, kale, celery and artichokes in the southern Swedish sunshine.
Madamilen’s self-guided food tours are an Instagrammer’s heaven. Taking place in various destinations across Skåne, including Malmö, Lund and Ångelholm, on each one (they take place on certain dates of the year, so check out the website to coincide your trip) avid foodie Lotta Ranert curates eight foodie stops for punters to cycle or walk between, with plenty of samples to taste. It’s an ideal way to get beneath the skin of a city, area or town without breaking the bank or bursting your belt.
We recommend the tour around Hven, a little island between Sweden and Denmark. Pick up cardamom buns from a hatch in a thatched cottage, mackerel from a little red hut at the end of a pier and honeyed whisky at the island’s distillery (with views out over durum wheat fields). The island’s Tuna Krog restaurant is particularly pretty, with lightbulbs strung from gnarled trees over its ivy-covered veranda. Prop your iconic yellow hire bike against the fence and sip American pale ale from Hven Bryggeri.
Flamingos and flowers adorn the floors and furniture of this striking urban hotel. The lobby doubles up as a cocktail bar where little alcoves are given a cosy feel with floral fabrics, squishy chairs and well-stocked bookshelves while the restaurant and breakfast atrium have a tropical vibe with peachy-pink walls, lush plants and pretty parasols. In the atrium look up, beyond the parasols and palms, to admire the greenery garlanding the glass roof.
Skåne is Sweden’s most southerly region, and often dubbed the country’s pantry thanks to its vibrant producers and a prime position, surrounded by forest and farmland, between cutting-edge Copenhagen (just across the water in neighbouring Denmark) and the Baltic Sea.
In culinary terms, there is plenty to satisfy both traditionalists (bakers following century-old recipes for cinnamon buns, the use of ancient Swedish grains, a commitment to classic Swedish dishes) and more adventurous diners (you’ll find Italian wines paired with Swedish pasta, exotic ice cream flavours and farm shops selling herb mixes inspired by Asian and South American countries). Such a breadth of choice allows Scånians to push culinary boundaries and create their own, distinctive, cuisine.
Skåne has two other great selling points for foodie visitors: its diversity (the region caters for those who want to explore edgy, urban Malmö as well as the scenic countryside of Österlen and the area’s wild, white-sand-fringed coastline) and its easy-to-reach location (even the furthest coastal town is only an hour-and-a-half’s drive from Malmö, and it’s only 15 minutes more, over the Oresund bridge, to Copenhagen airport). So, whether it’s an in-depth road trip or a fleeting weekend getaway, you’ll have plenty of time to get to know the region’s imaginative producers, unpretentious inhabitants and diverse food and drink scene.
Here are some of the reasons why Skåne is the next foodie hotspot:
CRAFT BREWERIES
Over the past few years, increasing numbers of craft breweries have opened across Skåne, just one reflection of its small-scale artisan food movement. With more than 30 breweries now scattered across the region, here are some of our favourites…
In the far west, Landskrona’s popular Brekeriet brewery conjures up unique sour beers and wild ales – Lucifer fermented with passion fruit and saffron, Pink Passion with passion fruit and hibiscus flowers, and Wild & Juicy with notes of lemon peel, pineapple and bread. The town is also home to Brygghuset Finn, which brews everything from raspberry wheat beer to fruity California lager and malty brown ale.
For ales brewed in the centre of Malmö, try Skåne’s largest brewery, Malmö Brygghus. Its craft beers are available at Malmö Brewing Co & Taproom, in the city’s buzzy Möllevången area. On a smaller scale, the tiny island of Hven has its own brewery, and even MJ’s Hotel in Malmö has created its own IPA.
Skåne’s hip towns and stunning countryside are peppered with artisan micro-bakeries, where bakers use ancient Swedish grains to make unique flours for perfect loaves and iconic buns. Some of the best-loved buns come from Söderberg and Sara, which has a shop and café in Malmö and another in Ystad. The team uses a well-rehearsed combination of spelt and sourdough, topping its creations with sweet cinnamon and fragrant cardamom.
There are many smaller operations, but our favourites include Byvägen 35, where Mati combines durum wheat, roast potato and seeds to create his fluffy devil’s loaf. Mati’s original plan wasn’t selling buns, but his sourdough cinnamon and cardamom swirls have gained popularity due to their extra-sour edge, gleaned from a 48-hour fermentation before baking.
For something slightly different head to Hven Bageri, which makes extra-squishy cardamom buns using durum wheat from the surrounding fields. And, if you’re passing through the coastal town of Simrishamn, pop into Kin’s bakery for buns made using spelt, sourdough and brown sugar (or, for the full Swedish fika experience, drive 15 minutes inland to Kin’s café and garden).
Many dedicated professionals have been drawn to Skåne’s countryside. Seek out tiny pasta factories in old tractor repair halls, or chocolatiers in former school buildings, and take time to listen to the inspiring stories of these passionate twenty- and thirty-somethings.
Österlen, Skåne’s southeastern corner, is a hotspot for producers. Ulrika at Österlenchoklad is super geeky about chocolate and all things cacao – she can tell the smaller Sri Lankan beans from the Peruvian, and is exacting when it comes to sourcing. She and her partner travel the world to track down the finest beans to blend with Skåne’s unique ingredients and create super-smooth pralines – Kivik’s iconic apples, aromatics from nearby farmshop Österlenkryddor, aronia berries picked every October after the first frost, and citrussy sea buckthorn foraged from the shoreline.
A Scånian trio – Per, Tilde, and Pär – have recently opened a pasta factory in Österlen. At their pizza place in Malmö’s Saluhall, the team uses locally-grown toppings, many from their own vegetable garden in Hedvigsdal (which the pizza place is named after), including overnight cabbage with butter and pecorino, savoy cabbage with soy sauce and mozzarella, and green beans with Skåne cheese and brown butter.
Though Skåne may be home to more than its fair share of rustic restaurants and earthy cafés, there are plenty of high-end options, too. Its close proximity to Copenhagen means Malmö, in particular, boasts several destination restaurants.
In the city centre Bastard has long been a place to be seen, offering meat-heavy small plates and punchy cocktails in a party atmosphere, while field-to-fork restaurant Bloom in the Park has a Michelin star. Contemporary SAV and French-focussed Sture also hold stars, while intimate Vollmers boasts two for its seasonal tasting menus, which elevate Scånian ingredients to gourmet levels.
The place of the moment during our visit was Västergatan, a cosy restaurant on a cobbled street of the same name in the centre of Malmö. Mini loaves of cold yeast bread with homemade butter kicked things off, followed by mixed meat tartare with smoked paprika, oven-baked celeriac with anchovies, wild garlic seeds and radishes, and slow-baked trout with burnt leek oil, roast chicken stock and pickled shiitake mushrooms.
Elsewhere in the region, foodies flock to Daniel Berlin’s yellow-brick restaurant in Skåne Tranås, where the innovative chef serves his sophisticated take on vegetable dishes (there’s also game during the hunting season, shot by Daniel himself).
Tasting menu at Lyran. Photograph by Carolina Romare
FIELD-TO-FORK COOKING
Fran jord till bord (from soil to table) is a deep-rooted approach in Skåne. The region lives up to its nickname of Sweden’s larder, with passionate producers and chefs making the most of the Scånian soil and diverse terroir (coast/farmland/forests) to bring local produce to life on the plate. Pralines made with forest herbs, intricate fine-dining dishes created from an on-site farms, and contemporary tasting menus using ingredients foraged from Malmö’s suburbs are par for the course in this part of Sweden.
Skåne boasts its own wine route, linking more than 20 wineries that make the most of gentle south-facing slopes and a proximity to the sea. At Hällåkra vineyard, you can spend time picking plums and pink apples from the trees, peering into the greenhouse and admiring striking statues made by local artist Joakim before settling in for a wine dinner overlooking beds of yellow and orange marigolds. The vineyard capitalises on the unique flavour profile of Scånian terroir, with high acidity due to the short season and crispness from the Baltic Sea, and uses new grape hybrids (solaris developed from riesling and pinot gris, and rondo developed from St Laurent) to produce clean and crisp organic wines.
Or, carry on to Nordic Sea Winery’s sleek tasting room in Simrishamn to sip some of Sweden’s most acclaimed wines in an ultra-contemporary setting.
Looking for food festivals to visit in February? Here’s our round-up of the best food festivals taking place this month, from dal festivals in Bristol to a celebration of forced rhubarb in Yorkshire. Check out all of the events, here
BBQ Dreamz MEATLiquor Pop-up
Street food fans will know BBQ Dreamz from its spots at Kerb and StreetFeast but, for six Sundays in January and February, owners Lee and Sinead will also be bringing their Filipino food to MEATLiquor. Fresh from securing support from Charlie McVeigh (founder of Draft House) on My Million Pound Menu the couple will be serving an eleven-course tasting menu.
Expect sharing trays piled high with sticky wings, crispy pork belly, zingy papaya noodle salads, and – our top pick – florets of adobo-glazed cauliflower, deep-fried and to be dunked in a zingy lime aioli. Moving onto mains, there’s tender chicken in a soy, garlic and cane vinegar stew with a side of crunchy green beans, just-pink-enough slithers of bavette steak coated in the yolk from a frilly fried egg, and sticky rice with a rich satay-like aubergine curry.
Anyone with a pulse – or an interest in them – should put a date with Bristol in their diary this month; the food-obsessed city is again playing host to the British Dal Festival after the success of last year’s inaugural event. A free event taking place across town, one of the highlights will be a Dal Trail leading hungry visitors around the city’s restaurants, cafes and markets. Venues will include Poco, Tiffin Time and BOX-E – each serving their signature dals – with linked events in restaurants in Nottingham, Sheffield and Leeds.
The finale will take place on Saturday 16 February at Paintworks, with a dal market place, street-food stalls and cookery demonstrations from Chetna Makan and Bristol-based chef Jenny Chandler. If you’re feeling inspired to rustle up some of the dishes at home, the festival’s website will include a pulse library packed with recipes for cauliflower chickpea curry cakes, dal saag, Greek fava purée and more.
This February, Craft Beer Rising returns to East London bringing together fans of craft beer, cider, street food and music all under one roof. At the Old Truman Brewery site, on Brick Lane, 155 breweries from across the world will be showcasing their beers, from UK-based Lost and Grounded, Bianca Road and Tiny Rebel to American favourites Brooklyn Brewery and Goose Island, as well as low- and no-alcohol craft brews.
To keep festival-goers fuelled a new dining area, the Fox’s Den, is also launching this year. Claw will be serving up indulgent lobster rolls, while Only Jerkin’ will be dishing up its signature triple-dipped fried chicken.
For eight days this month, County Durham’s Rockcliffe Hall Hotel is putting on a food festival, aimed at celebrating the best of British cuisine. An artisan food fair is kicking things off with Durham Distillery offering small-batch gins, the Northumbrian Bakehouse selling its shortbread (think cherry and walnut, stem ginger, and toasted coconut) and Geordie Bangers frying hog roast sausages.
A series of lunches and dinners cooked by guest chefs will then take place over the following days, with highlights including Andrew Pern (of The Star Inn at Harome) cooking a Sunday roast of sirloin beef with all the trimmings (think roast onion, confit carrots, duck fat ‘roasties’ and greens) and James Mackenzie (of the Pipe and Glass Inn) serving guinea fowl and ham hock ballotine, pease pudding, pea shoots and scampi fritters. Don’t miss the Taste of the North East Banquet, either: chefs Andy Simms, Ronald Robson, Stephen Lawford and David Henry will be serving a four-course feast including cauliflower panna cotta followed by pistachio parfait.
With its PDO status, Yorkshire forced rhubarb deserves its own annual celebration – and it gets one each February, in the heart of the rhubarb triangle, at Wakefield’s Food, Drink and Rhubarb Festival.
Along with stalls selling rhubarb produce (think jams, chutneys and rhubarb cakes) there will be live cookery demonstrations and street entertainment (much of it rhubarb-themed, of course).
Arguably London’s best-loved Portuguese restaurant, Bar Douro has announced its 2019 chef series and the good news is that it kicks off this month just when we’re all in need of a little sunshine on our plates. The series entails four different Portuguese guest chefs taking over the restaurant’s kitchen in turn between February and May, each one bringing their own particular flavour of Portugal to Flat Iron Square for one night only.
First up is Antonio Galapito of Lisbon’s Prado (and, previously, of London’s Corner Room) who will be taking over the pass on 26 February with a five-course menu of seasonal small plates, and organic wine pairings. He will be followed by Joao Cura (of Porto’s Almejo) in March, Vasco Coelho Santos (of Euskalduna Studio and Semea by Euskalduna, also in Porto) in April and Manuel Maldonado (of Lisbon’s 100 Maneiras and Bistro 100 Maneiras) in May.
February is the month to eat your way around Exmoor. All month many local restaurants will be offering special menus as part of Exmoor Food Fest. Details of which restaurants will be taking part this year were yet to be announced as we uploaded this guide but keep an eye out online for updates and expect everything from supper clubs to seven-course tasting menus.
Treat your favourite foodie to a romantic getaway this Valentine’s Day (or any day, for that matter!), whether it’s a weekend getaway to a b&b in the UK with a personalised breakfast hamper; a romantic weekend break in Italy for a slice of la dolce vita; or even a bungalow fit for couples perched on stilts in a lagoon in The Maldives.
Here are our favourite romantic breaks for foodies…
Romantic hotels in the UK for a weekend getaway
For a cosy romantic country getaway – Artist Residence, Oxfordshire
In a sleepy village in rural Oxfordshire Justin and Charlie Salisbury, the duo behind quirky Artist Residence hotel group, have restored a 16th century Cotswold-stone farmhouse and opened it as their fourth property, Mr Hanbury’s Masons Arms.
A community-focused pub, with five perfectly put-together bedrooms upstairs, Mr Hanbury’s (the name is a fictional nod to colourful characters associated with the pub historically) is split into two areas – a cosy bar area with a classic pub menu (the heart of South Leigh village life) and a more sophisticated dining room where guests can enjoy a fine dining menu beneath up-cycled crystal decanter lamp shades.
Enjoy a nightcap of punchy cocktails livened up with homemade concoctions – Campari is infused for five days with coffee beans and homegrown strawberries to add sweetness to a seasonal negroni, and whisky is blended with liquorice syrup and Cornish pastis to create a smooth Old Fashioned-style digestif.
Unique rooms have romantic touches –book the Farmhouse Suite to enjoy the ginormous free-standing copper bath to sink into with Bramley bubble bath. Relax in the spacious room with a check-list of boutique hotel luxuries – JazzFM fluttering out of Roberts radios, white-tiled monsoon showers and minibars stoked with Rococo chocolates and more.
There are plenty of romantic walks through tranquil countryside and picturesque villages to work up an appetite before heading back for hearty comforting lunches.
For a romantic getaway on a vineyard – Tinwood Estate
Snuggle under cosy fur blankets on a wooden deck perched on the edge of a vineyard and sip on sparkling English wine and dig into a breakfast hamper packed with croissants and fresh fruit at this English vineyard in West Sussex, four miles from Chichester, and only an hour out of central London.
King-sized beds are made up with fine Egyptian cotton linen and the lodges are peppered with one-off pieces of furniture sourced by Jody. Sleek, open bathrooms have his-and-hers stone basins, and both gigantic walk-in showers and two-person Jacuzzi baths.
One of the biggest draws of this secluded spot is just that; there is little around but well-tended vines tailing off into the horizon (you can see the Isle of Wight on a clear day). Wrap yourself in a plush cotton robe and venture out to wallow in the barrel sauna that sits in a clearing beside the lodges. Waiting the 15 minutes it takes to warm up gives you the perfect excuse to try the estate’s sparkling and red wines.
Back at Tinwood, breakfast is a real treat. With a gentle knock at the door an unseen house elf drops off a hamper at your preferred hour. Boiled eggs come in little eggcups alongside jars of fruit salad, and kilner-style bottles of orange juice nestle in beside warm croissants, yogurts and cereals. Fire up the Nespresso machine or pop open a bottle of Tinwood’s sparkling, and carry your basket out onto the raised decking for breakfast overlooking the vines.
For a romantic staycation in a Champagne bar – Kettner’s Townhouse
Want to stay overnight above a Champagne bar? Kettner’s Townhouse on Romilly Street in Soho, London, celebrates its past as a champagne bar – glide into the late-night lounge and sit at the marble-topped walnut bar under red lampshades to enjoy flutes, coupes and cocktails of R de Ruinart, Krug, Bollinger and more (read our expert guide to Champagne here).
The champagne bar stays open until late, so huddle up and gossip about secrets from the hotel’s history. Otherwise, housekeeping provides fresh ice in decanters every evening for you to make up a stiff drink on your own cocktail trolley (or make one of our favourite cocktails here).
Book one of the hotel’s luxury boutique rooms so you don’t have to go for after your Champagne. If you want to wallow in a freestanding bath tub, book one of the ‘medium’ or ‘big’ rooms. These also boast super king-size beds and huge bathrooms with double sinks and walk-in rainforest showers.
All rooms, no matter the size, cater to every whim, making for an extremely luxurious stay – jazz flutters from Roberts’ radios, copper towel rails warm fluffy white towels, and an almost overwhelming array of Cowshed bath and shower products await in the rainforest showers (cleansing toner, deodrant and lip balm as well as the usual staples). Hot water bottles and eye masks, phone chargers and hairdryers are all supplied, too, hidden away in cotton bags in dressers.
For a bargain romantic getaway – The Wash House, Suffolk
Orford, a little town on the Suffolk coast, is the perfect place for a romantic getaway. It’s home to a bakery, a seafood restaurant and a travelling fish ’n’ chip van that settles outside the castle every Wednesday. A few local pubs offer bedrooms, but for something unique, romantic and appropriately foodie, try The Wash House Studio, an old red-brick wash house fitted with a foldaway double bed, ensuite bathroom, small seating area and underfloor heating.
It’s compact, but cosy and stylish, with a collection of antique books, and beautiful views from its French windows. Upon arrival we were welcomed with gooey homemade brownies (you can buy more at the country market every Saturday), and breakfast is delivered to your door in a gingham-covered hamper. Start with local apple juice (from High House Fruit Farm, less than three miles away) followed by yogurt and homemade blackberry and apple compote (made using fruit grown in the garden), hard-boiled eggs, croissants and sourdough toast from Orford’s fabulous Pump Street Bakery. What better way to kick-start a day of exploring this picturesque corner of Suffolk?
Paris, Rome, Venice…when you think of a romantic retreat, Hull might not spring straight to mind. However, Yorkshire’s maritime port enjoyed a tourism boost when it took on the mantle of UK City of Culture 2017 and there’s no sign of that waning just yet. Not least because there’s so much to do in the city, particularly for foodies. Savour a Hull pattie (this deep fried herby mashed potato is served at just about every fish ‘n’ chippie in town), stop in for a local craft beer at the Atom Brewery and peruse the street food stalls at Trinity Market.
Make a weekend of it by booking in at Hideout, where 15 self-catered apartments are on a par with boutique hotel bedrooms. Their sleek, eco design each incorporates a kitchen for when you’d rather stay in. Request a hamper of locally-sourced goodies delivered straight to your room, or pop downstairs to BE Coffee for a proper Flat White.
For a hands-on foodie escape – The Guesthouse, Vienna
With the help of Terence Conran this former youth hostel, on the same square as the Vienna Opera House, is now a sleek, design hotel. One of its best features is an award-winning wood-stove bakery so expect the very best Viennese pastries for breakfast. Glittering palaces, classical music and exceptional art (from Klimt’s Kiss at the Belvedere to Wes Anderson’s curatorial debut at the Kunsthistorisches Museum) make Vienna ideal for a grown-up weekend away.
Foodies can sign up to a cooking class with Bianca, a locally-run workshop that takes you straight into the world of Austrian cuisine; shop at the market before returning to the kitchen to learn how to prepare paprika chicken stew, spaetzli (dumplings) with salad and proper apple strudel before sitting down to enjoy the feast.
Weekend like a true Parisian at this romantic bolthole in the Marais. A former printworkers’ atelier, arrive through a leafy courtyard to find your home-from-home on the first and ground floors of the building, complete with a proper chef’s kitchen with gas stove and copper pans.
Bring your basket to blend in with the locals queuing at the local boulangerie for baguettes then explore the nearby markets on Place de Bastille (Thursday and Sunday) and Les Enfants Rouges – beloved of the BoBo’s or ‘bourgeois bohemians’ (Tuesday-Saturday) before returning chez vous to cook up a French feast.
For a secluded yurt getaway – Fireflies and Figs, Abruzzo
The atmospheric setting of Fireflies and Figs’ yurts in Abruzzo’s mountains is as much a part of the appeal as the accommodation itself. Take time to pull a bottle of wine out of the makeshift wine cellar built into the ground, sit out on the terrace and soak up the peaceful surroundings. As darkness steals away the stunning views, the resident fireflies carefully creep up on us until we are surrounded by the ethereal glow of hundreds of tiny flickers.
For breakfast, climb up the steep track to the main house. Breakfast is served in a pergola perched on the very edge of the valley. You may well find a ginger cat snoozing gently next to wooden tables laid with turquoise crockery and freshly baked goods – homemade banana bread and brown seed bread with honey from the neighbours. Freshly squeezed melon, apple and ginger juice and golden granola are also on offer fills us up, along with a main dish of the day – perhaps scrambled eggs with crisp bacon or silky porridge with freshly sliced strawberries.
You can even ask Fern and Jono to pack up a picnic for you and head out on an adventure to one of the forest-lined lakes in the surrounding valleys.
There are just six bedrooms at this beautifully-restored eighteenth century palace, in Lisbon. Preferring to call itself a casa rather than a b&b it’s perched on one of Lisbon’s seven hills, which means you can wake up to views over the Pantheon and the Targus River before heading down to a homemade Portuguese breakfast served at a long oak dining table.
Return from a day spent eating and exploring in time for tea at 5pm (think traditional orange cake) and then retire for a soak in a vast, free-standing limestone bathtub. In autumn 2018 the casa also launched Ceia, meaning supper, a formal tasting menu-style supper offering from acclaimed Portuguese chef, Pedro Pena Basos; 13-15 courses are available from Wednesdays to Saturdays for up to 14 guests.
For a night on the water – SWEETS Hotel, Amsterdam
You can sleep quite literally on Amsterdam’s canals with the city’s latest hotel concept; SWEETS transforms disused canal bridge operator cabins into unique suites that sleep just two. Despite being part of one hotel, the rooms are scattered across town with each quirky space occupying its own prime location; open your curtains to boats bobbing past the windows and bicycles whizzing along adjacent towpaths.
These so-called ‘bridge houses’ don’t have kitchens but they do come with mini-fridges, teapots and coffee machines, and you can order a typically Dutch breakfast box of boiled eggs, fruit, bread rolls and fresh orange juice to be delivered to the doorstep in the morning. Use the bespoke in-room tablet to pick a restaurant for dinner from the excellent local area guide.
For a slice of la dolce vita – Borgo Egnazia, Italy
Borgo Egnazia, or ‘village Egnazia’, is quite literally that: a network of streets and piazzas that lead to restaurants, swimming pools, gardens and golf courses. Now a hotel, it’s a self-contained bubble of luxury in Puglia, built entirely from tactile tuff stone.
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Food is a priority, with six restaurants that pay homage to the Puglian tradition of timeless, simple, thrifty food. From grilled octopus at the sophisticated Due Camini, where vaulted ceilings twinkle with illuminated glass bottles, to rustic orecchiette or pizza at Mia Cucina and fresh seafood at beachside restaurant Pescheria da Vito, it’s easy to stay within the Borgo idyll – although if you’ve got a car, it’s also worth visiting the charming whitewashed town of Ostuni half an hour away.
Santorini is the poster-boy of the Greek islands: blue domes, white windmills and pastel houses line soaring cliffs. The island is also one of Greece’s culinary hot spots, with the volcanic mineral-rich soil producing superb wine, the ideal foil to traditional local dishes like chicken souvlaki and tomato fritters.
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The loveliest part of the island is the pretty cliff village of Oia, home to a complex of studios, suites and villas, Esperas. Sunbathe, read and watch the ships come and go until dinner at Dimitris Taverna, a simple, bright fish restaurant on the quay where you can dine while watching the sunset.
You get a different flavour of the island high up on Oia’s cliffs. Here, Lycabettus claims even more spectacular views with tables that seem to float over the sea. This is Santorini fine dining, with a seven-course degustation menu that offers dishes such as sea urchin risotto, scallop carpaccio and lamb with rosemary, all matched with Santorini’s superb wines. During the day, hire a car and follow the maroon Wine Road signs from Sigalas vineyard in the north of the island to Hatzidakis in the south. There are 12 private wineries on Santorini, and they’re all keen to explain how they grow and harvest grapes.
You could even squeeze this one into a weekend getaway. Clean turquoise waters, golden beaches and picture-perfect homes dotting the coastline – it’s easy to see why tourists flock here. But unlike other parts of Spain, this small Balearic island has managed to stay relatively unspoiled. Hotel Petit Maó recently opened in the island’s capital, Maó, minutes from the town’s heart on a street leading down to the busy harbour. It has six spacious bedrooms, and breakfast is made by the hotel’s owner, Nina; soft buns coated in powdered sugar, fresh fruit, toast served with wafer-thin slices of mahón, salty sheets of air-cured ham and sieved tomatoes with Spanish olive oil.
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As in mainland Spain, tapas is big here. The most famous dish is caldereta, a Menorcan lobster stew that’s cooked and served in an earthenware pot. At cool, late-night café Pipet & Co (00 34 971 36 63 68) eat sobrasada (cured sausage), drizzled with honey, and spread on toast – and don’t miss Mestre D’Aixa (00 34 971 96 68 01) for its Galician ‘old cow’ sliced wafer thin and topped with mahón cheese, caramelised onions, herbs and breadcrumbs (you roll them together like a cigar). Or head to Es Mercadel, in the centre of the island, to fill up on brossat (a sweet bread/cheese pudding), and rubiol (the island’s version of empanadas) at Casa Sucrer. In between eating, go gin tasting at the last remaining distillery on the island, Gin Xoriguer, for a taste of the island’s many herbs.
For a romantic foodie ski trip – Grossarl, Austria
An hour south of Salzburg, Grossarl is ideally placed for a romantic weekend in the mountains. Stay at the Grossarler Hof a comfortable base with striking views. Luxurious facilities include a steaming outdoor whirlpool and Finnish-style spa, but the hotel retains the charm of a family-run chalet. The breakfast table is piled high with alpine cheeses and traditional jams, and dinner options include paprika-rich meat stews topped with fried eggs and sharp pickles, and comforting buttered späetzle (soft egg noodles) countered with bottomless glasses of floral grüner veltliner.
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Higher up the mountain, schnapps is the drink of choice, with many of the huts distilling their own. Stop off at Muhlwinkelhutte in Dorfgastein for käsekrainer (grilled sausage stuffed with cheese), or Gehwolfalm for tiroler gröstl (potato, onion, bacon, sausage and fried egg). Sauerkraut is optional, but why wouldn’t you? After a day on the slopes, book a romantic horse-drawn carriage ride under the stars to the Aschaustüberl restaurant in Hüttschlag. Warm up with mulled wine round an open fire, then order the bauernbratl, traditional local dumplings, and kaiserschmarrn (shredded pancake) with apple purée.
Hip Casa Bonay is a renovated mansion that makes other foodie hotels seem dull by comparison. Traditional hydraulic floor tiles are mixed with Gaudí’s iconic paving stones, adding a hint of edginess to its ground floor coffee bars and restaurant, and the stylish, pared-back bedrooms redefine luxury. Start your day with an antioxidant juice and a mango chia seed breakfast bowl from Mother’s in-house juice bar, followed by a cold-pressed coffee lovingly crafted by Satan’s Coffee Corner.
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Think light, bright, Asian-influenced dishes for lunch at another in-house dining option, Elephant, Crocodile, Monkey, which transforms into an innovative bistro by night, serving sharing plates of wondrous dishes like fried oysters with fennel salad and black garlic aïoli, and year-old, dry-aged beef tartare with mulato chilli and egg yolk. Sip vermouth on the wood-decked roof terrace before dinner, then hit one of the jewel-coloured velvet sofas in the hotel’s bar, Libertine, for expertly mixed cocktails.
If you do want to head outside, make the most of the crisp, sunny winter days with lazy paella lunches al fresco. Kaiku has a lovely terrace on Barceloneta beach, or there’s Barraca’s sun-splashed first-floor dining room with views of the Med. At night, convivial Can Cisa Bar Brutal is the place to work your way through local natural wines paired with superlative tapas.
For a weekend of candlelit fine dining – Crillon Le Brave, Provence
Hilltop Crillon Le Brave is a vision of Provençal style; a clutch of honey-hued, pastel-shuttered houses surrounded by olive groves and vineyards. Now a gourmet hotel, its chefs gather pork from the Ventoux, asparagus from Mormoiron and trout from the river Sorgue. While they transform it into elegant dishes, spend your time playing boules in the terraced garden, relaxing by the pool or in the tiny spa, or exploring further afield: Avignon is a short drive away.
Inside the eight village houses that form the hotel, 28 rooms and seven suites have glorious views of the Rhône valley or Mont Ventoux, and are decked out in chic, country style with painted furniture and a smattering of antiques from nearby L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue.
Whether you opt for Jerome Blanchet’s fine-dining restaurant (and dishes such as young pigeon cooked two ways with a crumble of sweet onion and peach flavoured with verbena), or rustic Bistrot 40K (produce from within 40km of the hotel), the focus is on seasonal and local ingredients. One of the highlights of a stay, however, is breakfast on the hotel’s sunny terrace – a gourmet spread featuring fresh fruit, local cheeses, croissants and homemade granola laid out on a rustic farmhouse table. In between meals, borrow one of the hybrid bikes to explore the villages and vineyards of the Ventoux.
For an undiscovered foodie getaway – Lake Bled, Slovenia
Peace, quiet and unspoilt countryside makes Slovenia one of the most romantic places to visit in Europe. The best starting point is Lake Bled, a serene, mirrored lake set against the snowy peaks of the Julian Alps, with a tiny island in the middle that you can row to. Admire the blue waters from Bled’s clifftop castle then stop for lunch at its restaurant.
Decoration-wise, it feels Scandinavian – clean, with candles and tiny bouquets of alpine flowers on white beech tables. The menu is also fuss-free and natural: try a Gorenjska salad with young lettuce, fennel, green apple, buckwheat porridge and sour cream; a platter of local cheeses or buckwheat dumplings with tarragon in a rich porcini sauce.
To get the real Slovenian experience book into a farmstead or homestead overnight. They’re run by locals and are usually basic but charming – Ročnjek farmstead in the village of Gorjuše, a 30-minute drive from Lake Bled, looks like a mountain log cabin, with a paddock outside and rooms that mirror the alpine theme.
Dinner is served in a sweet house-on-the-prairie-style room, decorated with pretty cotton curtains and a beautiful ceramic stove. And it is unmissable. We expected nothing more than a platter of cold meats were served home-smoked trout with a kind of horseradish bread sauce; soup made from mushrooms foraged in nearby Pokljuka forest; a salad of wild dandelions, eggs, local olive oil and balsamic vinegar (remember how close to Italy Slovenia is); homemade struckli, with layers of soft, dough-like pastry and cream cheese; lamb chops cooked with flaked almonds; sweet, rich fillets of locally-shot deer; and slow-cooked beef tomatoes with braised fennel.
It was also the perfect excuse to head out for a moonlit, post-dinner, walk.
Romantic hotels further afield for a luxurious getaway
For a blow-the-budget romantic getaway – The St Regis, Malaysia
Langkawi is an archipelago of 99 islands in Malaysia ideal for a romantic getaway, known for its picture-perfect beaches, romantic hotels and unspoilt nature; think waterfalls, jungle and mangrove forests. The St Regis resort sits in an idyllic cove on the southern tip of Puala Langkawi, the largest island in the group, and this romantic hotel’s design blends European and Middle Eastern influences with local art.
Breakfasts here are epic. The buffet offers every imaginable option – think freshly pressed juices, sushi and a dim sum station as well as more familiar Western options – and there’s also an à la carte menu with specialities like local lobster omelette, croissant French toast and shakshuka. For lunch and dinner, head to the beautiful Kayaputi restaturant, which stands on stilts in the sea. Sip cocktails on low sofas or suspended hammocks, with the sun setting around you. Much of the food is inspired by local flavours – dishes like sambal skate fish with rice cracker and coconut flakes are presented in delicate, perfectly crafted portions.
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If you can drag yourself and your other half away from the beach, the St Regis also offers a bespoke Geo Forest Safari, which takes the form of a speedboat ride down the local Kilim river surrounded by wildlife, followed by a trek through caves of stalagmites and stalactites.
For a private bungalow retreat – Gili Lankanfushi, Maldives
The Maldives may be geographically spectacular, but they’re not known as a gourmet hot spot. Recently, though, there’s been a shift towards more local and sustainable cooking, with Gili Lankanfushi leading the charge. Food isn’t just an afterthought at this island resort, but a real focus. Like many Maldivian retreats, the majority of ingredients have to be imported, but the chefs here are passionate about local sourcing.
Regional fish is a highlight of Gili Lankanfushi’s menus, and guests are welcome to tour the resort’s organic market garden and witness the impressive range of vegetables, salad leaves and herbs that the team have managed to propagate in the island’s recalcitrant sandy ground. Hotel buffets will never seem the same after you’ve sampled the highlight of the island’s culinary week, the Asian Street Market. This string of authentic food stalls is held on the beach every Thursday night, replete with billowing smoke, flaming hobs and a procession of Malaysian skewers, Japanese pancakes, Vietnamese pho and Peking duck.
All of the resort’s 45 bungalows perch on stilts over a crystal-clear lagoon and, while chic, they have a Robinson Crusoe feel – think lots of wood, breezy lounging spaces and open-air showers. Relax on your private deck and watch fish dart through the electric-blue water beneath, or plunge into the Indian Ocean and snorkel around the reefs.
Looking for restaurants in Berlin? Want to know where to eat in the German capital? Local food writer Kate Lewin shares her insider tips for the best restaurants in Berlin, along with where to find the best bao buns, craft beer and Vietnamese.
olive’s top 10 must-visits for foodies in Berlin
Best bakery in Berlin – Zeit für Brot
Artisan baker Zeit für Brot has three locations across the city, each with more than two dozen varieties of sourdough bread for sale. Classic stulle sandwiches (think deli meats and cheeses between thick slices of sourdough) are another draw, but it’s the bakery’s cinnamon buns that get people queueing round the block. zeitfuerbrot.com
Best foodie market in Berlin – Markthalle Neun
The beating heart of Berlin’s food scene is the magnificent Markthalle Neun. Here you’ll find some of the city’s best food vendors and produce – don’t miss the traditional German meats and brilliant burgers at innovative butcher Kumpel & Keule. markthalleneun.de; kumpelundkeule.de
Best Vietnamese in Berlin – Madame Ngo
For the best pho in town, head to Madame Ngo, a Vietnamese spot in Charlottenburg. Here, bone broths are cooked all day to give an intense and authentic flavour. Order the rare-beef version, made with tender German steak. madame-ngo.de
Best food court – KaDeWe
Iconic department store KaDeWe has a seriously impressive food court: try traditional mettwurst and kohlwurst cooked à la minute at the sausage counter, with piles of potato salad and mustard. kadewe.de
Best ‘fine dining’ restaurant Berlin – Nobelhart & Schmutzig
The pioneers of Berlin’s brutal lokal (brutally local) movement are Billy Wagner and Micha Schäfer, who run the kitchen at Nobelhart & Schmutzig with such strict adherence to the ethos that you’ll find no lemons, pepper, olive oil or chocolate on the menu. Typical dishes include porcini mushrooms in a thyme and buckwheat ferment, and wild hops with dried raspberries and white beer ice cream. nobelhartundschmutzig.com
Best Turkish restaurant in Berlin – Adana Grillhaus
For the most delicious barbecued meats head to Kreuzberg’s Adana Grillhaus and order a meze to share, along with a choice of grilled lamb and chicken (skewers, chops, ribs, meatballs and more). adanagrillhaus.de
Best craft beer in Berlin – BRŁO
At craft brewery BRŁO’s unique location, inside 38 shipping containers, you’ll find some of the city’s best beers. Join one of the weekly tours or head straight to the bar for a glass of berliner weisse, the local, pleasingly sour, white beer. There’s also an on-site restaurant. brlo.de
Best Japanese workshops – Mimi Ferments
Artisanal Japanese soy sauces, miso, koji, tempeh and natto are what Markus Shimizu specialises in, and they’re sworn by at Berlin’s most discerning restaurants. At his factory, Mimi Ferments, you can join a tasting or sign up for a workshop to learn how to make your own. mimiferments.com
Best wine bar in Berlin – JaJa
Berlin’s drinkers were early champions of the natural-wine movement. Head to wine bar and shop JaJa for some of the city’s best bottles, accompanied by innovative seasonal tapas plates, as well as monthly events with growers and producers. jajaberlin.com
Best pastry shop in Berlin – Damaskus Konditorei
No trip to Berlin would be complete without sampling the Syrian sweets at Damaskus Konditorei. Owner Tamem al-Sakka’s considerable range of expertly crafted pastries includes baklava and halawet el jibn (rolls of semolina dough filled with white cheese and rosewater). @Konditorei.Damaskus
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WHERE TO STAY IN BERLIN
Doubles at the pared back Michelberger Hotel cost from €126, room only (michelbergerhotel.com).
Highlights include a 24 hour bar and café, and a plant-forward restaurant championing local producers and natural wines.
HOW TO GET TO BERLIN
Return flights from various UK airports to Berlin cost from £60 (easyjet.com).
Kate Lewin writes for blog Berlin Food Stories, and runs monthly food tours that explore Berlin’s food history (berlinfoodstories.com).
Images by Marko Seifert
More places to eat and drink in Berlin
Auntbenny
Relaxed café Auntbenny serves lovingly prepared breakfasts, coffees, lunches and dinners, many of which are gluten-free. Order a bottle of wine and a cheese plate with rosemary crackers or a slice of apple cake and eat it around the large communal table.
Street Food Thursday
It’s worth making a long weekend of it just to catch Street Food Thursday. Taking place every Thursday evening at Markthalle 9, there’s always a good choice of dishes, from Swabian ravioli at Barbara’s kaffeetafel to Ruby beer from Heidenpeter, which is brewed on site (well, in the market’s basement).
Long March Canteen
Dive into the world of a Chinese eating house at the Long March Canteen. Specialising in both hot and cold dim sum, its most impressive feature is the dumpling station, the steam rising from it glowing under a red light. Try the tuna sashimi with beetroot.
Skykitchen
Michelin-starred restaurant Skykitchen is set on the 11th floor of Andel’s Hotel Berlin, so diners get to enjoy breathtaking views of the city’s skyline as well as dishes like pikeperch with black pudding, pickled cabbage, pear and pearl onion.
Eat Berlin
If you’re after an edible souvenir to take home, head to Eat Berlin for delicious local delicacies. You’ll be spoilt for choice among its selection of chutneys, sauces, pestos, spices, teas and spreads, all made by small food companies.
Not Only Riesling
When the sun hits, there’s nothing better than sitting outside wine bar Not Only Riesling with a glass of something chosen with care, direct from German and European wineries. Order a Riesling Quickie (three 0.1l glasses of German wine) or a Small Wine Tasting, (six 0.1l glasses from further afield plus a cheese board).
Café am Literaturhaus
Not everything in Berlin is fast-changing and modern. Head to Café am Literaturhaus, a literature-focused exhibition space in a Wilhelminian-style villa, for a breakfast of ham and eggs, or a coffee and a strawberry tart; grab an outdoor table to enjoy the beautiful gardens.
Burgeramt
The Berlin burger scene is huge and the standard high, but Burgeramt is the best for brisk but friendly service and a wide selection. If you’re overwhelmed by choice go for the teriyaki burger.
The Barn Roastery
Owner of The Barn Roastery, Ralf Müller, has been a slow-brew pioneer in Berlin so expect a sensational coffee here, accompanied by a Berliner stulle (sandwich). The coffee is roasted at the back of the shop and is available to buy if you want to take some home.
Goldhahn & Sampson
A paradise for gourmets, Goldhahn & Sampson (pictured below) sells fine food, exceptional drinks, artisan chocolates and pastries as well as a variety of cookbooks. It also hosts regular cookery classes, some of them in English.
TRUST OLIVE
Ellen Teschendorf is the author of Berlin Style Guide (Murdoch Books), and is the owner of the city’s cult kitchenwares store, Küchenliebe.
Thyme, Gloucestershire – best plot to plate cookery school
Set on the Oxfordshire and Gloucestershire border, the Thyme cookery school makes the most of the fact it’s part of a 150-acre working farm surrounded by meadows.
Classes often start in the kitchen garden, showing guests how the produce is grown before harvesting for their menu, and cooking under the guidance of the Thyme chefs. The Instinctive Cook is Thyme’s flagship course, exploring seasonal flavour combinations.
Whether it’s for a dinner party, baking bread or learning how to make cocktails, shrubs, cordials and syrups with herbs and seasonal fruits, these relaxed, hands-on courses often feature tastings and a lunch. You can also extend your visit with stay in the luxury grounds and dine at the newly opened Ox Barn on site (click here to read our full review), or The Swan pub across the road, which is all owned by the same family.
Thyme Cookery School’s relaxed, hands-on courses often feature lunch
Pie Room, London – best pastry school
For an intimate lesson in pies and pastry work from one of the world’s leading experts, look no further than olive Chef Awards winner Calum Franklin. Now offering two-and-a-half-hour hands-on masterclasses from his ornate ‘pie room’ at Holborn Dining Room, Calum shows between two and eight guests how to make the perfect pork pie, followed by a G&T in the neighbouring Gin Bar, and a candlelit three-course dinner.
The £250 price tag also includes an apron and the recipes to take home, and, of course, the pies themselves.
Calum Franklin offers masterclasses from his ornate ‘pie room’ Credit: John Carey
Exeter Cookery School – best cookery school with a view
Occupying a stunning location on the Devon city’s historic quayside, Exeter Cookery School prides itself on running “fun and friendly” cookery courses. Owners Jim and Lucy Fisher ran a cookery school in France for 15 years before returning to the UK to open in Exeter in 2016.
In the two years since they opened in a converted 1830s warehouse, this dynamic couple have gained a reputation for running one of the most respected cookery schools in the South West. Former MasterChef semi-finalist Jim worked alongside Rick Stein in Padstow and Alastair Little in Notting Hill before turning his hand to teaching.
Overlooking the canal basin next to a canoe centre, the school is perfectly placed in an area that’s fast becoming Exeter’s food and activity hub. Each course is packed with cheffy tips, tricks and techniques honed by Jim in busy restaurant kitchens but adapted to use in the home, and designed to make cooking for family and friends easy and stress-free.
New courses for 2019 include Indian cookery with guest chef Nila Ross-Patel (click here for the best Indian cookery courses across the UK), cheese-making courses with Louise Talbot, and a butchery masterclass with Peter Greig of Pipers Farm.
Exeter Cookery School occupies a stunning location on the historic quayside
Kaleyard, Glasgow – best community service cookery school
Founded by author and cookery teacher Sumayya Usmani, Kaleyard (meaning ‘kitchen garden’) is Glasgow’s first non-profit social enterprise school for cooks and its mission statement is to “unite people through cooking, eating and sharing food together”. Sumayya says she believes anybody can make affordable, seasonal and healthy food from scratch by grasping the basics of cooking, and she is a firm believer in giving people the confidence to cook.
Using profits from its masterclasses and pop-up events, Kaleyard offers free or subsidised cookery classes to different community groups and schools across Glasgow. Helped by volunteers and supporters, Sumayya’s classes range from Scottish cookery and baking, to food photography and writing, and forthcoming subjects include South Indian cook and dine; summer fermentations and gut health; and knife skills and basic no-waste cookery.
Leeds Cookery School – best cookery school with a conscience
Based in an old fire station just outside the city centre, Leeds Cookery School calls itself a cookery school with a conscience. All the profit it makes goes back to help local charity Zest, which offers support and opportunities to disadvantaged local people, addressing health inequalities and social isolation through activities which improve physical, mental, social and emotional wellbeing.
There are more than 30 classes on offer, all taught by trained chefs such as cookery school manager Simon Chappelow, who has worked at many top restaurants across Yorkshire. The lessons range from hour-long classes to whole-day courses and include patisserie, chocolate-making, pie-baking and fish and seafood preparation.
There’s also a junior cookery course (for children aged 12 and over) that includes how to make bread, pizza, risotto, curry and different types of pastry.
There are more than 30 classes on offer at Leeds Cookery School, all taught by trained chefs
Cannon & Cannon Meat School, Surrey – best meat cookery school
Award-winning British charcuterie retailer Cannon & Cannon has recently relaunched its popular Meat School in Weybridge, Surrey. A collaboration with Tempus Charcuterie’s founders Tom Whitaker and Dhruv Baker, the masterclasses cover all aspects of curing meat, including how to make your own bacon, a meat and booze matching evening, and smoking and curing at home.
One of the highlights of the calendar is the intensive, hands-on Pig Weekend Masterclass (£490 per person) which guides people through the complete range of processes, including pig butchery, curing, salami production, fermentation, casing and ageing (click here for our guide to making charcuterie at home). The charcuterie prepared over the weekend is kept in a custom-built ageing room until it has slow-aged to perfection, when it will be sent home to the students to enjoy.
At Cannon and Cannon Meat School the masterclasses cover all aspects of curing meat, including how to make your own
The Grand, York – best state-of-the-art cookery school
Part of a £15 million expansion and refurbishment at The Grand in York, this new cookery school is aimed at home cooks of all abilities but there’s also academy classes for those looking to advance their skills. A stunning open-plan design includes bi-folding doors and glass panelling connecting the spaces which are flooded with natural light.
The school has 16 workstations, each equipped with a top-of-the-range induction hob, electric oven and premium cookery equipment. Sessions range from £65 for a half day to full-day courses from £145. Guests will learn how to prepare dishes focussed on fresh local produce.
The purpose-built space offers an adjoining meeting area as well as a separate screening room for lectures and talks, with an external courtyard complete with herb garden and seating area. And it’s not just adults who are welcome – children have the opportunity to get involved with bespoke classes during the school holidays.
WSET School, across the country – best drinks school
Though known in the drinks industry for its specialist qualifications in wine, spirits and sake, the Wine & Spirit Education Trust also offers courses to suit a novice looking to deepen their knowledge. Its Level 1 Award in Spirits is an accessible one-day course where students explore the basics of spirit production, the main categories and styles – from brandy to tequila – and how different factors, such as distillation methods or barrel ageing, can affect flavour.
The content does get a little technical at times but this is balanced by an accessible teaching style, plenty of recapping throughout and the chance to sample lots of different spirits. The latter is one of the most rewarding aspects of the course, as students are guided through tutored tastings that show them how to describe and appreciate each spirit, from aroma and intensity to palate and finish. The day finishes with an exam of multiple-choice questions, and passing gives a qualification that makes a great launch pad for higher WSET awards.
The Level 1 Award in Spirits is available across the country (visit the website for a list of approved programme providers). Prices vary but a course at the flagship WSET School London costs £175. It also offers a version of the course that takes in private tours of two London gin distilleries, split over two dates (27 April & 4 May; £185).
WSET has an accessible teaching style, plenty of recapping and the chance to sample lots of different spirits
Best classic cookery schools
The esteemed cookery schools that have been at the top of their game for years…
Demuths, Bath
Open since 2001, Demuths in Bath is run by Rachel Demuth, one of the UK’s leading plant-focussed chefs. Classes aren’t just for vegetarians and vegans – there’s an extensive range of courses and Rachel says “anything fermented” is in high demand at the moment, especially how to make your own fermented vegan cheese, as well as classes on Ethiopian and Korean cuisine. Click here for the best vegetarian and vegan cookery courses across the UK.
Celebrating 20 years in 2019, Hugh FearnleyWhittingstall’s River Cottage HQ and cookery school on the Dorset/Devon border has stuck to its ethos of using the best ingredients, sustainably and locally sourced, and sharing knowledge and inspiration through a wide variety of courses and events.
This anniversary year will see a number of special events and new courses, including a seasonal fermentation workshop in July with writer Rachel de Thample, and a gluten-free and dumplings course in June with Naomi Devlin, who will cover gut-friendly recipes for gyoza, ramen, sweet dumplings, gnocchi and noodles.
River Cottage students carrying fresh produce from the gardens. Credit: Matt Austin
Leiths School of Food and Wine, London
Since Leiths was founded by Prue Leith and Caroline Waldegrave in 1975, it has become a respected leader in culinary training and continues to move with the latest food trends, tapping into a broad range of cooking styles, including home smoking and preserving. And for those home cooks unable to travel to London, there’s even an online course for Leiths’ Essential Cooking Certificate so you can learn through your smartphone or tablet.
With its two Michelin stars, the Belmond Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons in Oxfordshire remains one of the UK’s best-known restaurants and hotels but its Raymond Blanc Cookery School is now a destination in its own right.
Overseen by head tutor Mark Peregrine (who worked with Blanc to win the first Michelin star more than 30 years ago), the school offers a wide range of courses, from half-day introductions to residential programmes, including dinner party masterclasses and children’s cookery courses.
New for 2019 is a full-day vegan course, launching in March, which will teach guests how to create healthy, nutritionally balanced vegan meals.
For those looking to transform from keen foodie to pro, Nottinghamshire’s School of Artisan Food covers all aspects of artisan food production – covering short courses (from cheese-making and curing, to brewing and butchering) through to full-time diplomas (such as the six-month advanced diploma in artisan baking). As a registered charity, the school, which turns 10 this year, also offers bursaries.
Try the six-month advanced diploma in artisan baking at The School of Artisan Food. Credit: James Gardiner
The Bertinet Kitchen, Bath
The Bath cookery school run by French baker and chef Richard Bertinet has become the go-to place to learn about bread and patisserie. To mark the publication of his new book, Crumb, Bertinet will run five-day baking courses.
The spring schedule at the school also includes a polenta masterclass and how to make a showstopping layer cake.
The Bertinet Kitchen has become the go-to place to learn about bread and patisserie
Ashburton Cookery School, Devon
Now into its 27th year, the Ashburton Cookery School on the edge of the Dartmoor National Park in Devon is one of the most established in the country and its team of tutors include several chefs who previously worked in some of the South West’s top eateries, including Rick Stein’s Seafood Restaurant in Cornwall and The Horn of Plenty in Devon.
Whether it’s a half-day sushi course or a 10-day course for aspiring yacht chefs, there is something for all abilities. The cookery school even has rooms for those who want to stay overnight.
Looking for restaurants in Vienna? Want to know where to eat in the Austrian capital? We share insider tips for the best restaurants in Vienna, along with where to find the best old-world cafés, hot dogs and secret bars in the cobbled backstreets and grand avenues.
olive’s top 10 must-visits for foodies in Vienna
Kleines Café – for traditional Viennese vibes
Leave your smartphone at the pale green door here and chat with the artsy regulars inside. Living up to its name this tiny mirror-lined space, with its worn leather banquettes and wooden chairs, has long been a bohemian haunt.
A charming waiter weaves his way around, taking orders for traditional Viennese coffees (try an Einspänner – espresso with cream top, a mélange – espresso with hot water and frothy milk, or a Kleiner Brauner – espresso with milk on the side) and Austrian house wine.
Franziskanerplatz 3
O Boufés – for dinner and natural wines
The minimal interiors of concrete-walled O Boufés allows Konstanin Filippou’s Mediterranean-Austrian fusion dishes to shine – veal tartare comes with crisp capers, bratwurst is spruced up with mustard greens, and smoked salmon bathes in pea vichyssoise.
Ask the staff for natural wine recommendations. Sparkling wines include dry and citrusy Xtravaganza and an unusual grafnat given a pinky-orange colour from grape-to-grape? skin contact. The latter comes from one of Austria’s wine making heroes who specialises in Sauvignon Blanc but made this batch of sparkling wine as a happy accident (O Boufés bought the whole lot). Bessi shines in the whites section, with a pleasant acidity and caramel notes. Our final favourite was Gutogau rosé; it’s fresh and seriously fruity.
A duck egg-blue counter, jade green walls and lace lampshades create a warm and welcoming vibe at Café Ansari. The owners’ Georgian/Lebanese heritage is reflected in brunch options such as khachapuri bread oozing with cheese and platters of hummus, labneh, cheese and sumac-sprinkled cherry tomatoes. Traditionalists are catered for, too, with homemade apricot jam to spread over fresh rolls and croissants.
To go with your choice, order homemade lemon balm and lavender lemonade (served in vintage carafes) or pick from the café’s list of unusual Georgian wines.
Seek out up-and-coming Karmelitermarkt, where Fridays and Saturdays see the cobbled square transformed into a farmer’s market and colourful kiosks contrast with the ancient buildings that surround them.
Grab breakfast at one of the neighbouring cafés then shop for flowers, organic veg and Burgenland honey.
Leopoldgasse
Mochi – for Japanese food
Start your meal at this Austro-Japanese izakaya, with a refreshing spritz (yuzu sake, frizzante and mint) or a hot sake. Then, perch at the wooden bar to watch bandana-clad chefs preparing sushi and small plates – “special rolls” include My Best Friend, a parcel of tempura leek, salmon sashimi and miso teriyaki sauce.
Skewers from the grill include pork belly and chicken skin while Mochi’s small plates line-up features crispy karaage chicken and minced pork tan tan salad in chilli teriyaki.
And don’t miss the tempura prawns on crunchy lettuce with chilli mayo and yuzu truffle dressing.
Whether you’re after a rustic loaf, a sandwich or a pastry, Felzl puts an Austrian stamp on its menu of Mediterranean bakes – crustily precise French baguettes, apple tarts made with North Austrian apples, and richly chocolated bundt cakes.
There are even two bread-vending machines so, if you get a carb craving late at night, you can pick up a loaf after-hours.
The city’s Bitzinger hot dog stand is equally popular among selfie-snapping tourists and tux-clad opera-goers. It’s a slick but friendly operation. Order snacks such as käsekreiner (cheese-studded hot dogs) and you’ll be served speedily, and with a smile.
In-the-know locals cram into this subterranean speakeasy for killer cocktails. Prop up the walnut-topped, black marble bar and choose between a Mexican Massage (with plenty of tequila, lime and jalapeño) or rum-based Pineapple Express.
Then, take your drink into a brick-lined alcove and challenge your companion to a game of shuffleboard, or peruse the surrounding art Krypt also sells itself as Vienna’s smallest gallery.
This burger joint has several locations across the city. Once you’ve finished shopping at the farmer’s market (see above) head to the Karmelitermarkt outpost and sip a glass of Austrian wine or a citrussy Austrian Amber Ale while you plough through a Wild Guy (beef patty, cheddar, bacon, egg, japapenos, red onions and smoky BBQ sauce) or a Vito (wild boar burger with sherry pepper sauce, herbs and red cabbage).
The beef comes from a local butcher while the wild boar is hunted from the Waldviertel woods in northern Austria.
This cool and quirky cafe, with its funky retro furniture, is the place to head to if you want to combine coffee culture and book culture.
There’s no time pressure at this café-cum-bookstore, so order a mélange (espresso, hot water, frothy milk) and a slice of vegan carrot cake and take your time browsing the well-stocked bookshelves.
This speciality brewspot is one of the city’s most popular third-wave coffee shops. Coffee aficionados come to the pared-back space to gather over flat whites and cortados; the drinks are made using espresso from Barn in Berlin and a chocolate-y Nicaraguan house blend with nougat and almond notes.
Apple cake, streusel and decadent chocolate cake sit temptingly under glass domes for those who fancy a sweet treat to accompany their coffee.
Enter this plush hotel via its statement lobby (go easy past the life-size horse statue) and check into one of its moodily minimal bedrooms. Then, follow your stomach and either swing up to the Grand Etage restaurant, with its panoramic views over the city, or swerve into the hotel’s dedicated schnitzel joint, Meissel & Schadn.
The top-floor Grand Etage sits beside a large terrace and lap pool but we recommend heading up at breakfast and loading your plate with Austrian sausages, pickled fish and typical bakes and eating them from the comfort of a floral-patterned armchair looking out across gilded rooftops, intricate domes and palaces.
At Meissel & Schadn, on the other hand, peer past the ‘Schnitzel Love’ sign in the window and watch, mesmerized, white apron-clad chefs prepare traditional Viennese schnitzel beneath an extravagant chandelier. Veal is bashed, dipped in breadcrumbs and fried in your choice of lard, pork dripping or vegetable oil to create a frilly, golden crumb. For the full experience, book-end your main course with a shrimp cocktail to start and an apple strudel to finish.
With the help of Terence Conran this former youth hostel, on the same square as the Vienna Opera House, is now a sleek, design hotel. One of its best features is an award-winning wood-stove bakery so expect the very best Viennese pastries for breakfast. Glittering palaces, classical music and exceptional art (from Klimt’s Kiss at the Belvedere to Wes Anderson’s curatorial debut at the Kunsthistorisches Museum) make Vienna ideal for a grown-up weekend away.
Foodies can sign up to a cooking class with Bianca, a locally-run workshop that takes you straight into the world of Austrian cuisine; shop at the market before returning to the kitchen to learn how to prepare paprika chicken stew, spaetzli (dumplings) with salad and proper apple strudel before sitting down to enjoy the feast.
Doubles at The Guesthouse start from €275, room only (theguesthouse.at). Half-day cooking courses, including dinner, cost €125 per person (cookinvienna.com)
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More places to eat and drink in Vienna
Alt Wien
Pick up a bag of freshly roasted Alt Wiener Gold coffee, at Alt Wien. An unassuming-looking coffee shop near the Naschmarkt, it does an expert line in fair-trade and organic blends.
Babette’s
Dip into shelves of cookbooks and own-brand spices before sitting down to the daily lunch special (when we visited, Mediterranean lentil salad with aubergine and sheep’s cheese) at Babette’s. If you’ve got time, book in for one of the shop’s regular cookery classes for tips on everything from pastry-making to preparing the perfect curry.
Naschmarkt
Doing a brisk trade in fruit and veg since 1793, the Naschmarkt’s stalls brim with everything from glossy olives and Asian spices to Alpine cheeses and Austrian wines. Go for a morning stroll before a bumper breakfast of omelette-topped bagels and fresh-pressed juice at Naschmarkt Deli.
Henzls Ernte
Stop by Henzls Ernte for deli goods made with fruit, herbs and spices grown or foraged by the owners. Their pepped-up sugars and salts and nettle and wild garlic pesto are especially worth seeking out.
Meierei
Stroll through the Stadtpark to Meierei, an all-white, new-age milk bar that elevates brunch to gourmet heights. Try show-stoppers such as beef tartare with toasted rye bread; sautéed porcini with poached egg and wild cress cream; or apricot dumplings with butter crumbs. Or go for lunch to dig into creamy goulash with leek roulade, followed by an outstanding Austrian cheese board.
Café Central
Freud and Trotsky famously enjoyed the marble splendour of Café Central. Black-vested waiters have been serving a slice of old-world Viennese decadence to visitors in this palatial coffee house since 1876. Try the linger over apple strudel, which flakes just so, and speciality coffees such as Maria Theresia, an orange liqueur-laced double espresso topped with whipped cream.
Villon
Venture deep below the Innere Stadt to 500-year-old Villon, Vienna’s oldest wine cellar. Raise a toast with citrussy grüner veltliner and ruby-red pinot noirs at the vaulted bar.
Trzesniewski
Trzesniewski has the open sandwich down to a fine art. Try toppings such as crab and egg, pickled herring and onions and wild paprika, all on a choice of different breads. A couple of bites and they’re gone, so order a few.
Das LOFT Bar & Lounge
Vienna seems toytown-tiny from glass-walled bar Le Bar & Lounge, on the 18th floor of the Sofitel. Pick out landmarks from the Hofburg Palace to the Wiener Riesenrad ferris wheel over a pomegranate martini.
Tongues
Wholesomely hip deli and record store Tongues should be on your radar for a quick organic lunch and electro on vinyl. There’s usually a winter-warmer soup on the simmer and daily specials, such as courgette and feta pasta.
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Updated by Alex Crossley in February 2019
First written by Kerry Christiani in December 2013
Looking for restaurants in Brussels? Want to know where to eat in Belgium’s capital? Local food writer Emma Beddington shares her insider tips for the best restaurants in Brussels, along with where to find the best traditional Belgian food, cheese and frites.
olive’s top 10 must-visits for foodies in Brussels
La Fruitière – for cheese
At lunchtime, the tasting room at new cheese shop La Fruitière offers mixed platters, fondues and inspired sandwiches (think warm smoked ham and raw milk tomme du jura or fresh Belgian goat’s cheese on sourdough baguettes) with well-priced wines by the glass. facebook.com/lafruitierebrussels
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La Fruitière
Chouconut – for afternoon tea
Peaceful Chouconut serves rare leaf teas and jewel-bright miniature choux buns. Try delicate lemon and yuzu, pear and blackcurrant, or go all out with the indulgent chocolate, caramel and peanut Snickers version. Its chocolate and Guérande salt shortbread or mango and passion fruit caramels make perfect gifts. chouconut.com
Louise 345 – for fine dining
Isabelle Arpin won a Michelin star at her last venture, WY. Now she’s cooking in the intimate surroundings of Louise 345, a beautifully restored 1870s townhouse overlooking a mature garden. The Asian-inspired tartare of shrimp, popcorn bacon and peanut sorbet is a stunning balance of richness and delicacy. louise345.com
La Maison Blanche – for croquettes and aperitif
Croquettes are Belgium’s lesser-known national dish: unctuous, deep-fried cushions of calorific joy. Buzzy bistro La Maison Blanche offers truffle, brie and walnut, or manchego, serrano ham and piquillo pepper varieties, as well as the traditional shrimp. With a good cocktail menu, it’s the perfect aperitif spot. facebook.com/LaMaisonBlancheRestaurant
La Pouletterie en Ville – for chicken
Fred Antoine’s happy hens from rural Lustin grace the plates of Michelin-starred BonBon and Le Chalet de la Forêt; now he’s serving them himself at La Pouletterie en Ville, an airy converted garage. Order a perfectly roasted quarter or half bird with roast potatoes and salad. lapouletterie.be
Humphrey – for sharing plates
Noma alumnus Yannick Van Aeken dishes up exciting sharing plates at Humphrey, his cool canteen in indie record label PIAS’s headquarters. Choose from revved-up comfort food (wings with blue cheese) or Scandi (seaweed asparagus salad), and save space for the chocolate dome you smash to reveal homemade truffles. humphreyrestaurant.com
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Humphrey
Cipiace – for cocktails
Rickety, joyful trattoria Cipiace is an unexpected place to find some of the best and most surprising cocktails in the city: try a few with its excellent artisanal charcuterie and cheese antipasto platter. The Preferito, with grappa, chestnut honey, bitters and homemade mandarin soda, is highly recommended. cipiace.be
The Cantillon Brewery – for beer and brewery tours
TheCantillonBrewery hasn’t changed its method for making its seductively sour, naturally fermented gueule beers since it opened in 1900: take a tour around the atmospheric copper vats and ancient wooden barrels, then taste the wares: the cherry kriek is deliciously fruity. cantillon.be
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The Cantillon Brewery
Holy Smoke – for smoked meats
The giant smoker imported from Dallas in the entrance sets the scene: Holy Smoke is all about meat, smoked slow and low. Don’t miss the meltingly tender brisket platter, served with smoked-butter potatoes and some imaginative salads. The bourbon bar and cocktails are worth a trip in their own right. facebook.com/HolysmokeBrussels
Crab Club – hidden gem
Deliberately under the radar, with no phone or website, sparse but stylish Crab Club is well worth searching out. The menu changes daily according to Thai-French chef Yoth Ondara’s mood, but expect the likes of beautiful garlicky razor clams, delicate sesame-crusted scallops and roast whole wild fish. 7 Chaussée de Waterloo, 00 32 472 55 46 95
Where to stay in Brussels
Double rooms at Jam Hotel, a converted former art school, cost from €89.
Chyl is a sustainable shop and veggie café that also has guest rooms. Doubles cost from £65, room only (chyl.be).
More great places to eat and drink in Brussels
Vegan fine dining in Brussels: Humus & Hortense
Brussels’s cool cocktail speakeasy, Hortense (see below), hooked up with chef Nicolas Decloedt to open Humus & Hortense. This grand-café-style space serves a plant-based twist on traditional Belgian fine dining. Its six-course tasting menu might include cucumber and elderflower escabeche, aubergine with fermented cream, smoky roast radicchio and shiitake, and butternut panna cotta. The signature crackers, made from ancient varieties of wheat, and served with pumpkin hummus and purple salsify, are worth the trip alone.
At the more casual end of the scale, Moonfood’s big windows flood a Scandi-vibed den of wood and concrete. At this vegan café it’s selfserve, and you pay by weight, making it easy to try a bit of everything, from vegetable lasagne to fat slabs of pistachio matcha crumble.
Brunch in Brussels: Pistolet Original
Crusty pistolet rolls are Belgium’s answer to Proust’s madeleine, and Pistolet Original gives them the gourmet treatment, with rolls by celebrity baker Yves Guns filled with top-notch local produce. Order the unmisssable Américain steak tartare with cress.
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Buffet dining in Brussels: Les Filles
In a sunny flower-filled room, Line Couvreur’s fantastic home cooking at Les Filles is a hug in culinary form. A selection of starters is delivered to the long refectory tables, then you help yourself to the generous, simple mains such as beef tagliata with a slow-baked comté gratin, and indulgent puddings.
Great value set menu in Brussels: Pei & Mei
Book ahead at diminutive Sablon newcomer Pei & Mei for chef Gautier de Baere’s generous, accomplished riffs on Franco-Belgian classics. The excellent-value set menu features ethereally light tempura shrimp and market fish with silky, buttery mash.
Food market in Brussels: Place Flagey
The picturesque weekend market at Place Flagey is a must-visit, with new trucks and stalls appearing each week. Try a plump, ‘kouign’ pancake from Breton crêpe specialist Ty Penty served with its own salted caramel sauce and sparkling dry cider. (Place Flagey, 00 32 2 478 872 963)
Wine bar in Brussels: Comptoir des Galeries
The stylish, welcoming new bar from Michelin starred Julien Burlat, Comptoir des Galeries specialises in artisanal charcuterie, natural wines and indulgent bar snacks, from luxe lobster croquettes to homemade black pudding. Perch on a stool and order a handmade brioche bun stuffed with soy-glazed pork belly for a quick, delicious lunch.
Cocktail bar in Brussels: Hortense
In the vaulted brick cellar of what was formerly the Vatican embassy, Matthieu Chaumont has created Hortense, a cool, speakeasy-style cocktail bar, showcasing his passion for rare spirits. The other woman – sweet vermouth, Peychaud bitters and champagne – is the perfect winter treat.
Chocolate shop in Brussels: Frédéric Blondeel
Brussels without chocolate is unthinkable, but bypass the big names and drop into the bustling workshop and tasting room of artisan chocolatier Frédéric Blondeel for a box of his subtly flavoured ganaches. The aromatic lemongrass and chili criollo hot chocolateis the ideal winter warmer, too.
Bistro in Brussels: La Buvette
Working out of a beautiful tiled Art Deco former butcher’s shop, La Buvette showcases Nicolas Scheidt’s considerable talent in transforming often-neglected, inexpensive ingredients into something sublime and surprising. Expect a succession of small, beautiful dishes, such as perch with creamed potato and morel sauce, Japanese-influenced slow cooked pork broth, or crab, kohlrabi and shellfish sauce.
Words by Emma Beddington
Photographs by Getty, Juan Wyns, Heikki Verdurme, Ian Dagnall/Alamy, Yoann Stoeckel
Looking for restaurants in Mallorca? Want to know where to eat in Palma? Food and travel writer Lucy Gillmore takes us on a foodie road trip through Mallorca, stopping off at roadside restaurants, hilltop villages and olive oil farms.
Clambering into a battered old four-wheel drive, I buckle up as we career up a rock-strewn track to see the newly planted vines on the Son Vich estate. This 300-hectare property is in the Serra de Tramuntana, a rugged mountain range in north-west Mallorca that was awarded UNESCO World Heritage Site status in 2011. At an elevation of 600 metres the vines are the highest on the island. It’s an experiment – the estate’s owner, Don Gabriel Sampol, has planted rows of almost-extinct indigenous gorgollassa vines. Now, it’s a waiting game.
Don Gabriel bought the old finca in 1981, turning the grand house, built in 1900 and cradled by groves of olive and orange trees, into his family’s winter residence. The surrounding terraces, with an irrigation system dating back to the Moors’ four-century occupation of this Mediterranean archipelago, he planted with vines – including tempranillo and two other indigenous grapes, manto negro and callet.
Halfway up the mountainside we bump to a halt. Don Gabriel’s son, Fernando, wants to show me the ruins of an old charcoal-maker’s hut, hidden in the trees. Until the 1950s, carboners, or charcoal-makers, would head into the woods in spring and summer, living in stone huts and eking out a living slow-burning wood in large, round, earth-packed pits to make charcoal, once an important part of the Serra de Tramuntana’s rural economy. The mountains are also littered with the remains of icehouses – large pits were dug to collect the falling snow which, compacted into ice, was sold in the capital, Palma, to preserve food.
At the top of the track we wander round a dilapidated farmhouse, an ancient olive press leaning against the crumbling wall, the ruins of a pigsty in the yard – and check out the spindly rows of young vines. Production on the estate is small-scale and everything is done by hand, the traditional way. “How to get the grapes down to the winery is the next problem,” Fernando smiles.
Back in the winery, he uncorks the first bottle. Marges (the name means dry-stone wall) is a white made with a red grape, manto negro. It’s light and fresh, with tart grapefruit and fragrant pear and pineapple on the palate. Next, he opens another manto negro, this time a spicy red: Supernins. The name is a homage to the people who used to live in the valley, the olive oil producers, charcoal-makers, dry-stone wallers and winemakers.
“It’s all about the fruit,” says Fernando, as he swirls the wine in his glass and inhales: dark berries and rich, smoky caramel. It’s also all about age-old traditions and heritage, I am learning. This is not the Mallorca of the tourist brochures: the bling, the beaches and the bars, marinas crammed with gawdy super-yachts. This is a different side to the island.
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Production on Son Vich estate is small-scale and everything is done by hand, the traditional way
Son Vich is not open to the public, but the foodie folk at Mimo can organise a private tour as part of a day spent exploring the Serra de Tramuntana. Mimo was founded in San Sebastián in 2009 to help tourists navigate the local culinary scene through pintxos walking tours. Over the past few years, the company has added other destinations to its portfolio and now offers food experiences in Seville, the Algarve and, most recently, Mallorca.
Zigzagging through the Tramuntana, the slopes clad in oak and pine trees, and peppered with a jumble of Instagram-able honey-hued villages, Mimo’s man in Mallorca, Bastien Martinole, explains the attraction – the area’s rich agricultural past.
It was the Romans who introduced olive trees, cereal crops and vineyards, while the Moors built watermills and the irrigation canals that thread the landscape. Mimo offers gourmet walking tours of the capital, Palma, but its focus in Mallorca is the Tramuntana.
I’m staying nearby at the Gran Hotel Son Net, an old finca dating back to 1672 that’s now a luxury gourmet retreat. It’s steeped in the area’s history and has its own vineyards – plus a restaurant. The night before my Mimo tour I had tucked into meaty mushrooms and a soft egg in a rich, earthy broth, followed by crisp suckling pig with apricot chutney, house-made sauerkraut and red mole – washed down with a light malvasia white wine from the vineyard a stone’s throw from my table.
“Malvasia often has a slight saltiness from the sea,” Bastien tells me. I had braved a spectacular, if hair-raising, rollercoaster drive along the coast the previous day, stopping off in the picture-postcard village of Estellencs, also famous for its malvasia. “Most families have a couple of terraces each and sell the grapes to the local cooperative,” Bastien explains.
Our next stop is another sprawling estate – premium olive oil producer Son Moragues. Our guide, Bernd Hagmüller, greets us at the gate – again it’s appointment only. Originally a dry-stone waller, he is one of a small team who have spent the past 10 years restoring the 100-hectare olive grove. Some of the 10,000 olive trees are around 800 years old, the trunks gnarled and twisted. We walk among the terraces as black vultures wheel overhead, before making our way to a small stone hut for an olive oil tasting and lunch in front of a roaring fire.
Warming the glass in our hands, we inhale deeply. The extra-virgin olive oil has a green hue and smells of cut grass and tomato leaves. Taking a sip, the spiciness catches the back of my throat. There are olives on the table, and rustic bread rubbed with thick-skinned tomatoes, drizzled with the oil and sprinkled with salt. On the fire, butifarron (traditional sausage) is sizzling.
As we eat, Bastien tells me about traditional local specialities. In Mallorca the cuisine is hearty and meat-based, with dishes such as roast lamb, suckling pig and snails cooked in a spicy broth. Surprisingly for an island, fish is not a staple – although the town of Sóller is famous for its prawns. And it’s green Menorca that is the centre of dairy production in the Balearics.
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We walk among the terraces of Son Moragues before making our way to a small stone hut for an olive oil tasting and lunch in front of a roaring fire
I am taking a cookery class at my next destination, the elegant Son Brull Rural Sanctuary in the northern Tramuntana, near the small town of Pollença. The chef, Rafa Perello, teaches guests how to prepare traditional Mallorcan dishes and, as I grab my apron, he enthuses about the island’s natural larder.
“We buy olive oil from our neighbours, and have our own vineyards and kitchen garden here. In Mallorca we eat a lot of lamb and pork but it’s all small-scale production. The old traditions are also kept alive, such as the matanza, where families rear a pig for a year – the native black pig is small, around six kilos – then in November everyone comes together for the slaughter. The whole animal is used, nothing wasted. One of the local specialities we make is sobrasada, a spicy sausage.”
We are preparing coca Mallorquina (Mallorcan-style pizza) and a baked fish dish with tumbet (like a vegetable lasagne with layers of aubergine, red pepper, courgette, potato and tomato sauce). We stuff the red mullet with a fragrant mix of spinach, garlic, pine nuts, tomato and paprika.
For dessert we’re baking an almond cake – after the phylloxera epidemic that struck Europe during the 19th century and wiped out most of Mallorca’s vines, much of the land was replanted with almond trees and, today, almond pastries are a speciality on the island.
I leave armed with a folder full of recipes to try at home. The seasonal tasting menu in Son Brull’s award-winning restaurant, 365, however, is in another league. Highlights range from a tartare of lampuga, red pepper and apple – slithers of fish and a sharp citrus kick on a crisp cracker – to the earthy chewiness of squid, yellowfoot chanterelle and Mallorcan sausage. The highlight, however, is a sweet, rich revelation: a deconstructed cheesecake with black chanterelle, the moreish mushroom sorbet cloyingly creamy and robust.
Before leaving I head to Palma for a couple of days, checking into Boutique Hotel Sant Jaume in the heart of the historic old town. Its Mediterranean restaurant, Fabiola Gastronomic Garden, gives traditional dishes a contemporary twist: here, bravas, the rustic potato dish, is turned into an artwork, the precise oblong bricks served with mayonnaise and black garlic aïoli.
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Fabiola Gastronomic Garden gives traditional dishes a contemporary twist
It’s less than 10 minutes’ walk from here to the city’s main market, Mercat de l’Olivar – check out the cheesemonger S’Aglà for the best Mallorcan and Menorcan cheeses – and elsewhere in the city a handful of gastronomic markets have also sprung up, including Mercado de San Juan and Mercat 1930, in an art deco building overlooking the marina, where you can also join cookery workshops (mercat1930.com).
The international tourism that has generated a renewed appreciation for these types of markets has also fuelled a local spike in Mediterranean fusion cuisine. This is especially evident at Fera, where Austrian chef Simon Petutschnig combines Asian and Mediterranean influences in dishes as eye-catching as the space’s contemporary art.
I start with rustic Mallorcan bread smeared with kimchi butter and beetroot aïoli, before moving on to a California roll of steak tartare, the soft meat wrapped in a crispy leaf with a sweet black squid ink macaron on the side. Petutschnig’s use of lighter Asian flavours, such as yuzu and ginger, balances the richer Mediterranean produce; his suckling pig is matched with hoisin, sweet potato and himeji.
He dubs it borderless Mediterranean cuisine, and it’s anything but hearty, rustic mountain fare. This is the face of modern Mallorca. But on this, the biggest of the Balearic islands, there’s room for both.
Looking for places to stay in Sri Lanka? Want a cool hotel in Thalpe? Read our review of Owl and the Pussycat hotel in Sri Lanka.
Owl and the Pussycat Hotel in a nutshell
A cool hotel with a warm soul.
The vibe
A rainbow-hued, Instagram-ready 17-room hotel in Thalpe, just 15 minutes by tuk-tuk from the buzz of downtown Galle, there’s a laid-back Ibiza vibe at its waterside bar and restaurant but a homely feel in the bedrooms; owner Reita Gadkhari’s carefully chosen textiles are everywhere, from cotton throws to kimono-style bathrobes (so much more sensible in the sticky Sri Lankan climate than waffle ones) and there are DIY tea and coffee-making facilities on each landing so you can make your morning cuppa just as you like it.
Join a pre-breakfast yoga class on the lawn, work off lunch with a few laps of the sleek saltwater pool or book a massage in the waterside pavilion, and drowsily peep out at the stilt fishermen trying to catch mackerel just offshore.
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Palm tree reflections over the swimming pool at sunset
Which room should I book?
Larger two-bedroom suites can be cleverly connected or disconnected to accommodate either couples, families or larger groups (each have small kitchens and living areas as well as en-suite bedrooms) but we liked the standard double rooms best. Plenty big enough without being map-necessitatingly enormous, try to get a top-floor room for the best sea views (all rooms have them, as well as either balconies or terraces).
The basics are all covered well (good quality mattresses, powerful showers, reliable wifi) while the add-ons are brilliantly idiosyncratic (TVs are only available on request but natural mosquito repellent – with those sea breezes we didn’t get a single bite – and natural Sri Lankan-made toiletries are provided in all rooms, as are woven baskets for the beach and umbrellas for those tropical downpours).
The food and drink
Guests are greeted on arrival with a king coconut mojito, chunks of fresh young coconut floating refreshingly amid the muddled mint leaves – a taste of the imaginative attention to detail that characterises all dining and drinking at the hotel’s breezy waterside restaurant and bar, The Runcible Spoon (as with the hotel in general, the name of the restaurant is a nod to Edward Lear, of whose playful poems owner Reita is a fan). Everything here is made from scratch, from the breakfast hoppers to the pickles and chutneys that accompany most meals.
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Coconut trees act as a shade at The Runcible Spoon restaurant and bar
Western beach classics are available, from mango and avocado salads to falafel wraps and burgers, but the Sri Lankan dishes are the standouts.
Go easy on a starter of samosas with tamarind and date chuntey; fill up too soon on these pillows of crunchy pastry and their softly spiced vegetable or chicken insides and you won’t have room for the hotel’s signature dish, the railway thali. Named after your typical rail traveller’s assemblage of curry, rice and sides, the make-up varies each day according to what’s fresh but typical components include creamy, coconut fish curries made with flaky white para fish and turmeric, puffs of homemade poppadum, richly fragrant dals dotted with mustard seeds and sides such as chilli-flecked okra, baby jackfruit (pleasantly stringy, in a chicken-like way), warm beetroot-matchstick salads, crunchy green winged beans, thinly sliced and rolled in coconut, plus mango chutney, moju (caramelised aubergine pickle) and coconut sambol.
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Curries, rice, dals and sides as part of the railway thali
If you’ve got space for it, end the meal with the kitchen’s homemade coconut ice cream. You won’t find a more delicious dessert this side of Colombo.
Breakfast
Take a seat at the water’s edge and order a pot of golden Sri Lankan tea before taking your pick from a small breakfast buffet (top picks include homemade buffalo milk yoghurt with kitul palm syrup, platters of tropical fruit and a daily changing array of pressed juices – mango and soursop, perhaps, or pear-like wood apple).
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Topical fruit platters for breakfast
Hot dishes are made to order and shouldn’t be missed. Especially not the hoppers, almost transparently thin little golden bowls of batter holding a perfectly cooked egg and served with gorgeous fresh, chilli-spiked coconut sambol.
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Hoppers, almost transparently thin little golden bowls of batter holding a perfectly cooked egg and served with fresh, chilli-spiked coconut sambol
What else can foodies do?
Sign up for a cooking class with one of the chefs and learn how to recreate a simple yet show-stopping prawn curry back home (or an authentic, treacly brinjal moju). Or, head out on a market tour and see a less touristy side to Galle (and have your chef-guide not just dig out the city’s best spice stalls but do the pesky haggling for you).
If you’re interested in tea, excursions to Handunugoda Tea Estate, one of the few plantations in the south of the island, can be arranged. Finally, don’t miss a cycle around the paddyfields and villages beyond Thalpe with Idle Bikes.
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Sign up for a cooking class with one of the chefs and learn how to recreate simple yet show-stopping dishes back home
Is it family friendly?
It’s over-12s only at this restful, romantic retreat but the two-bedroom suites are great for families with older children and staff do their best to accommodate younger palates, and to offer tips on family-friendly activities.
olive tip
If this is your first or last stop in Sri Lanka, ask to book a stopover in the hotel’s Colombo guesthouse. Only available to OTP hotel guests as an add-on, it’s like staying in a friend’s chic tropical city pad, with staff on hand to look after you, and is a godsend after a long flight, or before an early check-in. It also makes a blissfully peaceful base to venture into Colombo from.
Looking for places to eat in the Balearics? Here are our favourite restaurants, hotels and foodie tours to take in the Balearics. The best foodie spots include farm-to-table restaurants, luxury hotels and cookery classes in Mallorca, Menorca and Ibiza.
Mallorca: foodie hotels and things to do
Son Brull – best foodie farmhouse in Mallorca
Guests at gastronomic bolthole Son Brull can ask the kitchen to pack a gourmet picnic if they’re heading out to hike or bike around the surrounding hills. This elegant finca, or farmhouse, in the foothills of the Serra de Tramuntana, dates back to the 12th century but the approach to food is bang up to date.
The kitchen garden, where chef Rafel Perello sources the ingredients for his inventive menus and cookery classes, brims with home-grown herbs, salad leaves and vegetables while the trees surrounding the hotel are laden with oranges, lemons and figs. The hotel also has its own organic vineyard; pair its wines with dinner in the fine-dining restaurant, 365, where seasonal eight-course tasting menus showcase local Mallorcan ingredients. More casual, bistro-style, dining can be had in the bar (with its ancient olive press) during the winter or on the terrace in sunnier months.
The elegant finca, or farmhouse, in the foothills of the Serra de Tramuntana
Culinary Tours – best food tour in Mallorca
For a private olive oil tasting or a tailor-made tour of Mallorca Deborah Pina Zitrone, of Deborah’s Culinary Island, is the woman to call. Mallorca-born but with a French mother, the former lawyer now creates off-the-beaten track itineraries for visitors who want to explore the hidden corners and cultural heritage of this well-known island.
Olive oil is her passion, however, and she has trained as an Extra Virgin Olive Oil sommelier. She is also a private chef, and offers cookery classes and workshops on Mallorcan gastronomy between stints as a culinary guide for guests at gourmet bolthole Gran Hotel Son Net in the Serra de Tramuntana (sonnet.es). Full- and half-day bespoke culinary tours are available, as are olive oil tastings and themed lunches.
For a more in-depth culinary tour, look out for Deborah’s one-off events and holidays. In May 2019 she is co-hosting a week-long Mediterranean Retreat in partnership with Carmen Ruiz de Huidobro of Espanolita; guests will stay in a rustic-chic finca on the Son Rullan estate, near Valldemossa, and spend their time visiting local farmers markets, ancient olive oil groves and mills, vineyards and cookery classes.
Rustic-chic finca on the Son Rullan estate, near Valldemossa
Hotel Sant Francesc – best foodie hotel in Palma
Food-focused short breaks at design hotel Sant Francesc, in the historic heart of Palma, include a paella masterclass with the hotel’s head chef, Alfonso Lillo, and a tour and tasting at a gin distillery in the Santa Catalina neighbourhood (with tips on how to distil at home).
With its historic setting – a restored 19th-century neoclassical mansion rich with original frescos and murals, cool verandas and wooden coffered ceilings – the hotel makes a perfect base for exploring Palma’s gourmet markets and delis.
Return from a hard day’s food shopping and spend time relaxing by the glamorous rooftop pool or splashing out on dinner in the restaurant, Quadrat. The restaurant, a vision of crumpled linen and painted wood in the property’s former stables, is the setting for Lillo’s tasting menu peppered with Mediterranean-inspired dishes such as cream of grilled sweetcorn with tomato and avocado ceviche.
A cluster of 19th-century whitewashed farm buildings, with views out over the sparkling Med, Torralbenc is now a luxury hotel, surrounded by 70 hectares of fields, orchards and vineyards in the south-western corner of Menorca. The restored estate not only makes its own olive oil but also produces wine.
Starting with just five hectares of vines in 2006, the property now has 16 hectares dedicated to growing grapes. Its first wine was bottled in 2016 and the estate now produces a merlot and syrah blend (all red berries and spicy black pepper with a tinge of toasted vanilla), a bright rosé from indigenous monstrell and parellada grapes (floral with strawberries and cherries on the palate) and an easy-drinking white blended from sauvignon blanc, viognier, chardonnay and parellada with citrus, stone fruits and floral notes.
Guests can book a vineyard experience with the hotel’s oenologist, exploring the vineyards on foot or by bike, learning how the wines are produced and enjoying a tasting, with local Menorcan cheeses, among the vines.
Learn how the wines are produced and enjoying a tasting, with local Menorcan cheeses, among the vines
Menorca Food Tours – best food tours in Menorca
There’s more to Menorca than mayonnaise (or mahonnaise) and gin – although the island’s Xoriguer gin is justifiably famous. This laid-back, low-key island has been flying somewhat under the foodie radar but Annie B’s Spanish Kitchen is set to change all that by launching week-long gastronomic tours of the island, guided by local expert Lorraine Ure.
Showcasing local food producers, the trips include a wine tasting and lunch at Binifadet Vineyard, a visit to a cheesemaker and cocktail-making classes. Add in time for mooching around markets, cookery classes focusing on traditional Menorcan specialities, gin-tastings and gourmet dinners in a smattering of the island’s best restaurants and you have the recipe for a delicious introduction to the local food scene.
Colourful chillis hanging in the market on Annie B’s Spanish Kitchen Food Tours
Hotel Ses Sucreres – best quirky hotel in Menorca
Hotel Ses Sucreres, in the village of Ferreries, is the sister hotel to Petit Mao in the island’s capital Mahon. Split your trip into a twin-centre break by bedding down for a few days in both. These quirky boltholes epitomise the laid back, low-key authenticity of the island a world away in style from high profile party isles Mallorca and Ibiza.
Hotel Petit Mao is in an eclectically furnished 18th-century townhouse with six airy bedrooms, within staggering distance of the town’s tapas bars. Think vintage finds, sash windows, tiled floors, beams, whitewashed walls and breakfasts of homemade fig jam, soft sugary buns, local slithers of Mahon cheese and salty air-cured ham, sobrasada, the local sausage, smashed tomatoes and olive oil smeared on freshly baked bread.
There’s an honesty bar and picnics of local food can be ordered for trips to the beach. On the other side of the island Ses Sucreres is decked out with reclaimed furniture, geometric prints and modern photography. There are six bedrooms here, too, and relaxed breakfasts are served in a leafy courtyard garden.
Ses Sucreres bedrooms decked out with reclaimed furniture, geometric prints and modern photography
Ibiza: foodie hotels and things to do
Finca Can Marti – best rustic retreat in Ibiza
A pine-cradled rural idyll in a leafy valley in the north of Ibiza, Finca Can Marti is a 400-year-old, whitewashed farmhouse turned rustic-chic retreat. All muted cream and beige tones, with terracotta tiled floors, ancient beams and white walls, the finca is surrounded by 42 acres of organic orchards, vegetable plots, strawberry fields, olive groves and vineyards. The fruit and vegetables are sustainably grown on the farm and sold in the estate’s small organic shop, along with homemade jams, extra virgin olive oil and free-range eggs – which you can also enjoy at breakfast, along with a feast of fruits and freshly baked bread. Once a week the finca also offers dinner.
Ten minutes’ walk away is the sleepy village of San Juan, with its smattering of local restaurants and a traditional market every Sunday. Or you can simply hole up on site lounging by the natural pool (the water is free from chemicals, circulated through a lava stone filter, oxygenated by a waterfall and cleared of impurities by aquatic plants). Then zone out, with an Ayurvedic and Thai massage under a pergola, trying not to peep at the dreamy view beyond.
Love Food Ibiza – best plant-based workshops in Ibiza
Chef and food editor Tess Prince launched Love Food Ibiza as an outlet for her recipe blog and YouTube videos after falling in love with the island and relocating there from the UK in 2013. She arranges tours of the island’s gastronomic hotspots, organic farms and artisan producers and can be booked for private dinners or vegan cookery classes; smaller workshops take place in her outdoor kitchen in San Carlos, followed by lunch on the terrace with dreamy views over Tagomogo island, while larger groups are hosted at organic farm Ca’n Pere Mussona, in the heart of the countryside, the ingredients hand-picked that day for a real field-to-fork experience.
Plant-based food, gut nutrition and the ayurvedic approach to eating are all discussed over a welcome kombucha-based mocktail at the workshops, while typical lunch menus include Ibiza white sweet potato with crushed avocado, preserved lemon and crispy dulse, or pink cauliflower falafel in beetroot pancakes with minted vegan kefir labheh and pistachio dukkah, followed by raw vegan desserts such as stacked cheesecake with berries and acai and pitaya puree, or chocolate, orange and cardamom mousse.
Pots of chocolate, orange and cardamom mousse topped with orange slices and edible flowers
Casa Maca – best farm-to-fork restaurant in Ibiza
Almond, carob and fig trees surround Casa Maca, a rural hotel in the hills of Can Palau with a restaurant headed up by chef, David Reartes, and views down towards Ibiza Town. This converted whitewashed farmhouse is 300 years old; an olive oil press in the lobby is a nod to its agricultural heritage.
The restaurant’s ethos has been dubbed “farm to table with flair”, its Mediterranean menus showcasing local organic ingredients. Think snapper ceviche with mango to start, followed by a Buddha bowl of bulgar wheat, chickpea, pumpkin, sesame, hummus, avocado, kale, radish and fresh greens or tuna poke with salmon roe and crispy garlic.
Hop on the ferry from Ibiza to Formentera, the barefoot baby of the Balearics, for endless sweeps of sand backed by dunes and pine trees, crystalline waters and a hippy-chic vibe. This is where jaded clubbers come to hide out – and eat (sustainable) sushi and ceviche washed down with caipirinhas by the beach.
There’s a slower pace of life on Ibiza’s chilled-out little sister, with its peppering of traditional villages and a nightly market during the summer. Base yourself at Can Tres, a clutch of three architect-designed houses surrounded by citrus and olive trees, all hanging beds and heavenly hammocks, thatched terraces perfect for lazy breakfasts of fruit from the gardens, freshly baked bread and homemade jam, and vivid splashes of colour against a pure white canvas. It’s also just a pebble’s throw from Migjorn beach with its smattering of funky beach bars and restaurants.
If you’re seeking inspiration for your next culinary trip, here are some of the most unique affordable European hotels and retreats with fantastic food that have opened in the past year or two.
The Norrmans, Denmark
Swedish interiors stylist Anna Norrman and her chef husband Lars made the leap across the Öresund last year to open The Norrmans, a seriously stylish boutique b&b in Stevns, an hour south of Copenhagen. Breakfast comes on a tray which you can take up to your (lime-plastered, earthily coloured) room or out into the glorious garden and you can order a picnic lunch to take with you as you explore the surrounding area.
Dinner is a communal affair, consisting of whatever Lars fancies rustling up – it could be wood-fired pizzas, a French-inspired feast or a barbecue in good weather – all served with plenty of good wine and interesting company.
A greenhouse style room filled with pot plans and wicker sofas. Credit: Mikkel Adsbøl
El Gran Sueño, Spain
There’s a “slow hotel” philosophy at El Gran Sueño, a boutique rural retreat in the mountains of Asturias. It uses renewable energy and serves only homemade, organic food, with at least one dinner a week meat-free.
Tuck into freshly baked bread with grated tomato and local artisan cheeses for breakfast (with a glass of freshly squeezed Valencia orange juice or pressed Asturian cider-apple juice) before heading out to explore the surrounding mountains and woodlands. Having worked up an appetite, return to base for a hearty, home-cooked three-course dinner (the vegan chocolate and beetroot brownie is a must-try pudding).
Set within a 200-acre estate near Bonnelles, in the heart of the Rambouillet forest, yet only a 45-minute drive from Paris, Le Barn is a super-sybaritic rural escape, complete with stables, sauna, hamam and yoga shala.
An extensive kitchen garden provides much of the food for the restaurant and is the starting point for cookery classes with chef Marc Pagel. Menus are seasonal and sophisticated – you could find yourself eating strawberry gâteau in the garden in summer, or blanquette de veau at wooden communal tables in the colder months.
Le Barn is a super-sybaritic rural escape, complete with stables, sauna, hamam and yoga shala
Hotel Havgrim, Faroe Islands
The Faroe Islands have popped up on the foodie radar in the past few years and this recently-opened boutique bed and breakfast in a former Commodore’s house in Torshavn is the perfect place from which to discover their unique cuisine.
The most expensive hotel on our list it’s still good value for the pricey Faroes. Breakfast is served in a dining room overlooking the sea and includes homemade rhubarb jam (one of the few staples to grow on these windswept islands), Faroese mutton sausage and Faroese smoked salmon, along with hipster options such as ginger shots and homemade chia porridge with coconut milk. Staff can recommend one of the town’s few (but exciting) restaurants for dinner.
Breakfast is served in a dining room overlooking the sea. Credit: Mirjan van der Meer
Cressa Corona, Crete
This 16th century Venetian Ottoman mansion – complete with original stone-built oven and Turkish hammam – once belonged to a nobleman who kept his harem there. It’s now an adults-only boutique hotel in the Old Town of Rethymno, with just five light and luxe-y suites.
Choose to have your breakfast in-room or up on the hotel’s rooftop terrace, enjoying views over the medieval town; either way, you’ll be served a host of local, organic delights such as Cretan pies, Cretan barley rusks with tomatoes, local mizithra and graviera cheeses, omelettes and thyme honey.
An imposing 18th century farmstead near Alba, in Piedmont, Langhe Country House is surrounded by vineyards and hazelnut orchards and has been beautifully renovated by Alessandro and Nadia (also a Slow Food member and trained sommelier).
The only meal served here is breakfast but what a breakfast it is: hazelnut cakes and tarts, biscuits (baci, brutti e buoni), croissants, jams, seasonal fruit, cheeses from Alta Langa, sliced hams – all homemade or local. Cooking classes for typical Piedmont recipes can be arranged in the adjacent kitchen and guests are encouraged to help themselves to a glass of wine from the poolside wine fridge before going out for dinner in the local village.
The lavish breakfast complete with croissants, jams, bread, waffles, eggs and charcuterie
La Belle Vue, France
Run by another Swede who followed her dream south (this time to Neffiés, a dreamy village in the Languedoc) La Belle Vue features six individually decorated bedrooms, each one a vision of romantic French loveliness with vintage iron beds, antique linen, sun-dappled balconies and powdery tones.
Owner Yvonne makes the most of the area’s produce (saffron and wine among it) and each morning lays out a breakfast buffet by the pool consisting of local farm cheeses, homemade jams (made from fruit donated by the neighbour), bread and croissants from the local boulangerie and patisserie and fresh juices. Dinner is served on the terrace or in the dining room a couple of evenings a week; on Thursdays –when the local seafood man comes to town – it’s always oysters, moules frites and homemade crème brûlée served with Picpoul wine. On other nights, Yvonne can recommend one of the village’s restaurants.
This group of 17th century stone farm buildings outside Rémalard, in rural Normandy, was lovingly converted into a beautifully minimalist guesthouse by the property’s former Dutch owners. Now, having recently been taken over by the team behind legendary Paris restaurant Septime, Bertrand Grébaut and Théophile Pourriat, it’s also drawing visitors for its food.
As you would expect from the revered duo behind it, the food is superb (a selection of small seasonal dishes is on offer at lunch and dinner – think leeks with savagnin vinaigrette, fresh walnuts and nasturtium, or cream puffs scented with fig leaf) and all the more so for being served in such bucolic surroundings (albeit only two hours’ drive from Paris).
Minimalist bedrooms with white furnishings at D’une île
Maison Cimes, France
Whether you’re hiking the peaks and valleys in the summer or skiing at the neighbouring resort of Les Orres in winter, Maison Cimes’ stunning location in the Hautes Alpes makes working up an appetite an absolute pleasure.
Owners Sandrine and Xavier have done up the five bedroom retreat (several of the rooms come with balconies overlooking the valley) in cool, contemporary style and they use local, seasonal and organic products wherever possible in the kitchen. On certain Saturdays, guests are welcome to join them in the kitchen for an informal cooking class over a glass of wine and prepare dinner together.
This beautifully converted historic house in the old town of Lagos is serious about sustainability. All its vegetables come from the hotel’s own 6000 square-metre kitchen garden, eggs come from the property’s 200 or so chickens and more than 90% of everything you can eat or buy on site is made in Portugal.
Breakfast is served by the pool and might stretch to kale and spinach toast with poached eggs or an Algarvian smoothie bowl, while lunch might consist of braised octopus from the local seafood lady or artisan cheeses with homebaked bread. The hotel also holds regular farm-to-table cooking classes, four-hour ‘cruise, fish and grill’ trips and other creative workshops.
Looking for the idyllic foodie honeymoons? Want to know the best romantic destinations for foodies? Read on for the best beach hotels, charming b&bs and idyllic bamboo huts to stay in across the world.
UXUA casa hotel and spa, Trancoso
Dotted around Trancoso, an idyllic, palm-fringed beach in the northeast of Brazil sit 11 luxury suites, all part of the UXUA casa hotel and spa. Many of the buildings the suites are set in date back over 500 years, and have been sensitively restored using reclaimed materials and local influences.
Choose the mint green Gulab Mahal suite, with its exposed beams and two storeys, for light and space, or the Seu João for a cosy pad for two, with its lush gardens, rustic kitchen, outdoor shower and private pool. For more pampering, take time out at the hotel’s spa, indulging in hot stone massages, body scrubs, facials and reflexology (all done using products made with local ingredients such as coconut oil, cocoa and pink pepper seeds).
Or stroll the eight-minute route from the hotel to UXUA’s private beach, where you’ll find a bar serving super-fresh ceviche, fish tacos and fresh coconut juice. Guests can also sign up for lessons in how to make moqueca, the traditional Bahian fish stew, with chef Bernardo Silva. The celebrated dish is made with whatever white fish has been caught that day, plus fat prawns, garlic, coconut cream, chilli, sweet peppers, parsley and coriander.
UXUA’s private beach, where you’ll find a bar serving super-fresh ceviche, fish tacos and fresh coconut juice
Six Senses Zighy Bay, Oman
Its ultra-private beachside setting and a willingness to tailor-make the guest experience makes Six Senses Zighy Bay classic honeymoon territory. Laid out in the style of an Omani village (or, rather, a luxurious reimagining of that) the resort’s 87 villas are all variations on a theme, blending stone, wood and woven palm matting to soothing effect. All have a chic, tropical vibe, with dark wood furniture and bright citrus-coloured cushions, but if you want to wake up with a sea view, opt for one of the more expensive sunrise-facing Beachfront Pool villas.
On Friday evenings you can walk barefoot along the beach under a star-speckled sky for dinner at the Shua Shak, a breezy Bedouin-style restaurant with low tables and cushioned seating under a simple palm-leaf canopy. It’s the main course that everyone really comes for: mounds of flaky lamb that’s been marinated for 24 hours in olive oil, date syrup, bay leaves, onion, garlic, carrot, cinnamon, anise, cumin and rosemary, then wrapped in banana leaves and foil and cooked on coals in a pit under the sand for seven hours. It’s the perfect partner for the buttery pistachio, cashew and cardamom-laced saffron rice it’s served with – and one of the most romantic dining experiences in the Middle East.
Mellby is what Swedes call a “smultronställe” – literally a “wild strawberry place”, it means a little gem that you would really rather keep to yourself. Newly renovated, in a romantic and charmingly bohemian way, this b&b opens its seven individually decorated rooms (think painted wooden floorboards, splashes of colour and pattern and fleamarket finds) only in the summer months.
It’s the perfect honeymoon destination for boho couples looking to unwind amid a whimsical, storybook setting, with a magical garden, full of secret spots for drinking freshly-brewed espressos and day dreaming. Breakfasts are simple and delicious (and largely organic and local); many of the fruit, vegetables and herbs used in its dishes are grown in the b&b’s own garden.
Breakfast in the conservatory at Mellby Klockargård. Photograph by Carolina Romare
Fontelunga Hotel, Tuscany
For a truly unwinding honeymoon amid Tuscany’s romantic rolling hills, make your way to this stylish hotel. Set within an olive estate, the elegant villa at the heart of Fontelunga is home to eight glamorously understated bedrooms, a junior suite in a separate cottage for couples seeking more seclusion, plus two private self-catering villas. Each room is named after an Italian material and colours are reflected in the styling, from plush silver furnishing in Diamante to peachy notes in Tormalina.
Spend your days lounging in the Jacuzzi, playing games of doubles on the tennis court or simply taking some time to stretch in the yoga gazebo. All of which will help you work up an appetite for the hotel’s cooking. Breakfast and lunches (homemade cakes and platters of pecorino cheese with local meats) are served on the terrace overlooking the Val di Chiana and – if you don’t want to venture out to the region’s acclaimed restaurants, trattorias and pizzerias – dinners can be ordered on request (you can also book a private chef to come and cook for you if you’re staying in one of the self-catering villas).
The big attraction for foodies, however, are the twice-weekly dinner parties thrown for all guests. Family-style sharing dishes start with fried vegetables and mixed crostini before moving onto a three-course dinner which uses local food of the season.
A true desert island fantasy, with its powdery, palm tree-fringed beaches and rustic, back-to-nature styling, Tao means human in Filipino and this community-based hospitality initiative has people at its heart. Beginning as a homestay experience but developing into a more sophisticated social enterprise, the organisation works with local fisherman and farmers to offer trips and adventures for guests.
While the project runs in various locations across the Philippines (mountain trips and boat-based adventures are also possible), it’s the beach retreats in Northern Palawan, that are perhaps most suited to honeymooners, not least Camp Ngeyngey on the protected island of Manguengey.
A true escape (don’t expect room service or Wi-Fi), here you can wake up each morning in a bamboo hut before heading out on a private boat tour, going snorkelling or swimming off deserted beaches or enjoying a traditional massage. In the evenings, return to sip on rum cocktails and feast on fresh fish in the company of your fellow adventurers (you can only visit as part of a group, on specific dates, but don’t worry you’ll get plenty of time on your own).
Set in the hills above Champion and Hautvillers, the Royal Champagne Hotel and Spa is the region’s first contemporary five-star hotel serving michelin star food across two restaurants.
Overlooking the lush rolling hills, the spa is home to a yoga studio, eucalyptus-infused saunas along with two swimming pools, one indoor and one outdoor.
Rooms start from £426 per night, but if you’re looking for a romantic dinner Le Royal offers fine-dining without having to stay the night. The four-course discovery menu is a chance to try a selection of the chef’s favourite dishes, so expect crab and caviar served with mango and citrus fruit marmalade, sole and blue lobster served with Champagne sauce (a nod to the region) and an indulgent chocolate dessert.
For a more relaxed dining experience, book a table at Le Bellevue which serves classic French dishes of beef steak with frites and cappuccino puff pastry filled with coffee crémeux.
A stylish, American-style roadside motel and diner from the Soho House Group livens up the A420 motorway outside Oxford.
The vibe
A neon sign welcomes drivers to Mollie’s from the A420. Though purposefully low-key (to keep rates affordable), this unique space is sealed with the signature Soho House Group stamp. The lobby-cum-lounge-cum-general store is a calm, contemporary hang out with squishy leather sofas, a large reclaimed oak table, self-serve tea and coffee station, and retro shelves lined wit jugs, plants and books.
Across the car park, the motel’s main dining space, Mollie’s Diner, is full of locals venturing out for a casually glam dinner, Soho House members, and people passing through on their travels (there’s even a drive-thru option).
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Mollie’s Motel’s entrance is a calm, contemporary hang out
Which room should I book at Mollie’s Motel?
The 79 rooms are compact and simply furnished while maintaining a homely style – blonde wood panels adorn pale green walls, peachy velvet chairs sit in the windows, and globe wall lights cast a warming glow. There aren’t lots of extras, but luxurious touches come in the form of Egyptian cotton sheets on kingsize beds and Cowshed toiletries in epic rainforest showers. Everything else (body scrub, Hershey’s chocolate, bottles of Patrón) can be purchased in the general store or ordered from a handy app. Choose between standard doubles, interconnecting twins and bunk bed rooms that sleep four (ideal for fun road trips or families).
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Mollie’s Motel’s 79 rooms are compact and simply furnished while maintaining a homely style
The food and drink
In Mollie’s Diner, hungry punters slide into teal-blue booths around Formica tables (guests can book via the app). Chefs in caps and Mollie’s t-shirts man the fryers and grills in an open kitchen that spans the whole of one side of the room, and a DJ plays at weekends to add to the buzz.
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In Mollie’s Diner, hungry punters slide into teal-blue booths around Formica tables
Start with a round of cocktails (smooth espresso martinis or the refreshing Mollie’s Margarita) and some cheesy nachos before tucking into diner classics. Super succulent chicken was a highlight, covered in Mollie’s secret sticky marinade (it crisps up on the rotisserie over hickory wood and charcoal). Go the whole shebang with Mollie’s Chicken Tray, complete with grilled corn on the cob, a pile of crinkly fries and a refill of your choice of soda. Thick-cut maple glazed bacon and American cheese are welcome additions to the double bacon cheeseburger (we found the simple ‘dirty burger’ a little bland).
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It’s worth saving room for a slice of homemade apple pie, spooned out at the table from a huge ceramic dish. Pieces of cinnamon-laced apple are covered with crusty pastry and served with a dinky jug of cream.
Breakfast
Breakfast is served back in Mollie’s Diner, with an all-day menu of fry-ups (try the veggie platter laden with grilled corn on the cob, avocado, Portobello mushrooms, croquette-style hash browns, eggs and toast); and Bargain Baps piled with the likes of smoked salmon and cream cheese or sausage and egg. The waffle dishes would have benefited from the waffles being made in house. House Press juices make a refreshing start to the day – try the red (beetroot, carrot, ginger and pineapple) or toughen up with a hard green (broccoli, celery, spinach and parsley).
What else can foodies do?
Mollie’s is designed as a stopover for road trips, so it makes a great add-on to a British foodie adventure. Drive 20 minutes north-west to Artist Residence Oxfordshire for Sunday lunch in a community-focused pub, or, if the sun is shining, a pint of ale from Churchan brewery in the Artist Residence’s rustic beer garden where chunky timber tables overlook a collection of raised beds planted with herbs, veg and gooseberry bushes.
Otherwise, head into Oxford for a glass of rosé and a slice of rhubarb pavlova at wine bar Pompette, creamy flat whites in chic Society Café and a mooch in the city’s covered market (pop in to Objects of Use for some seriously stylish kitchen accessories).
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Head to Artist Residence Oxfordshire for Sunday lunch in a community-focused pub
Is it family friendly?
There are both interconnecting rooms and stylish bunk bed rooms for large families. The casual diner is as much a natural habitat for children as it is for adults. There’s a dedicate Mini Mollie’s menu, with smaller burgers, cod goujons and mac ‘n’ cheese served with crinkle cut fries and mini sodas.
olive tip
Don’t miss the classic drive-thru experience – grab a Bargain Bap, along with a soda or coffee in a bespoke paper cup, to fuel your onwards journey.
Looking for Galle restaurants? Here are our favourite restaurants in the Sri Lankan coastal town, plus where to get the best ice cream, spices and street food.
Protected from the shimmering Indian Ocean by grassy ramparts, Galle Fort’s colonial 17th century buildings (a legacy of the city’s Dutch occupation) shelter cafés, art galleries, craft and textile shops and breezy open-sided restaurants. This scenic spot attracts swarms of tourists but don’t be put off by the crowds. It also contains some of southern Sri Lanka’s best food, from buffalo lemon curd gelato to black tea kombucha, chilli crab, streetside kottu, coconut curries and thali-style salads.
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Bananas for sale at Galle Fruit Market
Isle of Gelato – best ice cream in Galle
This chilled little spot in Galle Fort is just the place to escape the heat. Sri Lankan owners, Shalini and Suranjan, wanted to blend local ingredients with Italian techniques and Shalini spent three months in Bologna learning how to make gelato the traditional way.
Made-from-scratch gelato flavours include plenty of locally influenced options, including refreshing buffalo lemon curd, while the lychee dream (a delicate blush-coloured mix of lychee, raspberry and rosewater) went down equally well among our intrepid taste testers.
Refreshing buffalo lemon curd and lychee dream ice cream – a delicate blush-coloured mix of lychee, raspberry and rosewater
Poonie’s Kitchen – best Thai restaurant in Galle
A sunny little courtyard café squeezed between a pool of Orangina-coloured carp, a pile of waxy king coconuts and a boho lifestyle store, this stalwart of the Galle Fort expat scene is the place to go if you’ve had your fill of coconut curries and hoppers and are craving fruit and salads.
Its fresh, light menu nods more towards South East Asia than Sri Lanka (think homemade granola with mango, banana, coconut and yoghurt, butternut squash and coriander fritters, Thai-style stir-fried noodles and Vietnamese pho) but its signature dish, the salad thali, blends European and Asian flavours brilliantly.
The thali’s components change each day according to what’s been delivered to the kitchen but our collection of salads, served on a shiny tin tray, encompassed pomegranate seed-sprinkled beetroot coleslaw, black sesame seed-scattered roast carrots, caramelised aubergine, lettuce chopped with cucumber and avocado, soft little cubes of roast butternut squash, lightly spiced and squishy okra, tiny baked potatoes, cubes of colourful orange and red tomatoes and two sliver-thin discs of homemade rye cracker. Order a passionfruit soda (fresh passionfruit stirred into fizzy water) to go with it and you have the recipe for the perfect tropical lunch.
The Tuna And The Crab – best seafood restaurant in Galle
Owned by Dharshan Munidasa (the Japanese-Sri Lankan chef behind Colombo’s cult Ministry of Crab and Nihonbashi restaurants), The Tuna and the Crab is set within the atmospheric old Dutch Hospital in Galle Fort and features menu favourites from its Colombo siblings – not least export-quality lagoon crabs (in dishes such as garlic-chilli crab, pepper crab and crab croquettes) and stellar tempura and sashimi. Steaks are also available for seasoned carnivores.
Crab is the star player here but the exquisitely presented bento boxes and sashimi platters are also worth trying, as is the olive oil and soy sauce sashimi made with red mullet.
There are plenty of local places to try a more sit-down take on kottu, that classic Sri Lankan dish of shredded roti stir-fried with vegetables, spices, egg and sometimes chicken (among them The Blockhouse and Sugar, both in Galle Fort).
Kottu has traditionally always been a street food, however, served by roadside vendors in the evening. The best we found was made by cook Kadesh at his stall at the front of the Vinu Hotel, at the Galle Fort end of Mahamodara Beach. For around 60p our “medium spicy” (think temperature-soaring amounts of chilli) veggie version was the real deal, the vegetables crunchy but the cooked roti soft and noodle-like so that the end result was something like a plate of pad thai.
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Cook Kadesh at his stall at the front of the Vinu Hotel making kottu
Withered Leaves – best tea shop in Galle
A tea boutique, upstairs in the same complex as The Tuna and the Crab, this beautifully designed store is one for true tea nerds. Beautiful golden tea urns store loose-leaf teas from estates across Sri Lanka and the tea is handled with meticulous care. Green teas, white teas, single-estate teas, blends and fruit teas are all available, as are pre-packaged gift sets.
Church Street Social – best tea house in Galle
It’s not hard to find a good cuppa in Sri Lanka (the same can’t be said for coffee) but the elegant front terrace of Fort Bazaar Hotel is a perfect spot for a pick-me-up pot of tea in the afternoon. With fans whirring overhead, a roadside screen of leafy plants and a neat black, white and sage colour scheme the surroundings are as refreshing as the tea. There’s quite an extensive tea menu but we recommend a cup of mellow Golden Pekoe from Tea Eli.
Not in Galle itself but a 10-minute tuk-tuk ride away, in the beachside enclave of Unawatuna, what started out as a backpacker’s guesthouse (it’s still pretty boho around the edges) has morphed into an outdoor bar and restaurant with a policy of training up young chefs. Tucked down a little alleyway off the main Galle to Talpe road, it’s not the easiest place to find but once you’re there it’s a mellow spot to while away an evening.
Start with a craft soda (cinnamon and hibiscus, or coconut vinegar with ginger and coriander perhaps) then move on to a Ceylon Sour (arrak, lime, kitul and orange bitters) and surprisingly sophisticated dishes made with as much island-sourced produce as possible.
The prawn salad with mango arrives with crunchy noodles, a lemon vinaigrette and the biggest prawn you will ever have seen (Sri Lanka is home to an almost lobster-sized lagoon species) but the buttered cuttlefish is the dish everyone comes for. Made with spring onions, honey, chilli and lots of garlic it’s like a posh take on a sweet and sour, the cuttlefish all chewy crunch from its deep-fried cornflour coating, the sauce a smoky-sweet, chilli-soy delight.
A posh take on a sweet and sour, the cuttlefish all chewy crunch from its deep-fried cornflour coating, the sauce a smoky-sweet, chilli-soy delight
Best food shops in Galle…
Chilli Spice Dragon
This tiny, family-run spice stall has recently moved right to the Galle end of Galle Fort. It’s easy to miss and only has a small selection but it’s worth seeking out if you’re in Galle Fort and want to pick up some local cinnamon, tea or curry spice blends in a hurry (get the dark curry spice blend if you want to cook up some Sri Lankan devilled cashews back home).
For a much wider range of spices, away from the tourist scene, head to the little spice stall just outside the city’s main vegetable market. Its shelves are crammed with ochre-hued jars of every shape, size and scent and the more you buy the better the prices get (be prepared to haggle).
Or, time your visit for a Saturday and visit the Good Market on Law Court Square, an eco-aware farmers’ market where artisan spices, tea, rice and tropical fruit jams jostle for space among local arts and crafts.
Pick up some local cinnamon, tea or curry spice blends from Chilli Spice in Galle Fort
Food For Thought
A bright, modern deli cum grocers in the heart of Galle Fort, Food For Thought stocks mainly imported items but there are some interesting local buys perched on its shelves. Among them, look out for local honey and various flavours of Laa Dhalu kombucha made with Sri Lankan black tea (try the ginger one).
Not so much a food shop as a lifestyle store, this is arguably the town’s best quality craft shop. If you’re in search of a souvenir this should be your first port of call, whether you’re seeking fabric toys, brightly woven cushions, natural toiletries, cinnamon incense or coffee table books about Sri Lanka. It also stocks tea.
For a different, more agricultural take on the area cycle out into the lush countryside beyond Galle on a 90-minute bike tour with Idle Bikes. Winding peacefully through a district called Hiratigala the tour passes paddy fields, canals, tea plantations and rural villages along the way and offers a chance to spot kingfishers, iguanas, egrets and, if you’re lucky, maybe even cobras. Go early and stop half way for a fresh coconut juice then ride back as the sun starts to intensify.
Winding peacefully through a district called Hiratigala the tour passes through paddy fields
Handunugoda Tea Estate
One of the few tea plantations in southern Sri Lanka, Handunugoda is well on the tourist track but no less fascinating for it. Join one of its free daily tours and, after a short walk through tea bushes, learning about the estate’s prestigious white tea, enjoy a cup of tea and a slice of chocolate cake in an old planters’ bungalow overlooking the tea terraces before heading down to the tea factory to watch tea being dried, sorted and processed the traditional way. There’s also a shop on site, though there’s no pressure to buy.
Head down to the tea factory to watch tea being dried, sorted and processed the traditional way
Best places to stay in Galle…
Owl and the Pussycat Hotel
A cool hotel with a warm soul, this rainbow-hued, Instagram-ready, 17-room hotel also has one of the best restaurants in the area. Even if you’re staying elsewhere it’s worth making the 15-minute tuk-tuk ride south of Galle for an evening at its bar and restaurant. Get there in time for superlative sundowners (among them king coconut mojitos with chunks of fresh young coconut floating refreshingly amid the muddled mint leaves). Then stay on for excellent made-from-scratch dishes.
Western beach classics are available, from mango and avocado salads to falafel wraps and burgers, but the Sri Lankan dishes are the standouts. Go easy on a starter of samosas with tamarind and date chutney; fill up too soon on these pillows of crunchy pastry and their softly spiced vegetable or chicken insides and you won’t have room for the hotel’s signature dish, the railway thali.
Named after your typical rail traveller’s assemblage of curry, rice and sides, the make-up varies each day according to what’s fresh but typical components include creamy, coconut fish curries made with flaky white para fish and turmeric, puffs of homemade poppadum, richly fragrant dals dotted with mustard seeds and sides such as chilli-flecked okra, baby jackfruit (pleasantly stringy, in a chicken-like way), warm beetroot-matchstick salads, crunchy green winged beans, thinly sliced and rolled in coconut, plus mango chutney, moju (caramelised aubergine pickle) and coconut sambol. If you’ve got space for it, end the meal with the kitchen’s homemade coconut ice cream. You won’t find a more delicious dessert in Galle.
Visiting Miami? With blue skies all year round and MIA airport a transit hub for onward flights across South and Central America, we recommend stopping off for a few days to explore this lively Florida city.
Where to eat and drink in South Beach
The most glamorous part of Miami, South Beach is where the world’s A-listers come to party. We seek out the most elegant bars, restaurants and people-watching spots among the pencil palms and art deco buildings of Ocean Drive, Collins Avenue and Washington Avenue.
Delano – for A-list cocktails
This iconic hotel has hosted some of Miami’s most VIP guests, and has a reputation for impromptu parties. One of the first collaborations between hotelier Ian Shrager and designer Philippe Starck, floaty white curtains softly flutter as the door opens and guests glide between huge columns through to one of Miami’s most desirable backyards, complete with cabanas, pool and Alice In Wonderland-influenced landscaping. The hotel’s communal spaces make a mismatched wonderland, with elongated armchairs, giant chessboards, and a transparent piano part-owned by Lenny Kravitz (who drops in from time to time to play it).
Pull up a stool at the sumptuous Rose Bar and keep an eye on who’s sauntering through the lobby. Order a Gibraltar old fashioned – a deep, dark twist on the classic, with Zacapa 23, PX sherry, aromatic bitters and star anise (charred at the bar to add a smoky spice to the sweet drink) – or a Piquant Paloma (a refreshing combination of Avion silver tequila, Ancho Reyes Ancho Chile Liqueur, grapefruit juice and agave nectar). The décor lives up to the name, with a rose quartz-topped bar, folds of velvet and feathery Venetian glass chandeliers.
Health-conscious locals come to this bright and breezy spot for smoothies and wholesome breakfasts. On our visit a hefty vegan carrot cake dominated the counter (overseen by gluten-free banana cake, Alyssa’s almond cookies and vegan empanadas) while a row of pineapples framed the juice list. The choice is vast but we liked the sound of Welcome to Miami, so chose this sunny blend of passion fruit, mango, banana and honey. Start the day healthily with one of the pure acai bowls (the PB Energy was our favourite – raw Brazilian acai blended with banana and peanut butter, topped with strawberry, banana, granola, goji berries, almond slivers and cacao nibs).
Start the day healithy with one of Pura Vida’s acai bowls
Broken Shaker – for a fun night out
This tropical oasis is one of the liveliest night spots on Miami Beach; with its laid-back, care-free vibe it’s a refreshing contrast to the glitz and glam of South Beach. There’s a tiki-style bar made cosy with kitsch wallpaper, bamboo panels and cabinets of trinkets (crystal canisters, model sailing boats, vintage tins). From sundown onwards a large plant-filled patio fills up with guests from the adjoining hostel, arty folk from across the bridge and party-goers ready to dance into the night.
A large bowl of punch on the bar tempts you in with jewels of star fruit, orange slices and star anise. Beers come from Milwaukee to Mexico via Tampa, and mixologists shake up spins on classics – lemongrass caipirinhas, peachy coladas and kaffir lime and anise gimlets.
This French-owned sandwich shop has been a South Beach institution since 1988. Locals roll up on skates, blades and boards to the palm-framed hatch or bag a red leather stool at the counter and wiggle along to Manuel’s fabulous disco playlist.
Crusty French baguettes are loaded with fresh ingredients named after their regional inspiration – think French salami and brie (Frenchie), smoked salmon and mozzarella (Alaskan), ham, salmon, prosciutto and provolone (Italian). Toppings – from cucumbers to cornichons, olives to onions – come at no extra charge, along with La Sandwicherie’s “magic sauce” vinaigrette.
Locals roll up on skates, blades and boards to La Sandwicherie’s palm-framed hatch
Yardbird Southern Table and Bar – for a fun dinner with friends
Yardbird was recommended to us by every local we spoke to for its buzzy atmosphere and Southern-style comfort food. When the bread and butter course comes as buttermilk biscuits (scone-like bakes from Louisiana) with sweet honey butter, you know you’re in for a treat. It gets more intense – 10-oz braised short rib is served over cauliflower mash, pickled carrots and spicy chillies; crisp fried chicken is dipped into honey hot sauce and bourbon maple syrup; and three types of beef (brisket, short rib and chuck) are ground into a patty with cheese and pork belly laid on top for the most decadent burger imaginable. If you’ve got room for dessert (hats off to you if so!), try the show-stopping peach cobbler for two, served with homemade vanilla bean ice cream.
The bourbon list is over 50-strong, and used to create punchy cocktails such as blackberry bourbon lemonade with cardamom, and six twists on the old fashioned. Or, opt for a craft beer from the taps that run along the large bar (Goose Island IPA, Big Wave American golden ale, Yardbird stock ale).
If you’re heading to Miami, it’s likely you’ll have been recommended Joe’s Stone Crab. The area is famous for the seafood speciality, and this smart restaurant is a Miami Beach institution. It’s very popular and hour-long queues are the norm, so sneak round to the adjacent takeaway counter for stone crab to eat on the beach or in the casual seating area. Other classics include stone crab bisque, lobster reuben and fabulous sides (creamed spinach, house slaw, mac ‘n’ cheese). The key lime pie is also justifiably famous; don’t forget to order a slice for dessert.
1 Hotel has a commitment to the environment, combining ecological initiatives with super-cool design concepts – a huge whale made from natural salvaged goods from the beach guards the lifts, a repurposed clay floor can be fixed without the addition of more materials, and recycled wooden keys add to the beach vibe.
Plush rooms are decorated in an earthy palette, with ocean views and huge beds on hewn oak platforms. Amenities are five-star and beyond, with powerful filtered water taps, Nespresso machines, and custom-made bath products to use in large marble tubs and rainfall showers. Not to mention the slick gym and steam room, three pools boasting sea views, and sun loungers on the beach with waiter service.
The airy lobby is a natural spectacle, with gnarled wooden tables made from salvaged driftwood, deep canvas sofas in muted tones, and an enormous living wall of local plants. The stone-and-wood lobby bar has a chic beachside feel, and is the place to be at happy hour when guests sip on refreshing lemongrass and ginger caipirinas, citrusy yuzu mules, and negronis, before heading out onto Collins Avenue to revel in South Beach’s nightlife.
There are ample options for eating over the large site, too – Habitat is Miami chef Jose Mendin’s Asian-inspired raw bar and grill; Watr at the rooftop combines Japanese and Peruvian flavours for diners beside Miami’s largest rooftop pool; casual Sandbox focuses on Florida produce by the main sea-level pool, and PInthouse puts nourishment in the limelight with cauliflower flatbreads topped with fig and pear, poke bowls with tuna, avocado, ginger and kimchi, and pre-and-post workout smoothies (the gym is next door).
1 Hotel South Beach’s casual Sandbox restaurant focuses on Florida produce by the main sea-level pool
Sense Beach House – for budget accommodation
For a more budget-friendly option within a stone’s throw of the beach this low-key hotel is a tranquil escape from busy Collins Avenue. Rooms are simple but bright and comfortable, and there’s a small rooftop pool and terrace for soaking up the year-round sun. Better still, the ground-floor breakfast and bar area is a bright and breezy hangout for lazy brunches and pre-dinner drinks.
Edgy, graffiti-covered Wynwood is a unique community that allows indie shops, restaurants, bars and cafés to thrive. The character is constantly changing as existing murals are painted over by up-and-coming artists in time for the annual Art Basel festival. We visit the best bakeries, brunch spots and bistros in this colourful neighbourhood.
Zak the Baker – for brunch
This artisan bakery stands out even in wacky Wynwood, with its curved exterior covered in multi-coloured blocks. Inside it’s a more minimal affair, allowing the bakes and pastries to take the limelight – try pull-apart cinnamon rolls with swirly folds of buttery cinnamon and flaky chocolate babka adorned with ripples of dark chocolate.
Brunch options range from simple jam and butter, letting Zak’s squidgy sourdough shine, to doorstep wedges topped with creamy avocado, chilli and feta. The tuna melt sandwich comes with tarragon, cranberries and sharp cheddar, while the salmon reuben, on Jewish rye bread sourdough, is jazzed up with kraut, thousand island dressing and swiss cheese.
Try Zak the Baker’s flaky chocolate babka adorned with ripples of dark chocolate
Alter – for date night tasting menus
Chef-owner Bradley Kilgore arrived on the Wynwood restaurant scene in 2015 and quickly established Alter as one of Miami’s go-to destinations for hip gourmands. Industrial interiors remain from the restaurant’s previous life as a warehouse, though it feels cosy thanks to flickering candlelight, friendly servers and the buzz from constantly-filled tables.
Chefs play with local ingredients in an open kitchen, creating seasonally-changing tasting menus that kick off with sumac-crusted loaves and umami butter. Subsequent dishes on our visit included bavette beef tartare with mole-cured egg yolk, smooth chicken liver parfait encased in a frilly tart made from a reformed croissant from Zak the Baker, and a fat little quail stuffed with chicken and sage, with hibiscus-pickled onion on top. Alter’s signature dish is a soft-boiled egg in a creamy, briny Gruyère and sea scallop espuma with truffle pearls and chive, served with a wafer-thin Gruyère crisp.
Industrial interiors remain from Alter’s previous life as a warehouse, though it feels cosy thanks to flickering candlelight
Panther Coffee – for coffee
There are surprisingly few speciality coffee shops in Miami, so stop in at one of Panther’s five popular outposts (Miami Beach, Coconut Grove, Little Haiti, MiMo and Wynwood) for a change from Starbucks or Cuban cafecitos. Outside the Wynwood branch, bag a spot in the shade beneath the huge tree, or head inside the chocolate-coloured building and breathe in the smell of coffee being ground and roasted by a machine in the corner.
This small and lively craft beer and burger joint is a popular hangout for trendy Wynwood locals. It’s often full, so punters spill out onto the sidewalk and into the bar next door (handily stocked with colourful cans of rare craft beers from all over the world, including Wynwood Brewing Company’s own La Rubia American blonde ale). The 18 taps in the bistro proper range from Brooklyn-based Sixpoint the Crisp to local brews such as Funk Buddha Floridian and Twist Trunk Watermelon Saison from Palm Beach Gardens.
Burgers from a ranch in Marion County, Florida, are ground in-house and loaded with unique toppings. Try the Johnny Utah (complete with hot pastrami and all the trimmings), a LoKal (served with honey mustard, melted jack cheese and Florida avocado) or the Kush & Hash (added bacon and a fried egg in a waffle bun with maple syrup) – the ultimate breakfast burger.
Kush stocks stocked with colourful cans of rare craft beers from all over the world, including Wynwood Brewing Company’s own La Rubia
Salty Donut – for an indulgent snack
Get your donut fix at this popular camper van turned bricks-and-mortar café. Permanent items on the menu include traditional glazed buttermilk, maple and homemade candied bacon, and a couple of chocolatey numbers, all made using 24-hour brioche. The seasonal specials are where things get really exciting, though. If it’s on the menu, try the likes of Oreo cookie cake donut holes, an old fashioned chocolate cake or a chestnut cookie crumble cannoli.
Stand in line at this funky taco joint to order some of Miami’s freshest Mexican street food. It’s very lively – orders are zipped along a wire to the prep station, and there’s a constant drum of coriander chopping, guacamole smashing and tortilla rolling. There’s a sun-soaked patio out front, and a secret bar in the back.
The taco line-up includes local fish with citrus slaw and chipotle aioli, crispy confit duck with serrano salsa, and slow-roasted pork shoulder with achiote and habanero pickled onions. There are cinnamon-coated churros for pud to dip into chocolate, or homemade ice lollies from La Michoacana. Make sure you try a margarita (they were serving a frozen blood orange variety on our visit).
The taco line-up at Coyo Taco includes local fish with citrus slaw and chipotle aioli
KYU – for Asian fusion dinner
The iconic KYU Lady mural, created by local artist 2 Alas (check out his moss mural outside nearby Plant the Future), greets guests at the pared-back dining room of this Asian BBQ restaurant. Dishes cooked on a Japanese wood-fired grill include Thai fried rice stone pot with king crab, grilled jumbo tiger prawns with black bean vinaigrette and Korean fried chicken in red chilli butter. Don’t miss the roast cauliflower with goat’s cheese and herb vinaigrette, duck breast burnt ends or Florida snapper ceviche.
Asian-inspired cocktails receive just as much attention as the food, and you can choose to dine at the quartz-topped bar to watch mixologists shaking and stirring Wynwood Mules and Shisho Sours.
This funky space is a popular lunch spot, great for a grab-and-go healthy fix. The Hawaiian-Japanese hybrid bowls include fresh tuna with spicy mayo and eel sauce, spicy tuna with crisp tempura, and King salmon with shoyu and wasabi aioli. Colourful toppings add plenty of texture – sweet onions, pickled cucumber, crispy onions and frilly micro greens. You can create your own combination, or you can take pot luck on One Poke’s mystery poke bowl (on offer every Monday night).
Vibrant Little Havana beats its own cafecito-fuelled drum, with live music floating out of bustling bars, fresh seafood, and foodie ventures from dynamic Cuban immigrants. We explore the best Cuban cafés, family-run restaurants and hip third-generation joints along Calle Ocho and beyond.
Azucar – for ice cream
Little Havana is home to Cuban cafés, retro restaurants and bars brimming with live music, as well as some of the best ice cream in town. This kitsch parlour serves cones loaded with Cuban flavours – think Cuban coffee, coconut flan, guava and sweet plantain. Abuela Maria combines vanilla ice cream with rich cream cheese, jewels of red guava and pieces of sweet galletas Maria (sweet, milky biscuits). Take your cone and eat it while mooching down Calle Ocho, where a star-studded pavement pays tribute to famous Cubans who successfully pursued their American dreams.
Take your cone from Cuban ice cream parlour Azucar and eat it while mooching down Calle Ocho
El Exquisito – for Cuban coffee and comfort food
Beside the art deco Tower Theatre, on Little Havana’s Calle Ocho (across the road from Azucar), this little institution has been serving home-cooked Cuban dishes and coffee since 1974. Knocking back a strong and syrupy cafecito is a must-do when visiting Little Havana, so grab a thimble-sized cup from El Exquisito’s small hatch to drink on the sidewalk.
A former fish market turned canteen, this no-frills neighbourhood joint is worth the detour from Calle Ocho. The fried shrimp are famously good, Florida yellowtail snapper sandwich legendary and portions hearty. You can order whole fried fish, local stone crab and even breaded lobster. Service is friendly and interiors are simple, with standing counters that look onto the fryers and cartoons of the restaurant’s history drawn on the sea-blue walls.
Looking for restaurants in Rotterdam? Want to know where to eat in the Netherlands city? Local food writer Daisy Allsup shares her insider tips for the best restaurants in Rotterdam, along with where to find kimchi noodles, vegan bakeries and Michelin-starred restaurants.
olive’s top 10 must-visits for foodies in Rotterdam
Madame Cocos – for pastries
The illuminated ‘horn of plenty’ artwork that wraps around the walls and ceiling of the city’s Markethal is a sight to behold. As is the covered market beneath it, home to more than 100 food stalls. Look out for Madame Cocos, whose warm coconut pastries are a must.
Look out for Madame Cocos, whose warm coconut pastries are a must. Credit: Hans Peter van Velthoven
Ter Marsch & Co – for burgers
They don’t take bookings at Ter Marsch & Co so expect to queue at this buzzing burger joint. There are three (award-winning) burgers on the menu but the best is the ‘Burgeresse’ with truffle mayo. It’s served Dutch-style (ie still pink and drippingly juicy).
The best burger at Ter Marsch & Co is the ‘Burgeresse’ with truffle mayo
Restaurant De Jong – for seasonal dishes
White tablecloths, vintage lights and a chequered floor add charm to Restaurant De Jong, set in a former train tunnel. The set menu (four, five or six courses) changes daily but revolves around seasonal vegetables (spring highlights include buttery white local asparagus), an experimental ethos and natural wines.
A disco ball glitters over the industrial interiors at Old Scuola, with its open kitchen and twin wood ovens. The chefs spin the best pizzas in town so they need only the simplest toppings. Try a salame piccante with a white negroni.
The chefs spin the best pizzas in town at Old Scuola. Credit: Jurgen Jacob
Hinoki Noodle Soup – for ramen
Tucked on a scruffy street corner you could easily bypass Hinoki Noodle Soup but that would mean missing out on steaming bowls of spicy-sweet goodness. Order fried chicken gyoza to start and then the Red Special, made with pork.
Rotterdam’s innovative architecture is exemplified at sustainable hot spot Op Het Dak, which has turned a disused rooftop into a kitchen garden and bee farm. Go for a meat-free lunch such as noodles with kimchi, shiitake, tempeh and green toppings or choose the daily special for the best of the day’s pickings.
Op Het Dak has turned a disused rooftop into a kitchen garden and bee farm. Credit: Marlissa Hilkmann
Fenix Food Factory – for street food
In the trendy Katendrecht district, the Fenix Food Factory is a former warehouse turned culinary hangout. Artisan produce, street food and Rotterdam’s renowned Kaapse brewery thrive under one roof. Order a pulled pork bun from the Firma Bijten BBQ stand and a biertje from Kaapse Brouwers, and eat with the locals, dangling your feet from the wall overlooking the Nieuwe Maas river.
Visser & Ko gets Rotterdam’s morning sun: soak it up at one of the tables that spill out onto the pavement overlooking the city’s old harbour. The Dutch love their toasties and sandwiches – order them here along with a mean flat white or zingy Jessica Rabbit juice (made with orange, carrot and ginger).
Vegan and gluten-free is the name of the game at Sharp Sharp Cake Bar, where a rainbow of organic cakes is made using maple syrup or dates rather than refined sugar. There are fruity tarts, no-cheese cheesecakes and gooey chocolate brownies but the cookies are exceptional: try the cash cookies with cashew nuts and fennel.
Try the cash cookies with cashew nuts and fennel at Sharp Sharp Cake Bar
FG Restaurant – for fine-dining
Two-Michelin-starred FG Restaurant is run by Rotterdam’s most famous culinary name, François Geurds. This is seriously cheffy food – typical dishes include venison with kimchi bonbons and Anjou pigeon with cherry sorbet, benzaldehyde and duck liver – but it’s a surprisingly inclusive spot, with no dress code.
Eurostar runs a direct service from London to Rotterdam in 3 hours 16 minutes (the return journey requires a change at Brussels and takes 4 hours), from £70 return (eurostar.com).
Looking for food festivals to visit in March? Here’s our round-up of the best food festivals taking place this month, from a celebration of pasties in Cornwall, to natural wine events in London. Check out all of the events, here
World Pasty Championships
Join a celebration of all things Cornish at the Eden Project, where amateur and professional bakers are invited to submit their best attempt at the region’s iconic pasty.
There are two categories up for grabs: the classic Cornish pasty – made with beef, onion, potato and swede – and an ‘open savoury’ category where pasties can have more creative fillings (such as bacon, brie and chutney, or beef, pork, mozzarella and parmesan). If you don’t want to enter yourself, go along for the eating instead, filling up on the delicious (and no doubt beautifully crimped) bakes before sitting back to enjoy some live music.
Celebrate Mardi Gras in true NOLA fashion at this lively London dive bar. Tucked into Tooting Broadway Market, Bayou Bar is dedicated to Louisiana grub (spicy po’ boys, gumbo and beef debris gravy fries), classic New Orleans cocktails and good times.
On Sunday 3 March and Tuesday 5 March, the Bayou Bar team will be toasting Mardi Gras with a classic crawfish boil along with their punchy sazeracs, refreshing daiquiris and iconic hurricane cocktails. There’ll be live music and there’s even talk of a conga line boogying its way through the market.
Peruvian chef Diego Muñoz is embarking on his European tour this month, starting in London before heading off to Moscow and Istanbul. Kicking things off at The London EDITION, he’ll create a unique menu in collaboration with Jason Atherton. The dishes are yet to be announced, but expect a mixture of Peruvian and Middle Eastern dishes.
Following on from the success of last year’s food weekends, Bowhouse market, just outside Anstruther in Fife, is opening its doors for three weekends this spring. The market promotes and supports local food and drink businesses so expect producer stalls packed with the region’s finest fish, meat, veg and bread (Wild Heart Bakery, East Coast Cured and Langoustine the Box among them).
There’s a dedicated street food market too, so dig into mushroom and grilled camembert sandwiches from The Cheesy Toast Shack or Lebanese meatball wraps with minted yogurt from the Middle East Street Feast.
In London, RAW WINE sets up stall for one weekend in March. A celebration of natural wines, more than 150 artisan growers from across the world will be available to chat to – and taste with – all in one place. It’s not all about grapes, either; alongside the wine there’ll be sake and cider on offer, too.
Jersey has long been known for its rich dairy produce, fine beef and, of course its potatoes, and for one weekend it’s celebrating the island’s finest produce. The Atlantic Hotel will host two events, the first of which sees chef Will Holland create a five-course feast with the help of Adam Reid (of Manchester’s The French), Chris Underwood (head pastry chef of Frog by Adam Handling) and Richard Davies (executive chef of Tetbury’s Calcot Manor). Expect hasselback Jersey Royals with crème fraiche and caviar as well as brawn beignet with burnt apple puree.
The Saturday will see a pop-up restaurant taking place in partnership with London’s Social Eating House. Guests can choose between four-, six- and eight-course menus, with the likes of raw Jersey scallop, vanilla butter-poached Jersey lobster and Jersey goat’s cheese mousse all featuring.
Celebrating 100 years of this Yorkshire institution, Betty’s is playing host to six events throughout the year, from learning to make fondant fancies to finding out about the history of the tearoom chain. Elizabeth Barnes and Mardi Jacobs will be kicking things off this month with a talk, sharing stories about Betty’s from the past century. During a three-course meal, the pair will talk about the cafés’ history using artefacts rarely shown. Visit the website to book tickets to this and other events throughout the year.
