If you go all the way to Chile, you’ll probably be tempted to visit San Pedro de Atacama. All the guidebooks mention it, you’ll probably find lots of travel blogs talking about it and it seems like a pretty cool place from pictures. I am not sure I can recommend it. At least, I probably wouldn’t go back. There were some highlights for sure, but also it has the distinct feel of a place that was once beautiful but now is being over-touristed into oblivion. As with all such places, any positive superlatives that follow all have the implied suffix “for San Pedro” unless otherwise specified. For example, “a good selection of beers” should be read as “a good selection of beers for San Pedro”. If you really do want to go, I am sure three nights is enough time.
Because nothing here really belongs in the “Don’t Miss” category (except maybe for sandboarding), for this post we will just have a list of things we tried and whether we would recommned them to you or not.
What to do (and what not to do)
Sandboard San Pedro – https://www.sandboard.cl/
Let me just say this is a brutal workout if you really do it. There are no lifts; you earn your turns on the sand dunes and walking up a sand dune at 10,000 feet above sea level will basically make your lungs and legs want to explode. That being said it was awesome and for me totally worth it. I am not a snowboarder so I was really just learning the whole time but it was totally rad. If I were are an accomplished snowboarder I bet it would have been even cooler. Plus our guide, Nacho (real name Ignacio Luis), was a total blast and spoke English quite well, possibly better than anyone else we met during our time in Chile. He was such a board bro but I loved it. If you are up for the workout I can’t recommend this one highly enough. Fyi you will get sand everywhere. I still think it’s worth it.
Franchuteria – https://goo.gl/maps/QrpfnkqDjQ4QybHT7 In the pre-trip planning document, Bryn wrote a note next to this place, “Sandwich to go for the airport?” which turned out to be maybe the best idea in the history of ideas. (OK maybe that’s a lot but you know what I mean.) But also! This is is not just a place to get a great sandwich to go. They are open early and multiple mornings when we had a tour pickup at 7:00a (way before our hotel started serving breakfast), we got some legit, fresh-out-of-the-oven croissants at this place and felt really smug about ourselves for hours afterward. If you are there at a normal hour and the croissants didn’t just come out of the oven, they will warm them up for you if you ask nicely (probably in Spanish ; ) The bread here is also legit, so if you are staying in an Airbnb or for some reason find yourself leading an early morning tour and would like to give your guests a breakfast they’ll remember, you should check this place out. If you are not a professional tour guide and just want to hang out, they have a really pretty terrace for al fresco dining. The coffee is unmemorable, but that’s actually kind of a rave review for San Pedro coffee.
Definitely the best food we ate in San Pedro. I particularly loved the guanaco (!) stew and the desserts, one of which had a chañar (local stone fruit) mousse and the other was a baked apple on top of quinoa cream (kind of like horchata I think but with quinoa instead of rice). The food was really good! It’s expensive but worth it given the alternatives in this place. My only complaint is the wine list is super weak. If they step up their wine/cocktail selection this place could be San Pedro’s first “Don’t Miss” destination ; )
Ceviche mixtoSmall producer, funky blend? Now you’re speaking my language.Lomo rustico
Some of the pictures on Google Maps make this place look wack, but if you skip the pizzas and quesadillas (because, seriously?) and don’t look too closely at the prices, this place is easily #1 or #2 in San Pedro de Atacama (Baltinache’s food is probably slightly better but Adobe’s wine list is light years ahead and sometimes you just want a fried egg on top of a steak on top of fries for dinner.) It gets busy though so either go early or make a reservation.
[Possibly] Pulperia Atacama – https://goo.gl/maps/ACJQDcT6J1VBbPta6 I don’t normally like to include places in these lists that we didn’t actually visit, but I’ll make an exception here because (a) the food scene in San Pedro kind of sucks and (b) I’m pretty sure this place would be in the top 3 just based on hearsay and google sleuthing alone. It’s closed on Sundays though (which is the reason we didn’t get a chance to try it) so if you want to check it out make sure you plan ahead.
A good selection of craft beer and an excellent green salad–which, depending on how long you have been in Chile, you might desperately need. Also a solid completo (hot dog with more avocado and mayonnaise than seems appropriate) and a pretty good ropa vieja sandwich which Bryn correctly described as a Chilean cheesesteak. Skip the coffee though, it’s legitimately bad.
Babalu Ice Cream – https://goo.gl/maps/La1pYZccHL5ka4fh8, among other locations Somehow there are three locations of this ice cream shop all along the main pedestrian street in town (Caracoles) which is like a 5-minute walk MAX form one end to the other. Anyway, the ice cream is fine, nothing that will change your life, but the flavors are cool. Lots of local flavors like pisco sour and flor del desierto. It’s ice cream, who doesn’t like ice cream?
Chile Infinito Wine Shop – https://goo.gl/maps/hATvLy1g74nid3E67 The hours on Google Maps are definitely wrong, at least as of September 2023, but I have no idea what the right hours are. The one time we managed to find it open, we did find a decent selection of wines including some smaller producers and interesting wines. If you are staying in an Airbnb or just want to get takeout for some reason, picking up a bottle of Chilean Semillon (or something) could be a cool thing to do ; )
We did this as part of the Piedras Rojas and Lagunas Altiplanicas tour below. We could not find a tour that only offered the flamingo lake but not the rest of the dopey stuff. If you can, I would recommend it. I think you can also go there by yourself if you have a car (or a private driver/tour). The flamingoes were really cool and totally majestic (in a goofy kind of way) when they fly. The flamingoes was the only part of the tour worth doing, but I have to say it did help to have a tour guide in this case because he shared some basic knowledge of the flamingo life cycle that we didn’t have which made the experience that much more interesting.
Silvana Sutar – https://goo.gl/maps/9oXXwsWyE9qCEWxs5 Really nice little jewelery shop on Caracoles with everything handmade on a small scale. Bryn bought a cool silver ring with a very cool malvilla flower design. The woman manning the shop (she wasn’t the owner, though the owner is apparently sometimes present in the shop making the jewelery) spoke decent English. Definitely worth a look around, very nice stuff for reasonable prices.
Boutique Femme – https://goo.gl/maps/NbZZnqgLa73tU5RRA Small shop filled with various products (ceramics, chocolates, jewelery, etc.) hand made on a small scale by women-led businesses. A nice place to look around for a few minutes (which of course makes it one of the most interesting shops in Sand Pedro).
Emporio Andino – https://goo.gl/maps/JX4LfyFK8zH3i1Lg9 In fairness to them, we (unknoiwngly at the time) wandered in right before their siesta closing time, but if they wanted to be closed they could have just said that. It wold have been better than grumpily making a terrible coffee. I would not recommend it based on my small sample size of experiences, but the empanadas and cakes looked pretty solid (and there is like nothing else to do in San Pedro) so I wouldn’t fault you if you don’t take my advice.
Las Delicias del Carmen – https://goo.gl/maps/cpyuWxXboqDkagCs6 I wanted to try some local food and one of our tour guides (whose tastes I trusted) told us this is a place to get it. I have to say though, it was quite disappointing. They were out of the Cazuela stew that I really wanted, and the food items that we did order were enormous portions without any warning from the server. The pastel del choclo was fine, but who wants that much corn casserole? And the oven roasted pork leg was a literal entire leg of pig which was not cooked well–tough and chewy indicative of having been cooked too quickly at too high a temperature. The beer selection was weak as well, just a couple of lagers available. I cannot recommend this place; there are better places to eat in San Pedro.
Piedras Rojas and Lagunas Altiplanicas tour – https://welovechile.com.br/conheca-os-nossos-passeios/deserto-do-atacama/ We booked this tour through some tour aggregator called Get Your Guide, and we were quite surprised to find that everyone else on our tour was Brazilian, but in hindsight the actual tour operator is clearly a Brazilian company (based on their website) so it kind of makes sense. The tour was offered in English, and the tour guide was a nice guy but overall it just wasn’t a very exciting tour. There was a lot of annoying people taking annoying photos, obviously more concerned with posting on Insta than actually learning anything.
Valle de la Luna sunset tour – https://turismolayana.cl/ We also booked this tour through Get Your Guide and again we were the only English speakers on the tour. This tour was even less informative than the Piedras Rojas tour above. The vaunted sunset over the Valley of the Moon was nothing special to my mind. If you’ve seen a desert sunset I think you can skip this one. The lady guiding it was nice and I felt bad that she had to say everything twice just for us but overall it was just a giant waste of time.
Stargazing tour – https://www.feelatacama.com/
Another tour booked through Get Your Guide, another tour where we were the only English speakers in a van full of Brazilians. That said, the guide was great. She actually spoke better English than Brazilian and she was clearly passionate about astronomy and since the Brazilians were clearly not passionate about it (unless they could post it on social media), she seemed to be more interested in talking to us about the constellations and showing us some cool stuff in the telescope (including Saturn!) than anything else. I would recommend this tour for sure.
Where to stay
There are tons of hotels/hostels/etc in San Pedro at literally all conceivable price points. The choice can feel overwhelming for sure. If you stay near the main tourist pedestrian street called Caracoles, you’ll set yourself up for success as far as walking to all the places above/any tours that for some reason won’t pick you up or drop you off at your hotel. We stayed at a place called Hotel Desertica (https://goo.gl/maps/vntxex1eRzXn1dpSA), which was in the middle of the road price-wise (around $260/night in September 2023). The rooms were nice, the service was great, the breakfast was fine, the coffee was terrible (what else is new). We can recommend it but also if you feel like the price is higher than it should be I would definitely encourage checking out other places; it was not a be-all and end-all destination hotel.
Some things to note
In the winter (when we visited), the prevailing weather pattern is calm in the monring and pretty windy (sometimes extremely windy) in the afternoon. My understanding from talking to tour guides and others is that it is the opposite in the summer (windy in the morning and calm in the afternoon). You may want to take this into account for when to fly in/out and when to book certain tours or visit certain sites (for instance, sandboarding is apparently no bueno when it’s windy).
The town itself is pretty boring. I doubt you would find enough outside of meals to keep you busy for more than an hour or two total. As you can see, I think many of the excursions are a waste of time. Perhaps worst of all, there is no good coffee in San Pedro. Literally, none. So you can’t even just pass the time at a cool place drinking good coffee. That’s why I’m not sure I can recommend it as a destination.
Masochists that we are, we love Montreal in January. Every year we come for the Martin Luther King Jr. Day long weekend to play hockey and hang out with our friends Derek and Tanya. Derek, being Canadian, is a valuable resource for us, but just in case you don’t have your own personal Canadian tour guide, here are some of our favorites around the MTL, whether you visit in the summer or the winter. (Honestly, the winter really isn’t so bad once you get past the 0-degree–Fahrenheit–high temperatures and double-digit inches of snow!)
The great thing about Montreal is that it so perfectly straddles the line between foreign and familiar, between casual and passionate. You can fly seven hours to Paris for that quintessential European charm and excitement, or you can fly one hour-plus (from New York) to get the same feeling in Montreal. And as soon as you start exploring, you sense the excitement: the city is still inexpensive enough for young, creative types to do their thing, whether it’s cook, mix, brew or make. It creates a place that is a great joy to explore, where the high-end is just as high as any other place like New York or Paris, but the low-end is also elevated, making it hard to have a truly bad experience when dining or drinking out.
Pro-tips
Language barrier Does not exist. Next question. In all seriousness, I can probably count on my two hands the number of people I’ve met in Montreal that didn’t speak English, and half of them were taxi/Uber drivers. French is the official (and only) language of Quebec but you definitely wouldn’t be able to tell from visiting Montreal. I usually try to be polite and ask Montrealers in French whether they speak English, but I am totally stunned if anyone ever answers “non,” especially if they are in the service industry.
Where to stay Also an easy question: Le Plateau is basically the epicenter of cool stuff in Montreal. Not only in the sense that there is tons of good stuff in the neighborhood, but also in the sense that it is pretty much equidistant from whatever cool stuff is outside the neighborhood. Basically if you stay somewhere around Rue Rachel or Ave Mont-Royal in between Parc Jeanne-Mance and Parc La Fontaine you will be in good shape. There are plenty of Airbnbs and it’s a very walkable part of town.
You could also do well in Mile End. In my opinion there is not quite as much cool stuff and it’s not quite as walkable as Le Plateau, but it would also be a good choice. Same goes for Little Burgundy/Griffintown; there is enough to keep you interested especially for a short stay of just a few days, but it’s not quite as central, not quite as walkable as Le Plateau.
Getting around The main downside to staying in Le Plateau is the public transportation options are limited. The Montreal subway is clean and fast and efficient but it’s not very useful if you want to move around Le Plateau or in between Le Plateau and Mile End (which is a common trip for us ; ) Walking or learning the bus routes are pretty much the only options you have if you want to save money.
Ubers are plentiful and cheap in Montreal however so it is usually not a problem, especially if you can split with another couple or other people. And while in the summer months a 30-minute walk to the restaurant may seem like an enjoyable option, I’m sure $8-10 CAD for an UberX is going to seem like a great deal when it’s minus 3 degrees Fahrenheit outside in the winter.
Don’t miss
Pâtisserie Au Kouign Amann – Pastry Shop – Le Plateau If you only listen to one recommendation from this post, I would suggest you to make it this one. We look forward to their killer croissants all year long. Everything here is delicious but the almond croissants, the ham and cheese croissants, the quiche Lorraine and the namesake pastry are the highlights. It’s tiny inside so there is almost no seating but if you are lucky enough to snag one of the three tables and especially if the snow is coming down in buckets outside then it is such a homey and comfy place to chill.
The namesake pastry
Croque monsieur and fresh juice: breakfast of champions
They have a homey interior with wooden floors that get worn down by every ones snowy boots and 2 large picture windows with tiny tables in the front and a large chalkboard menu with all of the beautiful pastries scrawled on the board in French. In the back, the pastry chefs carefully make these little yummy pieces of eatable art. Their ham and cheese croissant have the perfect amount of béchamel inside to their signature kouign amman that melts in your mouth, its just perfection. A kouign amman is also known as a Breton butter cake. The New York Times called it the fattiest pastry in all of Europe (sorry mom, it’s only once a year). Oh… and the almond croissant and the croque monsieur that is warmed on the panini press that gets the most perfect hatch marks on the buttery surface.
Dispatch Coffee – Coffee – Le Plateau This place is a temple to good coffee. Still, it is welcoming and not oppressively geeky. They make mean espresso and have many single origin coffees to choose from; easily some of the best coffee in Montreal. I just wish it were a bit closer to the part of town we usually stay in : )
Le Chien Fumant – Dinner/Brunch – Le Plateau We found this little neighborhood gem after partying late night at Igloo fest a few years ago. We read it is where all the chefs eat when they get done work, so we knew it had to be good and I also knew that there was so way that Tanya and Matt would read a description like that and not go. It’s a tiny spot with a few cozy tables and a long bar. It is surrounded by lots windows and a large chalkboard menu with the food offerings. We had an amazing dinner that night with great food, wine, and great company.
Scotch Egg brunch “salad”
We have also been for brunch and boy was it a meat lovers dream. Matt got the pork belly gyro and I got the scotch egg on top of crunchy tortilla strips, pickled veggies and a salad underneath.
Derek and Tanya got every breakfast meat known to man, blood sausage, ham, sausage, and bone marrow… I think I’m missing some too! Everything was perfectly fatty, salty and delicious. I’m not much of a brunch person, so I would tend to recommend it more for dinner.
Arts Cafe – Brunch/Lunch – Mile End This place has the trifecta covered – great coffee, food, and ambiance! They have a great shakshuka here with merguez sausage & polenta and a duck poutine that is delicious (fyi… this is more of a russet potato breakfast potato hash than fries situation, just warning you so you’re not disappointed, which by the way you won’t be…). This time we all shared the roasted cauliflower on top of hummus with a garlic labneh and pistachios, this is definitely something that we will try to recreate at home. For dessert, they have a homemade ring ding, one of my favorites! Eat your heart out Drakes : )
Arts Cafe interior
Fete des Neiges de Montreal – Festival – Parc Jean-Drapeau Takes place for 1 month from mid January to mid February on the weekends in the Parc Jean -Drapeau in Montreal. Tanya and I went a few years ago and had a ball! First of all, any place they have a sugar shack where they pour pure maple syrup into the snow and make a “pop” out of them is a place for me. They have so many cool activities at the snow festival…dog sledding, axe throwing, sled racing to name a few. They have an awesome free outdoor ice skating path that is super fun to skate on and people watch.
Gypsy Cafe + Bar – Brunch – Le Plateau This cafe and bar has the perfect bohemian chic, vibe. They have another location in Bali and you definitely feel that influence inside the different nooks of this spot. I love the variety of the different seating areas, rattan lighting and a gorgeous bar surrounded by fresh, fragrant ingredients. We went for coffee & brunch, but they also have dinner & cocktails. They make a solid avo toast here with grapefruit, radishes, tomatoes and a perfectly poached egg on top. Other highlights were the the breakfast sandwich and frites & their cassolette with mushrooms, sausage, and eggs.
Ile Flottante – New Canadian – Mile End Vegetable-forward tasting menus with killer wine pairings; this place was a total revelation for four meat loving Americans (or I guess 3 meat-loving Americans and 1 meat-loving Canadian). Honestly of the seven courses the two meat dishes were my least favorite. Not to mention the wine pairings were slightly weird, obviously natural and quite delightful. Definitely one of the best meals I’ve had in Montreal.; I cannot recommend it highly enough.
Montreal Museum of Fine Arts – Museum (duh) – Downtown An excellent art museum and I’m not normally much of a museum person. The collection of paintings in the Pavilion for Peace is the perfect size and very well-curated as to not be overwhelming but still be interesting. I especially enjoyed the modern art (which is extremely unusual for me) as well as the third floor Golden Age of Holland and Flanders. It’s an especially nice place to pass a few hours on a freezing winter day.
Ma Poule Mouillee – Poutine – Le Plateau In our opinion this is the best poutine in Montreal. Portuguese rotisserie chicken are big in Montreal (see Rotisserie Ramados, below). Ma Poule makes the most perfect, smokey rotisserie chicken, cooked over open flame and perfectly seasoned the chicken is super flavorful and moist. You can get the chicken by itself with a green salad and some french fries on the side, but the pro move is to get it put on top of those perfectly crispy fries with some sliced Portuguese sausage, loaded up with gravy and topped off with fresh cheese curds. C’est parfait!
Larry’s – Breakfast – Mile End Oh man, we love it here. Breakfast, lunch, dinner, coffee break, happy hour; they do it all and do it all right. The food is eminently delicious, somehow simple and interesting and addicting all at once. If you’re there for breakfast DO NOT miss the pikeletes. They are out of control delicious when slathered with real maple syrup. The only thing you need to be aware of is it is SMALL in here. I mean like tiny. Go early or late or be ready to wait. In fact, maybe they could just take over Lawrence (see below) next door and make one big Larry’s; I’d be ok with that ; )
Pikeletes (behind the syrup): small but mighty (delicious)
Provisions Restaurant – New Canadian – Outremont This place is so good it makes me upset. There is no menu, just a board with the names of all the ingredients they bought at the market that morning and that will go into the dishes they are about to bring you. The food is seriously ridiculous and the wine pairings are actually *perfect* pairings with the food; they are definitely firing on all cylinders. It’s not cheap but it’s so worth it. Just go; you won’t regret it.
Provisions Bar a Vin – Wine Bar/Butcher Shop – Outremont Just down the street from Provisions Restaurant (above), this is a more a-la-carte experience. The salad here was so good we ordered a second; made of fresh bib lettuce, ribboned carrots, tomatoes and cucumbers in a fresh yogurt dressing with mint – I want to recreate this at home. As a (part) butcher shop, their homemade sausage is a must-do. This night, it was served with pickled onions and a homemade mustard and was definitely on point. The steak frites were great, but the thick steak fries stole the show, they were absolute perfection super crispy on the outside and soft in the middle. The food and service at this place were both winners.
Aliments Viens – Charcuterie – Mile End Fantastic cured meats and cheeses. Everything is homemade and has so much flavor. If you need provisions for a picnic (or just a snack at home before dinner) you could do a lot worse than this place. Be sure to head down the street to Hof Kelsten (below) to get some delicious bread to eat with the meaty goodies you just spent all your money on.
Hof Kelsten – Bakery – Mile End The bread here is what’s up. Their croissants can seriously give Au Kouign Amman (above) a run for their money. They have coffee here too but to be honest I haven’t tried it since we usually get so distracted by the breads : )
Bar Le Lab – Cocktail Bar – Quartier Latin Well-made drinks with unusual flavor profiles and interesting combinations of ingredients; they obviously take cocktail making very seriously and I appreciate that. Service had some hiccups when we were there, but overall this is one of the better choices (if not the best choice) for cocktail-geek cocktails in Montreal. Bonus points for the amazing popcorn–trust me, just buy a bag to snack on with your drinks.
Café Neve – Coffee – Le Plateau Great cappuccinos and single-origin filter coffee. Seems small from the outside but the is a long communal table with ample space for drinking your coffee and even space for parking your bike. It’s very homey and comfy and would be a tempting place to lazily spend the day while it is dumping snow outside (which happens from time to time in Montreal ; ) NB there are two other locations, one on Rue Rachel and another (apparently) inside clothing store Frank and Oak on St. Viateur.
If you have time/are in the neighborhood
Bar Le Sparrow – Brunch – Mile End Fried eggs with sage served with a pile of bacon, perfectly crispy potatoes and freshly toasted bread – this was delicious, but I would be lying if I didn’t admit I was diving into Matt’s plate for more of the Zatar sandwich, which is a totally genius breakfast. The only downside is the coffee kind of sucks.
Joe Beef – Quebecois Restaurant – Little Burgundy This one is more like “if you manage to get reservations” than “if you have time” but in my (admittedly limited) experience it can be very hit or miss so don’t feel too bad if you can’t get reservations. I’ve been twice and one time it was terrible. The service, the food and the wine were all exceptionally disappointing. However, I came back a second time and found it a much more satisfying restaurant experience.
I believe the difference in my experiences may have a lot do with the time of my reservation. The pro move apparently is to make an early reservation because no one ever leaves their table on time and the servers are more likely to be helpful early in the evening. This is more important than it may seem because there is no printed menu, so you are either at the mercy of letting your server choose for you (yeah right, not this control freak) or you will have to make them read the entire menu to you while you scribble it down on the napkin in front of you.
Overall I would go back if I ever managed to snag a reservation (the DINR app comes in great handy in this regard if you are flexible about making last-minute plans), but I can’t say I count Joe Beef among my favorite restaurants in Montreal, and so I don’t usually get too upset if I can’t find any reservations.
Café Melbourne – Coffee Shop – Le Plateau A good spot for espresso drinks and toasts with typical Australian toppings. The espresso is solid enough, but the filter coffee isn’t the greatest and the staff is a bit aloof (in that charming if frustrating Australian way). It’s a good spot but I prefer some of the other coffee shops in the area because they align more closely to my tastes. If you’re Australian I’m pretty sure you’ll love this place.
Le Bremner – Seafood Restaurant – Old Montreal Very good service, cool ambiance and good wines. The food was also technically proficient but nothing that changed my life. I would return if someone else invited me since it is overall a good restaurant experience but I would probably not run back.
La Banquise – Poutine – Le Plateau This is our favorite late night poutine spot (and everyone else’s too, including locals). Note the emphasis is on the phrase ‘late night’. If Ma Poule Mouille (above) is open; go there instead : )
Looks better at night : )
Unlike Ma Poule however, La Banquise is open 24/7, so whenever you feel the need to warm up with some cheesy, fried goodness (i.e. whenever you are drunk), this is the spot. They have endless topping combinations. As if fries covered in gravy and cheese curds weren’t a gut bomb enough for you, you can add everything from hot dogs, to bacon or guacamole on top.
Igloo Fest – Festival – Old City/Harbor If you happen to be in Montreal at the end of January/beginning of February and you are into EDM, make sure you head to Igloo Fest. Every year for three weekends on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights people get dressed up in ski gear and dance the night away in the outdoors. There are live DJs and ice sculptures, drink luges, and outdoor games. We had a blast dancing under freshly falling snow outside all night!
Zone Maison – Shopping – Le Plateau Adorable furniture and home shop. This is a must visit on our annual trip to Montreal. They have great small scale furniture and accessories and always makes me jealous that we don’t have a place to decorate in Montreal.
September Cafe – Coffee – Little Burgundy Very solid coffee (drip coffee and espresso from their La Marzocco) in a cool atmosphere with friendly people. Pair that with a stupendous chocolate chip sea salt cookie and you’ve got a great place to warm up on a cold winter’s afternoon. They also have some good-looking breakfast options that we unfortunately didn’t get a chance to try. Not necessarily worth going way out of your way for, but definitely a good option if you’re in the neighborhood.
La Dependance Espace Design Gourmand – Coffee – Le Plateau Hipster haven coffee shop. They have decent cappuccinos here and more millennial pink and light grey than you could imagine. Cozy atmosphere with a separate room for people that want to camp out with their computers. They also have a great little shop that sells books and home goods. Mostly it is a nice, comfy place to pass the time with a book in case it is snowing buckets and freezing cold outside.
Time Out Market – Food Hall – Downtown I think it is in a mall so maybe it is technically a mall food court but it is definitely the best mall food court we’ve ever been to. Instead of Panda Express, they have quick food (not fast food) from some of the city’s best chefs and restaurants.
Matt got a pork belly on top of a parsnip purée and carrots from Le Club Chasse et Peche which was a bit too fatty for Bryn, but definitely looked and tasted like an entree from a high end restaurant like Le Club Chasse et Peche, and for $16 it was a great deal. They also had a seasonal carrot salad with grapefruit and dates with some of the carrots shaved into long strips and some roasted to perfection, topped by a cumin vinaigrette giving it a slight heat.
Eat your heart out, typical mall food court
Bryn had an awesome fish ceviche served with small sweet potato chips from Paul Toussaint. It was an acid bomb and she loved every bite! Overall, everything we ate was beautiful and delicious and reasonably priced for the quality. Our only complaint was the drinks situation; given the food selection I would have expected the bar to have a much more curated and composed selection of beer and wine, but it was very pedestrian. Hopefully they can change that and make Time Out Market a can’t-miss destination in Montreal.
Pullman – Wine Bar – Downtown-ish Perhaps it’s not quite fair to pass judgement on Pullman since the power went out (on the whole city block) about an hour after we got there. The wines we tried (a very old-vine orange wine from Chile and a full-bodied but funky natural white wine) were very good, and the meat and cheese board was also real solid, but that was about the extent of our experience. The service was friendly and helpful though so I think that is enough to warrant a “go there if you feel like natural wines and snacks” in this part of town.
Some real “out there” wines btg : )
Cheese and olives? Yes please!
Monarque – Fancy Canadian – Downtown The food at Monarch was very well executed and the wine list is solid if expensive. Actually, come to think of it, everything here is expensive. The restaurant is huuuuge and there are two distinct sections. The back section is much more of a white tablecloth, borderline stuffy experience which I was not the biggest fan of. I would recommend going back, but be sure to book the front section of the restaurant and be ready for a bit of a higher bill than you might otherwise expect. Some dishes though are totally worth the price; in our case we had a killer salt-baked celery root with coffee foam, but overall it doesn’t score super high on the value front.
Regine Cafe – Brunch – La Petite-Patrie Eh. Not sure what all the hype is about; it’s good but not worth the wait in my opinion. The œuf et bœuf was the standout of what we tried. If there is no wait or I had reservations (which they accept–but are probably not necessary–on weekdays only) then I would come back, but otherwise I would probably pass.
Fromagerie Atwater – Cheese Shop – Little Burgundy Great selection of artisanal products, especially meats and cheeses from the counter for very reasonable prices. Huge selection of craft beer too, at least at the Atwater Market location. Basically everything you need if you are planning a picnic and are not close to Aliments Viens (above). Note there is another location just below Parc LaFontaine.
O-Thym – Quebecois Restaurant – Gay Village Very delicious and creative menu for dinner at very reasonable prices. The tartare du moment did not disappoint and my main course of venison was very good. The star of the show however might have been the apple bread pudding with black beer ice cream which was to die for! Since it’s BYOB it helps keep the cost of a fancy dinner in the realm of “we could do this every week”, which we totally would if we lived in the neighborhood. However, since it’s BYOB it may not be for everyone since it is somewhat hard to buy good wine at retail in Montreal.
Don’t bother
Lawrence – New Canadian – Mile End I don’t normally black-list places after one visit, but I really had a bad experience here. We went for dinner–we had reservations for 3 at 8:00p. They sat us (party of 3) at a cramped 2-top right by the door; not off to a great start. I asked about the beers available–it didn’t seem like our waitress had much of an idea, so we went with cocktails. Bryn’s sazerac came in a rocks glass with no rock(s)–odd. We had some questions about the menu–which dish should we choose between these two, what are some of the more popular dishes, what is this particular dish like, etc. Our waitress’s explanations could not have been less helpful. In some cases she didn’t seem to know the menu, in other cases she basically just read the menu back to us. It was almost as if she had not ever eaten or even really seen any of the food being served. She made choosing our dinner very difficult, and not in a good way. In the end we trusted our own judgement of the menu and enjoyed supremely the charcuterie board, an appetizer of grilled heart and liver as well as an appetizer of octopus and eggplant and an entree of aged steak, cooked absolutely perfectly. The only miss was the whelk and sausage stew which was very heavy on the whelks and light on everything else. The food was so delicious it’s a shame our experience was ruined service that was sorely lacking. I could be persuaded to give it another try, especially since Larry’s is so good, but I won’t go back on my own accord.
Patati Patata Friterie de Luxe – Diner? – Le Plateau If you are a hipster you will probably love this place. The servers are nice and helpful but everything else about this place is not making me want to run back. It’s small (I mean SMALL), cramped, the food is good if you’re drunk but not really otherwise. I will probably be looking elsewhere for my late night poutine cravings.
Bar Big In Japan – Cocktail Bar – Le Plateau Cool ambiance but at the end of the day I want to drink when I go to a bar and their whiskey selection was very small: just two Japanese whiskeys, four scotches and a small number of bourbons. And given the prices I would not say any of them are really special; it’s pretty expensive. They do have cocktails but nothing too exciting or cutting edge. This place might be a good idea if you have a date to impress and you are pretty sure he or she cares more about pretty people and cool scenes than drinking and eating. Otherwise there are more interesting and exciting bars in the neighborhood and Montreal in general.
Romados – Rotisserie Chicken – Le Plateau Charcoal grilled rotisserie chicken, fries and a salad are just what the doctor ordered on a cold winter day in Montreal. Or a warm summer day. Or any day in between; this chicken is always in season. Get the spicy sauce and use your fries to sop up the spicy goodness. It’s actually quite good; the only reason I say don’t bother is because it’s not quite as good as Ma Poule Mouille, which is literally right down the street and even if the line is longer at Ma Poule I would still go there instead of Romados.
Montreal Pool Room – Diner? – Downtown Come here for the poutine and nothing else and you will be happy.
Café Myriade – Coffee – Le Plateau Sadly, this place has gone downhill somewhat in my last few visits. There is still promise but the espresso has lately been bitter and dirty-tasting. Unfortunate because the location is pretty excellent, and the pastries are good but the coffee is just not great like it used to be and there are definitely better coffees in the neighborhood.
Hurley’s Irish Pub – Irish Pub – Downtown Ok, this may not not be a popular opinion, but I think this place sucks. Mostly that is because the last thing I want to do for my once-yearly Saturday night in Montreal is spend the night drinking crappy beer and watching the Habs on TV. Unfortunately this is exactly what the Wild Turkeys (the hockey team which is the reason we come to Montreal in the first place) always want to do. Not only are there better places to drink in Montreal, there are also better places to watch the Habs. I say skip it.
Whether your passion is coffee, food or booze, Copenhagen is a wonderful place to spend a long weekend. Heck, Copenhagen Airport is a wonderful place to spend a long weekend! I feel confident saying it is the best airport I’ve ever been to. Anyway, if you do decide to venture outside of the airport, here is a handy guide to where to (and where not to) eat, drink and be merry while you are in Copenhagen.
First though, a few things about getting around. Everyone says Copenhagen is very walkable, and that’s true to an extent, but if you will be making trips to and from Refshaleøen and Norrebro (which you should!), you will quickly find Copenhagen is not as walkable as everyone says. Everyone rides bikes for a reason ; ) You should also ride a bike if you can (or want to) but the biking culture is pretty serious about following the rules of the road so take a second to learn them if you are planning on biking.
If you don’t want to bother with a bike, all the buses and trains (there are subways as well as something more like a regional commuter train) and ferries run on the same ticketing system, somewhat like the MTA. If you are staying for a while you can pay 80 DKK for the Metrocard equivalent and then put money on it whenever you need at subway stations. Alternatively you can buy multiday passes. Finally, you can pay per ride on the bus, but note that the bus drivers are not able to make a ton of change. There aren’t any turnstiles for any of the transportation, you just need to have your ticket on you in case anyone asks to see it.
Riding the public transportation is relatively expensive compared to most other public transportation systems I’ve seen, but it is pretty useful and pretty reliable, which is good since there is no Uber in Copenhagen. They have plenty of taxis, but the public transportation was so reliable we never had the need to use a taxi. Even getting to and from the airport is super easy; the M2 subway goes from the airport to stations in the Indre By (“center city”–don’t ask me how to pronounce it though : )
If you do decide to go for a walk, take the opportunity to walk through one of the cemeteries. Danish Cemeteries are absolutely stunning; they have big gorgeous trees everywhere in them and people seem to sit under big trees just enjoying the cool breeze. It’s much more like a great city park than a cemetery; it just happens to have some tombstones around.
Note also that Denmark is almost a cashless society. Many shops do not even accept cash and the only thing we needed cash to pay for was the bus fare if we were paying on board (rather than buying a ticket from the train station as I mentioned above). Trust me, unless you collect foreign currency as a souvenir, you don’t need any Danish Kroner : )
Where To Stay
Hotel SP 34 As I always say, if it’s good enough for the New York Times, it’s good enough for me. Our room was tiny, with a Juliet balcony, but it was well decorated like a West Elm catalog. This cozy boutique hotel, had a cool, casual, relaxed vibe. It was in in a great location – near the Torvelhallerne market, and close, but not too close to shopping areas. They are a part of the Brochner hotel group which offers complementary Portuguese red, white & sherry wine from 5-6 pm everyday (& the best darn potato chips you’ve ever tasted). They have 5 other hotels in Copenhagen (soon to be 6), they all have a different vibe, and as a guest of SP 34 you are welcome to visit the other hotels during happy hour.
Don’t Miss
Amass – Modern European – Refshaleøen Can I give it six stars? A fantastic evening where the food, wines and service all came together perfectly. Everything we tasted was amazingly delicious (which is not as common for a tasting menu as you might think), the wines were interesting and paired perfectly with the food and the service was fun but not unprofessional. It isn’t cheap but it is worth it.
The chef, Matt Orlando, has had a lot of fine dining experience–including at Per Se in the late 2000s with some other very special people who just happen to own our favorite restaurant–so it’s perhaps no surprise that he would be good at this, but the dinner we had was really on another level. To borrow an analogy from baseball, they pitched a perfect game. We will definitely be back when we are in Copenhagen again.
Broaden & Build – Brew Pub – Refshaleøen If you can’t get in to (or don’t want to shell out for) dinner at Amass (above) then you could do a lot worse than this. The beers are all amazing, creative but still well balanced. The food is taken just as seriously as at Amass (even if the food itself is a bit less serious, which is perfect for the setting). It’s a great place to spend an evening with friends, eating dinner and having great beers. I promise we are not paid spokespeople; Matt Orlando is just really killing it in Copenhagen right now.
Kyros & Co. – Cocktail Bar – Indre By It may not look like much from the outside but this is really a great cocktail bar on the inside. Vodka-tonic types need not apply, but for any true cocktail aficionado this is a must-do. If Ana is on staff, tell her you want to go crazy and she will sort you out. The cocktails are as bespoke as possible and many of the ingredients are of the homemade, genius mad-scientist type. They distill their own gin, have small-batch rums that smell and taste like no other rums you’ve ever seen. A really fantastic, personal cocktail experience in Copenhagen.
Coffee Collective – Coffee Shop – Various Locations This is probably the best coffee in a city with a lot of good coffee shops. The nitro cold brew is the bet I’ve had; normally nitro cold brews are not flavorful or texturally pleasant but this one was both. I finally felt like I understand what a nitro cold brew is all about. The flat white is also top-notch and at the Torvehallerne location they don’t have any food so you can bring a pastry from Laura’s across the aisle to enjoy with your coffee.
Reffen – Outdoor Food Market – Refshaleøen Think of it as the Smorgasburg of Copenhagen, but really chill–even on a Saturday night–with a great view of the sunset. There are so many cool food booths representing many different cuisines here that we couldn’t try them all but those we did try definitely did not disappoint. For sure this is one more place to add to a long list of great places in Copenhagen to hang out with friends, eating and drinking and having a good time.
Arket Store & Cafe – Cafe – Indre By I’m not much of a shopper, but there are not too many places I’d rather be having a coffee while Brynnie is looking around the store. The espresso is on-point, silky and rich in a cappuccino and the cold brew was actually one of the better cold brews I’ve had, period. Well done for a cafe inside a clothing store. Also note they have a location in the airport, which is not only a good choice for a last-minute shopping spree but also definitely your best option for coffee in terminal.
Admiralgade 26 – Modern European – Indre By Great little spot for dinner and wines right around the corner from Ved Stranden 10 (which are owned by the same people). The food is excellent, the wine list is very good and the service is too. They have a lot of good choices by the glass (even some that aren’t necessarily on the menu) and can definitely help you find something you’ll love.
Sonny – Cafe – Indre By Great coffee from a slick La Marzocco Strada and great smørrebrød for breakfast. Potato bread was great but the avocado bread was even better! Breakfast does not seem to be much of big event in Copenhagen, so this may have been the best choice for a good breakfast (even if it’s just smørrebrød and pastries) that we found in the center city.
Mirabelle – Cafe & Wine Bar – Nørrebro Cute little spot for all day dining, right next to Bæst and BRUS. It’s a bit on the expensive side, but this was the place that we found that by far took breakfast the most seriously in Copenhagen. The pastries and breads are made in house (you can literally watch the bakers do their thing through the glass wall that separates the dining room from the bakery) and hoo boy are they delicious. The breakfast portions are very generous–one plate of eggs and a pastry or two is definitely enough for two people. They have a good-looking selection of wine too in case you are too late for breakfast.
John’s Hotdog Deli – Hot Dogs – Vesterbro Located in Kødbyen (the Meatpacking District) among a bunch of other really cool stuff, but definitely don’t overlook this hot dog. The dogs and buns are of course good and even the slightly surly (or maybe just Danish) service can’t take away from the magic that is the toppings table. 20+ creative relishes and pickles turn this into a hot dog extravaganza. You’ll need a few dogs to try all the toppings…and you’ll definitely want to try all the toppings. My suggestion for the perfect Kødbyen afternoon with your best buds? Grub up here and then go brew up next door at Warpigs. You can thank me later.
ROAST Coffee – Coffee – Indre By Coffee shop in the center city with a strong coffee game. They roast their own beans and make a mean cappuccino. They only have coffee, but there is something to be said for doing one thing and doing it well.
Steff’s Place – Hot Dogs – Airport I know, I know, it’s a hot-dog stand in the airport, but it’s seriously really good. If you have ever been to Iceland then you know Scandinavians know how to do hot dogs right. Maybe it’s just because you can get it to take on the airplane, but in my book Steff’s Place is just a notch or two below Bæjarins Beztu in Reykjavik. This is a totally brilliant alternative to the usual airport food; you can’t go wrong with two regular dogs with everything on ’em–most importantly those fried onions and pickles!
Illums Bohlighus – Shopping – Indre By In the city center, there is Illums Bolighus, this beautiful Danish Department store. Filled with Danish art, furniture, home goods, and clothing–I could have spent hours here. The Danish design is just stunning.; the perfect combination of function & fashion.
If you have time/are in the neighborhood
Hija de Sanchez – Tacos – Torvehallerne From a stand in between the two market buildings at Torvehallerne, the tacos were technically proficient, but some of the flavors were just a bit…off (the cheese taco was not nearly as delicious as it could have been—too much crema). On the other hand, some flavors were off the hook (cabbage taco sounds weird but was so good). The tacos fly out of the kitchen though so if you find one you like it won’t take too long to order another one. Overall a good–if somewhat overhyped–spot for a quick snack.
Speaking of Torvehallerne Market, it’s part farmer’s market, part food hall, and while that sounds really cool (and probably is really cool if you live right in the neighborhood), we never figured out how to love this market. The stalls are all interesting enough, but none of them make you go “omg I haaave to try that”. Like I said, it’s probably more of a local’s market than a tourist’s market.
Den Økologiske Pølsemand (DØP) – Hot Dogs – Indre By Solid, organic hotdogs from these two streetcarts in the middle of Copenhagen. The dogs are a great snack overall but the buns are a bit hard since they are made from whole grains and sourdough. Unfortunately I think I’m just too partial to good ol’ fashioned white or potato bread; sometimes you just shouldn’t mess with a classic.
CUB Coffee Bar Boldhusgade – Coffee Shop – Indre By A comfy and cozy coffee shop down a flight of stairs in between Ved Stranden 10 and Amiralgade 26. It’s just a coffee shop, with a few pastries and a solid if unspectacular flat white, but the real draw of this place is as a place to hole up when the weather is not so nice and do some work or read a book.
Cafe Atelier September – Cafe and Wine Bar – Indre By Super-cute all-day cafe that has good coffee and a few typical breakfast options like avocado bread or a soft-boiled egg with cheese and rye bread. There is not a ton of seating so try to go a bit on the early side. Very good coffee–filter and espresso were both solid–though confusingly there are no bathrooms so maybe get that second cappuccino to go.
I’m pretty sure this vintage Porsche is part of the decor ; )
Warpigs Brewpub – Barbecue/Brewery – Vesterbro GIANT brewery and barbecue place in Kødbyen. Lots of great beers on tap, both from the brewery and guest taps. It’s a great place to hang out–outside if it’s nice (though there is no shade) or inside if it’s not so nice. Either way there is plenty of space. The barbecue is good if not great, but then again Denmark isn’t Texas. The pulled pork–always the safest bet–is smokey and moist and delicious. The brisket however was dry so I would skip it next time and go with some of the more non-traditional BBQ dishes on the menu.
Prolog Coffee Bar – Coffee Shop – Vesterbro A small shop in the Meatpacking District, they have a nice espresso machine and make a good if not great flat white. It’s not necessarily worth going out of your way for, but if you need a coffee after a day of eating and drinking in Kødbyen then this is probably your best option.
BRUS – Brewpub – Nørrebro A giant pub that has some good snacks and a big list of great beers. It’s really well-decorated and comfy on the inside. The food portions are on the smaller side and the beers are on the expensive side but it is a good place to hang out with friends and a good place to pick up some beers to go in case you are having a picnic.
Kompa’9 – Cafe – Indre By A cute little place, with a vintage chic interior, good coffee and a solid breakfast. They had a great avocado toast topped with a tomato powder (!) and accompanied by a few roasted tomatoes. They also had some perfectly cooked scrambled eggs served with spinach and mushrooms. Nothing mind-blowing but a solid option to start your day right.
Mikkeller & Friends – Beer Bar – Nørrebro There are plenty of Mikkeller-owned places to drink great beer in this city but the original is a pretty good setting to do so. Lots of taps, good Mikkeller beers and guest beers, helpful service and–if the weather is nice–some tables across the street to sit at and people watch. Since they don’t have any food, you are welcome to bring your own. Note also there is a Mikkeller in the airport in case you weren’t yet convinced it is the best airport ever.
Malmo – Day Trip – Sweden (!) Malmo is the third largest city in all of Sweden but (at least on the Sunday morning we visited) it felt like more of a small town than a major city. Malmo is only a 40-minute train ride away from Copenhagen. Even though the trip is short, make sure to pack your passport (they do check it on the train)!
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Once in Malmo, check out the Malmo Saluhall a great food hall in the center of the town. It was the only spot we found that actually got crowded on a Sunday! Inside, there are quite a few good choices, including wood-fired pizza place, tapas and seafood, but our favorites were Pink Head, the Asian noodle bar and Poms Mackor, a beer and sandwich bar.
Gro Spiseri – Supper Club – Østerbro Tucked on a side street in a neighborhood and up a long flight of spiral stairs is the rooftop farm restaurant, Gro Spiseri. Gro has a gorgeous rooftop farm filled with organic flowers, herbs and vegetables. It even houses some chickens and two rabbits. We were greeted by two big bonfires, the setting sun, sparkling wines, and new friends. There are twenty-four seats at one long table inside of a greenhouse. There are three chefs that talk you through each of the four courses and one person at the front of the house serving great wines. Of course, with any tasting menu make sure to tell them in advance if you have any dietary restrictions, and they are more than willing to accommodate. Gro is just one of those rare, special places where you are able to sit with strangers and have fantastic food and share great conversation with people around the world. The world needs more restaurant experiences like this.
Manfreds – Wine Bar –Nørrebro On one of the cutest streets in Copenhagen, this place was a wonderful spot to enjoy a beautiful farm fresh lunch. We had the Zucchini topped with olive oil, fresh figs and toasted nuts. Chicken sausage with pistachios, street corn with a tomato butter and cheese and a tomato pesto salad. They had beautiful wines to pair with the courses.
Ved Stranden 10 – Wine Bar – Indre By Cute wine bar on the canal. They are also importers are Austrian wines, so they serve a lot of Austrian wines. On Monday nights they have a Monday night meal. Which by American standards is a snack. It apparently rotates every week. When we had it we enjoyed a Roast beef slider with a horseradish sauce, crispy onions and crunchy lettuce and a pork sandwich with a spicy mayo and cracklings. Both were absolutely delish!
Den Vandrette – Wine Bar – Indre By The food is here is pretty hit-or-miss but the wine is for real. Bryn even recognized some industry people on the Monday night we visited, so you know it’s good. They have some communal seating but if you want to be the most comfortable be sure to make reservations. They have a good selection of wines by the glass, but the pro move (as we witnessed firsthand from the pros in attendance) is to go with friends and order some bottles from the cellar.
Nebbiolo Winebar Wine Bar – Indre By This is a cozy, modern spot with great outdoor seating as well. We were there on a Monday night around 10:00p and it was pretty crowded. There isn’t a wine by the glass list at this bar, but the Italian staff is super knowledgeable and let you sample a few wines they think you’ll enjoy because, they want to make sure that you are getting a glass that makes you happy. Bonus – You get a small plate of truffled sausage, cheese, olives, and bread sticks included with your wine.
Don’t Bother
Restaurant Barr – Modern European – Indre By Much ado was made about this place’s beer bar. Well, much ado about nothing, I say! We showed up around 5:00p on a Saturday and somehow there was only a small outdoor section of maybe 20 seats that were being offered for people who just wanted to have a drink. There was no one at all inside the beer bar but apparently all the tables were reserved (even though the website said no reservations for the beer bar are required). At any rate, the beer wasn’t even that good; Bryn’s session pale ale was decent, but my IPA had a definite flaw, a very off taste, somewhat like cheesy old hops. The only saving grace was we didn’t have to stick around that long.
Det Vide Hus – Coffee – Indre By This place came highly recommended from many different and reliable sources, but I thought it was just ok. I only had the filter coffee–I didn’t try the espresso–but overall it was nothing really special. Maybe their breakfast is good? For coffee though, I would much rather walk a few extra blocks to the Coffee Collective in Torvehallerne.
Democratic Coffee – Coffee – Indre By Based on the coffee only it was somewhat disappointing. The flat white was a bit thin and sour. It was drinkable but just not quite what I expected since it seems like a legit coffee shop. Maybe it was just an off day?
OC Depot – Coffee – Torvahallerne I had high hopes for this coffee shop as the underdog in the market, but the flat white was somewhat bitter and thin and lacked the richness that Coffee Collective achieves. If this location were in another part of town, especially a part of town which is a coffee dead zone, it would be worth a visit, but with Coffee Collective less than 100 yards away it is an easy choice to make.
Christiania – Run-down and over-grown nonsense – Christianshavn In case you have done literally no research of any kind on Copenhagen, Christiania is a hippie commune that has been around since the 1970’s. They are “against” hard drugs, but then they “sell” a lot of weed on the one main street. For that reason, they “don’t want you taking pictures”. It all seems made up and kind of fake for the sake of all the tourists. The rest of the neighborhood is just run-down and boring. We could have easily passed on this one, but if you do go, I would hit it up during the day as it’s obviously pretty sketchy.
Stefano’s Pizzabar – Pizza – Nørrebro We ordered a pizza to-go to enjoy with our beers at Mikkeller & Friends, just down the street. Stefanos was the only place (in the whole country!) where we encountered Danish people who didn’t seem to want to speak English to us. The guy at the counter seemed like I was wasting his time by asking him to take my order and in the end the pizza wasn’t even anything to write home about anyway. Skip it.
If you think this post is going to be about Mt. Rushmore, think again! Ok, yes, we went there, because it is basically a requirement in the Instagram era to put some Mt. Rushmore selfies on the internet, but ultimately this part of South Dakota is about much more. The beauty of the landscape is quintessetially America and many of those beautiful places have historical significance too. This is the kind of place to come and be outdoors as much as possible.
On that note, make sure you come dressed and prepared for the outdoors. Real hiking boots, moisture-wicking socks and undershirts, sunscreen, a jacket and a pack will all come in great handy, even on short day hikes since the weather can be fickle. Also make sure you pack plenty of water.
One more thing that is important to note, this is an early-to-bed, Sunday-is-a-day-of-rest kind of place. I don’t think we saw a single restaurant that was open for dinner past 8:00p, and very litle is open on Sundays, even in Rapid City. Grocery stores will be open, but very few restaurants, so either reserve well ahead or plan to make your own dinner (a great idea in my opinion if you have access to a grill!)
Don’t miss
Dakota BBQ LLC – Barbecue Restaurant – Custer Really friendly people making great BBQ. Gotta get there early, especially if you want ribs, but even if you miss out on ribs you won’t be disappointed. The pulled pork is awesome; so moist but still distinctly porky. Get it naked or on a sandwich and don’t skip the baked beans—homemade of course—which are sweet and saucy and super delicious.
Black Hills Burger and Bun Co – Hamburger Restaurant – Custer Really delicious burgers and fries. Patties are juicy and the buns are perfectly soft. Malted milkshakes are great too. All in all a great place for dinner. Minus one star for not being open for dinner on the weekends though. What’s up with that?
Red Shirt Table Overlook – Vista Point – Hermosa A really crazy view of the Badlands within (relatively) easy striking distance from the Custer area. A great place for otherworldly photos, especially at sunset. Also a decent place to do a little stargazing if you have a blanket or a pickup truck bed ; ) On a clear night the stars are magical. Visiting at sundown and staying until the stars came out was possibly my favorite experience of the whole trip.
South Dakota Badlands
Waiting for the stars to come out
Canyon Lake Liquors – Liquor Store – Rapid City Great place to buy good wine in what seems like an otherwise wine dead zone. Prices are high but where else in South Dakota are you going to find wine that doesn’t have a picture of a cartoon donkey on the front.
The Custer Beacon – Event Venue – Custer A pretty cool spot in an otherwise not particularly cool little town. It feels like the sort of place that would be almost like a de facto cultural center—it definitely has a lot of potential. Lots of fun shows and even an annual air guitar competition (?!) Acoustics could be a bit better but the atmosphere and decent selection of craft beer is hard to deny.
Skogen Kitchen – American Restaurant – Custer Amazing find in sleepy little Custer, SD! It’s small, so make reservations, but it’s worth the extra leg work. Highlights of our meal were the morel risotto daily special, the veal sweetbreads with aji amarilo, the free-range chicken with muhammara and the pork chop with green papaya salad. Plus they have by far the most sophisticated wine list maybe in the whole state. It’s a small list that skews mostly American but there are wines at every price point and definitely some good deals. As if that wasn’t enough it is one of the few places open on Sunday for dinner. They also have a killer brunch with amazing pancakes.
Veal sweatbreads and morel risotto
Scallops, pork chop, and good wine
Delicious brunch…
…with fried chicken and pancakes!
Cream – Ice Cream Shop – Hill City This ice cream shops pulls their espresso from a LaMarzocco so you know they mean business when it comes to their coffee. In fact it is the only legit coffee shop we found outside of Rapid City. They make a well-made 8-oz (“small latte”) and also had French-pressed coffee brewed and ready to serve. Plus the homemade ice cream comes in a number of inventive flavors and is *real* good.
Lost Cabin Beer Co. – Brewery – Rapid City Great beers (very well made and a large and diverse selection) and really friendly staff. It’s not huge inside but a nice place to hang out with friends and have a pint over tater tots from the food truck in the parking lot. I’d definitely be back for more smoked coffee stout and tater tots!
Pure Bean Coffeehouse – Coffee Shop – Rapid City Strong coffee game for sure; in fact the best we found in all of South Dakota. Good single origin drip coffee and an excellent cortado (8 oz) pulled from a Mavam espresso machine. I would definitely come back for coffee and a cookie anytime I’m in Rapid City.
N.B. If you are in the market for coffee and aren’t sure about the fact that the bags have no indication of the coffee’s roast date, I am told that all the coffee is freshly roasted and none of the coffee bags on the shelf should be more than a couple days old.
Custer State Park Wildlife Loop Road – Wildlife Viewing – East Custer This is a really beautiful drive through the park with lots of opportunities to see native wildlife like bison, pronghorn antelope, prairie dogs and even donkeys (!) The drive is beautiful and there is a good chance to see wildlife but the part that I would recommend not to miss is the hike on the Prairie Trail. There is a small parking lot and a bathroom at the Prairie Trail Trailhead on Wildlife Loop Rd. Hiking through the wilderness is a much better way to experience the beauty of this area than driving, and you might even happen upon some bison!
If you have time/are in the area
Black Elk Peak – Hiking – Sylvan Lake The trail was snowy and muddy as all get out in late May (!) but it was a fun (if wet) slog to the top. The top was slightly underwhelming though; the views are spectacular but the top can be crowded. Also we had a really hard time finding the USGS high point marker. Overall it wasn’t bad just not the most exciting high-point experience of my life.
Baker’s Bakery & Café – Breakfast Restaurant – Custer I would describe it as a fairly standard diner-type spot. The breakfast and pastries are homemade but lacked the artisanal touch I was really hoping for. Bryn thought the doughnuts reminded here of her childhood, I thought they reminded me of Dunkin’. There is one shining star of the breakfast menu though, the the western omelette with a side of green chile sauce that is the bomb.
Mt. Rushmore Brewing Company – Brewpub – Custer Some of the beers are really good, but others still need some work. The oatmeal stout, the cranberry juniper (!) special ale and the scotch ale are all strong choices. The IPAs and porters left a lot to be desired. Similarly for the food, stick to traditional bar food: the chicken wings are super-duper and the bratwurst is solid but I would not order the pizza again. Overall it is a place to eat in Custer that may be open when other places are not open, but it is definitely not worth going out of your way for.
Don’t bother
Wind Cave National Park Visitor Center – Cave Tour – Hot Springs Unless you manage to get on the Wild Cave tour (crawling required) or potentially the Candlelight tour (some off trail travel) I would definitely skip this overly touristy stop in Wind Cave National Park. The park itself is cool and there is lots of great-looking hiking as well as a herd of bison you can see from the road, but the cave tours are pretty lame. There is nothing natural about the Natural Entrance tour–everything has been widened and paved for ease of access and it feels too manicured and a bit like waiting in line for some sort of Indiana Jones-themed ride at Disney World. Plus almost no real information is given about the caves and their history and significance to the native peoples, which would have at least made the tour more interesting if it wasn’t going to be very exciting.
Knuckle Saloon – Gastropub – Sturgis First of all, this is NOT a Gastropub. Tricked again by Google Maps, I guess. In reality, it is just your average dive bar with tons of tchotchkes and junk all over the place, which makes it feel a little too much like a Disney World version of a dive bar. The food is just regular bar food. Perhaps it is just not my type of place but I would skip it next time.
Mount Rushmore National Memorial – Memorial Park – Keystone This may be blasphemy but just stick with me here. It’s Mt. Rushmore. You know it, you (probably) love it, but it’s just a bunch of heads carved into a rock. It is actually kind of cool up close, and $10 for one carload is somewhat reasonable, but you don’t realy *need* to do this to have a great time in South Dakota. If you do decide to come here there is no way I can see that you would need anymore than 20 minutes at the monument. In a way it’s kind of a victim of its own fame; it looks exactly like what you expepct it to look like. There is no mystery, no wonder, no real interest unfortunately. Snap those selfies and get on to the good stuff!
Asheville is a vibrant city in North Carolina’s Blue Ridge Mountains known for its local breweries, outdoorsy lifestyle and art scene. There are over 25 different breweries and an amazing foodie scene. Unlike other Southern towns definitely has a more of hippy dippy rather than preppy vibe.
Within the past year, I have been lucky enough to head to Asheville, North Carolina for two very happy occasions. First, Matt’s best friend got married in the mountains right outside of Asheville (as pictured above) , and then most recently, my future sister-in-law’s bachelorette party. I had two completely different experiences there, but both were a blast.
How do you get there? – They do have direct flights into Asheville, but they can be expensive! We flew into Charlotte and then took a 2 hour drive to Asheville. Nothing like a good roadtrip 🙂 Along the way if you get hungry make sure you add Bridges BBQ as a pitstop for food. Their Carolina pulled pork can’t be beat!
Carolina BBQ!
Must Do:
Flora & Forage – Coffee & Flower Shop – West Asheville – This place is everything I look for in a coffee shop and shopping experience. It is part coffee shop/part flower shop and was just adorable. They have so many cozy nooks that I could envision myself enjoying a cup of coffee here while getting work done or a glass of wine in the afternoon. They have adorable planters for sale and it was an Instagramer’s paradise.
City Bakery- Breakfast – Asheville – Delicious breakfast sandwiches–including the fresh foccacia with sausage, apple butter, spinach and eggs! I also had the mushroom and swiss quiche which had a cornmeal crisp on the bottom rather than a thick pie shell. It was accompanied by a side salad, which I loved since it didn’t feel too heavy and was a good way to start a long day of stuffing ourselves. They had a lavender latte that had the perfect floral element to it.
Sausage & cheese breakfast sammie
Mushroom & swiss quiche
Sunny Point Cafe -“Blunch” – West Asheville – They’re big on the “Blunch” front in Asheville. Lest you think they are being different for difference’s sake, there is a difference between “brunch” and “blunch”: “blunch” is much heavier on the lunch front whereas “brunch” implies there will be more breakfast-type items. (Seriously.)
Either way, you will love this super busy local spot in West Asheville, starting with the best bacon you’ve ever had! It was thick and super crunchy (aka Hartzell-style). I had the pimento, tomato, bacon omelet with foccacia. Pimento cheese is the perfect omelet cheese since it melts all over everything! I got the salad with a hemp dressing to go along with it. Mom got the pecan encrusted fried green tomatoes with goat cheese and a chipotle remoulade. They were perfectly fried, and didn’t feel too heavy. Grab a cup of joe while you wait outside! No reservations, it might take a little while, but take a seat on a bench under the big trees and dog watch! Try to get David Jones as a server, he’s got a great energy! If it’s monkey bread day definitely grab one for the table.
Fried Green Tomatoes
The Southern omelet
Rhubarb – Dinner – Asheville – This farm to table restaurant is a tough one to get into, so make sure you make reservations. We ordered a bunch of small plates that we shared. The highlights included their cassoulet with foraged mushrooms, pesto, and beans which was superb. The other stand outs included the Mongolian barbecued lamb ribs with collard green kimchi and the goat cheese burruta with rhubarb jam and crunchy onions
Buratta – So yummy!
The Rhu – Breakfast – Asheville – Around the corner from Rhubarb is their little sister restaurant “The Rhu.”The Rhu also features farm fresh ingredients just like Rhubarb, but is done in a more casual atmosphere. They have good coffee and freshly baked pastries if you want to grab and go quickly. They also offer breakfast toasts, homemade granola and breakfast sandwiches.
When I was there the first time around, I actually got a breakfast salad, which seems to be a big thing in Asheville. Mine included a frisee salad, a soft boiled egg, bacon, and other roasted veggies. They also had a bunch of lunch options and you can even order picnic baskets to go here.
New Belgium Brewing Company – Brewery – Home of Fat Tire beer, this place is no stranger to the craft beer scene. It actually began over 30 years ago in Denver and made its way over the the east coast in 2016. New Belgium Brewing has a huge beautiful facility right on the river which was perfect way to unwind after the week and spend a Spring afternoon. They have over 25 taps on location and were launching special releases every few hours while we were there, luring you to stick around longer to try out the newest creative draught.
They had a huge lawn spread out with picnic tables, a couple of food trucks and friends and their dogs just hanging out enjoying some good beer and sun. We didn’t take one, but they offer tours as well. If they happen to have the Passion Fruit Kolsh on tap do it! It was so refreshing.
Burial – Brewery – Asheville – Burial has a great mix of different inventive beers. Fabulous outdoor space with lots of different seating areas. Picnic tables with big umbrellas and a large stage where bands play and they have beer brewing talks make for a great place to hang out during happy hour and on the weekends. I got a flight of four beers that included a pineapple beer (that even my mother found palatable) and a wildflower saison that was super unique.
Battery Park Book Exchange and Champagne Bar – Bar & Store – Asheville– We stumbled on this little gem late Saturday afternoon before heading to dinner. We were all tired from a day of shopping and over indulging all day and were in the mood for a relaxing environment where we could grab a drink and a seat for six without struggling. All of a sudden, we turned the corner and stumbled upon this place. They have a beautiful assortment of used books that focus on North Carolina, the South and the Civil War. The place is super cozy and had so many nooks that you could sit in on a date or with friends. It was gorgeous out, so we opted to sit outside while a live jazz band played in the background. They have over 80 options of beverages to choose from that from what I’ve heard rotate frequently.
The Biltmore Estate – Museum & Wine Tasting – Asheville – Absolutely stunning estate. Those Vanderbilts really knew what a vacation home should look like… wow. I went to the Vanderbilts’ other house in Newport, Rhode Island and it’s hard to believe that they only vacationed in these estates for a few weeks the entire year. The Biltmore estate was very well organized and their headset tours made it a much more educational experience. We visited at the end of March and even though the gardens weren’t in full bloom yet, they were starting to look stunning.
If you drive further down the road on the estate you will drive past their farm including new little baby sheep. We had a nice lunch sitting outside next to their winery. They had a wine tasting that featured 22 different wines that was included in the price of admission to the estate. Make sure to save a little time to check out their cute boutique near the winery.
We thought that it was a little crazy that all of the literature we read talked about spending the entire day at the estate. However, we did just that! We arrived around 9:30am and didn’t leave until 5:30pm. Sure beats a day at the office.
If you have time/If you’re in the neighborhood:
White Labs Kitchen & Tap – Dinner – Asheville – This place was a bit out of the way… the location almost felt like we were going to a doctor’s office in a neighborhood instead of a hip brewery. But once we were inside we had a great experience. We had heard great things about their kimchi fries and man oh man they were delicious. The Lactobacillus-brined fries were perfectly crispy with acidic kimchi and crispy brisket on top. They had an awesome spicy mayo on top too.
We also shared the duck pizza and a Brussels spout pizza. We had a some interesting wheat wines made with Australian and California strands of yeast. They had a great outdoor space out front as well as upstairs. They apparently also offer a lot of classes there as well which I would definitely try to check out next time I’m in Asheville.
Chestnut – Dinner – Asheville – We stayed at the Marriott Aloft directly across the street from the restaurant Chestnut which made for a great commute home. The food here was delicious. I had the shrimp and grits which were peppery and delicious. They did a great job of having different sized options on the menu. For instance, you could get a filet mignon with mashed potatoes and green beans for only $16. All of their food was delicious, but we were coming off of all day eating spree, so to be honest, I just wasn’t as hungry as I wanted to be while dining here.
Hole – Doughnuts – West Asheville – These yeast doughnuts are made to order and get covered in delicious toppings like vanilla glaze, orange cardamom, sesame seeds, and cinnamon sugar. The doughnuts are super fresh and melt in your mouth. The staff is really friendly and nice to be around and they have both indoor and outdoor seating. It’s a little off the beat and path, but if you are in West Asheville it’s worth making your way over to grab a doughnut or two.
Twin Leaf – Brewery – Asheville – Thursday night is karaoke night… it was fun at first, but then, the same people kept singing over and over again. I tried two of their more unique beers, the “Pink Peppercorn Gose” which was delicious and very peppery and their “Like the Moon”- plum and blue basil sour farmhouse ale which tasted just like it sounds. I would give this place another shot, but on another night.
Oyster House Brewing Co – Brewery – West Asheville-Directly across the street from Sunny Point Cafe known for their “Moonstone Stout” made with oyster shells to give it added brine. I thought that these were good, but to be honest, I’m not much of a stout person, so I might not be the best judge.
Wicked Weed’s Funkatorium – Brewery – Asheville – Wicked Weed is a pretty famous brewery in Asheville. It’s so popular that they actually have a second location in Asheville called the Funkatorium… it’s focus is really on their funkier beers – like sours. This place would be awesome to meet a large group of friends here on a Saturday afternoon. It has a lot of indoor and outdoor space to order food, brews and enjoy some good company.
Like sucking on a lemon 😉
Sour Power!
Take a hike….
If you decide you want to get out into nature…. head to the Pisgah National Forest, where you can hike and spend time in the fresh air. Matt’s best friend got married at the Pisgah Inn, overlooking the mountains and it was just stunning. It’s only a 1/2 hour drive from Asheville, so getting there gives you the perfect mix of city/nature life.
The worst part about Paris is the flight. Never fly Air France economy class. Never fly into or out of Orly (though Charles De Gaulle is only marginally better). In fact, if possible, just take the train from somewhere else in Europe. You will enjoy your journee so much more. The good news is, though, once you manage to escape the most uncomfortable flight in history, it will definitely be all uphill from there.
Some things to note about Paris, especially regarding eating and drinking, that always seem strange to me:
Restaurants in Paris operate around their lives, not yours. Lunch hours are a tight window from 12:00p to 2:30p and are held very strictly–do not expect to show up at 2:35p and be seated for lunch. Similarly, many of the restaurants you want to eat at will be closed on the days you want to eat at them (i.e. the weekends). There are of course some good restaurants in Paris which have deigned to be open on Saturday and/or Sunday, but be sure to make reservations well ahead of time so you don’t miss out.
Paris has great natural wine. In Paris, “natural wine” just means “good wine that happened to be made in a sustainable and earth-friendly way”, as opposed to “natural wine” in America, which just seems to mean “wine that smells like animal waste and tastes like hot garbage”. Find a wine bar in Paris and it’s a good bet it will be a “natural wine” bar, but that is actually a good thing in this case.
This is not directly related to coffee, food or booze, but it can sometimes be tough to get around Paris (especially if you are from New York) because Google Maps makes all distances in Paris look more walkable than they really are. On top of that, you–being well acquainted with the worst transit authority in history, the MTA–probably have an inherent distrust of taking the subway to go on a trip that covers what seems like short distance and/or requires one or more transfers. Never fear; the Paris Metro is very safe and efficient and trains run almost one after another so that you would rarely wait more than three or four minutes for the next one. Plus rides are cheap–1.50 EUR per ride if you buy 10 tickets at a time. Hence, taking the subway one or two stops is probably actually the most efficient way to get from point A to point B.
Parisian restaurants always seem to want to get your food order first, and then take your drink order. I suppose this actually makes more sense than the way things are done in America because you will probably want to pair your wine (or beer or cocktail) with your food, rather than the other way around, but it always throws me off. Especially since I am always concerned the food will come before the booze (which does happen on occasion and drives me nuts). It is quite possible however that I am the only weird that really cares about this and it won’t matter to you either way.
I think everyone already knows this about Paris (and France, and Europe in general), but it gets me every time: the servers at most restaurants feel almost no incentive to sell you anything. Beyond the initial order of food and drink they will not look at your empty wine glass and ask if you want more wine. In fact they will probably not ask you if you want anything else at all. If you do happen to want something else (say, more water, or wine, or to pay the bill) you will need to flag them down and ask for it. This is perhaps the thing that I have the hardest time with because I feel rude asking someone to basically do their job. It is a cultural difference that I will never understand but as they say, c’est la vie.
One more thing I would be remiss not to mention is how much we enjoyed our Airbnb Experiences in Paris. We took a “Magic French Liquors” mixology class with François and a “Learn to Bake French Croissants” class with Flo and Olivier. Airbnb makes it easy to sign up for these offbeat and interesting experiences and we really enjoyed both of our experiences. I would highly recommend them to anyone else looking for something fun to do in between all the eating and drinking ; )
Ok, that should be enough to get you started. Now on with the show:
Don’t miss
La Maison du Savon de Marseille – Beauty Supplies – 4th Arrondissement It may seem weird for a beauty supply store to be the very first place listed in the blog, but this might be Bryn’s favorite spot in Paris. We measure the time between trips to Paris in bars of this store’s wonderful soap. When we start to run low (only two or three bars left), then it is time to start looking for flights to Paris. There are so many wonderful scents to choose from and each one makes taking a shower like a taking a short, wet little trip back to Paris. There is a second location near the Arc de Triomphe.
Soap heaven
La Maison du Savon de Marseille
Cafe Mericourt – Cafe – 11th Arrondissement The rare coffee shop that serves great food and great coffee instead of just one or the other. Everyone is very friendly and the flat white is one of the best I’ve had in Paris. Food wise, the shakshuka is off the hook. Like seriously it’s the standard to which I compare all other shakshukas. The only problem is Cafe Mericourt is tiny, so you should definitely plan to be there on the early side because it will fill up fast. We’ll definitely be back every time we’re in Paris.
Waiting for tables outside Cafe Mericourt
What everyone is waiting for: shakshuka!
Golden Promise – Bar – 2nd Arrondissement The bar called Golden Promise is actually a fine whiskey bar downstairs from a Japanese restaurant, but the real attraction here is the “other room” (which doesn’t have a real name as far as I can tell–you can just tell the bartender you’re looking for the other room) where basically every whiskey in existence (I assume based on the length of the list) is available by the ounce. Some (most) are very rare and therefore very expensive, but there are definitely gems in the 15€-30€ range worth seeking out, like Johnnie Walker Black Label from the sixties or a really interesting Berry Bros and Rudd Peated Springbank whiskey from 1992. It won’t be cheap but it will be an experience you won’t forget if you are truly a whiskey lover.
Fragments – Cafe – 3rd Arrondissement A small but cosy cafe near the Chemin Vert metro stop. Delicious breakfasts–avo toast with perfectly poached eggs, homemade quick breads with inventive flavors like sweet potato or banana tahini–and coffee. The espresso is balanced and sweet and they serve raw milk by default in the cappuccino which gives the drink a little added sweetness and roundness (and definitely not something you’ll see in the US). Perfect English is spoken in case you are not up on your French cafe vocabulary. The only drawback is it’s on the expensive side, but definitely worth at least one breakfast as a vacation treat.
Avo toast and sweet potato bread
Outside Fragments
Danico – Bar – 10th Arrondissement A classy bar at the back of the Darocco Italian restaurant. Tell the host you are there for Danico and you can walk back through the restaurant to the bar. The cocktails are really creative–especially with their use of savory and non-alcoholic ingredients–but also delicious (which is not always a given when mixologists get a little too creative). The staff are friendly and speak good English and it’s a great place to have a few drinks after dinner (or while waiting for a table at Darocco, which we have not actually tried).
Au Quai Caviste Vin Nature – Wine Shop – 10th Arrondissement Fantastic little natural wine shop run by a wonderful man named Alain. The deal–to start–is you get one glass per person and a plate of sausage to share. You pick the color of your wine, Alain picks the rest ; ) Don’t worry though, Alain has great taste. I chose red and he brought me a superb pinot noir from Alsace. I never order the same glass twice but I was ready to order that wine again. Luckily he would not let me (or maybe he just didn’t understand me–his English was passable but definitely not his strongest language) and he let me taste 3 other red wines he had open before letting me choose a Rhone-valley syrah for my next glass. If you see a bottle in the shop and want to drink it there, corkage is a very fair 7€ per bottle. Definitely a great place to start your night in the 10th.
Natural wine and sausage at Au Quai Caviste
Roasted squash at Freddy’s
Feddy’s – Wine Bar/Restaurant – 6th Arrondissement Great spot for a slightly later lunch than usual–the kitchen is open until 3:00p (as opposed to the usual 2:30p) and they have a nice mid-day snacks menu in case you can’t make it in time for actual lunch. Small plates are excellent–delicious, creative and beautiful–and pair well with a great selection of wines by the glass and bottle. Go for lunch, afternoon wines or dinner. Just go!
Ambassade de Bourgogne – Wine Shop – 6th Arrondissement A small wine shop on the right bank with a few tables and a bar to try wines by the glass. As the name implies, the list leans very heavily (if not entirely?) towards Burgundy. Bryn had a very nice Nuits-St-Georges from 2015 and I found a wine from 1999 so there is definitely a good range of choices. In case you can’t decide on just one glass they have a few flights you can try too. Also, you can drink any bottle in the store for a 15€ corkage fee. It’s a bit on the expensive side, especially compared to some of the other wine bars in Paris like Au Quai Caviste (above) and La Cave de Belleville (below) but it is Burgundy after all and in Burgundy you tend to get what you pay for.
Ambassade de Bourgogne
Steak and Bordeaux at hugo&co
hugo&co – Restaurant – 5th Arrondissement Here is an example of a great restaurant that is not open on Saturday or Sunday, so make sure you plan on going during the week and make sure you have reservations. It’s small inside but somehow still comfy. The decor and vibe are real cool and the food is super delicious. A small but good selection of cocktails and wines by the glass and bottle pairs well with the menu. If you see the steak on the menu, get it. Served on a bed of smoked hay, it comes with traditional sides (ours were mashed potatoes and French lentils) and the best pan sauce you’ve ever tasted. You definitely won’t regret it.
If you have time/are in the arrondissement
O Chateau – Wine Bar/Restaurant – 1st Arrondissement They have a big bar with lots of seats but on a Friday evening around 6:00p it filled up pretty quick. 50 wines by the glass basically guarantees you’ll find something you like. We drank a glass of 2015 Volnay, 2000 Mersault and 1995 Haut-Medoc when we were there so there are definitely some good choices. They also have a killer truffle ham and cheese board which sounds kind of weird but was actually amazing, especially with the red and white Burgundy. The other meat and cheese boards looked amazing as well, even though we didn’t get to try them. The only thing keeping it from “Don’t Miss” status is the price; it’s not cheap. Still, I would say it can be a very good call for a glass of wine or two before dinner.
Truffle ham and cheese board at O Chateau
“Surf’s up” at Blackburn Coffee
Blackburn Coffee – Cafe – 10th Arrondissement Kind of a sketchy neighborhood, so it’s not too clear why you would “be in the neighborhood” for breakfast, but in case you are be sure to stop in. Solid flat white and perfectly melty, cheesy scrambled eggs. English was pretty hit or miss, so bring your phrasebook : )
Il Brigante – Pizza – 18th Arrondissement Last time Bryn and I were in Paris we met a young guy at a bar who was from Paris but loved pizza so much he once went all the way to New Haven (!) to try some pizza place that was supposed to be really good. That guy told us this place was the best pizza in Paris. I don’t think we’ve ever eaten pizza anywhere else in Paris so it’s tough to say for sure, but it is a really solid thin crust pizza. And Il Brigante is a good (if tiny) choice for lunch before or after Montmartre/Sacre Couer. English is a bit hit-or-miss but if you don’t speak French you can try Italian.
Cassiopee Cafe – Coffee Shop – 18th Arrondissement An oasis of good coffee in an out-of-the-way part of town. The coffee is solid if not spectacular, but it is freshly roasted in house (right in the back patio of the shop!) a couple times a week and there is obviously a lot of love put into the coffee and the shop.
Roasting a la minute at Cassiopee Cafe
Le Syndicat
Le Syndicat – Bar – 10th Arrondissment A speakeasy-style bar with a unique style that is basically hidden in plain sight on Rue du Faubourg Saint-Denis and only uses French ingredients to make their drinks. Service is friendly, English is well-spoken and while all of the drinks are definitely creative, only most of the drinks are delicious. On the whole though it is a cool experience and a nice place to have some creative drinks in a funky space.
Au Petit Tonneau – Bistro – 7th Arrondissement Friendly, cozy ambiance with simple but beautifully prepared dishes. Definitely go for the wild mushroom saute of the day. Also, it wouldn’t be France without at least one plate of escargots; the snails are particularly good here. English (and Spanish as it turns out) is spoken well so no need to worry about understanding the menu. A fine if not particularly exciting lunch option located in between the Eiffel Tower and Musee d’Orsay.
La Cave de Belleville – Wine Bar – 19th Arrondissement Another cool wine bar/wine shop in the same mold as Au Quai Caviste and Ambassade de Bourgogne (both above). Great little selection of natural wines by the glass and a huge selection of wines by the bottle (and craft beer!) to go with some killer cheese and meat boards. It’s also a pretty big space so there should be room for you and a few friends. The only challenge for us was the language barrier; the only guy who spoke English kept getting pulled in a bunch of different directions and it was tough to get his attention for another glass of wine. Overall though a good place to start the evening with some friends, a nice bottle and some delicious charcuterie.
Charcuterie at La Cave de Belleville
Game meats and old Beaujolais at Le Clown Bar
Le Clown Bar – Restaurant – 11th Arrondissement I had high hopes for Clown Bar even though the chef that made it famous had moved on. To be honest, the food was not as exciting as I had expected. It was still very good but ultimately some dishes felt like they were trying too hard (like the fish fried in a black (squid ink?) batter. It was good because deep fried fish is delicious, but I really couldn’t understand why it was just some black pieces of fried fish on a plate. Bryn’s pigeon was definitely the star of the show–a balanced, composed, interesting dish that was perfectly cooked. Plus they have a pretty good selection of natural wines by the bottle so your confusion over some of the food will be easily forgotten ; ) I would go back for the wine and some of that pigeon, but I can’t say I would go out of my way to make it back, especially if I am on a short stay in Paris.
Don’t bother
La Bourse et La Vie – Bistro – 2nd Arrondissement Don’t get me wrong here, this was a very solid–though not mind-blowing–central option. The food is very good and very classic French bistro food. There is also a small but good selection of wines by the glass, but it is a very expensive meal–especially for lunch, which is when we went. You will definitely have a good meal if you choose to go but personally I would not go back with my own money; I just don’t think it is worth the price.
Saturne – Restaurant – 2nd Arrondissement Maybe we were there on an off night. (I know Valentine’s dinner is a disaster in the states but is it also a thing where restaurants mail it in in Europe too?) Either way, it just felt like the kitchen was trying too hard. Some of the food was good, but other bits were head-scratching and some–like our amuse bouche of oyster and green pea foam–were downright despicable. Also the wine pairings were very hit-and-miss, with no real stars to speak of. I think for the money I would have expected to have a more delicious, well-curated and better-executed experience; I can’t really recommend it based on our experience.
Ellsworth – Restaurant – 1st Arrondissement I have to admit I’m a bit torn about Ellsworth. On the one hand, it’s small (“cramped” doesn’t really do it justice) and full of tourists. The vaunted fried chicken was moist but ultimately nothing to write home about, and the other dishes we tried were also fine but not ground-breaking. The service was also very disjointed (though maybe they were just having a bad night since they seemed to be aware of the fact that the service was not great).
On the other hand, they do have a very good–if small–selection of natural wines by the glass and by the bottle, so maybe sitting at the bar for a drink and a snack would be the move here. I would not go back for the whole dinner thing though.
Cafe Spoune – Cafe – 11th Arrondissement I only tried the coffee, so maybe this is a bit harsh, but the coffee was only ok. Double-shot of espresso with milk (like basically a 6-oz) was quite bitter (though it did get the job done). I might come back to try the filter coffee and some for the food items but for sure there is a better flat white in the area (see especially Fragments and Cafe Mericourt, above).
Marché aux Oiseaux – Market – 4th Arrondissement Umm, I’m really not sure what this is all about, but it’s pretty weird. I don’t know why anyone would want to buy a bird from a random outdoor market on a Sunday morning on Ile de la Cite but somehow this place is still going strong. Bryn insisted we check it out for nostalgia’s sake; I insist you do not waste your time.
For as long as I can remember one of my main items on my bucket list was heading to Africa and going on a Safari. So, when my mom declared that she wanted to take a break from vacationing in Europe and wanted to go on a safari, I knew we were in for an adventure.
We knew that in order to make my parents comfortable with a trip so outside of their comfort zone, and if we’re honest, a Safari was outside of ours as well, we would need to join a tour group (yup, I said it). If you know Matt at all, you know that “tour group” is a dirty word to him. There is nothing he hates more than being herded around with a large group of people and being told what to do and where to do it. But this Gate 1 eight day tour for less than $2500 including airfare was just too good for even us to pass up. As a compromise, we went a few days early, so that Matthew could do a little of his own thing before being herded into a group setting.
We went to South Africa in late June of 2017 – Sorry, this post is a little delayed, but I’ve been getting requests for what we did in Cape Town. So…. here we go!
Don’t miss…
Test Kitchen –Cape Town – Dinner – Test Kitchen is in the Woodstock neighborhood of Cape Town in the Old Biscuit Mill, it is basically Williamsburg, Brooklyn 15 years ago before it became full of hipsters. This is the most amazing restaurant experience that I have ever had in my life. We had 8:30pm dinner reservations and they only allow you into the restaurant at your exact reservation time. When we entered we were escorted over to a dark room with low bar seats. There you were treated to two complimentary cocktails and ticket around the world on a culinary adventure.
We were given a map of the world ……ceviche from Peru, fois gras “candy” with gold on it from Scotland, and pork cracklings in a cheddar beer froth that I will never forget to name a few.
Then, when we were done with our cocktails, we rang a bell and went through a door into the “light” room. There we were greeted with a 10 course tasting menu with wine pairings.
Matt and I shared two different wine pairings the Gourmand and the Iconic – in order to maximize our wines that we would try. My dad was super excited because they curated a beer pairing for him, which was just a dream. We didn’t order it, but I thought that it was really cool that they had a tea pairing menu as well for people that don’t drink. The pairings they did with these drinks and the food were exactly what Somms around the world dream to create. They were the perfect pairings of fat and acidity, smoke and mirrors (literally) and above all else balance. It did not disappoint. There is a reason that this place is one of the 50 best restaurants in the world.
At the end of the night a big, bronze, brandy cart rolled over to our table. At that very moment the song from Netflix Chef’s Table was playing in the background. It was one of those unforgettable moments, well at least for my mom and me. Matt greedily accepted the brandy, hearing the song playing and my dad was more interested in what beer the people that work in the kitchen drink than accepting a glass of complimentary brandy. We closed the restaurant down that night, talking our waiter Dowd’s ear off and loving every moment of this night we continue to talk about over a year later.
Chef’s Warehouse – Cape Town – Lunch – We enjoyed an 8 course tasting lunch at the Chef’s Warehouse. The exciting thing about this place is that the food changes everyday! This is a cozy little restaurant in the heart of Cape Town. They have a few outdoor tables and on a gorgeous late July day, it was the perfect setting for our lunch. They have a cute kitchen store with books inside. They don’t take reservations at the Chef’s Warehouse, but they do have a little, and I mean little (hope you’re not tall, because these ceilings are low) bar next door called, “No Reservations.” No Reservations is the perfect place to get a wine and relax while you wait for your table to become available at Chef’s Warehouse.
Chef’s Warehouse – 8 course tasting lunch….
Boulders beach – Simon’s Town –Animal Watching – This was seriously one of the highlights of the trip and one of the coolest thing that I have seen in life. It is about an hour drive from downtown Cape Town to Boulder beach (we took an uber and the driver stayed to bring us back). Upon arriving, you pay a small fee to the national parks department to enter and then walk down a large boardwalk surrounded by sand and brush. Immediately, we started to see little penguin heads popping out from the sand only a few feet away from us. As we continued to walk down the path the beach stretched out with hundreds of tiny, teetering African Penguins. We could have watched these little guys splash and bob in the water for hours.
Boulders Beach
District Six Museum- Cape Town – Museum – My parents and I went on a tour of the districts and made a stop at the District Six museum. Housed in an old Methodist church, this museum is full of recreated homes, pictures, artifacts and real life stories of what happened during the apartheid of the 1960’s and 1970’s and the impact that it left. I really wished that I had done more reading and research on South Africa prior to taking this trip.
aMadoda Braai and Restaurant – Cape Town – Dinner – For a local experience, go to a braai (a local barbecue spot). aMadoda has since closed, but you can find similar restaurants (to use the term loosely) all around Cape Town. This is a no frills eating experience where you eat with your hands (sorry Dad) and there were no vegetables in sight (sorry Mom). We went on a Friday night and the music was pumping from a DJ booth and locals dancing, singing and just having a good time. We had our meat cooked by the braai professionals, but the locals seemed to enjoy cooking their own meat on big open grills. We sat at a large table and made some new friends from Zimbabwe while we drank local beers and ate steaks and sausages.
Origin – Cape Town – Coffee & Breakfast – We are constantly on the hunt for a breakfast spot that can not only get the coffee right, but also has a well rounded breakfast. This place nailed it! Any place where you have shakshuka and an avacado smash on the menu and also have quality single origin coffee & espresso is a win in our book.
Mulderbosch – Stellenbosch – Winery – One of Matt’s friends is in the South African wine business, and we were lucky enough to spend our morning in Stellenbosch, with the very talented winemaker of Mulderbosch, Adam Mason. I always have a bottle of their rose on standby for drinking on our terrace all summer long. It’s the best! But Adam also shared with us some other projects that he is working on like their Raised by Wolves label and lucky for us they sell it at our wine shop around the corner from our apartment, Winfield Flynn. Woohoo! They have a gorgeous shaded patio overlooking the vineyards and amazing gourmet pizzas to munch on at lunchtime. Make sure to book ahead.
Kleinood Wineries – Stellenbosch – Winery – This vineyard is open by appointment only, but it is definitely worth stopping by this absolutely breathtaking estate. Their wine label is called Tamboerskloof and the estate is filled with outdoor art and gardens as well as the obvious, vineyards. They make some great wines and olive oils here and was well worth the visit.
Glenelly Estates – Stellenbosch – Winery – This had the most contemporary tasting room of any of the vineyards we visited in South Africa. I remember walking up a large flight of stairs to a modern glass filled room overlooking the vineyards and it was just stunning. We sat out on their extensive patio taking in the sunset and their delicious wine tasting. The good news is that they also sell Glenelly Estates wines around the in New York at Winfield Flynn.
Mabula Game Lodge – Limpopo Province – Lodging & Animal Watching – We had to fly to Johannesburg in order to make our way to the game lodge (2 and a half hour drive from Jo-berg).
Upon arriving for our Safari, we were hoping to see some giraffes, zebras, and maybe a rhino or two. We went into it having low expectations on the big game front and thought we would be lucky to see one of the infamous “Big Five” that everyone talks so much about. Just as a refresher, because I knew I needed one… the big five includes: lions, leopards, buffalo, African elephants, and rhinoceros. We were lucky enough to see four out of the five up close and personal. The leopard was the only one of the big five that hid from us. Along with those, we saw giraffes, warthogs, and zebras and some of the most beautiful birds that I have ever seen in my life. These birds were just gorgeous and were as colorful as a rainbow. Seeing them made me see understand the draw of bird watching.
It was mind blowing how close we were able to get to all of these wild animals and the most surprising was how close we got to the lions. They were so strong, muscular, and fierce and only yards away from where we were sitting.
We went on two early morning game drives with stops for coffee, snacks and snuggling under the blankets before dawn. In the afternoon, we would head out again and have wine/beer and snacks. Every time we went out it was a new adventure.
Every time we went out it was a new adventure the sunrises and sunsets were like nothing we had ever seen before. The red-est reds, most orange oranges and deepest purples you have ever seen in a sunset before.
Horseback Riding – Mabula Lodge – Animal Watching – On our free morning at the lodge the four of us went on a tour of the safari on horseback. We all had a little bit of nervous energy about riding in the wild, mainly because it had been years since we had all ridden. Well, as they say, you just got to get back on the horse. They seemed to pair our horses with our personalities. In true from, Matt got the wild one, my dad got the one that is named after a beer, my mom had a horse name Carlos who didn’t want to listen to anything she said and mine was nervous. They hit the nail on the head.
Being on a horseback safari gives a completely different vantage point of the amazing landscape around us. We were able to get a few feet away from the giraffes, warthogs, and even the rhinos (this was a little to close for comfort for me). I will never forget the moment when the rhinos started to charge at my mom’s lazy horse Carlos and she started to give him a speech about how even though everyone thinks he’s lazy, she believed in him, oy!
BAD Ready to charge….
If you have time/ are in the neighborhood….
Robben Island – Cape Town – Sightseeing – Heading to Robben Island was a highlight for many of our friends who have previously visited South Africa. However, most of them came to South Africa during their summer, when the water is flat and the sun is out. We however, took the ferry over to this island in huge 15 feet swells (they hadn’t been running the boat the two days before) and honestly they probably shouldn’t have been that day either. The boat was rocking so hard that people were fainting and getting sick all over the boat. I also don’t think it helped that we didn’t have the most engaging tour guides. I would say if you have time, check it out…. it’s an important part of history… however, I would definitely check the weather report prior to boarding.
Tribe Coffee – Woodstock – Coffee & Breakfast – In a house that is set back off the road in the trendy Woodstock neighborhood it has a rustic surfer vibe going on inside. They make a mean flat white here and have delicious pastries and breads.
Fairview Vineyards – Suider-Paarl – Winery –This vineyard features the wine label, “Goats Do Roam” a cheeky play on words. We stopped at this vineyard on our tour with my parents and were greeted by a super friendly staff. There we enjoyed tasting 6 different wines and cheese pairings (with both goat and cow cheese). Next time I would stop at this vineyard after lunch, we went right after breakfast and it was a little early to have that much wine and cheese. I know, I know…it’s five o’clock somewhere.
Spier Wine Farm – Stellenbosch – Winery – This winery had beautiful grounds and a farm house modern feel inside of the large tasting room. It almost looked like it was one of Joanna Gaines creations from the show, “Fixer Upper.” It was adorable, and it also had a great gift shop too. This was our last stop on our organized vineyard tour and it ended on a high note with 6 wines paired perfectly with 3 different gourmet chocolates. Our offerings included some of the following: the Signature Pinotage paired with a dark malted cherry chocolate. A vintage Riesling paired with a white cardamom and passion fruit chocolate and a Method Cap Classique paired with a white peppered plum chocolate.
Boschendal – Franschhoek – Winery – Beautiful dutch architecture was everywhere in this stunning vineyard. We took a very informative tour of the entire vineyard before sitting outside and having our wine tasting. This vineyard was closely surrounded by mountains and absolutely lovely company. We sat at a large table outside in the garden with a French couple who made the mistake of telling my dad he looks like a super famous French actor, Fabrice Luchini (big mistake, my dad still hasn’t stopped talking about this).
The V & A Waterfront – Cape Town – Sightseeing – This place is a bit touristy, but if you have a little time I would venture down there for a little bit. I am always a sucker for a beautiful waterfront. It’s a great spot to take a few pictures. The VA waterfront, is like NYC’s South Street Seaport. It has a lot of different local boutiques and a local food hall including local jerky’s (like kudu, similar to antelope and ostrich) and African stews.
Lion’s Head – Cape Town – Hiking – Lion’s Head stands proud 2000 ft high above the coast in between Table Mountain and Signal Hill. This is an hour-and-a-half to two-hour upward spiral to the top of the mountain. The hike was a bit longer for me since Matt neglected to tell me that the last quarter mile of the hike is super strenuous, steep, and you have to use a chain ladder (yes, chain ladder) to get to the top. We made it up in about 2 hours and then probably another 1 and a half hours to get back down again. The views were all worth it in the end, but I won’t pretend there wasn’t any whimpering and evil eyes thrown when I saw that chain ladder hovering over the ocean and the city dangling below me.
View from the top of Lion’s Head
Don’t Bother…
Be aware of yourself & your surroundings – We had a little bit of a scare, when my dad’s debit card got stolen and Matt chased after the people onto the hood of the getaway car. I’m not telling you this to scare you. I’m just telling you so that you are aware. It honestly could have happened anywhere. It was just one of those moments where you let your guard down and your instincts kick in. It definitely wouldn’t keep us from going back to South Africa again.
To Sum It All Up….
South Africa is a dream vacation. True paradise for lovers of food, wine, and hiking. If you love animals and unbelievable landscapes this place is for you.
What if there were a place nearby to New York City where the people are friendly, the food and booze are delicious and the scenery is beautfiul? Don’t believe it? Neither did we. That’s why it’s been almost 12 years that Bryn and I have lived in New York but have not visited the Finger Lakes region. Not because we thought it would suck, but just because it we figured it couldn’t really be as good as it sounds.
But on this account, we definitely stand corrected. We drove up just for a short weekend, but everywhere we stopped we found friendly, genuine people who are passionate about what they do. Everywhere we looked we saw Norman Rockwell-worthy scenery.
It’s easy to feel a connection to a place that seems so full of genuine and frinedly people and even in just a short visit I think Bryn and I felt that connection to the Finger Lakes region quite strongly.Don’t miss
Don’t miss
F.L.X. Provisions – Wine Store – Geneva There is a mini-empire of related businesses all across the Finger Lakes; the “F.L.X.” empire is probably the thing about the Finger Lakes that impressed me the most. While we could not get one of the coveted spots at F.L.X. Table, we did discover this gem of a wine store basically next door (it’s connected to the F.L.X. Fry Bird, which is a fried chicken restaurant–see below–that is next to F.L.X. Table). Not only has this great little shop done the hard work for you to find the best wines from the best wineries in the Finger Lakes–if you see a bottle of wine in this shop it is going to be a good bottle of wine from a good winery–but because they have a Coravin hooked up to a huge tank of argon (I guess it’s argon?) you can taste any wine they have in the shop at very reasonable prices, including wines from Element Winery, which is the winery owned by the F.L.X. team.
I really loved F.L.X. Provisions–it’s my kind of shop–and loved chatting with the manager Donovan who led us through our tastings and geeked out hardcore with me about all things booze, much to Bryn’s chagrin. They also have a great beer selection and you can drink anything you buy in the store at the Fry Bird restaurant too. I can’t really recommend it highly enough. The only drawback is it’s pretty small so there is room for about 4 people to do a tasting at once. During high season it might be worth calling ahead to see if they can slot you in at a specific time.
F.L.X. Wienery – American – Dundee In case you can’t tell from above, I am a big fan of what they are doing at the “F.L.X.” family of companies, and especially what they are doing at the Wienery. Yes it’s a hot dog restaurant, but it’s also so much more. The wieners and sausages are delicious of course, but the real gem is their crazy and amazing beverage program (yes, it’s a hot dog shop with top-notch booze) and their Saturday night specials (known as “Dundoit Socials” they are basically crazy ideas for a party that come to life every Saturday night, with different themes like Tequila and Tacos or Ramen with a Master Sommelier).
F.L.X. Wienery: don’t judge this book by its cover
Maybe the coolest thing about F.L.X. Wienery (or in fact any restaurant I’ve ever been to) is their “Secret Wine Fridge”. It’s a wine fridge in the middle of the restaurant that has no printed list of what’s inside, but you are welcome to look through it and if you find something you like you can buy it and drink it, and there are some serious bottles of wine in there. Their actual (non-secret?) wine list is also legit and they even have DRC on the list, as if it’s not weird to have a $1500 bottle of wine with your $5 hot dog. They have a super-legit beer selection and in case somehow you are not impressed yet they have a crazy good spirits menu with some of the heaviest hitters around (Pappy Van Winkle 23-year-old and George T. Stagg for example). This is exactly what a restaurant should be–cool, casual and welcoming but still pushing the envelope with impeccable taste in everything they do.
Kemmeter Wines – Winery – Penn Yan If you only visit one winery in the Finger Lakes, I would make it this one. Johannes who owns the winery with his wife, is such a fantastic guy who makes really excellent Rieslings. Make sure you call ahead to schedule an appointment since tastings are by appointment only. You won’t regret the effort since spending time with anyone so genuine and passionate is an unfortunately rare treat these days. In case that is not incentive enough, you will also get to taste some cracking-good wines at the same time. How can you go wrong?
Our tasting of 4 fantastic Rieslings at Kemmeter Wines
Hermann J. Wiemer Vineyard – Winery – Dundee If you only visit two wineries in the Finger Lakes, I would stop here after (or before) Kemmeter Wines (see above). You can call ahead to setup a special Riesling tasting but you don’t need to make an appointment. All their wines are very good but some of their wines–especially the single-vineyard rieslings–are truly excellent and worth tasting at any opportunity. My only (minor) complaint is the wines are more expensive than you might expect when buying direct from the winery, but not so expensive that I would not go back.
Tasting room at HJW
Just a part of the Riesling tasting at HJW
Argos Inn – Hotel – Ithaca Staying in Ithaca is not necessarily the best choice for exploring the Finger Lakes region, especially if you are planning to spend the majority of your time visiting wineries–the best of which are mostly clustered around Seneca and Keuka Lakes. But Ithaca is a slighlty more reasonable driving distance from NYC and it is the location of the Argos Inn, which is a totally great place to stay. We normally do not put too much stock into where we are staying–rarely do we need (or care for) more from a hotel than a bed and a hot shower, but we really loved the Argos Inn.
Not only is it a big, cool old house with nicely appointed rooms and heated bathroom floors (a great feature for an Ithaca winter), but it also has a great cocktail bar (Bar Argos) on the ground floor and across the parking lot there is another bar/lounge space (Argos Warehouse) that has a good (and different) cocktail menu plus snacks (including a really fantastic charcuterie plate). Overall a great hospitality experience that I would recommend to anyone staying in Ithaca. Even the coffee served at breakfast was acceptable, which is basically unheard-of for coffee from a free hotel breakfast.
Cocktails at Bar Argos
Cocktail and charcuterie at Argos Warehouse
Press Cafè – Coffee – Ithaca If you do stay in Ithaca then make sure to start your mornings here; their coffee game is strong here. Single-origin drip coffee brewed and ready. Plus an an excellent flat white and a cool space to hang out as well as fresh, locally roasted beans for sale. It’s basically what every coffee shop should be. I’ll be back for sure next time I’m in Ithaca.
Flat whites and local beans at Press Cafe
Heart & Hands Wine Company – Winery – Springport Small little tasting room on the east shore of Cayuga Lake that specializes in Pinot Noirs (they also make Rieslings, but their focus is the red grape). The Pinot Noirs are very good, the Rieslings are good, and the tasting room staff is friendly. When we were there on a Sunday afternoon the co-owner herself was pouring our tasting flights. Their attention to detail and vineyard knowledge is obvious and even though I am fairly skeptical of the weird glass corks they use, I am bullish on their wines and would stop by just to try them any time I am back in the Finger Lakes.
If you have time/are in the area
F.L.X. Fry Bird – Fried Chicken – Geneva It’s a pretty small place so it can get packed at peak times. The popcorn chicken was fine; it had a somewhat funny, almost cheesy taste that I couldn’t get past although it may have been the dipping sauce and not the chicken itself. The collard greens side was excellent though and so is the drink selection when you consider you can bring something in from F.L.X. Provisions (see above) next door. I’d give it another shot next time I’m near Geneva and need a fried chicken fix, though maybe I would go for a sandwich rather than the popcorn chicken.
Nickel’s Pit BBQ – Barbecue – Watkins Glen We came very early on a Saturday evening after visiting wineries and got seated right away, but by the time we left there seemed like there was quite a wait. The no reservations policy can make it hard to time this place right and I would not say it is worth waiting for, but if you can get seated relatively quickly then I’d say go for it. If you do decide to wait a bit, they have good beers from Rooster Fish around the corner to help pass the time ; ) We had the pulled pork sandwich and an order of the smoked chicken wings. Both were perfectly cooked and very delicious, although somewhat lacking in that essential BBQ smoke flavor that is pervasive in really great ‘cue (although the room itself basically smelled like a campfire so maybe my senses were thrown off).
Prison City Pub and Brewery – Brewpub – Auburn Auburn does not seem a likely stop on your tour of the Finger Lakes region, but if you are in the area (Heart & Hands Wine Company–see above–is relatively close) then I would definitely recommend stopping here for some delicious craft beers, including an excellent chocolatey porter and a solid, fruity and hazy New England IPA. But don’t sleep on the food, as their burgers are real good and they make an awesome, if slightly non-traditional, poutine. A great place to spend an evening watching a game with friends.
Dope poutine and beers at Prison City Pub and Brewery
Thompson and Bleecker – Pizza – Ithaca Apparently this brick-oven pizza place is a big deal for Ithaca since they have been wandering through the pizza desert for a long time, at least that’s the impression I got. At this point I think Thompson and Bleecker is more mirage than promised land, but that is not to say it doesn’t have any potential. The space has nailed the hipster vibe with mismatched china pattern plates and tight spaces between tables. The wine list is intriguing but it always drives me crazy when there are no vintages printed on the wine menu (since I am a pretty severe age-ist when it comes to wine) and since we had basically been drinking all day we didn’t order any drinks with our food.
Hambo pizza: crispy on the outside, but not quite in the middle
Speaking of the food, the Prasini salad had good flavor but needed some textural element to break up the monotony of chopped lettuce, dill and scallion. The Hambo pizza–which we split–also had good flavor components but the large slices of ham coupled with the fact that the pizza was slightly undercooked in the middle meant that all the cheese and toppings came off in one bite–the ultimate pizza fail. That said, the flavors were good and the crust was nicely charred ad crisp on the outer edge like it’s supposed to be, so if they can figure out how to get the middle of the pizza cooked perfectly then they will really have something worth seeking out.
Don’t bother
Seneca Lake Wine Trail Deck The Halls Weekend – Event – Seneca Lake Region We did not do this, but we were in town at the same time as this event and in tasting at various wineries that were not part of the event it became very clear that not being a part of it was a good idea. It’s basically old-people SantaCon with Finger Lakes wineries instead of New York City bars. If that sounds good to you then I think you are probably reading the wrong blog?
Other than Old-people SantaCon I don’t think there was anything else that we did or saw that was out-and-out not worth our time. Which, frankly, seems impossible. But maybe that’s the cynical New Yorker in me speaking–maybe it is possible in a place like the Finger Lakes where people are friendly and genuinely care about what they do. Shame on us for not making that discovery sooner.
My friend Allison and I both have a shared goal of making it to all 50 states. We take a girl’s trip every year together and this year we thought we were genius when we picked Kansas City and could knock two states from our list for the price of one. Kansas City has a great happy hour scene, good food and some quirky activities to enjoy.
Don’t Miss
HOTEL INDIGO – Our hotel in the Power & Lights District was in the perfect location and was gorgeous. It had the perfect mid-century modern feel to it and had nice details and touches everywhere you looked. They offered complimentary coffee in the lobby by Messenger a local KC coffee shop.
MADE IN KC – Cafe and Shop – Cute store with several locations around Kansas City. They had their Made in KC Café location around the corner from our hotel. I got a great flat white and their pumpkin cinnamon roll was yummy too! They love to pair up with local artists, bakeries, and gifts and feature them in their store.
CONVIVIAL – Pottery Studio – I found them on Instagram prior to heading to Kansas City. They make the most beautiful modern pottery. As someone that took some pottery classes (and wasn’t that great at it), I am super impressed with people that can make such beautiful artistic pieces. They have tours of their facility, but unfortunately one wasn’t happening the weekend that we were there. They sell some of their pieces at MADE IN KC, so I was lucky to snag a piece to bring home with me.
BANKSIA – Australian Bakery and Cafe – Adorable atmosphere with big wooden shutters inside and a French country, cafe flair. It was casual, yet still polished. For breakfast, the corn zucchini cilantro fritters were fried to perfection topped with refried beans, a perfectly ripe avocado, and a fried egg that ran all of my plate. It was accompanied by a slice of bacon and roasted tomatoes that popped in my mouth. They made a delicious flat white as well.
IL LAZARRONE – Pizza Restaurant – They have a wood-fire oven that was shipped in from Naples, Italy to make these 11’’ personal size pizzas. Since the oven is 800 degrees, it only takes 60-90 seconds to cook. One of the best drinks that I had in KC was the Dracanea which was made of Old Overholt rye, Maurin Quina, pineapple and walnut bitters,and a spicy citrus simple syrup. It was the perfect balance of smoky, spicy, nutty, and fruity and all of their drinks during happy hour are 20% off, so you have your pick of whatever you want to drink. Their Happy Hour is Monday-Friday from 3-6pm. During Happy Hour they have 2 pizzas that are $6 each– the Margarita and the Marinara which only has San Marzano tomatoes,oregano, basil, garlic, extra-virgin olive oil, sea salt but was really well seasoned. I can’t believe that I am going to say it, but I liked the Marinara pizza better than the Margarita and it doesn’t have any cheese on it! I know, I couldn’t believe it, either!
JULEP – Cocktail Bar – My favorite happy hour spot in KC. They have happy hour Monday – Friday from 3-6pm they have $6 Old Fashioneds, Sazaracs, Manhattans, and Whiskey Sours. I love a good library ladder especially when the climb up is to get some good bourbons and whiskeys and boy did they have a selection.
As for food, we got the BBQ potato chips which were smoky and almost tasted like they had a hint of curry powder on them which paired perfectly with our bourbon cocktails. The cheese board included pickled cherry tomatoes, onions, pickles, fresh bread, salami, pepperoni, & bologna. On the cheese front there was a super soft chèvre and a sharp yellow cheddar. Yum!
GRINDERS – Lunch – Eclectic dive bar feel with a delicious Philly cheesesteak with provolone sauteed onions and green peppers. They are even served on fresh Amoroso rolls. I mean… I know my cheese steaks (as a Philly girl). Crinkle fries cooked to perfection with Cajun spices and the tater tots had the perfect amount of crunch!
TROLLEY TOUR – This hour and a half long trolley tour starting from Union Station was a great way for us to get the lay of the land on our first day of the trip. Make sure you stop in to look around Union Station since it is stunning. We were able to get some great tips of other activities to do while we were in KC. We learned that the art museums were all free and that Hallmark was founded in KC. Can you believe it? All of my love for Hallmark movies and I didn’t realize their headquarters were right around the corner from me! **BONUS – We found out that the cable car is free all around the city (we took it and it’s super easy).
OUR DAILY NADA – Restaurant/Bar/Booktore – This place was adorable – part bookstore part bar/restaurant. They have 4 drinks on their happy hour section for $7. I got the Velvet Nights which was a well-balanced cocktail that had Ford’s Gin, Honey, and Ginger Beer. Allison got the Huckleberry, made with Reiger’s Whiskey, lemon, and fresh muddled blackberries. Allison is more of a lover of whiskey than fruit, it wasn’t her favorite, but I always love a good blackberry whiskey combo.
THE TOY & MINIATURE MUSEUM – Museum – This is the best $5 you will spend in KC. The entire first floor is filled with mini furniture, rooms, etc. Many of the miniatures were made in the past 20 years by artists recreating famous pieces of furniture and art in super miniature scales, it is very fascinating. The second floor holds all kids toys from the 1880’s on. It was fun to see all of the toys that my parents and I played with over the years.
THE NELSON-ATKINS MUSEUM OF ART – Museum – Gorgeous (free!) museum with a good mix of impressionist pieces (my favorite) along with modern art. I love the juxtaposition of the shuttlecocks outside of the old museum set back along the great lawn.
If you are in the neighborhood…
GRAM & DUN – Restaurant – Breakfast at this place starts at 9:30 am and it’s no surprise that we were the first ones there. This is a cozy little spot that has table side cocktail service and yummy skillet breakfasts. I had the short rib and potato hash and Allison had the hash brown skillet. Next time I would like to hit up this place for happy hour, they had a beautiful outdoor seating area with a fire pit. There is a ton of great shopping around here, so make sure you save a little bit of time to window shop around this neighborhood.
THE FARMHOUSE – Restaurant – Cheese curds were a must, they were basically the most perfect mozzarella stick you could ever eat… perfectly gooey on the inside with the perfect amount of crisp and crunch on the outside. I ordered the happy hour drink wasn’t the most balanced, so I would skip the cocktails and grab a glass of wine or beer next time to drink with more cheese curds.
CHAR BAR – Bar – A casual bar that would be a great place to hang out with a big group of friends. They have a nice big outdoor section as well. I had the KC Bier Co. Hefeweizen which was enjoyable. Lots of beers on tap and an extensive bottle list as well, they have lots of snack options during their happy hour from 3-6pm on weekdays. We had the deviled eggs with charred lobster and pea shoots for $5 (4 eggs per order).
BEER KITCHEN – Bar– Good if you’re looking for duh, beer! I had the Rise & Pine Dark Ale from Uinta Brewing Co. based out of Salt Lake City, Utah. It was dark, piney and very seasonally appropriate. Allison got a Manhattan here that tasted more like pine, but they were super nice about switching it out for a glass of vino instead.
TAVERNONNA – Restaurant – Allison and I shared the Nonna’s meatballs that came with 2 brisket meatballs both the size of tennis balls in a rich, thick red pomodoro and a lemon ricotta. This was one of the highlights, along with our waiter, Dylan, who was hysterical. Inside the Hotel Phillips.
P.S. – Bar – Beautiful speakeasy underneath the Hotel Phillips. In order to get to the speakeasy, you need to go to the reception desk and they will lead you downstairs. The bar itself is everything that you want a speakeasy to be. Dimly list, dark wood paneling and dark green velvet booths. We sat at the bar and had our carefully curated drinks. I’m not sure if it’s because we were expecting live jazz music or if it was because it was our last stop of the night, but I was a little underwhelmed.
STROUDS– Lunch – This place is like stepping back in time with the wooden paneling on the walls and the red and white checked table cloths. Allison and I shared the fried chicken lunch along with bowls of mashed potatoes, gravy, green beans, cinnamon buns and a salad covered in homemade ranch dressing (I was in heaven). This was one of our stops on our “Best Thing I Ever Ate tour”, I wouldn’t necessarily give it that title, but we were glad we tried it. Thank goodness we shared because it looked more like a Thanksgiving dinner spread than a lunch for one. We had the sweetest waitress named Elaine that really made us feel welcome.
JOE’S KANSAS CITY BAR-B-CUE – This is the famous BBQ spot that is in the gas station. We had to wait about 45 minutes to an hour to get our food, but it was ok because we still had bellies full of fried chicken. I was impressed at how friendly and efficient they were when you finally got to the front of the line to order your food. We shared the ribs, brisket, and the coleslaw. It was tasty, but I’m not sure if would have wanted to wait in line for an hour if I was super hungry.
EXTRA VIRGIN – Restaurant – We came here because it was on the “Best Thing I Ever Ate” for their Duck Tongue Tacos with slaw and queso fresco. It was good, but honestly, I was hoping that it would be more flavorful. I enjoyed the Persimmon and Garfunkel cocktail (great name) which was a persimmon, sage spritzer that was light, and bright, but is still seasonally appropriate for late fall. We also had the charred Brussels sprouts with feta, lemon, and bacon and a Greek salad dressed to perfection. We ended our meal with the ahi tuna ceviche with rice cracker and Calabrian chili. It was good, but the chili on this really took over the dish.
SoT – Bar – Adorable cocktail bar with carefully curated drinks. Trendy decor and cozy seating areas make for a comfortable environment to sip away and catch up with old friends or a spot to make new ones.
THE BELFRY – Restaurant – Small cozy bar/dinner spot. We had the cauliflower with a miso-walnut sauce, hot nachos, and I guess it was finally time for some greens.
WORLD WAR I MUSEUM – There were so many interesting things about this museum, but there was a lot of ground to cover. The museum was big and where were so many little signs to read that I feel like I missed some of the bigger picture. I wished that there were a few more videos that would have given more of a refresher as to what WWI was all about.
Don’t bother…
GATES BBQ – We had heard a lot about Gates both from the “Best Thing I Ever Ate” fame and while around town. To be fair, we only had the item suggested on the BTIEA, the Burnt Ends on a Bun. But overall it wasn’t my kind of sandwich. It was very saucy and filled with little chunks of fat and gristle. Inside, the atmosphere was very dark and dated, many locals and tourists alike seem to really love this place, but it just wasn’t for me.
THE KANSAS CITY AIRPORT – Unfortunately, you have no choice but to hit this spot unless you are diving into Kansas City. However, this was a source of some travel frustration for us…. they didn’t have TSA pre-check and we didn’t realize that the only thing past security was our gate. Leaving us unable to get a coffee prior to boarding our 7am flight (watch out world). Even our Starbucks sandwich got a TSA patdown. If you’re thinking about coming to Kansas City consider yourself warned. : )
How long did we go for? Matt and I are big on making sure we utilize a long weekend. People can really underestimate the power of a long weekend! We left on the Wednesday night before Labor Day weekend (and so arrived on Thursday morning) and we left on Tuesday morning post-Labor Day.
Could we have stayed longer? Definitely! Iceland has so many landscapes–geysers. volcanos, waterfalls–and we were right outside of Reykjavik. And on top of all that this is just a very small part of the country. Unless you are *very* outdoorsy, more than a week might be a lot, but with five to seven days you will definitely not get bored.
What’s the weather like? Cold, windy, rainy. Definitely rainy. One second the sun was out and the next it was pouring. Definitely pack a raincoat and boots. Even though it was the end of August winter gloves and hats came in handy.
Language? Icelandic and English – Since there are only 350,000 people in the world that speak Icelandic, everyone is required to learn English in school. So, you are in luck, everyone speaks English, which in this case is good because even though we always try to speak the language when traveling, Iceland even telling people which sites we traveled to, we were nowhere close to pronouncing anything correctly.
Currency? The Icelandic currency is called the krona. The krona trumps the good ‘ol dollar these days, so just be conscious of what you’re buying especially while shopping. Most places take credit card and lucky for us most even took AMEX (woohoo!).
Car Rental? we rented a car from Blue Car Rental at the airport. We waited for the shuttle to take us there, but it’s really a stones throw away. We got opted to get the Wi-Fi for the car for an additional $14/day which I think was well worth it.
THE SCOOP ON THE BLUE LAGOON!
Make sure to book it in advance since they can’t guarantee you a spot without advanced booking. We booked the comfort package which includes a towel, a face mask, and drink. They had lots of drink options from prosecco to beer and smoothies -fruit juices. We got ginger mango smoothies, which were delicious. The premium package also includes a robe, which we would have sprung for had it been any colder (it’s an extra $20/person).
Our flight was delayed 4 hours getting out of JFK due to some mechanical problems, so I was in panic mode about missing the Blue Lagoon. When you book your ticket, they give you an hour window to get checked in. We were scheduled for the Blue Lagoon at 10 am and we didn’t arrive until noon. Luckily they were able to squeeze us in. Whew!
Biggest tip for the Blue Lagoon? – conditioner is your best friend! They have free conditioner so don’t be afraid to use it! Lather your hair before and after the lagoon and try to avoid getting your hair wet at all costs unless you like the scarecrow look!
Where can I store my luggage? – we drove directly to the blue lagoon from the airport, however they do have buses that will bring you from the airport to the blue lagoon and they have a luggage storage center right up front.
Where can I put my stuff while I swim?– the blue lagoon does a great job of providing locks that are connected to wristbands you can wear in the water. You can go back there as many times as you need to get things out of your locker worry free.
IPhones in the water? lots of people had water free cases or pouches and had their phones in the water. I was afraid my phone would get messed up, so I made Matt run through the cold to his locker to get a few water shots.
Cafe Bryggjan (Lunch) After the Blue Lagoon, we were hungry and a little jet lagged and drove about 10 minutes to Cafe Bryggjan for their famous soup. In Iceland, especially out in the countryside they are big on refillable soup bowls and bread that you serve yourself. We both got the lobster soup, which was creamy, peppery, and delicious and served with fresh bread. It was delicious, but in retrospect, since it was refillable, maybe only one of us had to get it and we could have shared a grilled cheese too. FYI… in Iceland, what they call lobster are what we in the US would call langoustine (basically big shrimp). Still delicious though.
Lobster soup at Cafe Bryggjan
Btw, can I drink the water? Umm, not the blue lagoon water, no. But everywhere else in Iceland they have the purest water on earth, so you definitely don’t need to buy bottled water. At almost all of the restaurants we went to they had large glass bottles of water and glasses, so you didn’t need to worry about being thirsty.
Ok, but did someone lay a rotten egg? Yeah…that’s one thing no one told me about visiting Iceland; it can be a real stinker. Their sulfur levels are a lot higher than in other places and well the water and the air can sometimes be stinky. At least you don’t have to worry about what happens if your stomach doesn’t like something you ate!
THEN, THE GOLDEN CIRCLE
Frost & Fire Hotel, Hveragerdi – As a home base for the Golden Circle, we stayed in this hotel which overlooked hot springs and the river. It was lovely hearing the water run by us as we were laying in bed at night. The hotel offered a complimentary Icelandic-style continental breakfast that included smoked fish, veggies and the bread they make on site. They also offered skyr, Icelandic yogurt and flat Icelandic waffles you could make yourself. Every day they make their own rye bread in a hot spring in the ground.
Geysir – Golden Circle stop #1 for us. Although it’s pretty touristy, it’s still pretty cool! It’s pretty amazing to see what nature can do. It starts off just looking like a pool of water and then kaboom, the water shoots 150 feet in the air, only a few feet away from you. Plus it’s free and we didn’t even have to pay for parking at this stop.
Thingvellir National Park – Golden Circle stop #2 is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This is a gorgeous park that really shows off all that Iceland has to offer in one spot. There are plenty of hiking trails, waterfalls, it overlooks a picturesque church and cottages.
Gullfoss – We actually skipped Golden Circle stop #3 because it’s a good distance farther than the other two and frankly it’s just a big waterfall. Having already seen a few of those (Seljalandsfoss, Oxarafoss) we figured we wouldn’t die if we didn’t get to see it.
Restaurant Varma (Dinner) Is the restaurant at the Frost & Fire hotel. We enjoyed their tasting menu which really highlighted rustic, Icelandic cuisine. Matt had the lamb and licorice to start (they love anything and everything licorice in Iceland) this dish might sound strange, but it was delicious). It tasted almost like a lamb jerky with pickled fennel, onions, fresh blueberries, and croutons made out of the bread from the hot springs out front. I had the lobster soup, which was cooked in the hot spring, it was an amazing, perfectly seasoned soup, but I knew what I was getting into a little more than with Matt’s first course.
Lamb & Licorice
For the entree Matt had the lamb once again (lamby night!). His lamb was cooked for 12 hours in the hot spring and was served along with potatoes and a thyme sauce. While his was delicious, it was much heavier than my entree of lightly cured cod that was served with Jerusalem artichoke puree, picked Jerusalem artichokes, and a lemon dill sauce.
Lamb Shank
Cured Cod
WHAT ABOUT NOT-GOLDEN-CIRCLE STUFF?
Solhestar – One of the highlights of the trip for me was riding the Icelandic horses at Solhestar. Icelandic horses are adorable, they have shorter legs then regular horses and absolutely gorgeous manes. We took a two hour tour in the red lava fields on horseback which overlooked Reykjavik. We were paired up with a family with three little girls that actually live on the Upper East Side. We had two guides that were both personable and informative. Note there are 2 locations, one out in the Golden Circle and one fairly close to Reykjavik. I thought I had booked the one close to our hotel, but I actually booked the one that overlooks Reykjavik. Oops…that’s what happens when you can’t read or pronounce anything : )
The stupid-looking plastic suit came in handy when it started pouring rain…
Seljalandsfoss – Don’t Listen to TLC; chase those waterfalls!This one is particularly cool because you can walk behind it. Just to be clear you might get soaked. But the view is awesome. Make sure to check out a small path off of the right and apparently there are some hidden waterfalls. Unfortunately, we didn’t hear about this secret path until after we visited the site. There is a cute drink and snack cart near the parking lot in case your get hungry. Fyi, parking is a bit madness at peak times and you will have to pay for it. 750 ISK if I remember correctly.
Seljalandsfoss
Mt. Esja – Mt. Esja is the dark and brooding mountain that can be seen towering above Reykjavik. Awesomely, it is not only possible but surprisingly easy to take the bus out from Reykjavik to the Mt. Esja Hiking Center at the bottom of the mountain. From downtown Reykjavik you can take bus No. 5 (eastbound) to Ártún. At Ártún, take bus No. 57 (eastbound) which takes you straight to the mountain. Going by bus to Mt. Esja from downtown Reykjavík takes 45 minutes.
There are many different trails you can take and although Matt told me the trail we were doing was easy, ugh… not so much. Even though I work out 4-5 days/week I must be honest, i was huffing and puffing a lot on this vertical trek up mountain. We took a 3 1/2 hour hike straight up the mountain at the peak the mountain is 914m (2,999 ft). Even though it was a tough slog, the view from the top was breathtaking. On the way up we saw lambs climbing the mountain as well as little surprise waterfalls. I don’t think I have ever been surrounded by such lush greenery.
There is really no shortage of amazing things to do and see in just this one little corner of Iceland. Hopefully this article will give you a good head start on planning your own amazing outdoor adventure in Iceland!
