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Iceland: Blue Lagoon & Golden Circle

FIRST, THE BASICS

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!

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What did we drink in Iceland?

What beer didn’t we drink I guess is a better question! In a country where brewing didn’t become legal until 1989 …. These guys are all killing it! There are now 21 craft beer breweries/bars in Iceland. 

The key to affordable drinking in Iceland is happy hour. Grapevine–a local Reykjavik magazine (think like Timeout NY) has a app called “Appy Hour”. Before you leave for your trip, download this friendly app that gives the low-down on happy hour specials in real time. Since beers in Iceland run about $ 15 a pop this will help you to save some scooties (*Hartzell-ism for money).

MUST GO

Ölverk Pizza & Brewery – Hveragerði – Good luck pronouncing that town’s name correctly, but the effort is worth it for this place. Three-and-a-half stars for the beer, plus one-and-a-half stars for the delicious food. Don’t miss the fantastic za’atar bread with beer cheese app (they should definitely make that combo into a pizza!) and the devils on horseback were excellent too. We also tried the pizza with pepperoni and bacon and hot chili sauce which was amazing. FYI –  the pizzas are on the small side but two appetizers plus one pizza and a few beers was a perfect amount for two people. I would definitely come back next time I’m in or near Hveragerði.

Skúli Craft Bar – Reykjavik – Solid selection of craft beers, mostly Borg on the day we were there but that’s okay because Borg makes great beers. Best happy hour specials of the craft beer bars we visited. Borg has an amazing beer called Snorri Nr. 10 that has arctic thyme in it which was included in the happy hour special.  This beer is awesome and can be found in the duty free store at the airport (we were super happy we were able to take this baby home with us)!  The bartender in our case was very friendly and the place was relatively empty for a Saturday afternoon during happy hour. Bonus points for the card games inside and food trucks outside that are a pretty great combo with the beers.

Kex Hostel Reykjavik – Reykjavik – Didn’t stay here but did have happy hour drinks and dinner at the bar. A totally great atmosphere to meet other travelers plus a great food and drink menu. The beers are evenly split between guest taps and Kex’s own brews. I’m not normally a big IPA guy but the Kex Thunder Session IPA was my favorite; it is a great beer. I’d definitely be back for happy hour. Plus they had great chicken wings that were a happy hour special for $6.50.

  • KEX Hostel – Reykjavik

IF YOU HAVE TIME / MAYBE NOT FOR EVERYONE 

RVK Brewing Company – Reykjavik – Sick beers. The Smoked Gose is perfectly balanced between sour and smokey and the stout is light-bodied and bitter enough to hide the alcohol but still roasty and delicious like a good stout should be. Balance is the name of the game here, super well-made beers. Minus one star for being pretty small, out-of-the way with weird hours and no great food options, but the beers by themselves are definitely worth the trip.

Ölvisholt Brewery – Selfoss – It is located in a weird place and definitely has a feeling from the outside like you’re not supposed to be there, but inside the taproom couldn’t be more different. They have a warm space with books and games and picnic tables to enjoy the eight excellent beers on tap plus more by the bottle (if you like stouts, definitely don’t miss Lava, their Smoked Imperial Stout). The staff is also friendly and welcoming, especially Stein, and may even give you a tour of the brewery if you’re lucky : )

My only two complaints are the off hours (I get that it’s a working brewery and they are not trying to stay any later than they have to but midday only is kind of weird) and there is no food at all anywhere around. Those two are a bummer but the beers and people alone would make me come back any time I’m in the area (at the appropriate time of course ; )

Session Craft Bar – Reykjavik – Solid if expensive beer selection. Happy hour beers were ok but just kind of the most boring options they had available. Happy hour or not though, this is the place to taste Malbygg beers, which are some of the best in Reykjavik. I tried the Pale Ale which was very delicious and super drinkable and straddled the bitterness line between piney and tropical very well. Plus on a Saturday afternoon during happy hour when we were there the place was barely half full.
P.S. In case you are not a beer person, they have a couple actually decent wines on the happy hour specials as well.

Bjórgarðurinn – Reykjavik – Fairly big “beergarden” space inside the Fosshótel Reykjavík. Pretty good happy hour specials and a large, good selection of craft beers (mostly Borg, which is not a bad thing) plus Stella and Guinness for some reason. Friendly bartenders and on a Sunday afternoon during happy hour we basically had the entire place to ourselves. They have food too but we didn’t try any of it. Would definitely go back for a drink at happy hour.

DON’T BOTHER

Bryggjan Brugghús – Reykjavik – Didn’t try any of the food, but the beers brewed here were nothing special—the best choices on tap were all guest taps, especially the Mango Pale Ale and Icelandic Ale from Borg (which is pretty awesome). It was pretty crowded on a Saturday night and had much more of a club/bro bar feel than a brewpub feel, which is obviously a turn-off (for me). Minus one star for the creepy old guy at the bar who hit on my wife like basically the entire time.

SUPER BUMMED THAT WE DIDN’T GET TO GO

Mikkeller & Friends – Reykjavik – They share the same space as Hverfisgata 12, right around the corner from Dill Restuarant. Even though Mikkeller is Danish and there is one in NYC we heard really good things about the beer and the pizza and wanted to go. Unfortunately they were closed for a private event and since we saved this spot for our last night we were out of luck. I would definitely try to go back if I were in Reykjavik again.

WANT TO DRINK SOMETHING OTHER THAN BEER?

Port 9 – Reykjavik – This cozy spot had pops of a rich emerald green that was very relaxing and inviting! We had a great time talking to the owner of the bar. His passion for good wine and food really showed in the products he was serving. They had good wines by the glass for happy hour and he was happy to accommodate Matt’s finicky tastes in wine as well. The brie with mango chutney and cashews was the perfect balance of salty, smoky, and sweet. It’s going to be in my new dinner party rotation when we entertain!

Port 9 – Reykjavik

As we mentioned at the beginning, drinking in Iceland is not cheap. It’s important to make sure you choose wisely and plan ahead. Hit up the happy hours, drink local beers as much as possible and enjoy yourself–after all it’s vacation, right?

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California Dreamin’: The OC

If you’re a New York-centric east-coaster like Matt, you probably think this post is going to have some cool LA stuff in it, and you’re probably pretty excited to see what the heck is so great about this city on the other side of the country. Unfortunately for you (and Matt), Newport Beach is almost 45 miles from Los Angeles, which means if you’re visiting your friend in Newport Beach there is basically a zero percent chance you will see any part of LA. (Because of traffic, 45 miles is like an hour and a half on a good day.) But there is good news–it’s not as bad as it seems. The OC is not just a series of sad strip malls filled with chain stores and restaurants (well, not entirely) and there is actually some cool stuff in those strip malls if you know where to look. Luckily for you we have done the looking.

Unlike Matt, Bryn spent her teen years watching all things “OC”.  I mean hello… The OC, Laguna Beach…I felt like these characters were my friends… therefore,  I was pretty well versed into what I was getting into when heading out to this west coast vacation.  Life has been extra hectic lately, so Bryn was psyched to have a slower west coast change of pace and spend time with our friend Alli, who graciously hosted us for the long weekend in her oceanfront condo… that view (as featured above – front row sunset view every night)!

Starting the day off right

Tupulo Junction – Newport Beach – Breakfast – Great fried green tomatoes. Bloody Mary was on point with a great meaty crab claw and a spicy creole shrimp and grits.

Honor Coffee – Lido Village – Everything about this place was beautiful.  I loved the California chic aesthetic of the interior.  It was filled with beautiful oak tables, contrasting with the white marble and shiny gold fixtures. The exterior was just as gorgeous and welcoming.   I think we went there everyday of our trip.  As you can tell, I was on sensory overload in there… they make fresh batches of Indian chai everyday in a big metal pot and the smell of the warm cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg just hit you when you walk in.  Bonus – they also made a good flat white as well and had some yummy pastries.

Eat Chow – Costa Mesa – Breakfast – despite the silly name of this place, the food here was yummy! We are suckers for chilaquiles, so we have to get them when we see them on a menu.  Chilaquiles is a Mexican dish comprised of tortilla chips covered in salsa and cooked on the stovetop until they chips get a little soft.  They are then topped with cheese, queso fresca (like sour cream) and black beans and of course a goey fried egg. I had the beef brisket tostada which is basically a crispy tortilla sandwich covered in black beans, tons of brisket, cheese with the most perfectly ripe avocado to top it all off. Skip the coffee, but make sure to dove into the food!

Sidecar donuts – Costa Mesa – Breakfast –  This place has some wild combinations – cookie dough, milk and cereal, and pb & J.  But the more we ate the simpler  donuts, the more we seemed to like them.  The Saigon Cinnamon crumb and the Butter and Salt were two of our favorites. We had to wait in about a 5-10 minute line, but it was worth the wait.  Plus – they have beautiful packaging for buying the donuts in bulk 🙂

Vacancy Coffee Bar – Newport Beach – Very good to excellent flat white from Toby’s Estate beans and their La Marzocco machine. Good looking cronuts and breakfast sandwiches too. Minus one star for paper-only cups but still a solid option.

Outpost Kitchen – Costa Mesa – Don’t be distracted by the siren song of the farmhouse skillet—it’s almost certainly healthier that what you are expecting and if you’re trying to recover from last night then it won’t be what you want. Instead, the various iterations of avo toast are the way to go. Espresso pulled from their La Marzocco is real solid—especially in the form of a flat white—though I’m not sure what is the deal with the all-paper cups. Minus one half star for the skillet full of undercooked vegetables and and minus one half star for not having a proper cup for people to drink their coffee out of.

Common Room Roasters – Newport Beach – Totally legit coffee in such a cool space. I can’t say enough about the decor and design of the space—it’s super hip. The only complaint I can find to lodge is it’s only open till 3:00p or 4:00p; so make sure you get your caffeine fix early.

Something for lunch?

BearFlag Fish Co. – Lido Village – Lunch – this is a much more traditional style poke – almost more of a ceviche style that is served with fresh tortilla chips.  When we ordered it, I was thinking we were getting a poke bowl.   We got the spicy tuna that that had an Asian flair to it with sesame seeds and oil.  We tried the salmon as well, but I think I could eat the tuna poke one everyday and be perfectly happy.

Malibu Farms – Lido Village – Lunch –  We weren’t hungry, but we couldn’t pass up eating at this cute little farm to table overlooking the water.  We shared a cauliflower pizza.  We weren’t quite sure what to expect, but the crust was crispy and delicious and was a great base layer for this fresh lunch.  They also make a mean Arnold Palmer.  I was feeling under the weather, but their cocktail ingredients all looked fresh and delicious – Lots of citrus and herbs to be added to them.  Right now they are only serving brunch and lunch, but dinner is coming soon.

  • Cauliflower Crusted Pizza  – arugula-bail pesto, fresh mozzarella, heirloom tomoatos, fresh arugula and lemon

Wild Tacos – Lunch- trying to get our SoCal taco fix before making our way back to the east coast.  I had the catch of the day which was a red snapper taco, and Matt had a carnitas taco and a beef taco.  My corn obsession continues, so we ordered an elote as well.  The tacos here were good.  They have a casual outdoor patio area with umbrellas to relax on.

Saigon Beach – Vietnamese – Newport Beach – They have a green curry rice with crispy pulled pork on top that is phenomenal.  The Pork and Beef buns were good, the Bahn Mi was good, but, I would like for the bun to have been a little lighter and fluffier and I’m a sucker for all of the fresh veggies and cilantro, I was hoping for some more. 

Ending the day on a high note

Lido Bottleworks – Lido Village – Dinner – We weren’t super hungry, when we went here for dinner, but we got the buratta and chicken wings and it was the perfect little dinner that we needed so we didn’t wake up  starving in the middle of the night.
Jidori Chicken Wings – had a beautiful glaze on them, fresh herbs and peanuts
Buratta – Smoked peach puree was underneath a beautiful burrata paired with perfectly ripe peaches and pistachios.  It was served with crispy rosemary flatbread crackers – which gave it the perfect crunch.

Manhattan Beach Post – Manhattan Beach – Definitely had some strong points but also had some weak points. The food was generally good; the Brussels sprouts and green beans were pretty dope, but some things were lackluster and some things were just not good (crab, gnocchi and a Meyer lemon cream sauce?) They have a very strong selection of wines by the glass including 3 oz pours so you can try a bunch of different wines, but then our server seemed to lose interest in our table about halfway though the meal and I basically had to flag her down to order another glass of wine. It was not bad but also not good enough that I would feel the need to come back here next time I’m in Manhattan Beach.

What about in between all the food?

Hi-Time Wine Cellars – Costa Mesa – In between all the food? Why not try drinking? : ) Hi-Time has a giant selection of booze of all kinds, spirits especially. Also a fantastic selection of (self-serve) wines by the glass and really good tastings for fair prices on the weekends. We had a great wines of Burgundy class that was one of the highlights of our trip.  Eight tastings for $35 and three of the pours were from bottles that retail for over $100.

Daydream – Newport Beach– In case you need a new surfboard, some insanely expensive (I think?) ceramics and some really solid coffee, this is your spot. Sight Glass espresso pulled from their hip white La Marzocco results in a very good flat white. The shop is cool if not necessarily practical (though I guess a lot more people buy surfboards in the OC than I imagine) and it is merchandised very coolly so if nothing else you can look cool on Insta : )

Gunwhale Ales – Costa Mesa– Friendly bartenders, mostly good beers (the Hazy IPA and the Watermelon Grissette were the best we tasted) and a cool space (I’m starting to sense a trend in SoCal that they take very great pride in their interior decoration), especially the outside patio. Not a ton of room so it may get crowded at prime times but on a sunny Sunday afternoon it was a good place to hang out.

Barley Forge Brewing Co. – Costa Mesa– Good food and beers, though mostly the beers were not stylistically in my wheelhouse (though the Coconut Rye Stout is right down the middle of my strike zone—don’t miss it!) The space is not as big as you might be imagining; it was pretty busy during the Chargers game on Sunday afternoon but not so busy our party of three couldn’t find a seat. I’d definitely come back for burgers, tater tots and beer. Their BLT was solid with perfectly ripe heirloom tomatoes and the creole creamed corn was awesome.

Lido Marina Village – Newport Beach –This is a great little find on the peninsula! Great mix of shops and restaurants, trendy and cool spaces to shop and hang out. The shops are high-design and so they are on the expensive side but it is a fun place to just wander through with the wife; a great place to kill an afternoon.

Lido Village Books – Newport Beach– Very cute little book shop in Lido Village. A great curated selection of books of all kinds, a wonderful place to spend an hour and find something you never knew you needed to read.

Alta Laguna Park – Laguna Beach – Good facilities leading to great hiking/biking/riding trails with spectacular views. Can be somewhat crowded on the weekends so if you’re biking the trails (wear a bell) be sure to find somewhere off the beaten track—I’m sure you’ll be able to.

  • Car Wreck Trail 

The Butchery Quality Meats – Costa Mesa –This place is my Graceland. This is the place in Newport Beach to buy your meat/beer & wine/snacks/spices/prepared sides/wood for your smoker(!)/pre-made sandwiches/everything a self-respecting man needs to have a good time. Sure it isn’t cheap but it’s good quality and a great selection. As long as you know how to cook it, you won’t regret it.

Rent a Duffy –The Newport thing to do is to rent a duffy (a small boat with a surrey on top) and bop around looking at houses on the water and other boats or more appropriately yachts I should say. Matt wasn’t sure about this idea initially (since he can’t sit still – ever), but came around to it when he realized we would have good wine and meats and cheeses and would get to spend time with friends too. I didn’t need any convincing, the boat goes slow, I get to sit in the shade and watch the world go by, it sounded perfect to me.  I love getting to see islands from a different vantage point, it is something I always loved when we had a boat growing up and I loved it probably even more in Newport Beach since there was just so much to watch!  Seals barking, a floating tiki bar, yachts that belong on the bravo show, below deck. There was just so much to take in.

Bike Ride – They have great bike paths in Newport Beach that take you along the ocean and some of the back roads/alleys.  It’s  an easy ride down to “The Wedge”, which is a spot along the jetty known for great surfing and breathtaking sunsets.  Another great idea is to take your bikes on a short ferry ride over to Balboa Island.  On Balboa island there are some cute restaurants and shops.  

All in all, the OC is a pretty great place to spend a long weekend, especially during the off-season. Typically great weather, good outdoor activities, decent restaurants and good coffee shops make it pretty easy for city-slickers like us to assimilate and have a good time. It does also help to have ocean-front accommodations of course, but you’ll have to talk to our friend Alli about that one. Hang loose!

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Reykjavik: Breakfast & Lunch Guide

Hot Diggity Dog

Matt went to Iceland by himself about 10 years ago before Iceland really became the “it” tourist destination. From that trip Matt (who normally picks up languages super quickly) only came back with one phrase…
eina með öllu… that means one with everything. Well, sorry babe, I really messed up your phrase since you don’t know how to say, “I’ll have 2 of everything”. Anyway I thought he was exaggerating when he told me that this lamb hot dog would change my world. He was right… that darn thing was so good we had 3 of them as a “snack” during our time in Reykjavik. What’s so good about it? Well… they put a combination of raw onion and crispy onions (like from thanksgiving green beans) on the bottom of the roll. Then on top of the lamb dog is a remoulade and a honey mustard. The best part is the place is open from 10am – 4:30am. This place is a small stand with no seating and usually a long line. Don’t worry though, the line goes by quickly since they only sell two things: hot dogs and sodas. Don’t miss this one!

STARTING THE DAY OFF RIGHT:

Reykjavik Roasters – Coffee –  The secret about this place is out, it was packed!  It has a very hipster cool vibe in here.  They have small nooks and tables with antique chairs and tables and the key to any hipster coffee shop… a record player and avocado toast.  With said  record player, they encourage people to switch the records to whatever tunes you want to listen to.  They made a good flat white and have a friendly staff.  
We also went to their second location which had more of a Scandinavian vibe to it with a lot more seating.  At both locations, they have a small assortment of pastries – Matt had one of the pastries, it was good, but wasn’t in the same league as Braud & Co. or Sandholt (see below).

Reykjavik Roasters hipster vibe

Bismut – Coffee –  Is a small coffee shop that overlooks Hverfisgata. It has a more modern flare to it with a long bar overlooking the street and there is a great view of the harbor. They display local art in the space and seem to have a following of regulars. It was a very friendly environment with great single origin pour overs and flat whites.

Bismut: Cup of Joe

Braud & Co – Bakery – This tiny local spot has amazing pastries, one the weekends locals line up for this buttery goodness and I know why.  I think that they used all of the butter in Iceland and I’m not complaining one bit.  As the “salty” one is our relationship, I went with the ham and cheese croissant (watch out Paris you’ve got some competition).  Matt the “sweet” member of our duo of course over ordered his pastries.  He had one of the local favorites – the vínarbrauð a flat pastry with almonds and cream filling. Yummy. You know this place is good if I got Matt to leave the hotel at 6:15am in order to pick up pastries for the road before leaving for the airport.  And they have pretty good drip coffee to boot. There isn’t any seating in this spot, but there’s nothing like walking down the street eating a warm pastry while exploring.

Sandholt – Bakery –  This place has a very Parisian upscale patisserie feel to it.  It has a beautiful glass pastry case lined with freshly based pastries beautifully displayed and warm bread straight from the oven behind the counter.  You can take your pastries to go or they have a large seating area to have table service.  On the weekends it gets really crowded, so be prepared to wait.

WHAT’S FOR LUNCH?

Flat White at Te & Kaffi  in the Grandi Matholl Market

Grandi Matholl Market – Lunch/Dinner – While walking along the waterfront, we stumbled upon the  Grandi Matholl Market.  This place was adorable and had about 9 food booths overlooking the harbor.  They have a Te & Kaffi (which is gasp, a chain) – but I must admit they had a good flat white.  They also have a fish and chips spot, a Korean taco shop (KORE), and a local Icelandic food spot. We shared a lamb hot dog which was a more “foodie” version of the infamous Icelandic hot dog.  It had a salad on top and was paired with potatoes and a garlic mayo.  This place is a great spot to take some pictures, relax for a little and use a super clean bathroom.


Hlemmur Matholl  – Food Hall – Lunch/Dinner Spot – This place used to be the old bus depot and now it’s a food hall.  It has a ton of different options including a Vietnamese sandwich shop (which needed more pickled veggies and less mayo) and the bar Skal that had amazing buffalo cauliflower on top of goat cheese with picked veggies on top.  It paired beautifully with the Borg Chocolate Porter that they have on tap.  Skal!

Icelandic Street Food – Lunch –  This place had heart.  Matt and I were never backpackers, but this place had the fun student vibe where everyone was friendly and wanted to share their stories.  The place was very crowded, but the staff continued to keep you engaged.  For about $15 they have unlimited bowls of soup.  They have both seafood and lamb soups and you can switch it up to try both.  While you are waiting they give out free Icelandic waffles and chocolate coconut macaroons.

Flatey – Pizza – Lunch/Dinner – On our last night in Reykjavik, we had planned on going to Hverfisgata 12 and have beers at Mikkeller, but when they were closed unexpectedly for an employee training, and we were still jonesin’ for some pizza, we headed over to Flatey.  The only thing on Flatey’s menu is thin artisanal pizza and it was delicious. Matt had the pizza of the day which had Korean short ribs from (a KORE, the Korean taco shop across the street at the Grandi Matholl) on it and mine had pepperoni, spicy peppers, and honey.  This meal did not disappoint and bonus – was one of the most cost-effective meals of our trip.

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Homebrewing 101 – Basic Brewing Theory

A lot of people seemed surprised to find out that I brew beer at home (well, not technically home, since my home is a 500 square-foot apartment in Manhattan, but you know what I mean). It is actually not that difficult and hopefully today I can introduce the basic concepts in a way that everyone can understand and will inspire the most intrepid of you to continue your education and maybe even try it out for yourself.

Brewing beer is a lot like cooking food, except the main result takes weeks (at least) before it’s ready to be consumed. And just like cooking, there are basically two approaches to brewing beer: you can follow a well-written, detailed recipe exactly, or you can understand the basic concepts and put together your own process based on those concepts. I am a fan of the latter approach when it comes to both cooking and brewing and hopefully you will be too, but even if you’re not, hopefully the information here will help you get started.

At it’s very, very, most basic level, beer is a kind of sweet porridge made from barley and possibly other grains that is fermented by yeast to make it alcoholic. I like to think about it like oatmeal: when you make a bowl of oatmeal, you are mixing water and some grains (oats in this case) to form a kind of porridge. The water acts to draw out the sugars from the grains so that if you taste the liquid part of the oatmeal it tastes sweet and probably a little bready from the oats. Now if you take that same bowl of oatmeal but replace the oats with malted barley, and then you drain the water away from the barley and then you add some yeast to that barley water and let it sit for a while you will have beer.

At a basic level, that’s all beer is and that’s “all” that is required to make it. Beer doesn’t have to be carbonated or otherwise flavored in any way. Of course, I think there is almost universal agreement that beer is better when it is carbonated and at least flavored with something bitter–like hops–to balance the sweetness of the fermented barley water.

A very important thing to remember when brewing your own beer is that these raw ingredients when combined in this way want to become beer. It is not a fool-proof process by any means but neither is it an exacting, scientific or especially tricky process. Which is why great beer can be made from guidelines and principles instead of only from exacting recipes. If nothing else from this post, keep this in mind and I can almost guarantee it will save you lots of stress during your brewdays.

The main challenge your barley water and yeast combo will face in trying its darndest to become beer is contamination by a collection of microbes ominously referred to as “spoilage organisms”. Basically the thing is that yeast (certain types of yeast, anyway) love sweet barley water and given no competition will colonize and proliferate in a batch of barley water (a.k.a. wort, pronounced “wert”), happily eating the sugars and farting out CO2 and alcohol. (This is literally what yeast do.) The problem is that these spoilage organisms also love sweet barley water but instead of eating the sugars and making alcohol, they eat the sugars and make all kinds of nasty-tasting stuff, and sometimes also prevent the yeast from doing their thing.

The good news is that yeast are pretty resilient little buggers and if they manage to gain the high ground in the battle to colonize the wort then they will almost always win–there’s no such thing as spoilage organisms “coming from behind” to spoil a batch of beer–once the yeast get going munching those sugars and farting out that alcohol, it is too much for any spoilage organisms to overcome.

So how do we make sure the yeast can get a good foothold? Sanitization. Cleanliness. There’s a saying that 50% of brewing is cleaning and I’m not sure that’s right–I think it’s probably more like 75%! You have to be a stickler for clean brewing otherwise I can guarantee you will eventually get a batch of beer that will make you never want to brew again. Of course, there are some products on the market that can help immensely in this area: the two most important “ingredients” you need for making your own beer are some form of sanitizer solution and some form of oxidative cleaner.

Sanitizer’s role is to kill all the spoilage organisms present on an otherwise clean surface so that there is no competition for the yeast in the wort or beer which will be touching that surface. I literally cannot overstate the importance of sanitization for brewing. Even if you think some piece of equipment is “clean”, it definitely has tons of microscopic life on it and most, if not all, of that microscopic life is going to turn your wort into something other than delicious beer.

The oxidative cleaner’s role is basically to prepare a surface for sanitization. There is a lot of gunk generated during the brewing process and you need an effective way to get rid of that sometimes very persistent gunk. If you don’t get rid of the gunk then it can become a breeding ground for spoilage organisms in later batches no matter how much sanitizer solution you use to try to sanitize that surface.

Without the help of both of these products, you can still technically make beer, but you are pretty unlikely to be able to make good beer.

Hopefully now you have at least a conceptual idea of what beer is and how it comes to be beer, along with the understanding of how important it is to keep things clean when brewing your own beer and why it is so important to keep them clean. (In case you can’t tell already, this really is the most important thing!) And now that you have satisfied your pre-requisite, hopefully you are looking forward to Homebrewing 102 next semester : )

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Austin barbecue: everything you need to know

If there’s one thing people ask me the most about Austin it’s where to get the best barbecue. Not only is Austin smack-dab in the heart of Texas BBQ country, but there are a huge number of choices about where to get your ‘cue. To make matters worse, the “Best BBQ” is a hot topic around those parts (and these parts) with a lot of different opinions, bogus or conflicting information and just plain bad taste. So, that all being said–assuming you trust my taste (otherwise why are you even reading this drivel)–let me contribute one more set of opinions to the pool : )

I would definitely trust this guy’s opinions on BBQ…

Don’t miss

Franklin Barbecue
Don’t get me wrong, this is definitely the best Texas-style BBQ I think I’ve ever had. Everything is delicious, even the potato salad (which I generally hate), the flavors are pure and meaty and smokey and the people at the counter are somehow pleasant despite the never-ending waves of people ordering way too much barbecue. The problem is the line; no food is so good it’s worth waiting 3 hours for on a good day. If you somehow manage to get this barbecue without waiting in line for it, then do whatever you have to do. But I just can’t condone spending that much time standing around when there are places almost as good with nowhere near as much of a line.

Note if you have a bunch of friends and a stack of cash as well as some forethought, you can pre-order BBQ from Franklin. You need to order at least five pounds of meat, which all in all will likely set you back $150 or more, and you’ll have to find somewhere besides the restaurant to eat it, but if that works for you it is a good way to avoid the line.

La Barbecue
On a good day, the brisket here is just as good as Franklin’s (see above). Unfortunately on a good day the line here seems to move just as slowly than Franklin’s (if not more so!) It’s too bad because the meat is super-duper good as are the crazy sandwiches they put together (the sides are just ok), but I still feel like you can get barbecue which is almost as good without being made to feel like cattle to the slaughter, being slowly herded to your beefy demise (ok, fine, it is kind of a weird analogy). Go to nearby Kerlin BBQ and then spend your extra free hour enjoying the outdoors by Town Lake or climbing at ABP or something!

That said, pre-ordering is also possible at La Barbecue and they only require pre-orders to be one pound of meat (as opposed to the five pound minimum for pre-ordering at Franklin, see above), so it is more reasonable for one or two people to try it. You still need to be able to plan ahead at least three days (something I am very not good at) and find somewhere to eat it, but in my opinion this is by far the best way to get your hands on some of the best BBQ I’ve ever tasted.

Micklethwait Craft Meats
Micklethwait is my favorite spot for BBQ in Austin. It may not strictly be the best pure BBQ in Austin (see Franklin Barbecue and La Barbecue, above), but it is very close and you will not have to wait nearly as long for it. Plus they are bit more creative with their meats and sides than either of the two above, which is especially refreshing if you are on a barbecue marathon (quite common around these parts, I assure you). The meats are always moist and delicious, especially the brisket and smoked beef rib and I love that they have lamb and barbacoa as options too. Normally sides at a really good BBQ place are basically an afterthought for the kitchen, but you should not skip the delicious and unique grits, which are some of my favorite BBQ sides ever.

Barbacoa and brisket plate with grits and beans and a Diet Coke because we are apparently watching our figures.

Pro-tip: it is pronounced “Mickle wait”; the t and the h are apparently silent. So now you can look, eat and sound like a a BBQ expert.

Kerlin BBQ
Kerlin is a close second for me in terms of the best accessible BBQ in Austin. I love the location, I could basically spend the entire day on this block or two of Cesar Chavez, bouncing between Veracruz and Kerlin and Flat Track  and Weather Up. The brisket at Kerlin is smokey and fatty but not too fatty–simply perfect on a slice of white bread with a pickle, a slice of raw onion and a drizzle of BBQ sauce. To me it is pure, traditional BBQ the way the good Lord intended (to use a phrase I picked up in Texas).

And, just when you thought this was some boring old trailer serving boring old “traditional” BBQ: bam! Smoked corn on the cob! Boom! BBQ kolaches!  The kolaches are awesome, even if they didn’t serve anything else this would probably be one of my favorite trailers in Austin. Don’t miss it!

Maybe not for everyone/if you are in the neighborhood

Terry Black’s Barbecue
Terry Black’s and Black’s (below) are apparently owned by the same family, so they are both about the same in terms of barbecue: solid, dependable, good brisket, good sides. Usually short lines make these good choices for a lunch break when you have a real job and don’t have time to stand in line for barbecue for 2 hours. Also they do catering pretty well so they are good choices for getting lunch for you and your twenty closest friends (which is something you often have to do when on a recruiting trip).

Lamberts
Lamberts is not the best barbecue in Austin, but it does have some other things going for it. For one, it’s right downtown so if you are not in the mood to drive (or at least get in an Uber) then it is probably very accesible to where you’re staying (although that benefit is mitigated these days by the presence of Cooper’s Old Time Pit Bar-B-Que Austin, below). Secondly, it’s fancy, so if you need a BBQ place to go with your parents who will not be happy about eating at a trailer or on a picnic table then this could be your spot. Thirdly, it’s open for dinner, which is not necessarily a given for BBQ joints, so again, could be a good choice for dinner with your parents or someone else you want to show that you have at least a modicum of class (suffice it to say I never feel the need to come here ; )

Black’s BBQ
Terry Black’s (above) and Black’s are apparently owned by the same family, so they are both about the same in terms of barbecue: solid, dependable, good brisket, good sides. Personally I think the meat at Black’s is a bit better but Terry Black’s edges past on the sides. It’s really splitting hairs though. Usually short lines make these good choices for a lunch break when you have a real job and don’t have time to stand in line for Franklin or La Barbecue.

Stiles Switch BBQ and Brew
Solid choice for smoked meats in North Austin, there is usually not too much of a line and there is pretty ample space for seating inside. Brisket is generally if not perfectly moist but the jalapeno-cheddar sausage could use a bit more cheddar and jalapenos. Corn casserole is a brilliant combination of corn bread and creamed corn and a can’t-miss side. Not necessarily worth the trip out of your way but a good option if you happen to be craving BBQ in that part of town.

Brisket and jalapeno-cheddar sausage plate from Stiles Switch BBQ and Brew

Don’t bother

Kreuz Market
Kreuz Market is one of the three well-known old-school BBQ joints in Lockhart, Texas, about 45 minutes south of Austin. It has been serving smoked meats for more than 100 years and making the trip to Lockhart feels like a pilgrimage to BBQ mecca, but it feels to me like it’s resting on its laurels a bit at this point. The brisket is dry and they are militantly anti-sauce (and anti-utensils) which doesn’t help. Supposedly they are known for their smoked sausages, which were good, but not demonstrably better than the smoked sausages you can get at basically all the other BBQ places above. (Plus have you ever really had a bad smoked sausage?) I would not say it is worth the trip or even the stop if you are already in or near Lockhart for some other reason.

Iron Works Barbecue
It’s got a cool “old-timey barbecue” vibe inside, but unfortunately the meats and sides fall flat; they are nothing to write home about and with so many other great barbecue options nearby there is not much reason I can find to come back here.

Snow’s BBQ
It was a long drive out to Lexington on a cold, bright and early Saturday morning so maybe I was expecting too much but I was underwhelmed by the barbecue here. The brisket was not dry but neither was it particularly moist. Certainly it was not special enough to go an hour out of your way at 7:00a; maybe I got it on a bad day but I just can’t recommend it unless you are somehow already in Lexington at 8:00a on a Saturday (which you would definitely never be, I am quite sure).

The Salt Lick
This place looks cool on TV shows and it feels authentic being in the middle of nowhere outside of Austin but it is legitimately not good BBQ. It is basically a big barbecue factory, with all the negative connotations that phrase implies. Very disappointing; I cannot recommend it at all.

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CFB Lisbon: basically everything you need to know

If you have read our guide to Porto, the Douro and beyond, you already know that Portuguese people are some of the most friendly and helpful people you will come across in your travels.  They all seem to speak good to excellent English and are almost always trying to help if they are trying to get your attention. Use that to your advantage instead of fighting to do something yourself. Even in a city like Lisbon where it sometimes feels like tourists outnumber the locals, it seems Portuguese people are just as friendly and happy you are there as can be.

Especially important in Lisbon in the fact that when it comes to CFB, Portugal is a lunch country. On Saturday or Sunday especially if you don’t have a reservation for lunch then you will be waiting for a table. Also there are not really any “grab-and-go” type places for lunch; almost everywhere worth eating lunch will be a proper restaurant with table service and everything. This was a very difficult reality for me to grasp so don’t fall into the same trap I did—plan where you want to eat lunch (especially on or around the weekends) and make reservations.

See our guide to Porto, the Douro and beyond for more basic Portugal knowledge, but see below for all the best coffee, food and booze Lisbon has to offer!

Don’t miss

Enoteca De Belém – Lisbon – Restaurant/Wine Bar
Definitely go here if you like wine and elevated food and service. It’s small so make reservations or be willing to walk around for a while, especially if it’s the weekend, but the food is awesome, the wine is excellent and everything about the service is perfect, including their English. It’s a wonderful choice in otherwise touristy Belém.

Alma – Lisbon – Restaurant
Legitimately one of the best meals of my life. The only miss was this weird shrimp appetizer that tasted like it was made from three-day old shrimp. Other than that the food, wines and service were all amazing and the meal—while very expensive if you spring for the big tasting and wine pairing—was well worth the price paid.

A Cevicheria – Lisbon – Restaurant
Totally delicious and worth the wait (for about 45 minutes or so, anyway). Small settings and small portions to match but the food is extra delicious. The host is very friendly and you can have a drink on the sidewalk (lol, Europe) while you wait. Plus your wife can get that Instagram shot of the octopus hanging from the ceiling that she has been dying to get, so that’s good too.

  • Gaspacho
  • Ceviche
  • BBQ Pulpo

REAL Slow Retail Concept Store – Lisbon – Shopping 
Put your name on the list for A Cevicheria and head on over to check out this haunt.  An adorable concept shop with everything from shoes and beach bags to jewelry and sunglasses.  Everything is well merchandised and their price points are all realistic (woohoo!).  I got an amazing pair of suede espadrilles for around $50 USD.

Manteigaria Fábrica de Pastéis de Nata – Lisbon – Pastry Shop
I figured they would not live up to the hype…I was wrong! These pasteis are the best I have tried in all of Portugal, including the Pasteis de Belém. Fresh out of the oven they are basically heaven and they seem to always be fresh out of the oven. Unlike the Pasteis de Belém, these are worth waiting in line (at least for a little while) for.

The Wine Cellar – Lisbon – Restaurant/Wine Bar
No relation to the Wine Barrels in Porto (see above), but still have a good selection of wines from Portugal including many choices by the glass. Some can be a bit on the expensive side but the staff is friendly and helpful and will try to get you what you are looking for at any price point. They also speak excellent English. No matter what you’re drinking, order the cheese board; all six cheeses (all from Portugal) were fantastic. It’s small so come early or make reservations.

FÁBRICA COFFEE ROASTERS/FÁBRICA COFFEE SHOP – Lisbon – Coffee
Five stars for the coffee—one of the best shots of espresso I’ve had in a long time was pulled from their black La Marzocco. All the flavor components of the coffee were noticeable and harmonious; very well done. I do wish they had a stronger savory breakfast game; some toast and jam with poached eggs would be perfect. The roastery location (on R. das Portas de Santo Antão) was a bit better than the shop (on R. das Flores) in my experience.

AMO Brewery – Lisbon – Brewery/Tap Room
Super low-key spot to hang out on Thursday or Friday nights. There are literally just like two tables but basically everyone kind of makes it work; it could not be more chill. It’s in a very residential (i.e. not touristy) area of Lisbon which is a nice respite. The people who work there are also awesome—super friendly and chill. Plus the beer is legit, especially the Chocolate Porter if they still have any left.

Dear breakfast – Lisbon – Breakfast/Brunch
The coffee is solid but NB for Americans a “cappuccino” here (and I guess elsewhere in Lisbon?) has chocolate in it. Not bad, but if you want something like what you get at home when you ask for a cappuccino then ask for a latte. The food is also solid if not amazing, but I think the real draw for most of the people here is the beautiful, Instagram-worthy interior. Staff is really friendly and speak excellent English. Makes it into “Don’t Miss” because of the strong coffee game.

Wish Slow Coffee House – Lisbon – Coffee
Five stars for the flat white—probably the best I had in Lisbon. Did not try the food but the espresso from their Kees Van Der Westen is definitely legit.

bikeiberia Tours & Rentals – Lisbon – Bicycle Rentals
Very friendly and helpful service to rent some bikes for the day to cruise along the river. Reserve ahead or show up early, especially for the weekend. Cash only.

Lisbon Bike Rentals – Lisbon – Bicycle Rentals
Nice bikes, friendly and helpful staff that speaks great English. This is place to rent a nice road bike for a ride to Sintra or Cascais (as opposed to bikeiberia above for just tooling around the riverfront for the day).

If you have time/maybe not for everyone

Livraria Sá da Costa – Lisbon – Bookstore
Cool old with old books and an interesting selection of very old (though possibly fake, based on google maps reviews?) maps. I would probably not buy anything here but it’s a cool place to wander around.

Bistro 100 Maneiras – Lisbon – Restaurant/Cocktail Bar
I’m very torn about this place. On the one hand, excellent cocktails as well as delicious and creative elevated bistro fare. On the other hand, the service was very weird with long pauses in between drink orders but almost no time in between courses. The servers themselves seemed competent but it just seemed like maybe they were short staffed and maybe the kitchen was overstaffed or something? It was a very weird experience to get the main course so quickly but to have the second round of drinks to go with the main course take so long. I would go back since there is a lot of promise, but I would make sure to arrive 30-45 minutes early to have a cocktail at the bar and just order a bottle of wine with dinner ; )

Azul – Lisbon – Restaurant
Good place to get your gooseneck barnacle fix! Conveniently located in the TimeOut market. They were pretty cool and actually quite delicious. I can’t say for sure about the quality or deliciousness of anything else they serve but I’d go back for more barnacles.

Pasteis de Belém – Lisbon – Pastry Shop
The pastries are good and this place is a sight to behold in just its sheer size but honestly they are not so special you need to wait a long time for them. Plus if you are like me then the chaos inside this place will drive you crazy. Note there are lines for take-away that snake outside and a different line way inside the dining area for table service. Apparently the table service line is usually shorter.

Instituto dos Vinhos do Douro e do Porto – Lisbon – Wine Bar
Don’t come here expecting help (or any form of service) from the servers, but do come here hoping they have a glass or bottle of a port you love because if they do then it will be available at the best possible price. Maybe the only place in all of Portugal where we got some attitude for not speaking Portuguese.

Ze MOURARIA – Lisbon – Restaurant
I guess this is a traditional Portuguese restaurant, so if you want to experience what that is like then this could be your place. The food is fine: tasty but nothing to write home about (except that the portions are obscenely large). Very friendly and accommodating staff with at least some servers speaking good English but if you are trying to come on a weekend at prime time (around 1:00p-2:00p) then make sure you have a reservation.

Duque Brewpub – Lisbon – Brew Pub
Good selection of beers on tap but only one was brewed in house? I thought this was a brewpub : ) Anyway, the beer I tried was a bottle of bourbon vanilla porter but it was pretty lackluster. The meat board was solid though. All in all a solid if unspectacular place to get some craft beer in Lisbon…I’d just recommend sticking to what’s on tap.

Garrafeira Alfaia – Lisbon – Wine Bar
Fairly touristy-seeming, small wine bar of no major interest.  Nothing bad about this place just nothing outstanding either. Could be a good place to drink a bottle while waiting for something else (a table somewhere maybe)?

Lisbon Winery – Lisbon – Restaurant/Wine Bar
Decent wine bar with large list of bottles though a little on the expensive side. Food was lackluster, I would just drink here or maybe go for something safe like a meat and cheese board.

Don’t bother

Boi Cavalo – Lisbon – Restaurant
Maybe this restaurant is an elaborate practical joke on foodies? If so, then bravo. Not only was the service so disjointed that it was uncomfortable, but the food coming out of the kitchen was totally lackluster and almost non-sensical. The first course tasted like nothing because the two components themselves tasted like nothing. The second course tasted like nothing because the three components had nothing to do with each other and all the flavors just got muddled together. The main course was rabbit chops, which are exactly as tiny as they sound like they would be and exactly as annoying to eat as you would assume. Not only that, but they were paired with whole beans (similar to favas), snails and a fried dough kind of thing that is apparently traditional in Portugal (?) There was nothing tying all these ingredients together, just four ingredients on a plate, arranged somewhat artistically. It was just a disappointment, from start to finish, which is sad because there is a lot of potential here but it just seems like the kitchen is trying too hard to be creative with flavors and ingredients instead of focusing on the things that make a restaurant successful: delicious food and strong service.

Loja das Conservas Petiscos – Lisbon – Tapas
Creative idea, but just not hitting on the execution. It wasn’t bad—in fact some petiscos were enjoyable (tuna pate, samosas) and the staff was very friendly and spoke very good English—but overall it was just not anything special, and it’s not like there is a shortage of better places for a drink and a snack in the area.

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CFB Porto, Douro and beyond: basically everything you need to know

The Douro Valley

Portuguese people are almost impossibly friendly and helpful and they all seem to speak good to excellent English since I think it is mandatory in schools. So if someone is trying to get your attention it is way more likely that they are trying to help you than scam you…unlike in some other countries [cough, Morocco, cough]. I would suggest using Portuguese people as a resource rather than fighting to do something yourself.

A very important fact when it comes to CFB: Portugal is a lunch country. On Saturday or Sunday especially if you don’t have a reservation for lunch then you will be waiting for a table. Also there are not really any “grab-and-go” type places for lunch; almost everywhere worth eating lunch will be a proper restaurant with table service and everything. This was a very difficult reality for me to grasp so don’t fall into the same trap I did—plan where you want to eat lunch (especially on or around the weekends) and make reservations.

As an added difficulty for someone like me, Portugal does not seem to be the most technologically savvy country. You will be extremely lucky even at the most sophisticated restaurants outside Lisbon to find some sort of online reservation capabilities. In some cases you won’t even have an email address, only a phone number to call. In these cases, see above regarding the friendliness and general proficiency in English of the population, and make the call to make sure you have a reservation (though it probably wouldn’t hurt to learn how to ask in Portuguese if someone is able to speak English). N.B. Just because Portugal is a lunch country that doesn’t mean you won’t also need reservations for dinner at fancier/popular restaurants like those you are likely to want to eat dinner at while on vacation.

One unfortunate thing about Portugal from a CFB perspective is the coffee is generally terrible. Even in Porto specialty coffee is scarce, in the Douro and beyond it is non-existent. I do not have a solution for this problem, I just want to make sure you are prepared : )

Finally, another unfortunate thing about Portugal that we learned the hard way that you may find useful if you plan on driving: they have a product at gas stations called “gasoleo simples”. Do not be fooled by the name; this is a kind of diesel fuel. Do not put it into a car that needs gasoline. Always look for “sem chumbo” on whatever fuel you are going to put into a car that needs gasoline. Trust me.

Anyway, on with the show…

Don’t miss

Quinta Nova Nossa Senhora do Carmo – Douro Valley – Hotel/Restaurant/Winery
If visiting the winery, be sure to book a tour as far in advance as possible, especially during the summer. The wines are very good and even if you don’t get on a tour you can still sit and look out over the beautiful vistas onto the Douro valley while tasting some of the wines. Just fyi, it’s a long drive to get here, from either direction, so take that into account if you’re planning to visit other wineries.

Quinta Santa Julia – Douro Valley – Hotel
Perched at the top of the hill, the views are amazing. The vines and gardens are beautiful and the house is charmingly old (i.e. dark and slightly claustrophobic) and giant and you can just feel the history. Staying here is more like staying with an old relative than at a hotel, and Eduardo, the owner of the house, is an absolute joy to sit and talk with the way you might enjoy sitting and talking to your grandpa who lived an awesome life.

View from Quinta Santa Julia

Restaurante Castas e Pratos – Douro Valley – Restaurant
Huge wine list with excellent selections by the glass in both table wines and dessert wines as well as solid, composed food.

DOC – Chef Rui Paula – Douro Valley – Restaurant
Costs and arm and a leg but the food (and wine) was so good. I had the roast baby goat with oven rice and it was so perfect. I could eat it every day, especially paired with the Rebolar tinto by the glass. Plus the view is amazing from the deck across the river and the valley. Make a reservation.

Al fresco dining at DOC

The Wine Barrels – Porto – Restaurant/Wine Bar
Legit wine professionals here (surprisingly, since it feels like a pretty touristy place). They take their wine and your experience drinking it very seriously; I really appreciated the dedication to the craft, as well as championing the small producers of the Douro Valley. Plus the meat and cheese board was pretty dope and they have vintage port by the glass! Check out their sister wine bar The Wine Box, as well.

Cafe Progresso – Porto – Coffee
Genuine La Marzocco so you know the coffee is legit. The scrambled eggs and toast breakfast combo was good if a bit plain (could use some jam for that toast). They have single origin espresso options and speak very good English.

Combi Coffee – Porto – Coffee
Best coffee that I tasted in Porto. They roast their own beans and have multiple single origin options for espresso. Plus their Pastel de Nata is the best I tried in Porto. Very cool/hip ambience and perfect English is spoken by all the staff.

Casa Guedes – Porto – Sandwiches
Don’t be fooled by anything else on the menu—the sande com pernil e queijo is the way to go. They are small though so maybe get two per person or some fries or soup. But man those pork sandwiches are basically perfect

Época Porto – Porto – Breakfast
The sourdough bread and eggs with Turkish spices is so good it makes me upset. I could probably eat that every single morning. Plus, really good coffee, cute and cool decor, and English-speaking staff; I loved this place.

7groaster – Porto – Coffee
Solid coffee and a very cool ambience. They roast their own beans and have multiple coffee options (espresso and brewed coffee). They have food as well which—except for the so-so pastel de nata—we did not try, but as far as acceptable coffee goes in Villa Nova de Gaia I’m sure this is your best bet.

If you have time/maybe not for everyone

Quinta do Vallado – Douro Valley – Winery/Hotel
The winery tour is decent and the winery is beautiful but the wines you taste at the end are mediocre. Personally, I would probably choose a different winery to tour if I were to do it all over again.

Offley – Porto – Winery
Next time I would probably just skip the tour and the lackluster tasting (even the Barão de Forrester tasting was lackluster) and go straight to the tasting room on R. Costa Santos for either the €15 flight of aged tawnies (10-, 20- and 30-year old) or a €7.50 glass of one of the vintage ports.

Caves São João – Aveiro – Winery
Great wines, especially the Poco do Lobo wines (both the Arinto and the Cabernet Sauvignon) from the 90’s make it worth seeking out. Your guess is as good as mine as to where you’re supposed to park, but assuming you do find somewhere then you should know that tours are given every weekday at 10:30a and 3:00p. If you happen to show up at a different time they will still sell you wine and they have a huge list of current as well as older vintages for very reasonable prices. It would be nice if the website were more up to date and the entrance was a bit more…welcoming, but I guess that’s Portugal for you.

Quinta do Noval – Porto – Winery
No tours here, just tastings. The ports are good but there are no options for just a glass of vintage port; you have to buy a bottle or do one of the tasting flights in order to taste a vintage port. They did however have a colheita by the glass and their 20 year old tawny is very nice indeed, with a wonderful cocoa and leather nose, at a fairly reasonable price of €8.50 a glass.

Caves Vasconcellos – Porto – Winery
I really wanted to like this place because the tour is private and it is a small producer of port and our guide Jorge was very passionate, but in the end I just found their ports to be a bit too thin and racy for my tastes, and there was kind of an awkward, simultaneously hard and soft sell to get us to buy something—seemingly anything—at the end of our tour and tasting that I was not a fan of.

ODE Porto Wine House – Porto – Restaurant
Four stars for the creative, artistic and (most importantly) delicious dishes and delightful Portuguese wine pairings. It would be a very good choice for a special occasion but it’s way too expensive to be a regular visit. Minus one star for being so expensive and not accepting credit cards; two people will need at least €200 in cash and most likely more if you really want to enjoy yourselves. [Update: apparently they now do take credit cards, which would take it up a notch in my book, but I have not verified this.]

ALOJAMENTO BATATA – Nazare – Hotel
I would not necessarily recommend Nazare overall, but in case you are there or want to go there for some specific reason, this is a wonderful space to stay with modern but comfortable decor and very welcoming staff! Apartments are perfect for a beach vacation in Nazaré; good location and value.

Fishing boats on the Nazare beach

Casa Pires – A Sardinha – Nazare – Restaurant
If it’s not sardine season, go for the fish stew with potatoes. Heck even if it is sardine season maybe still go for the fish stew—it’s so delicious. There seemed to be a healthy mix of tourists and locals and the waiters speak good English in case you don’t speak good Portuguese : )

Queque de Cenoura – Nazare – Pastry Shop
Tooth-achingly sweet (in a good way!) pastries, and a super-duper pão com chouriço. The coffee is miserable, but I think that’s pretty standard for Portugal? Good luck finding a proper flat white in Nazaré. Perhaps most importantly though the staff is very friendly and helpful even though they don’t speak English; take your Google Translate app and you’ll be fine.

Taverna do 8 Ó 80 – Nazare – Restaurant/Wine Bar
Excellent tapas and very good steak (N.B. “veal rump steak” aka alcatra in Portuguese is much more tender than beef rump steak, so it is actually their best steak as the menu says). Good, extensive wine list. My only (admittedly snobbish and very minor) complaint is they have a lot of newer vintages, not very much that is more than just two or three years old. The staff is very friendly and helpful, especially in helping select a wine to drink, and they speak very good English.