"Go to Lou's in Lakeview. Ask for Angel. If he's not there, leave.”

I was lucky to get the clandestine, word-of-mouth invitation. Visiting Birmingham, Alabama, and desperately seeking a cocktail as the sun slid away on a Sunday afternoon, I didn't have many options. Over a third of Alabama's counties are dry, but even in wet Birmingham, many places abstain from serving on Sundays; liquor stores stay closed, too.

From the street, Lou's doesn't look like much. Green neon script in the window spells out “Lou's Pub & Package Store,” and for the most part it delivers on that humble promise as a hybrid beer-and-shot dive bar and liquor shop (the retail side stays closed on Sundays). Locals drop in for a Bud at the low-ceilinged, dark-wood bar or sit on the patio, a few stone benches and tables arranged on the concrete out front. Some buy a bottle of Jack to take home at the end of the night. Most days of the week, it's a watering hole like any other, a little shabby, sure, but not without straightforward, reliable comforts—an empty stool, a cold beer.

On Sundays and Wednesdays, however, things are a little different: It's Church Night at Lou's. On those nights, bartender Angel Negrín sets up a craft cocktail pop-up, something like a swank supper club plunked into a greasy spoon. The dive-bar bones are still there, of course, but Negrín adds a bit of flash as he unpacks diamond-cut mixing glasses and shiny jiggers. The genial Bud-drinkers in T-shirts remain, too, but they sit elbow to elbow with a younger crowd dressed in vintage finds and sipping Corpse Revivers, Old Pals, and other classic cocktails.

“Is Angel here?” I ask the barrel-chested man in a flannel shirt who's standing at the clunky cash register over a display of gum and candy in a dusty glass case. Without a word, he jerks a thumb down the narrow bar. Negrín is easy to identify as mixologist material: tall and with a clean-shaven head, gracefully stirring two drinks at a time with long-handled bar spoons. Yes, this is the guy you want making your drink. I ease into one of the round tables arranged artlessly in the retail space between the long walls of bottles and scan the menu. There are a handful of original cocktails, including the Mid-Bar Purse Dump, a tall, fruity vodka sipper. But mostly Negrín sticks to classics: I order the Diamondback (rye whiskey, applejack, and yellow Chartreuse)—a vintage drink, but a new one to me. It's balanced and bracing, and it disappears awfully fast.

Melina Hammer

At Church Night, the low steel-and-vinyl barstools are full—one ponytailed gent in spectacles and a vest chats up a woman sporting plenty of ink and a crocheted dress. By the window, a table of denim-clad locals makes birthday toasts with bottles of beer and tequila shots. In a whiskey-fueled reverie, I squint and—just for a moment—the bottle-green neon glow in Lou's window almost looks like stained glass. A burst of laughter erupts from the group by the window, bringing me back, and it's time to order another round.

See the recipe for the Diamondback Cocktail »

Matt Taylor-Gross

Though I was aware of the habit in advance, the prevalence of vermouth still came as a surprise during my recent trip to Spain. It was suddenly everywhere, from the Madrid market to ancient open-air bars in Seville to Granada tourist traps. Each spot comes with its own variations. Seville’s heat was met with a refreshing splash of extra soda, while Granada’s chilly altitude meant an apéritif served straight, dark, and pungent. And there was always a snack nearby—bits of chorizo, fried seafood, tortilla española—to go alongside it.

This ritual of tomar un vermut—literally, “taking a vermouth”—is to Spain what grabbing an espresso is to Italy. It’s a social activity undertaken pretty much whenever over the course of daylight hours, preferably with a friend or three. The beverage is less an intoxicant than a way to pass the time. It accelerates your afternoon rather than ending it, unlike New York City’s excessive bottomless mimosas. In Spain, excess is not the point; enjoyment is.

Spaniards know how to day-drink with relentless aplomb. Their beverages of choice—whether low-alcohol vermouth, precise glasses of Rioja, or almost offensively light beers—enable this superpower. While we throw back thick bloody marys and headache-inducing prosecco mixers, we could be having a lot more fun with something less heavy.

Luckily for us, the time is right. Vermouth has recently shed its formerly fusty reputation in the U.S.; bars have begun serving it on its own, and small vermouth producers are popping up around the country. But we remain somewhat lost as to how to consume it. It’s time for us to adopt the social traditions that come along with vermouth and drink it the way Spaniards do: all day, every day.

One of vermouth’s many advantages is its flexibility. At the Basque restaurant Huertas in Manhattan’s East Village, beverage director Nate Adler pours two types of house vermouth: red and white. As Adler explains it, vermouth isn’t limited to a single format. “There are no regulations as to origin, what goes into it, what the alcohol by volume is,” Adler explains. Vermouth is simply wine, usually with brandy, plus bitter herbs and roots like gentian and angelica. “You can drink it all day long,” Adler says.

Huertas’s red vermouth is served both straight up and in cocktails: There’s the Tinto del Verano, a fizzy mainstay with a splash of soda; the Fumador, with cherry syrup; and a sherry Negroni, which doesn’t actually include any gin. It’s not just about straight vermouth, but about representing the full gamut of drinks found across Spain. “We wanted to recreate that cultural experience,” Adler says.

Following Spanish tradition, you might want to stick to sunlight hours to drink your vermouth. But you don’t have to fancy it up to enjoy it.

“If I want something that’s kind of like sangria but not disgusting, I like vermouth with lambrusco in equal parts."

“I love throwing in a dash of bitters and splash of soda and a peel of whatever citrus I have laying around,” says Bianca Miraglia, the founder of Uncouth Vermouth, a Brooklyn-based vermouth maker that works with Huertas. “If I want something that’s kind of like sangria but not disgusting, I like vermouth with lambrusco in equal parts. That’s a really great daytime cocktail.”

Sangria, the Spanish wine cocktail we know best, albeit in a badly Americanized form, has a cloying reputation; the kalimotxo, cola added to red wine, is catching on as well, but it still hides behind sweetness. Vermouth has nothing to conceal.

Vermouth doesn’t care how or when you drink it—in fact, the earlier the better, so as to fit more into the day. It doesn’t care what you mix it with. It’s not about finding the perfect craft cocktail formula or the precise appellation of French wine. Vermouth is chill, perfect for sunny summer Fridays when you can drink and picnic like you’re in Spain even if you don’t have a vacation planned—and you’ll still make it out afterwards.

Madrileños appreciate vermouth’s slight insouciance. At Bar Barroso, one of those popular counters in the Mercado de San Fernando, a portly, balding gentleman will tip a two-foot-tall bottle of Cocchi into a glass, splash tonic from a bottle, throw in an orange peel, and serve it up. One afternoon, he tilted the bottle too enthusiastically in a rush to serve his waiting patrons and the vermouth splashed everywhere over the metal counter. It sat stickily for a long time, in which the bartender poured and served several more glasses, before being wiped up.

In Madrid:
Bar Barroso
Mercado de San Fernando
Calle de Embajadores, 41
Madrid, Spain

In Manhattan:
Huertas
107 1st Avenue
New York, NY 10003

Kyle Chayka is a writer living in Brooklyn.

Katie Parla

The innovative features of Rome’s flourishing food and drinks scene are at their best when they use tradition as a foundation: neo-trattorias like Cesare al Casaletto serve clever twists on the classics, while the nascent craft cocktail culture, embodied by The Jerry Thomas Project, embraces historic spirits and forgotten flavors. Wine bars and craft beer pubs run by enthusiastic experts promote small producers over conventional choices and a revived interest in food provenance has given rise to a growing number of farmers’ markets—which contrary to popular belief are relative newcomers to the city’s gastronomic landscape.

Where to Eat

Terre e Domus
“Locavore” isn’t a trendy buzzword at this wine bar and restaurant near the Roman Forum; it’s an imperative. Terre e Domus is run by Rome’s county government and its aim is to support local farmers and winemakers by only using ingredients sourced in the city’s environs. Even the bottled water comes from a nearby spring. Chef Marco Pasquali serves seasonal Roman classics like vignarola, a stew of artichokes, fava beans, peas, and lettuce, as well as perennial favorites like potato gnocchi and polpette di bollito, deep fried patties of simmered beef. The espresso is among the finest in town, but you don’t need to sit down for a whole meal to try it—just swing by on your way to the Forum and get a quick caffeine fix at the bar. The place gets busy at lunch, so book ahead and request a table with a view of Trajan’s Column.

Terre e Domus
Via Foro Traiano 82-4
Piazza Venezia, Rome, Italy
+390669940273

Cesare al Casaletto
If there is any place in Rome that warrants a trip across town, it’s this neo-trattoria in the Gianicolense district. Getting there is simple: just hop on the #8 tram at Piazza Venezia and take it to the end. A short walk from the tram stop, chef Leonardo Vignoli serves classic and innovative Roman fare. He has a flair for fried starters like eggplant croquettes, baby octopus, squash blossoms, and polpette di bollito, while his tripe, oxtail, and pig liver always hit the mark on flavor and texture. The wine list, which mixes small producers from Italy and France, is outrageously affordable and features mainly organic and biodynamic producers.

Cesare al Casaletto
Via del Casaletto, 45
Gianicolense, Rome, Italy
+3906536015

Tavernaccia da Bruno
When Bruno opened his “tavernaccia” in southern Trastevere in 1968, he served Roman classics alongside rustic country dishes from his native Umbria. Now, Bruno’s daughters are at the helm and follow in their father’s footsteps with a few additions to the repertoire. The Sardinian chef—Bruno’s son in law—masterfully uses the wood-burning oven to slow-roast punta di petto (beef brisket) and maialino (suckling pig) to tender perfection. The wood-fired lasagna is exceptional and there is a tasty assortment of thin-crusted pizzas and flatbreads, as well.

Tavernaccia da Bruno
Via G. da Castelbolognese, 63, corner with via Panfilo Castaldi 12
Trastevere, Rome, Italy
+39065812792

Salumeria Roscioli
For the past decade, this deli-wine bar-restaurant combo has captivated chefs and food writers drawn in by its exceptional ingredients. They are best when presented simply: burrata with semi-sun-dried tomatoes, mortadella, and 30-month aged Parmigiano-Reggiano; and Isigny butter and Cantabrian anchovies on the house sourdough. The rigatoni alla gricia is dressed in a tight sauce of cured pork jowl, black pepper, and copious amounts of finely grated Pecorino Romano, and the spaghetti alla carbonara is made with the eggs of goat’s milk-drinking Livorno hens. Book a table on the ground floor near the kitchen for marginally roomier seating than you'll find in the crowded basement or deli area.

Salumeria Roscioli
Via dei Giubbonari, 21/22
Campo de’ Fiori, Rome, Italy
+39066875287

Metamorfosi
Few Michelin-starred venues in Rome are worth the investment or the calories; Metamorfosi is a noted exception. The Rome-trained international kitchen flawlessly executes contemporary cuisine drawing on native Italian ingredients fused with modern techniques and exotic (by local standards) flavors. Signature dishes like candied tomato ravioli with burrata and cured pork jowl and miso-lacquered eel with caramelized onions and tangy vinegar sorbet are supremely balanced; the rest of the menu, which changes a few times a year, is guided by the seasons.

Metamorfosi
Via Giovanni Antonelli, 30/32
Parioli, Rome, Italy
+39068076839

La Torricella
The Testaccio neighborhood, the site of a former slaughterhouse, may be known for quinto quarto (offal and poor cuts), but the menu at this family-run institution on the edge of the district is decidedly fish-focused. The D’Alfonsi family serves fresh catch from the nearby Tyrrhenian Sea, and their antipasti are particularly good: pan-fried anchovies, fried and marinated baby octopus, and fresh octopus salads. Be sure to ask about the antipasto cart, which tends to be rolled only to tables of regulars, before ordering. Pastas and mains change regularly, but there are always whole fish on the menu, served roasted or grilled.

La Torricella
Via Evangelista Torricelli, 2/12
Testaccio, Rome, Italy
+39065746311

Katie Parla

Flavio al Velavevodetto
Via di Monte Testaccio, 97
Testaccio, Rome, Italy
+39065744194

Tempio di Iside
Francesco Tripodi, a Calabrian transplant to Rome, serves exquisitely fresh fish at this cavernous restaurant near the Colosseum. The raw items, including French oysters and Adriatic shrimp, are without rival in the Italian capital, and the pasta dishes—like spaghetti with sea urchin roe and linguine with crab—are elegant in their simplicity. In Rome, fresh fish is a luxury, which is reflected in the prices at Tempio, but you’ll be hard pressed to find fish in this category anywhere else in town.

Tempio di Iside
Via Pietro Verri, 11
Colosseo, Rome, Italy
+39067004741

Pizzeria Ostiense
Three young friends opened this lively pizzeria in April 2014 in the Ostiense district, a rapidly transitioning industrial zone. Pizzas may be the main event, but locals know to begin with assorted fried starters like fiori di zucca (squash blossoms filled with mozzarella and anchovies), filetti di baccalà (battered cod), and simmered beans. The pizzas are made in the classic Roman style: briefly leavened dough is stretched, rolled flat, then baked in a wood-burning oven. The result is a crispy, practically rimless pie. The best pizzas are the ones sparsely topped like the Napoli (with tomato, mozzarella, and anchovies) and fiori di zucca (with mozzarella, squash blossoms, and anchovies). Desserts like panna cotta (served dripping with chocolate sauce) and tiramisù are creamy and satisfying.

Pizzeria Ostiense
Via Ostiense, 56 b/c
Ostiense, Rome, Italy
+390657305081

Tonda
North of the city center, Tonda’s domed, ceramic-clad oven bakes Rome’s finest thick-rimmed pizzas. Although the local Roman style calls for a thin, crispy base, Tonda emulates the Neapolitan tradition of a thicker, slightly chewy crust. Toppings range from classic margherita to innovative carbonara (topped with the ingredients traditionally found in the pasta dish) and there is a wide assortment of fried appetizers to start with. Tonda also serves trapizzini—triangular pockets of dough filled with simmered meats or offal. All ingredients are top-notch and the wine list is well curated, but the gourmet sourcing doesn’t translate to a pretentious atmosphere. Tonda is a down-to-earth neighborhood joint with friendly service and a loyal following, so be sure to book in advance.

Tonda
Via Valle Corteno, 31
Nomentano, Rome, Italy
+39068180960

Where to Stay

Hotel 47
Built on the ruins of Rome’s ancient livestock market, this early 20th century building was designed in a rational/fascist architectural style, complete with clean lines and plenty of white limestone. But now, the austere atmosphere has been replaced with hospitable modernity and restrained luxury. The upper floors have views of the verdant Aventine Hill and over ancient temples to the rooftops of Trastevere. The top floor bar, which is open to visitors as well as guests, provides a shaded retreat from the ruins below.

Hotel 47
Via Luigi Petroselli, 47
Circo Massimo, Rome, Italy
+39066787816

Courtesy of Babuino 181 Hotel

Babuino 181
Via del Babuino, 181
Campo Marzio, Rome, Italy
+390632295295

JK Place
Housed in La Sapienza University’s former architecture building, the JK Place, which opened in 2013, is a relative newcomer to Rome’s growing number of boutique luxury hotels. Each of the 30 lavishly decorated rooms, many of which are set in converted classrooms, are outfitted with fine textiles and beautifully designed furniture, while the common areas are packed with pieces of Neo-Classical sculpture and contemporary art. In spite of its location near the intersection of Via del Corso and Via dei Condotti—Rome’s high-end shopping nexus—the rooms are quiet and sheltered from street traffic.

JK Place
Via di Monte D'Oro, 30
Campo Marzio, Rome, Italy
+3906982634

Where to Drink

Stavio
Just south of the city center, Rome’s old industrial zone and commercial port is slowly transitioning into a trendy nightlife district with clubs, cocktail bars, and pubs. Stavio, which is set in an old granary, pours beers from its dozen or so taps and hand pumps. Brews from the eponymous brewery are on constant rotation alongside craft beers from Italy, Belgium, and the UK. Stavio attracts a young crowd for their nightly aperitivo (a sort of happy hour) when they serve discounted beer with complimentary snacks.

Stavio
Via Antonio Pacinotti, 83
Portuense, Rome, Italy
+390694363146

Caffè Propaganda
Caffè Propaganda’s long, polished zinc bar is home to one of the city’s most exciting cocktail programs. Helmed by top mixologist Patrick Pistolesi, Propaganda serves dozens of classic cocktails with an Italian twist. Pistolesi draws on Italian spirits, citrus, vermouth, and even red wine when crafting his concoctions. The bar gets crowded and patrons are admitted on a first-come, first-served basis, so pop in for an early aperitivo followed by a stroll past the neighboring Colosseum.

Caffè Propaganda
Via Claudia, 15
Colosseo, Rome, Italy
+390694534255

Katie Parla

The Jerry Thomas Project
Vicolo Cellini, 30
Campo de’ Fiori, Rome, Italy
+390696845937

La Barrique
La Barrique is part of a growing number of Roman wine bars that completely eschews conventional wines in favor of organic, biodynamic, traditional, and natural options. Their assortment of sparklers is stellar and the white, red, rosé, and orange wines showcase excellent and affordable producers from Italy, France, Austria, and Slovenia. The list of wines by the glass is extensive and ideal for solo drinkers eager to taste a variety of styles, but groups should dive into the fabulous bottle list.

La Barrique
Via del Boschetto, 41
Monti, Rome, Italy
+390647825953

Litro
The leafy Monteverde Vecchio neighborhood is home to one of Rome’s most dynamic wine and cocktail bars. The owners are obsessive about knowing all their producers personally, and each bottle on the constantly changing list is chosen for its ability to express the terroir of its origins. Recently, mixologist Valeria Sebastiani took over behind the bar and introduced a refreshing assortment of aperitivos, as well as some stiffer cocktails for mezcal and whiskey lovers. The tiny kitchen serves a selection of small plates, cheeses, and cured meats.

Litro
Via Fratelli Bonnet, 5
Monteverde Vecchio, Rome, Italy
+390645447639

What to Do

Daniela's Cooking School
Taking a cooking class with Daniela Del Balzo feels like learning to cook from your sweetest friend. Guests begin with a trip to the nearby Testaccio Market to shop for ingredients, then return to Daniela’s beautiful home on the Aventine Hill to prepare and eat a full meal. She is supremely hospitable and an excellent teacher, so her classes book up well in advance.

Daniela's Cooking School
Aventino, Rome, Italy

Peroni
Not to be confused with the industrial beer company, Peroni is a kitchenware shop a short walk from the Vatican. The showroom brims with pots, pans, tools, glassware, and gadgets, and items range from simple pasta tools to French enamel cookware. At storefront 16-17 on the same square, their other shop, Peroni in Pasticceria, specializes in baking tools and ingredients.

Peroni
Piazza dell’Unità 29
Prati, Rome, Italy
+39063210852

Elifant Archaeo-Culinary Tours
Classical archeologist Elizabeth Bartman and prolific food writer and historian Maureen Fant recently launched a culinary tour company that focuses on food history and archeology in Rome and Naples. Their Roman itineraries sample historic dishes, contemplate ancient food commerce, and explore the city’s ancient Jewish culinary tradition, providing a thorough portrait of more than 2,000 years of Roman dining and drinking.

Elifant Archaeo-Culinary Tours
+13478686345

Antiqua Tours
Wife and husband team Sarah May Grunwald and Ettore Bellardini are the hardest-working couple in the local wine tourism business. The two trained sommeliers organize wine events, offer private tours, and coordinate small group tastings in Rome and its environs. For a deeper understanding of Italian regional wine, spend an afternoon with them visiting historic wine bars in Rome’s historical center, or take a vineyard excursion to the nearby countryside.

Antiqua Tours
+393497197603

Trionfale Market
Its roughly 200 stalls fill a modern covered space a few blocks north of the Vatican, yet the city-run Trionfale Market remains unadulterated by Rome’s notorious tourist flood. Dozens of produce stalls showcase local and seasonal specialties, while several international stalls cater to Rome’s robust immigrant community. Roman and Halal butchers sell meat and offal, while specialty stalls sell dried fruits, spices, eggs, and honey. Its atmosphere, energy, and excellent produce make this a great destination to snag picnic provisions or to stock up on ingredients if you're staying somewhere with a kitchen.

Trionfale Market
Via Andrea Doria
Trionfale, Rome, Italy
+390639720786

Biomercato
The farmers’ market phenomenon is slowly gaining momentum in Rome. Since the late 19th century, city authorities have actually tried to maintain an elongated supply chain in order to generate jobs and ensure regulation, but a few groups of farmers have emerged to change the game. At the Biomercato, which is held Sundays in Testaccio’s converted slaughterhouse, biodynamic farmers sell seasonal produce beside artisanal bakers and pig farmers selling beautifully cured pork.

Biomercato
Largo Dino Frisullo
Testaccio, Rome, Italy
+393337035270

Costantini
This historic wine and spirits shop near Castel Sant’Angelo and the Vatican has a vast basement cellar full of Italian and French wine, but be sure to linger on the ground floor for a look at one of Rome’s few prestigious spirits collections. Stock up on artisanal amaro, gentian root-based liquors, and grappa, all beverages traditionally consumed to promote postprandial digestion.

Costantini
Piazza Cavour 16
Prati, Rome, Italy
+39063203575

Prelibato
At Prelibato in Monteverde Vecchio, a bakery that opened in 2014, chef-turned-baker Stefano Preli makes traditional loaves and sweets. Look for heirloom wheat-based breads, classic pound cakes, and sweet leavened buns. Don’t miss the pizza by the slice, which comes with assorted toppings including amatriciana (tomato, guanciale, and Pecorino Romano), a riff on the popular pasta dish.

Prelibato
Viale di Villa Pamphili, 214
Monteverde Vecchio, Rome, Italy
+390693577165

Vino Roma
Via in Selci 84/G
Monti, Rome, Italy
+393284874497

Domus Birrae
This craft beer shop near Santa Maria Maggiore on the Esquiline Hill stocks a well-chosen selection of Italian craft beers and imported brews. At the front of the shop, cold beers are sold from fridges, ready to drink, while the back room is devoted to larger-format bottles and brewing equipment. The selection of sour ales from LoverBeer and Montegioco’s beers brewed with heirloom fruit are ace.

Domus Birrae
Via Cavour, 88
Esquilino, Rome, Italy
+390697997570

Pasticceria Regoli
Founded near Piazza Vittorio in 1916, this historic shop sells luscious strawberry tarts, whipped cream-filled sweet buns, and luscious Chantilly cream-filled pastries. It’s the kind of place Romans go to fetch pastries when they want to make a good impression as dinner guests. Items are only sold to take away, but in late 2014, Regoli opened a coffee shop next door where you can also purchase their pastries to eat in.

Pasticceria Regoli
Via dello Statuto, 60
Esquilino, Rome, Italy
+39064872812

Katie Parla is a Rome-based food and beverage journalist, educator, and culinary guide. She is the author of the blog Parla Food, the mobile app Katie Parla's Rome and co-author of the forthcoming cookbook Tasting Rome (Clarkson Potter, 2016).

This weekend we will haul out the beers, barbecue, and berry pies, and consider what it means to be American. We will also tell stories: stories of our forefathers, of Independence Days past, of patriotism. To add to that arsenal, we have collected our favorite USA-centric stories, about Italian immigrants and summers in Alaska and the cultural identity of a tuna fish sandwich. So before you light up the grill, do some light reading from SAVEUR issues past.

Prater Beer Garden

Courtesy of Kavita Meelu

The Berlin Wall didn't just divide the city in two; for over 25 years it also cut off East Berlin from the influences of modern food trends and turned West Berlin into an isolated island—not exactly the best environment for food culture to flourish. Berlin has its fair share of fascinating food tales to be told, of families smuggling banned items like coffee, bananas, and veal liver to family members trapped in the East or Americans hoarding food supplies in West Berlin to prevent another Soviet blockade.

The fall of the Wall marked not only the end of isolation but also the chance for the city's food culture to finally flourish. Always heavily influenced by the food heritage of its immigrant communities, the city traditionally boasts a multifaceted Turkish, Italian, and Vietnamese restaurant culture. Over the last 20 years, the city has developed a truly global restaurant scene, thanks to the creative immigrants that have been flocking to the city from all over the world.

This booming food scene means that the cultural focus is switching from music, fashion, and art to food and restaurants. Exciting pop-up dinner clubs, a burgeoning street food scene, and quality farmers' markets are now everyday parts of Berlin’s culinary world. The city’s food scene is full of hidden food gems, unique dining experiences, and culinary entrepreneurs with fascinating stories, and remains one of Europe’s most affordable food destinations.

Restaurants

Edible Flowers, Nobelhart

Courtesy of Kavita Meelu

Nobelhart & Schmutzig
Friedrichstraße 218,
10969 Berlin
+49 (0) 30 25940610

Zur Haxe
A fantastic German eatery hidden in Northern Prenzlauer Berg where you can eat Berlin’s best Bavarian-style pork knuckle and satisfy your deepest pork crackling cravings. Add one of the loveliest service teams of the city, complete with Lederhosen and Dirndl outfits, and you are guaranteed to have an extraordinary dining experience.

Zur Haxe
Erich-Weinert-Str. 128
10409 Berlin
+49 30 – 42 16 312

Industry Standard
Owner Ramses Manneck and his crew have put the Neukölln neighborhood on the city’s culinary map with this new restaurant. Signature dishes like the beef tartare with horseradish yogurt, fermented beets, and crispy chicken skin make Industry Standard one of the hottest new restaurants in Berlin right now. Order one of everything (including the dishes on their bar menu) and share!

Industry Standard
Sonnenallee 83
12045 Berlin
+49 (0) 30-62-72-7732

La Soupe Populaire
Berlin chef Tim Raue has taken on the task of refining the region’s traditional cuisine, based out of a stunning former brewery in Prenzlauer Berg. His version of the Königsberger Klopse (German meatballs in white sauce), served with a silky-smooth potato mash, was good enough for Obama and will also make you reconsider any assumptions that German is heavy or boring.

La Soupe Populaire
Prenzlauer Allee 242
10405 Berlin
+49 (0) 30 44319680

District Mot
The city’s coolest Vietnamese restaurant is the perfect place for a night full of cocktails and authentic Vietnamese street food with a modern twist. Take a seat on a plastic stool; order a table full of pho, bun cha, and bo la lot (beef wrapped in Betel leaf); and take the fast track to a busy street in Saigon. Don’t forget to try their award-winning Bao burger.

District Mot
Rosenthalerstr 62
10119 Berlin
+49 (0) 30 20089284

Bandol Sur Mer
Modern and relaxed fine dining are on the menu at this tiny venue in the central Mitte neighborhood. The chefs here take French bistro food to the next level; their deconstructed foie gras dishes are outstanding. Dinner here is a great alternative to the city’s pricier Michelin-starred restaurants—the value at Bandol Sur Mer is extraordinary.

Bandol Sur Mer
Torstraße 167
10115 Berlin
+49 (0) 30 67302051

**Doyum ** People come to Doyum for one thing: the famous Adana lamb kebab skewer, grilled to perfection over charcoal. Enjoy it in several variations—the best is served with grilled eggplant on bread—and wash it all down with plenty of ayran, a Turkish salty yogurt drink.

Doyum
Admiralstraße 36
10999 Berlin
+49 (0) 30 61656127

Alt Wien
If you fancy a truly great Schnitzel twice the size of your plate and enjoy well-cooked Austrian food, then Alt Wien is the place for you. This cozy restaurant brings a piece of Vienna to Berlin and is the perfect choice for a hearty meal. Don’t forget to order the extraordinarily delicious kaiserschmarrn, an eggy pancake dessert.

Alt Wien
Hufelandstraße 22
10407 Berlin
+49 (0) 30 70129610

Lokal
An excellent neighborhood restaurant serving up farm-to-table German cuisine in generous, hearty portions. The casual but bustling atmosphere and its beer on tap bring the locals back. Ask your waiter for the off-menu dish of the day and end your meal with the best regional cheese plate in town.

Lokal
Linienstraße 160,
10115 Berlin
+49 (0) 30 28449500

Cordobar
This modern Austrian wine bar boasts a fantastic selection of natural wines, great service, and some of the city's most interesting food—mostly sharing plates, like the famous blood sausage pizza. Reserve a table and don’t miss the bathroom where an audio recording of Germany’s football defeat to Austria in 1978 is played on loop.

Cordobar
Große Hamburger Str. 32
10115 Berlin
+49 (0) 30 27581215

Bars

Würgeengel
Hidden away in a traditionally punk part of town, this classic cocktail bar has been serving up exquisite classics for the past 25 years. Their talented bar staff are happy to take off-menu orders. Ask Clemens, the kind door man, to seat you at the front of the bar so you can observe the antics of an oddly captivating public. It fills up on the weekends, so try to arrive before 10 p.m. to get a table, or visit on a weeknight to avoid the tourists and share a drink with a local.

Würgeengel
Dresdener Str. 122,
10999 Berlin
+49 (0) 30 6155560

Klunker Kranich
Located on the top deck of a parking lot inside a questionable shopping mall, this "alternative" rooftop-bar-slash-adult-playground is the perfect spot for a sunset drink set against the beats of electro swing. Most evenings offer a program of live music, which more often than not includes a full gypsy band; Monday night is cinema night. If you fancy a quiet drink between friends, head over before 4 p.m., when they start charging a small cover fee.

Klunker Kranich
Karl-Marx-Straße 66
12043 Berlin

Kaschk
This very centrally located bar is operated by a bearded crew of Norwegians and has quickly turned into one of the city's prime craft beer spots. Choose from a wide selection of German and imported craft beers on tap, then sneak down to the cellar to challenge a local in a game of shuffleboard. It's also a great place for a coffee during the day.

Kaschk
Linienstraße 40
10178 Berlin
+49 (0) 1578 1979970

Prater Garten
A Berlin institution that’s been around for over 100 years, this is the city’s most beautiful Biergarten. Prater is the perfect place to hang out on a sunny afternoon for a Prater beer or a Berliner Weisse (a sour wheat beer) beneath the ancient chestnut trees. The connected restaurant is also great for a proper German meal; they serve a mean schnitzel.

Prater Garten
Kastanienallee 7-9
10435 Berlin
+49 (0) 30 4485688

Maxim
Berlin’s—and Germany’s—foremost natural wine bar is a must-visit for fans of the natural wine culture that’s gaining traction throughout Europe. Enjoy some of the tasty little snacks served at the bar, like the cheese and charcuterie platter, and have the friendly staff pair your food with some excellent glasses of wine.

Maxim
Gormannstraße 25
10119 Berlin
+49 (0) 30 65833962

Food Destinations

Street Food Thursday, Berlin

Courtesy of Kavita Meelu

Street Food Thursday
Thursdays from 5pm-10pm
Eisenbahnstraße 42-43,
10997 Berlin
+49 (0) 30 61073473

Prinzessinnengarten
A fantastic urban gardening project where vegetables, herbs, and mushrooms are grown in mobile containers right in the middle of the trendy Kreuzberg neighborhood. Take a break from the busy city life, have a chat with the inspiring people behind the project, and enjoy a lovely meal in the garden restaurant.

Prinzenstrasse
Prinzenstrasse 35 – 38
10969 Berlin
+49 (0) 176 24332297

Ka De We
A piece of history and a landmark on the shopping avenue Kurfürstendamm, the top floor of the iconic department store features one of the city’s finest food departments. Swing by to pick up some German delicacies and stick around for a splendid lunch at one of their food bars. Highly recommended is the sausage bar, where you can feast on speciality wurst from every region in Germany.

Ka De We
Tauentzienstraße 21-24
10789 Berlin

**Pop-Ups ** As a result of the city’s thriving food culture, many young chefs are using the pop-up format to arrange exclusive restaurant nights for lucky guests. Prime examples include Canadian chef Dylan Watson and his project Ernst, a Japanese-French take on modern fine dining; the Korean-American-German couple Mr. Susan, with their heartwarming American-Korean Seoul food; or the two Dutch chefs Lode & Stijn, with their modern bistro concept. Check their websites for availability and book in advance to be part of these unique dining experiences.

ErnstMr. SusanLode & Stijn

Markthalle Neun **Farmers Market ** Home to Germany's new food movement, this 120-year-old deserted market hall was revived three years ago by new owners who invited food producers and artisans from around the region to set up home, offering the locals a weekly farmers market on Fridays and Saturdays. Make sure you stop by Glut & Späne for smoked fish and wash it down with a pale ale brewed by Heidenpeters in the cellar. Finish off your trip with a Schwarzwalder Kirsch torte from Frau Zeller’s award-winning cake stand and a Milch kaffee from the house coffee shop, Cafe 9.

Markthalle Neun
Eisenbahnstraße 42-43,
10997 Berlin
+49 (0) 30 61073473

**Currywurst ** It would be a sin to leave Berlin without having a Currywurst, arguably the city’s number one contribution to culinary history. You can queue with the masses at Curry 36 in Kreuzberg, have a classic version at the iconic Krasselts in Steglitz, or go organic at Witty’s in Schöneberg. And remember: The real Currywurst is always ordered without sausage skin, and with onions.

Curry 36
Mehringdamm 36,
10961 Berlin +49 30 2517368

Krasselt’s
Steglitzer Damm 22,
12169 Berlin
+49 30 7969147

Witty’s
Wittenbergplatz 5,
10789 Berlin
+49 30 2119496

Third Wave Coffee Tour Coffee culture is blooming in Berlin and there are plenty of options for serious bean aficionados. Bonanza Coffee Heroes in Prenzlauer Berg and Five Elephant in Kreuzberg are two of the city’s largest third-wave roasters and both iconic coffee shops that shouldn’t be missed. Companion Coffee in Kreuzberg is another, headed up by Shawn Barber and Chris Onton; they run the friendliest coffee shop in town located in one of the coolest fashion stores in Kreuzberg.

Bonanza Coffee Roasters
Oderberger Str. 35,
10435 Berlin
+49 171 5630795

Five Elephant
Reichenberger Str. 101
10999 Berlin

Companion Coffee
Oranienstraße 24
10997 Berlin
+49 163 1640275

Turkish Market
There are plenty of lovely farmers' markets around the city, and one of the most iconic ones is the Turkish market on the Neukölln Maybachufer that happens every Tuesday and Friday. It’s an El Dorado for vegetables, Turkish produce, fabrics, and everything else imaginable, and there is an abundance of lovely things to snack on while you shop.

Maybachufer
10999 Berlin

Blutwurst Manufaktur
In 2004 the French Confrerie des Chevaliers du Goûte Boudin (The Black Pudding Fraternity of Lovers of Good Food) ordained Marcus Benzer a knight for blood sausage; Benzer is one of the only butchers outside of France to have this auspicious title. The butcher shop is located in the historic area of Rixdorf and has been producing sausages for the last 100 years. Luckily for tourists, he vacuum packs them to make the perfect Berlin food gift.

Blutwurst Manufaktur
Karl-Marx-Platz 7
12043 Berlin
+49 (0) 306872004

Preussische Spirituosen Manufaktur
Unchanged since 1874, this stunning distillery is the last of its kind. Once visited daily by the Prussian King Wilhelm, this space has served as a laboratory, factory, and a school for distilling. These days it's more of a museum and factory combined into one. It's worth registering in advance for one of the guided tours; don’t forget to visit the shop to stock up on Prussian spirits before you leave.

Preussische Spirituosen Manufaktur
Seestraße 13,
13353 Berlin
+49 (0) 30 45028537

Hotels

25hours Hotel Bikini Berlin
This colorful design hotel overlooks the famous Berlin zoo situated in the lush city park, Tiergarten. Book a jungle room to ensure a room with a zoo view or simply enjoy your morning coffee and a nightcap in the Monkey bar to take in some of the best views of the city. It's built in a creative shopping complex perfect for finding the ultimate Berlin design souvenirs. Make sure you add breakfast onto your stay—the in-house Israeli restaurant Neni puts on a great mediterranean breakfast buffet, and they have sourced what's arguably the best cheesecake in the city from Five Elephant bakery, found in their lobby cafe.

25hours Hotel Bikini Berlin
Budapester Straße 40
10787 Berlin
+49 (0) 30120221255

Michelberger Hotel, Berlin

Courtesy of Kavita Meelu

Michelberger Hotel
Warschauer Str. 39/40,
10243 Berlin
+49 (0) 30 29778590

Das Stue
Hidden away on the outskirts of Tiergarten, this luxury boutique hotel is nestled between the Spanish embassy and one of Berlin's best-loved beer gardens. Built in what was the former Royal Danish embassy, this grand building houses plenty of comfortable corners, such as multi-story libraries and an in-house spa that will help you escape the concrete of the city. Their Michelin-starred restaurant, Cinco, offers one of the most courageous tasting menus in the city and makes for the perfect date night meal.

Das Stue
Drakestraße 1,
10787 Berlin
+49 (0) 30 3117220

Kavita Meelu is a pioneering curator and organizer of some of Berlin's most exciting food projects, including Street Food Thursday, Burgers & Hip Hop, and Schlachtfest. Per Meurling is a Swede living in Berlin who devotes his time to searching for the city’s best restaurants on his blog BerlinFoodStories.com

Born and raised in New Orleans, Ann Tuennerman is an established entrepreneur and go-to authority on well-crafted cocktails. Founder and director of Tales of the Cocktail, Tuennerman supports and celebrates the international cocktail industry. From July 13-20, Tales of the Cocktail, a premier international cocktail festival, will take place in New Orleans, where guests can enjoy seminars, tastings, product launches, competitions, and networking events. The week-long festival raises money to invest back into the international cocktail industry. Since Tuennerman has a lifetime of knowledge on the bar scene in New Orleans, we asked her to share her five favorite spots for a cocktail in New Orleans.

Arnaud’s French 75 Bar

Head Bartender Chris Hannah

French 75 Bar
813 Bienville St
New Orleans, LA 70112
(504) 523-5433

Booty's Street Food New Orleans

Bywater Bomber

Booty's
800 Louisa Street
New Orleans, LA 70117
(504) 266-2887

Trevor Mark Photography

Bellocq
936 St Charles Ave
New Orleans, LA 70130
(504) 962-0911

Tiki Tolteca
Upstairs from Felipe's on Decatur Street, this Latin American-themed tiki lounge makes for a great hiding place. Because it is above street level, no one can walk by and see you sipping your mai tais and frozen daiquiris.

Tiki Tolteca
301 N Peters St
New Orleans, LA 70130
(504) 288-8226

Kevin O'Mara

Cane and Table
1113 Decatur St
New Orleans, LA 70116
(504) 581-1112

Wineries in Bordeaux, like in the rest of France, are imbued with a rich and elaborate history, woven together with politics, heritage, culture, and of course, terroir. The region is dominated by tradition: the vines here were first planted by ancient Romans, and many date back 2000 years. But “tradition” for winemakers in Bordeaux has always been subject to change; their traditions are not static. They look to a past of constant adaptation and evolution as part of their history. Some winemakers are turning to new innovations in organic farming and more sustainable farming methods as a way to preserve the terroir and the heritage of the region. Others are evolving their wines with highly customized and advanced viticulture equipment. Some of the best Châteaus in the world have both horse-drawn plows and state-of-the-art fermentation vats. I took a visit to eight châteaus in Bordeaux with Oliver Dixon, an international sommelier for Emirates airline, as my guide, to find out how the region balances tradition and innovation.

The view from Shan Lin Xi mountain

Max Falkowitz

Wong takes a sip, diplomatically nods her head this way and that, then says to me, “This is alright. It has the dark roast, but not the rich base flavor I like in Tieguanyin.”

“Alright” for Wong is still top of the line for most tea drinkers, but there are dozens of teahouses in Maokong like this one, and we didn’t fly 18 hours to Taiwan, then ride the Taipei subway to the end of the line and take a gondola up a mountain, for “alright.”

Wong is the owner of T Shop, a devout but welcoming tea room in New York City. She’s here to meet farmers, visit teahouses, and sample as many teas as she can in search of a few exceptional batches worth adding to her collection of Taiwan’s prized oolongs.

Black tea leaves are fully oxidized before they’re dried. Green tea leaves are completely unoxidized. Oolong teas lie somewhere in between, and they’re the most labor-intensive teas to make. Every step of processing—withering, bruising, resting, rolling, drying, and roasting—has to be done just so to coax the right balance of sweetness, body, flavor, and fragrance out of the leaves. In Taiwan, this isn’t just an industry; it’s an art form.

Tasting tea at a roaster's shop in Taipei

Max Falkowitz

Though Taiwanese tea began with mainland Chinese cultivars and traditions, over the past 150 years it’s developed into a culture and style all its own. Pristine high-elevation farmland, ample government support, and innovative processing methods all make Taiwan a standard-bearer in the global tea market. And a high-speed rail system helps visitors get around easily—it takes all of two hours with a bus transfer to reach the famed tea mountains of Nantou County from Taipei, their misty peaks a world away from the city’s swampy haze.

The most difficult part of a tea trip is fitting enough eating in between all the shops; a mere five meals a day don’t suffice to properly binge on the local fare. Oily pancakes draw crowds in Taipei, but out in tea country, herb-stuffed chickens roast streetside in clay ovens, then get doused in their drippings to moisten the bronzed skins. Young bamboo, served a dozen ways, is invariably juicy, woodsy, and unfairly good. For dessert there are pineapples tender to the core, so imbued with coconutty sweetness they’re practically piña coladas already.

The day after our visit to Maokong, we catch a mid-morning train south to Taichung City, then ride a bus into one of Nantou’s many mountain tea villages. On some winding roads, every other storefront is a tea shop run by their family's farmer, ready to offer you a free cup of tea. At the tea table, there’s no ceremony or pretense. Maybe you talk about this year’s harsh drought, which cost some tea farmers 50 percent of their harvest. You might make friends with strangers also on the hunt for good tea. And you drink, and keep drinking, because a proud seller always plays fast and loose with the samples.

The "kill green" stage of tea processing, where rolled tea leaves are heated in spinning drums to halt oxidation

Max Falkowitz

Adventurous travelers or Mandarin-speakers should have an easy time trekking the oolong trail on their own. Taichung City, near Dong Ding and Shan Lin Xi mountains, has no shortage of cheap but high-quality hotels, and tea villages like Lugu and Xitou are full of family run B&Bs with full amenities for all of 50 USD a night. But there’s also been a boom of Western-facing Taiwanese tea companies in the past couple years. Regardless of where you go or where you stay—or if you simply buy Taiwanese tea from your local tea shop—sip your tea slowly. It's come a long way.

To brew your own Taiwanese tea without making the trip, try these sellers that buy directly from Taiwanese farmers:

• T Shop: A small but sterling catalogue ranging from crisp and vegetal Green Jade and Shan Lin Xi to dark, honey-sweet Red Water Oolong.
• Eco-Cha: This Taiwan-based company values tradition-heavy, sustainable agriculture, and stocks affordable, excellent tea, mostly from Nantou County.
• Té: A supplier to the tea menu at New York’s Eleven Madison Park. Their Oriental Beauty oolong is remarkably bold and lemony with a surprising kick of cinnamon.
• Song Tea: A San Francisco tea room with pricey but rare teas from Taiwan and China, like the Winter Sprout, a Lishan mountain tea as sweet as cotton candy.
• Everlasting Tea: The fanatic’s draw here is a pair of ~30-year-aged Baozhongs, full of deep plummy notes with a long, soothing finish.

When not traveling the world in search of great tea, Max Falkowitz is the Senior Features Editor at Serious Eats, where he covers international dining in New York and geeks out over the science of ice cream.

Alex Testere

But as I’ve learned through five books in the last nine years, book tours are business trips, not vacations. The most I can hope for is sharing a meal with someone special—an old friend I haven’t seen in a while who I trust to take me somewhere good, or a new friend, often someone I know through the literary world or the internet—and that their tastes match my own. I remember meeting Canadian writer and editor Emily Keeler for the first time at the International Festival of Authors in Toronto, and how she immediately offered to take me to the best fried chicken place in town the following night. I was doubtful, never having thought to myself: "When you get to Toronto, you must find yourself some fried chicken tout de suite." But the company was great and the fried chicken at Bar Isabel was indeed delicious.

So this summer, as I set out on tour to promote my latest novel, Saint Mazie, I decided to let friends and strangers—both online and in real life—decide my meals once again. There were some hits and some misses. (I shall spare you the misses, but you know who you are, flaccid restaurants of the American suburb.) But the company I shared my meals with was always great. These are the most memorable dishes from my eleven days on the road.

Northbrook, IL: The Reuben at Max and Benny’s

I gave my first reading of the tour at an author’s series at Max and Benny's, a classic Jewish deli in Northbrook, IL, that hosts a monthly book event. They had promised to feed both me and my parents, with whom I was staying in my childhood home. How could I say no? The curator of the series, Richard Reeder, told me that the best thing on the menu was the Reuben. He also suggested I get the chocolate egg cream, which I declined, and I am full of regret about that choice even as I type these words. Who am I to decline an egg cream? Such hubris.

But that Reuben! It’s worth a drive to the suburbs, Chicagoans. The corned beef is delicious, juicy, fresh, hot, the rye bread both buttery and crisp, matching beautifully with the slaw and Russian dressing, both of which were tangy, but not overwhelming. As we left, we were graciously handed a sturdy box of mixed rugelach, and my family grazed on it for a few days, until finally it was agreed upon that my mother should just take the rest of it to work to share with her coworkers so as to avoid further temptation.

Chicago, IL: The duck breast at Sepia

First, three sepia-related things in my life:

1. I recently spent time on the roof of my Brooklyn apartment building with a new friend drinking bourbon and staring at the Manhattan skyline, and he later described the whole night as being sepia-colored.

2. A few days ago I pulled a tarot card for a friend who is trying to have a baby and when I thought about her deeply beforehand, I saw her whole life in sepia. I took this to be a good thing.

3. From an email I sent to another new friend: “Nothing in my past is in sepia tones for me. I had a miserable childhood, my twenties I was in a rut, my thirties I was recovering from my twenties...I spent all this time finding my voice, still ceaselessly working at it now. But I am capable of living in the moment, having present tense joy, just now it's happening, I recognize these possibilities.”

In Chicago, I dined at a restaurant called Sepia, which was recommended to me on twitter by fashion bloggers/novelists The Fug Girls. I was in a rush that night, I had planned the whole thing poorly, underestimated the time that was needed for the meal and how long it would take me to get to my radio interview afterward, all of it, and I hurriedly ate. But the duck breast was very, very good. It was served with rhubarb, celery, mustard greens, radishes, and red wine jus, and it was tender, and plated beautifully, a colorful, compact, clean plate. And I enjoyed talking to my friend, Lindsay Hunter, a novelist and a short story writer who I have only met a few times before. She brought me a gift, a tiny crown that I could clip to my head and feel like a queen whenever I liked.

San Francisco, CA: Two chicken dishes in San Francisco

My first night in San Francisco, I headed to Souvla, a Greek restaurant, an employee of which had invited me to dinner over Twitter. I ate their spit-fired chicken salad, served with fennel, navel orange, pickled red onion, pea shoots, and mizithra cheese, topped with their memorable, zingy Greek yogurt ranch (“Granch”) dressing. It was a perfect post-plane-ride meal, fresh, juicy, wholesome, energizing, light, tasty. Also we tried the frozen Greek soft serve yogurt, one cup with Greek olive oil and sea salt, another with baklava crumbles and syrup, both of which were refreshing and light but still sparkled on the tongue, a sublime salty-sweet combo. I dined there with my old friend Joshua Mohr, another novelist, and we talked about being at a crossroads in our lives, deciding what’s next in our futures, and also people who take too many drugs.

The next night I went to Zuni Café with an internet friend I was meeting for the first time, a writer named Leah Reich, who was tall, striking, and fit, with long, pretty hair. There is a particular delight in dining with a friend who is bright and charming but also easy on the eyes. While we waited patiently at the bar for an hour, a waitress accidentally spilled an entire glass of wine on me. But how was the food? Well, the roasted chicken with bread salad was delicious. Listen, no one is lying about it. It’s great. It’s been on the menu forever for a reason. But if I had to pick which chicken dish in San Francisco I enjoyed more, I guess I’d have to pick the one I ate when I didn’t smell like a glass of wine.

Los Angeles, CA: Frozen Drinks and Slippery Shrimp in Los Angeles

A few weeks before I left on tour, I decided to extend my stay in Los Angeles an extra day, as a little reward for all the work I’d been doing. (One day in Los Angeles is not a vacation. What is it? It’s a day off, I suppose.) I knew I wanted to eat something healthy. California, with all your gorgeous produce and healthy people with shiny hair and clear complexions, teach me your ways. A dear friend, Caitlyn Wooton, is an expert healthy eater. She made us a reservation at vegan restaurant Crossroads. I felt virtuous already.

But then, the day after my final event at the Ace Hotel, I ended up just spending it in my hotel’s rooftop pool, drinking frozen drinks and having a mini-collapse. Luckily, people came to visit me. My old friend Sarah showed up with her young daughter Sally, who loves the Beatles and decided my name was Yoko Ono and called me Yoko for a few pleasant hours, and then Caitlyn arrived and we flatlined in the sunshine, and then novelist Rachel Kushner came, so sharp and cool and right-headed, and she bought me another drink and we bobbed around in the pool, and I was grinning, those frozen drinks were a kind of meal in themselves, can you count them as a meal?

By then it was dinner, and when it came down to it, Caitlyn and I didn’t feel like eating healthy. She said, “You know what we should really eat? Slippery shrimp.” So instead we went to Yang Chow in Chinatown and ate an entire plate of it, sticky-sweet-spicy-fried shrimp, all of it, gone. An unplanned, spontaneous meal, a last-minute decision, an indulgence, a delight. It wasn’t tour anymore, but it wasn’t regular life either. It was something in between. And that’s when you eat the slippery shrimp.

Jami Attenberg is the author of five books of fiction, including The Middlesteins. Her latest is Saint Mazie.

As a portrait and travel photographer, I've visited and lived in many countries, but Japan is an exceptional place to me. So exceptional, in fact, that I made Tokyo my home earlier this year. In daily life, there is a near reverence for detail and quality that I have not seen elsewhere. This is apparent in almost everything, but for me it's most poetically expressed in the simple rice ball snacks called onigiri. I love their versatility, their minimalism, and the fact that even in the humblest of places, onigiri are made with attention and care.

Onigiri are portable parcels that fit in the palm of your hand (nigiri means “to squeeze”). They are sold in tiny rice shops, izakayas, department-store food halls, and convenience stores, like 7-Eleven. They look a little bit like sushi, but they aren't seasoned with mirin the way sushi rice is. Some are wrapped in crisp nori or fresh shiso leaves; others are naked or made with rice mixed with ingredients like sesame seeds. I like the classic fillings, such as salmon, kombu, and tarako (salted cod roe). Umeboshi (pickled plum) is also quite popular, as is tuna, shrimp tempura, and even cheese.

Before I moved to Japan, I eagerly sought out onigiri on every visit. It was my go-to quick snack, light lunch, or parting souvenir for the plane. But now that I live here, I realize that the same qualities that make them convenient snacks also make onigiri great finger food for parties—you can prepare them ahead of time, their fillings are interchangeable, and they come in fun, tidy packages. After 15 years of obsessing over them, I wanted to learn more about making onigiri for my own shop, so I visited Reiko Yamada, author of Everyday Onigiri (Pottoshupan 2014), in Tokyo.

I expected to learn a strict tradition—complicated techniques and precise rules passed down over centuries and centuries. But what Reiko-san reinforced was the sense that there are no rules. “Just have fun,” she told me. There is no need for a rice cooker; an old pot with a lid will do. You can use whatever fillings are right for your mood. I noticed that making onigiri with Reiko-san in Tokyo—cupping the rice gently into triangles or balls and stuffing them or patting on toppings—felt just like decorating holiday cookies back in New York City. She showed me that onigiri are as simple or as fancy as you want them to be. That is their beauty.

See the recipe for Onigiri »

The Best Onigiri Shops in Tokyo

Andrea Fazzari

Isetan Shinjuku
This sits within a great and expansive food hall in the basement of the luxury department store Isetan. They have a vast selection and menus in both Japanese and English.

Seibu Ikebukuro
One of the more extensive selections of traditional onigiri in the huge department store Seibu.

Omusubi Gonbei
A freestanding onigiri chain, they offer a wide variety of onigiri in all shapes and sizes, not just the most popular rounded triangles.

Iizuka Seimaiten
This is part rice shop, part onigiri shop in the Meguro area of Tokyo. In the mornings they sell a number of onigiri using pesticide-free rice.

V&A Café

Victoria and Albert Museum

The truth is that British cuisine has been experiencing a renaissance for some time now. In addition to culinary pioneers such as Heston Blumenthal leading the way to the future with scientifically informed innovations, there’s been a strong push to revisit traditional dishes, in combination with the “Best of British” movement and its strong focus on top-quality seasonal produce, heritage meats and seafood, and artisan dairy products.

Even pub fare, once something to be tolerated rather than enjoyed, has been continuously elevated and upgraded since the Eagle in Clerkenwell launched the “gastropub” concept in 1991. And when The Harwood Arms become the city’s first Michelin-starred pub in 2010, the notion that pub food is an afterthought to the beer was forever laid to rest.

While it is surprising that most pubs still close at 11 p.m. in this cosmopolitan metropolis, that’s why Londoners start getting their drink on early. Cocktail lounges stay open later, though, and with eight London locales on the “World’s 50 Best Bars” list—more than any other city—the town is top of the heap for drinks as well.

Where to Eat

St. John
Fergus Henderson launched the nose-to-tail trend when, nearly 24 years ago, he opened this stark white restaurant in an old smokehouse near Smithfield meat market. Now Michelin-starred, it continues to turn out fresh takes on traditional British dishes, accompanied by excellent wines and house-baked breads. Roast bone marrow with parsley salad is a perennial favorite and baked-to-order madeleines for dessert are worth the wait.

St. John
26 St. John Street
London EC1M 4AY, United Kingdom
+44 20 7251 0848

Tayyab’s
This bustling, family-run Punjabi institution in Whitechapel has been in business for more than 40 years. Waiters whirl through modern rooms with lounge-like décor, delivering platter after steaming platter of the house specialty, sizzling grilled lamb chops. But the entire selection of spicy curries, vegetarian dishes and tandoor-baked breads is consistently excellent. It’s BYOB and booking ahead is highly recommended.

Tayyab’s
83-89 Fieldgate Street
London E1 1JU, United Kingdom
+44 20 7247 6400

Dinner by Heston Blumenthal
One of the forerunners of cutting-edge molecular gastronomy has now turned his eye to the past. Heston Blumenthal’s Dinner, in Knightsbridge’s posh Mandarin Oriental hotel, produces artistic interpretations of historic British recipes dating back to 1390. Though it’s breathtakingly pricey, the dazzling presentations of dishes such as Meat Fruit (c. 1500), Salamagundy (1720), and Powdered Duck Breast (1670) are matched by the heady flavors.

Dinner by Heston Blumenthal
Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park
66 Knightsbridge
London SW1X 7LA, United Kingdom
+44 20 7201 3833

The Wolseley

Simon Bevan

The Wolseley
160 Piccadilly
London W1J 9EB, United Kingdom
+44 20 7499 6996

E. Pellicci
This compact East London greasy spoon has been run by the same Italian family since 1900. And how many greasy spoons are lined with lovely Art Deco wood paneling? It’s a particular favorite for a hearty “fry up” (full English breakfast) as well espresso drinks, an array of inexpensive sandwiches, and familiar Italian and British mains.

E. Pellicci
332 Bethnal Green Road
London, E2 0AG, United Kingdom
+44 20 7739 4873

Hunan Restaurant
This small, menu-less spot in Pimlico with understated ambiance has been quietly making magic for more than 30 years. Guests are simply asked what they can’t (or won’t) eat, and then the seemingly endless wave of bite-sized plates begins. Chef Mr. Pang revisits regional Chinese standards with top-of-the-line ingredients and a light touch, periodically popping out of the kitchen to admonish diners not to “waste the sauce.”

Hunan Restaurant
51 Pimlico Road
London SW1W 8NE, United Kingdom
+44 20 7730 5712

Caravan
This hip café in Farringdon’s Exmouth Market is also an independent coffee roaster, supplying beans to many other London locales. The menu is eclectic, featuring everything from massamun goat curry and Welsh lamb to Nepalese momos, all featuring “Best of British” ingredients. Breakfasts and brunches, with picks like a creamy banana-caramel porridge, really shine. The bar offers classic cocktails and a well-curated wine list.

Caravan
11-13 Exmouth Market
London EC1R 4QD, United Kingdom
+44 20 7833 8115

Ottolenghi
With five London restaurants and seven cookbooks, renowned Israeli chef Yotam Ottolenghi’s culinary empire continues to grow, but the down-to-earth ambiance and unwavering excellence of his modern Mediterranean small plates remain. The front window of the Islington location brims with tempting cakes and puddings, but the seasonal savory dishes and fantastic wine list—with unusual options such as orange wines—are the stars.

Ottolenghi
287 Upper Street
London N1 2TZ, United Kingdom
+44 20 7288 1454

Poppies
Decked out in memorabilia and staffed by girls in retro outfits, this chip shop looks like a nostalgic memory of what a post-war chippy might have been. Yet owner Pop Newland has in fact been doling out ample portions of fish and chips in East London since 1945. Quality is top: incredibly fresh, tender, and flaky fish in a light, crisp batter.

Poppies
6-8 Hanbury Street
London, E1 6QR, United Kingdom
+44 20 7247 0892

The Harwood Arms
London’s only Michelin-starred pub takes gastropub dining to new heights. Set in a relaxed, circa-1840 dining room in calm pastel tones, the Modern British menu focuses particularly on wild game and local produce—some sourced from their own rooftop garden. Also somewhat unusual for a pub is the serious wine list. Bookings are essential.

The Harwood Arms
Walham Grove
London, SW6 1QP, United Kingdom
+44 20 7386 1847

Lima

Courtesy of Lima

Lima
31 Rathbone Place
London, W1T 1JH, United Kingdom
+44 20 3002 2640

Lima Floral
14 Garrick Street
London, WC2E 9BJ, United Kingdom
+44 20 7240 5778

Hawksmoor
Widely considered some of London’s best steakhouses, the five Hawksmoor restaurants all specialize in top-shelf cocktails and prime cuts of dry-aged beef sourced from grass-fed British heritage breeds. But in a chic Art Deco room at Piccadilly’s Air Street location, charcoal-grilled seafood from Brixham Fish Market in Devon gets equal billing. The Guildhall branch serves elevated full English breakfasts and all offer traditional Sunday roasts.

Hawksmoor
5 Air Street, Mayfair
London, W1J 0AD, United Kingdom
+44 20 7406 3980

Rasa Sayang
A no-frills, halal eatery in Chinatown preparing authentic Straits cuisine. Malaysian and Singaporean mainstays such as flaky roti canai dipped in curry, beef rendang, and satay skewers are on the more accessible end for the uninitiated, while the more adventurous can head for the menu’s “Heat Zone” and try spicy, pungent options such as stir-fried sambal petai (a.k.a., “stink beans”).

Rasa Sayang
5 Macclesfield Street
London W1D 6AY, United Kingdom
+44 20 7734 1382

Dub Jam
A ska, reggae, and dub playlist thumps from the wall of upcycled speakers in this tiny, colorful joint in Covent Garden. Jamaican-style jerk skewers and rum punch served in hand-painted tin cans (two-for-one during daily happy hours) add to the festive Caribbean beach-shack vibe. Also available are burgers, patties, veggie options and, of course, Red Stripe.

Dub Jam
20 Bedford Street
London WC2E 9HP, United Kingdom
+44 20 7836 5876

Fifteen
Jamie Oliver’s nonprofit restaurant on a quiet street in Shoreditch creates modern, globally inspired plates with a focus on seasonal British ingredients such as Lindisfarne oysters and samphire. Each year, its apprentice program takes on 15 unemployed young trainees, culminating in a week when they take over the kitchen. The chic bar crafts classic and modern cocktails.

Fifteen
15 Westland Place
London N1 7LP, United Kingdom
+44 20 3375 1515

Where to Drink

Nightjar

Jerome Courtial

Nightjar
129 City Road
London EC1V 1JB, United Kingdom
+44 20 7253 4101

Cahoots

Courtesy of Cahoots

Cahoots
Kingly Court
London, W1B 5PW
+44 20 7352 6200

The Spaniards Inn
Even for a town rife with historic pubs, The Spaniards, dating to 1585, has a venerable pedigree. Its wood-paneled rooms were frequented by Dickens and Keats allegedly wrote ‘Ode to a Nightingale’ in the spacious beer garden. Cask ales and ciders are paired with classic pub fare like Scotch eggs or pie and mash, as well as modern gastropub bites such as seasonal flatbreads.

The Spaniards Inn
Spaniards Road, Hampstead
London, NW3 7JJ, United Kingdom
+44 20 8731 8406

White Lyan
Cocktail geekery has reached its pinnacle in this sleek, black-on-black Hoxton nook. In the interest of consistency, the rules are: no ice, no perishables (including citrus zest and fruit juice), and pre-mixed house drinks only. Peculiar ingredients include beeswax, bone, dandelion soda, and ambergris. While it’s pretty high-concept, the atmosphere is low-key, lively, and unpretentious, and you can even buy bottled cocktails to take home.

White Lyan
153-155 Hoxton Street
London, N1 6PJ, United Kingdom
+44 20 3011 1153

Mother Kelly’s
In an airy, tranquil space under a railway arch in Bethnal Green, this modern tap room and bottle shop has a colorful graffiti wall and indoor/outdoor seating at long wooden tables. A daily changing cast of 19 craft beers is on draft, with a focus on London breweries. Four taps are reserved for ciders, perries, prosecco and wine, while six refrigerators are packed with bottles from around the world.

Mother Kelly’s
251 Paradise Row
London, E2 9LE, United Kingdom
+44 20 7012 1244

Where to Stay

The Hoxton
This pair of trendy hotels feature rooms with funky décor (One of Shoreditch’s eight East London concept rooms was inspired by the famed Beigel Bake), hip diner-style restaurants, and daily delivered breakfast. The High Holborn outpost also has room-size options ranging from “Shoebox” to “Roomy,” an espresso bar, and a nail salon. In-house events include art shows, DJs, film screenings, and technophile classes.

The Hoxton, Shoreditch
81 Great Eastern Street
London, EC2A 3HU, United Kingdom
+44 20 7550 1000

The Hoxton, Holborn
199-206 High Holborn
London, WC1V 7BD, United Kingdom
+44 20 7661 3000

citizenM

Courtesy of citizenM

citizenM
20 Lavington Street
London, SE1 0NZ, United Kingdom
+44 20 3519 1680

Artist Residence

Courtesy of Artist Residence

Artist Residence
52 Cambridge Street
London, SW1V 4QQ, United Kingdom
+44 20 7828 6684

What to Do

Borough Market

Danette St. Onge

Borough Market
8 Southwark Street
London, SE1 1TL, United Kingdom
+44 20 7407 1002

Neal’s Yard Dairy
Stop into one of their three handsome shops (at Borough Market, Covent Garden and Bermondsey) to sample a large, carefully curated selection of artisan cheeses from dairy farms around the British Isles. Or sign up for one of their cheese-pairing or cheese-history classes. For the truly cheese-obsessed, they can even create custom celebration or wedding “cakes” from stacks of cheese wheels.

Neal’s Yard Dairy
6 Park Street
London, SE1 9AB, United Kingdom
+44 20 7367 0799

Tour a Distillery…
Learn about the history and production of one of London’s favorite tipples at COLD, the first gin distillery within the city limits in nearly 200 years. It offers regular tastings and guided tours (including a G&T), or for a more hands-on experience, Gin Lab classes offer the chance to create a custom botanical blend and distill your very own bottle of “mother’s ruin.”

City of London Distillery (COLD)
22-24 Bride Lane
London, EC4Y 8DT, United Kingdom
+44 20 7936 3636

…or a Brewery
Explore the making of the city’s other favorite beverage at this independent craft brewery built under converted Victorian railway arches, offering both drop-in and pre-booked tours. Or taste the house beers—including lagers, stouts and Gentleman’s Wit, a bergamot-flavored white beer—at The Brewery Bar, which hosts a rotating cast of food trucks on weekends.

Camden Town Brewery
55 Wilkin Street Mews
London, NW5 3NN, United Kingdom
+44 20 7485 1671

V&A Café

Victoria and Albert Museum

V&A Café
Victoria and Albert Museum
Cromwell Road
London, SW7 2RL, United Kingdom
+44 20 7942 2000

The Orangery
Kensington Palace, Kensington Gardens
London, W8 4PX, United Kingdom
+44 20 3166 6113

Picnic in a Park
Take advantage of a sunny day by picking up a picnic hamper at luxury emporium Fortnum & Mason’s hallowed Food Hall and heading for the lush lawns of Green, Hyde, or Regent’s Park. On a budget? Take your pick from rows of vintage picnic baskets at Notting Hill’s Portobello Road antiques market and stock it yourself with goodies from Borough Market.

Fortnum & Mason
181 Piccadilly
London, W1A 1ER, United Kingdom
+44 20 7734 8040

Portobello Road Antiques Market
London, W10 5TA, United Kingdom
+44 20 7727 7684

Join a Pop-Up Dinner
For an out-of-the-ordinary dining experience, the GrubClub website proposes pop-up dinners in unique settings such as the St. Pancras Clock Tower, on a double-decker bus, or in a vintage Underground car. More intimate events include themed tea parties, international family-style meals, private garden supper clubs or BYOB dinners in the homes of Michelin-trained chefs.

GrubClub

Dine Outdoors
Every Friday and Saturday night from May through September, Dalston Yard comes alive with Street Feast, an international mish-mash of street-food hawkers and pop-up bars with a block-party vibe. More than 20 stalls and food trucks sell bites ranging from burgers and Taiwanese buns to Indian tapas and Korean tacos. Starting June 12, Dinerama in Shoreditch features open-air dining and rooftop bars five days a week.

Street Feast
Dalston Yard, Hartwell Street
London, E8 3DU, United Kingdom

Dinerama
Shoreditch Yard, 19 Great Eastern Street
London, EC2A 3EJ, United Kingdom

Late-Night Nosh
Suited businessmen and drunken revelers alike line up for the soft, chewy bagels at this 24-hour Brick Lane institution that has been turning out thousands daily since 1977. At just 25 pence each, they give lie to the belief that bargain bites do not exist in London. A popular option is a sandwich heaped with slabs of steaming-hot salt beef, mustard and pickles.

Beigel Bake
159 Brick Lane
London, E1 6SB, United Kingdom
+44 20 7729 0616

Chin Chin Labs

Chin Chin Labs

Chin Chin Labs
49-50 Camden Lock Place
London, NW1 8AF, United Kingdom
+44 7885 604284

Sutton's Drug Store

Ying-Ao Zhang

Restaurants mysteriously disappear from Franklin Street, the main drag at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. I’ve watched as Qdoba, Caribou Coffee, Top This!, and Gigi’s Cupcakes came and went with the passing semesters. Sutton's Drug Store, however, remains a constant fixture.

In 1923, Linwood and Lucy Sutton opened the drugstore, where they also sold groceries and other essential items. When the store was sold in 1977 to business partners, John Woodward Jr. and current owner Don Pinney, they decided to clear out a portion of the merchandise area in order to make room for a lunch counter and dining tables. Starting with just 18 seats for in-house dining, they’ve gradually added more and more booths, allowing families, students, and visitors to Chapel Hill to frequent Sutton’s for cheeseburgers (their most popular item), hot dogs, and sandwiches.

Sutton’s is the mecca for delicious comfort food in Chapel Hill. In June of 2014, the drugstore portion of Sutton’s was sold to CVS Pharmacy, a newer addition to Franklin Street. Now that the pharmacy is no longer part of the store, the only vital remedy that Sutton’s offers is a bacon, egg, and cheese to a crowd of ailing college students on Sunday mornings.

Aside from comfort food, they also sell jams and jellies made from family recipes that draw on local, seasonal ingredients. The crowd favorite is “Frog Jam,” which consists of figs, raspberries, orange juice, and ginger. In July 2014, Sutton’s began stocking 30 varieties of vintage sodas. One year later, they now carry 87 different sodas, and the best sellers are Cheerwine, RC Cola, and Nehi. They make for the perfect sweet counterpart to your meal, whether glugged straight from the glass bottle or poured over a cup of the best crushed ice in town (seriously, it’s important).

If you’re looking for Chapel Hill’s trendiest restaurant, I’d tell you to shift your gaze towards any of the newer joints along Franklin Street. At Sutton’s, the food is uncomplicated and impossible to dislike, but the best part is the experience. The service is always friendly and welcoming*, and the atmosphere is casual and fun. Pinney says, “We want you to feel like you're family when you walk in.” The walls are covered in UNC athletic rosters, Tar Heel paraphernalia, and autographed pictures of the movie stars, past presidents, and professional athletes that found their way to a Sutton’s booth. Your chances of spotting a UNC athlete are also pretty good, which is a huge incentive for young sport fans or eager college students looking to be mildly socially relevant. It’s nearly impossible sink your teeth into a burger without making eye contact with a historic UNC figure plastered on the posters throughout the store. I always leave reeking of a combination of fries and unrivaled greatness.

It’s only right that the oldest (unbiased) and greatest (biased) public university in America is home to a joint like Sutton’s. I go because it’s a special place with at least one familiar face, a meaningful history and great chicken fingers. I also go for the ice. I’m telling you, it’s really great.

*Can’t speak for Duke fans

Katie Parla

With a city nicknamed Caput Mundi—Capital of the World—it’s only natural that Romans are accustomed to seeing their home as unrivaled in matters of history, culture, and food. And while it's true that traditional local cuisine holds a sacred place at the table, the Eternal City is hardly impervious to change. The city’s classics, from carbonara to cacio e pepe, are still universally beloved, but Rome’s dining and drinking culture, like that of all cities, is in a constant state of slow evolution. Recently, tightening purse strings, a transitioning food economy, and changing palates have conspired to create exciting new ways of dining, drinking, and shopping for food. Visitors to the Italian capital will be endlessly satisfied, whether they are after traditional foods or fresh flavors.

Where to Eat

Where to Stay

Where to Drink

What to Do

The innovative features of Rome’s flourishing food and drinks scene are at their best when they use tradition as a foundation: neo-trattorias like Cesare al Casaletto serve clever twists on the classics, while the nascent craft cocktail culture, embodied by The Jerry Thomas Project, embraces historic spirits and forgotten flavors. Wine bars and craft beer pubs run by enthusiastic experts promote small producers over conventional choices and a revived interest in food provenance has given rise to a growing number of farmers’ markets—which contrary to popular belief are relative newcomers to the city’s gastronomic landscape.

Terre e Domus
“Locavore” isn’t a trendy buzzword at this wine bar and restaurant near the Roman Forum; it’s an imperative. Terre e Domus is run by Rome’s county government and its aim is to support local farmers and winemakers by only using ingredients sourced in the city’s environs. Even the bottled water comes from a nearby spring. Chef Marco Pasquali serves seasonal Roman classics like vignarola, a stew of artichokes, fava beans, peas, and lettuce, as well as perennial favorites like potato gnocchi and polpette di bollito, deep fried patties of simmered beef. The espresso is among the finest in town, but you don’t need to sit down for a whole meal to try it—just swing by on your way to the Forum and get a quick caffeine fix at the bar. The place gets busy at lunch, so book ahead and request a table with a view of Trajan’s Column.

Terre e Domus
Via Foro Traiano 82-4
Piazza Venezia, Rome, Italy
+390669940273

Cesare al Casaletto
If there is any place in Rome that warrants a trip across town, it’s this neo-trattoria in the Gianicolense district. Getting there is simple: just hop on the #8 tram at Piazza Venezia and take it to the end. A short walk from the tram stop, chef Leonardo Vignoli serves classic and innovative Roman fare. He has a flair for fried starters like eggplant croquettes, baby octopus, squash blossoms, and polpette di bollito, while his tripe, oxtail, and pig liver always hit the mark on flavor and texture. The wine list, which mixes small producers from Italy and France, is outrageously affordable and features mainly organic and biodynamic producers.

Cesare al Casaletto
Via del Casaletto, 45
Gianicolense, Rome, Italy
+3906536015

Tavernaccia da Bruno
When Bruno opened his “tavernaccia” in southern Trastevere in 1968, he served Roman classics alongside rustic country dishes from his native Umbria. Now, Bruno’s daughters are at the helm and follow in their father’s footsteps with a few additions to the repertoire. The Sardinian chef—Bruno’s son in law—masterfully uses the wood-burning oven to slow-roast punta di petto (beef brisket) and maialino (suckling pig) to tender perfection. The wood-fired lasagna is exceptional and there is a tasty assortment of thin-crusted pizzas and flatbreads, as well.

Tavernaccia da Bruno
Via G. da Castelbolognese, 63, corner with via Panfilo Castaldi 12
Trastevere, Rome, Italy
+39065812792

Salumeria Roscioli
For the past decade, this deli-wine bar-restaurant combo has captivated chefs and food writers drawn in by its exceptional ingredients. They are best when presented simply: burrata with semi-sun-dried tomatoes, mortadella, and 30-month aged Parmigiano-Reggiano; and Isigny butter and Cantabrian anchovies on the house sourdough. The rigatoni alla gricia is dressed in a tight sauce of cured pork jowl, black pepper, and copious amounts of finely grated Pecorino Romano, and the spaghetti alla carbonara is made with the eggs of goat’s milk-drinking Livorno hens. Book a table on the ground floor near the kitchen for marginally roomier seating than you'll find in the crowded basement or deli area.

Salumeria Roscioli
Via dei Giubbonari, 21/22
Campo de’ Fiori, Rome, Italy
+39066875287

Metamorfosi
Few Michelin-starred venues in Rome are worth the investment or the calories; Metamorfosi is a noted exception. The Rome-trained international kitchen flawlessly executes contemporary cuisine drawing on native Italian ingredients fused with modern techniques and exotic (by local standards) flavors. Signature dishes like candied tomato ravioli with burrata and cured pork jowl and miso-lacquered eel with caramelized onions and tangy vinegar sorbet are supremely balanced; the rest of the menu, which changes a few times a year, is guided by the seasons.

Metamorfosi
Via Giovanni Antonelli, 30/32
Parioli, Rome, Italy
+39068076839

La Torricella
The Testaccio neighborhood, the site of a former slaughterhouse, may be known for quinto quarto (offal and poor cuts), but the menu at this family-run institution on the edge of the district is decidedly fish-focused. The D’Alfonsi family serves fresh catch from the nearby Tyrrhenian Sea, and their antipasti are particularly good: pan-fried anchovies, fried and marinated baby octopus, and fresh octopus salads. Be sure to ask about the antipasto cart, which tends to be rolled only to tables of regulars, before ordering. Pastas and mains change regularly, but there are always whole fish on the menu, served roasted or grilled.

La Torricella
Via Evangelista Torricelli, 2/12
Testaccio, Rome, Italy
+39065746311

Katie Parla

Flavio al Velavevodetto
Via di Monte Testaccio, 97
Testaccio, Rome, Italy
+39065744194

Tempio di Iside
Francesco Tripodi, a Calabrian transplant to Rome, serves exquisitely fresh fish at this cavernous restaurant near the Colosseum. The raw items, including French oysters and Adriatic shrimp, are without rival in the Italian capital, and the pasta dishes—like spaghetti with sea urchin roe and linguine with crab—are elegant in their simplicity. In Rome, fresh fish is a luxury, which is reflected in the prices at Tempio, but you’ll be hard pressed to find fish in this category anywhere else in town.

Tempio di Iside
Via Pietro Verri, 11
Colosseo, Rome, Italy
+39067004741

Pizzeria Ostiense
Three young friends opened this lively pizzeria in April 2014 in the Ostiense district, a rapidly transitioning industrial zone. Pizzas may be the main event, but locals know to begin with assorted fried starters like fiori di zucca (squash blossoms filled with mozzarella and anchovies), filetti di baccalà (battered cod), and simmered beans. The pizzas are made in the classic Roman style: briefly leavened dough is stretched, rolled flat, then baked in a wood-burning oven. The result is a crispy, practically rimless pie. The best pizzas are the ones sparsely topped like the Napoli (with tomato, mozzarella, and anchovies) and fiori di zucca (with mozzarella, squash blossoms, and anchovies). Desserts like panna cotta (served dripping with chocolate sauce) and tiramisù are creamy and satisfying.

Pizzeria Ostiense
Via Ostiense, 56 b/c
Ostiense, Rome, Italy
+390657305081

Tonda
North of the city center, Tonda’s domed, ceramic-clad oven bakes Rome’s finest thick-rimmed pizzas. Although the local Roman style calls for a thin, crispy base, Tonda emulates the Neapolitan tradition of a thicker, slightly chewy crust. Toppings range from classic margherita to innovative carbonara (topped with the ingredients traditionally found in the pasta dish) and there is a wide assortment of fried appetizers to start with. Tonda also serves trapizzini—triangular pockets of dough filled with simmered meats or offal. All ingredients are top-notch and the wine list is well curated, but the gourmet sourcing doesn’t translate to a pretentious atmosphere. Tonda is a down-to-earth neighborhood joint with friendly service and a loyal following, so be sure to book in advance.

Tonda
Via Valle Corteno, 31
Nomentano, Rome, Italy
+39068180960

Hotel 47
Built on the ruins of Rome’s ancient livestock market, this early 20th century building was designed in a rational/fascist architectural style, complete with clean lines and plenty of white limestone. But now, the austere atmosphere has been replaced with hospitable modernity and restrained luxury. The upper floors have views of the verdant Aventine Hill and over ancient temples to the rooftops of Trastevere. The top floor bar, which is open to visitors as well as guests, provides a shaded retreat from the ruins below.

Hotel 47
Via Luigi Petroselli, 47
Circo Massimo, Rome, Italy
+39066787816

Courtesy of Babuino 181 Hotel

Babuino 181
Via del Babuino, 181
Campo Marzio, Rome, Italy
+390632295295

JK Place
Housed in La Sapienza University’s former architecture building, the JK Place, which opened in 2013, is a relative newcomer to Rome’s growing number of boutique luxury hotels. Each of the 30 lavishly decorated rooms, many of which are set in converted classrooms, are outfitted with fine textiles and beautifully designed furniture, while the common areas are packed with pieces of Neo-Classical sculpture and contemporary art. In spite of its location near the intersection of Via del Corso and Via dei Condotti—Rome’s high-end shopping nexus—the rooms are quiet and sheltered from street traffic.

JK Place
Via di Monte D'Oro, 30
Campo Marzio, Rome, Italy
+3906982634

Stavio
Just south of the city center, Rome’s old industrial zone and commercial port is slowly transitioning into a trendy nightlife district with clubs, cocktail bars, and pubs. Stavio, which is set in an old granary, pours beers from its dozen or so taps and hand pumps. Brews from the eponymous brewery are on constant rotation alongside craft beers from Italy, Belgium, and the UK. Stavio attracts a young crowd for their nightly aperitivo (a sort of happy hour) when they serve discounted beer with complimentary snacks.

Stavio
Via Antonio Pacinotti, 83
Portuense, Rome, Italy
+390694363146

Caffè Propaganda
Caffè Propaganda’s long, polished zinc bar is home to one of the city’s most exciting cocktail programs. Helmed by top mixologist Patrick Pistolesi, Propaganda serves dozens of classic cocktails with an Italian twist. Pistolesi draws on Italian spirits, citrus, vermouth, and even red wine when crafting his concoctions. The bar gets crowded and patrons are admitted on a first-come, first-served basis, so pop in for an early aperitivo followed by a stroll past the neighboring Colosseum.

Caffè Propaganda
Via Claudia, 15
Colosseo, Rome, Italy
+390694534255

Katie Parla

The Jerry Thomas Project
Vicolo Cellini, 30
Campo de’ Fiori, Rome, Italy
+390696845937

La Barrique
La Barrique is part of a growing number of Roman wine bars that completely eschews conventional wines in favor of organic, biodynamic, traditional, and natural options. Their assortment of sparklers is stellar and the white, red, rosé, and orange wines showcase excellent and affordable producers from Italy, France, Austria, and Slovenia. The list of wines by the glass is extensive and ideal for solo drinkers eager to taste a variety of styles, but groups should dive into the fabulous bottle list.

La Barrique
Via del Boschetto, 41
Monti, Rome, Italy
+390647825953

Litro
The leafy Monteverde Vecchio neighborhood is home to one of Rome’s most dynamic wine and cocktail bars. The owners are obsessive about knowing all their producers personally, and each bottle on the constantly changing list is chosen for its ability to express the terroir of its origins. Recently, mixologist Valeria Sebastiani took over behind the bar and introduced a refreshing assortment of aperitivos, as well as some stiffer cocktails for mezcal and whiskey lovers. The tiny kitchen serves a selection of small plates, cheeses, and cured meats.

Litro
Via Fratelli Bonnet, 5
Monteverde Vecchio, Rome, Italy
+390645447639

Daniela's Cooking School
Taking a cooking class with Daniela Del Balzo feels like learning to cook from your sweetest friend. Guests begin with a trip to the nearby Testaccio Market to shop for ingredients, then return to Daniela’s beautiful home on the Aventine Hill to prepare and eat a full meal. She is supremely hospitable and an excellent teacher, so her classes book up well in advance.

Daniela's Cooking School
Aventino, Rome, Italy

Peroni
Not to be confused with the industrial beer company, Peroni is a kitchenware shop a short walk from the Vatican. The showroom brims with pots, pans, tools, glassware, and gadgets, and items range from simple pasta tools to French enamel cookware. At storefront 16-17 on the same square, their other shop, Peroni in Pasticceria, specializes in baking tools and ingredients.

Peroni
Piazza dell’Unità 29
Prati, Rome, Italy
+39063210852

Elifant Archaeo-Culinary Tours
Classical archeologist Elizabeth Bartman and prolific food writer and historian Maureen Fant recently launched a culinary tour company that focuses on food history and archeology in Rome and Naples. Their Roman itineraries sample historic dishes, contemplate ancient food commerce, and explore the city’s ancient Jewish culinary tradition, providing a thorough portrait of more than 2,000 years of Roman dining and drinking.

Elifant Archaeo-Culinary Tours
+13478686345

Antiqua Tours
Wife and husband team Sarah May Grunwald and Ettore Bellardini are the hardest-working couple in the local wine tourism business. The two trained sommeliers organize wine events, offer private tours, and coordinate small group tastings in Rome and its environs. For a deeper understanding of Italian regional wine, spend an afternoon with them visiting historic wine bars in Rome’s historical center, or take a vineyard excursion to the nearby countryside.

Antiqua Tours
+393497197603

Trionfale Market
Its roughly 200 stalls fill a modern covered space a few blocks north of the Vatican, yet the city-run Trionfale Market remains unadulterated by Rome’s notorious tourist flood. Dozens of produce stalls showcase local and seasonal specialties, while several international stalls cater to Rome’s robust immigrant community. Roman and Halal butchers sell meat and offal, while specialty stalls sell dried fruits, spices, eggs, and honey. Its atmosphere, energy, and excellent produce make this a great destination to snag picnic provisions or to stock up on ingredients if you're staying somewhere with a kitchen.

Trionfale Market
Via Andrea Doria
Trionfale, Rome, Italy
+390639720786

Biomercato
The farmers’ market phenomenon is slowly gaining momentum in Rome. Since the late 19th century, city authorities have actually tried to maintain an elongated supply chain in order to generate jobs and ensure regulation, but a few groups of farmers have emerged to change the game. At the Biomercato, which is held Sundays in Testaccio’s converted slaughterhouse, biodynamic farmers sell seasonal produce beside artisanal bakers and pig farmers selling beautifully cured pork.

Biomercato
Largo Dino Frisullo
Testaccio, Rome, Italy
+393337035270

Costantini
This historic wine and spirits shop near Castel Sant’Angelo and the Vatican has a vast basement cellar full of Italian and French wine, but be sure to linger on the ground floor for a look at one of Rome’s few prestigious spirits collections. Stock up on artisanal amaro, gentian root-based liquors, and grappa, all beverages traditionally consumed to promote postprandial digestion.

Costantini
Piazza Cavour 16
Prati, Rome, Italy
+39063203575

Prelibato
At Prelibato in Monteverde Vecchio, a bakery that opened in 2014, chef-turned-baker Stefano Preli makes traditional loaves and sweets. Look for heirloom wheat-based breads, classic pound cakes, and sweet leavened buns. Don’t miss the pizza by the slice, which comes with assorted toppings including amatriciana (tomato, guanciale, and Pecorino Romano), a riff on the popular pasta dish.

Prelibato
Viale di Villa Pamphili, 214
Monteverde Vecchio, Rome, Italy
+390693577165

Vino Roma
Via in Selci 84/G
Monti, Rome, Italy
+393284874497

Domus Birrae
This craft beer shop near Santa Maria Maggiore on the Esquiline Hill stocks a well-chosen selection of Italian craft beers and imported brews. At the front of the shop, cold beers are sold from fridges, ready to drink, while the back room is devoted to larger-format bottles and brewing equipment. The selection of sour ales from LoverBeer and Montegioco’s beers brewed with heirloom fruit are ace.

Domus Birrae
Via Cavour, 88
Esquilino, Rome, Italy
+390697997570

Pasticceria Regoli
Founded near Piazza Vittorio in 1916, this historic shop sells luscious strawberry tarts, whipped cream-filled sweet buns, and luscious Chantilly cream-filled pastries. It’s the kind of place Romans go to fetch pastries when they want to make a good impression as dinner guests. Items are only sold to take away, but in late 2014, Regoli opened a coffee shop next door where you can also purchase their pastries to eat in.

Pasticceria Regoli
Via dello Statuto, 60
Esquilino, Rome, Italy
+39064872812

Katie Parla is a Rome-based food and beverage journalist, educator, and culinary guide. She is the author of the blog Parla Food, the mobile app Katie Parla's Rome and co-author of the forthcoming cookbook Tasting Rome (Clarkson Potter, 2016).