V_drmgm

Marseille

Mame Diarra is a Senegalese restaurant in the heart of Noailles. If you are with a group of friends, looking for a cool spot to eat before a long night, this is the spot. Amazing food, generous portions, big tables and a huge screen constantly playing the latest West African music videos from YouTube. 

Whereas most natural wine bars tend to be interchangeable products of cultural homogenisation, La Passerelle seems to care little about the new standards of the hip bourgeoisie. Started over twenty years ago by a group of friends, La Passerelle looks more like a literary café at the crossroads of Mediterranean cultures, where musicians, artists and pretty anyone come for a good chat (and a lot of wine). 

If a diner and a PMU (French sport bar) blended together, this is what it could look like; casual and welcoming, good fun but nonetheless a super cool spot to eat, drink, mingle and unwind. Meghan, the Scottish owner, will serve you her simple yet delicious take on Mediterranean cuisine, unless you’re here to play pool in the backroom while drinking demies and pastis.

This must be my more mature, simple yet elegant, to go to spot. The one that allows you to wear your favourite pair of white trousers. La caravelle is a lowkey cocktail bar established above some restaurants of le vieux port. They have jazz bands and musicians playing every week, very decent drinks and a cool balcony with a great view.. but what I like the most is the laid back, hushed yet vibrant atmosphere that does feel like being on a 16th-century wooden boat.

Many hyper-controlled venues have been cosplaying as rave lately. Metaphore is what a real DIY space looks and feels like. Started almost ten year ago, this semi-legal warehouse hidden in the middle of an industrial area offers multiple spaces to dance, chill and socialise. The dark room is properly lightproof, equipped with a well balanced function one system that allows night long dancing away from the outer world. This is a place for experienced and respectful partygoers where you will meet the local underground community as much as people from around the world. Saturday nights are usually club nights, open to a wide range of sounds. Sundays are dedicated to live music, from more acoustic and melodic to more experimental and electronic performances.

L’arraché is the Marseillaise equivalent of a Chicago jazz bar during the prohibition. When raving or clubbing feels a little too much, going to l’arraché can be a great option. This underground bar, associatif. nearby la plaine hasn’t changed much over the past thirty years. Low ceiling, big smoke, crackling bi-bop tapes selected by one of the two sixty year old Corsican owners while the other one is handing you your bottle of beer, some people dancing, some playing chess, and literally everyone smoking. As some Time Out journalists would say - this is a ‘unique experience’, just make sure to shower before bed.

“Literally Everyone Is Smoking” - An Evening in Marseille with V_drmgm

HighSchool

Melbourne

If you’re out west and feeling peckish, look no further than Fresh Chilli Deli. Sitting right in the heart of St Albans town centre, it’s a local staple and an unofficial meeting point for breakfast, lunch, or even an early dinner goers alike. There’s plenty of seating out front, perfect for demolishing your banh mi the proper way, that is, immediately after purchase. It is a light, healthy banh mi, with an innovative fried, crispy caramelized onion curveball that adds a sweet crunch you won’t see coming. An unami, somewhat gamey but not too oily banh mi with just enough fresh bird’s eye chilli lining the base of the bread to make sure the product lives up to its name. 

Luke’s is part of the new school of gentrified banh mi spots, but don’t let that put you off. Served in tiger bread and brimming with fried shallots, this vietnamese roll ain’t for the faint hearted. It’s substantial, very filling and borderline gluttonous — the kind of banh mi that will silence the fiercest of hunger. It’s heavy, rich, maybe not the healthiest but definitely the most delicious - and all for the fair price of a flat tenner. The meat is cooked to perfection, tender and juicy, and the vegetarian options are impressive, with eight different choices for the non-meat eaters. Sure, there’s usually a pretty major queue out front, but that’s just proof it’s the real deal. Grab yourself a coffee from Brunetti’s a few doors down and wait it out because Luke’s banh mi is most definitely worth it.  

As soon as you walk through the door, you know Bun Bun Bakery means business. Freshly baked baguettes cool beside bread ovens out the back, a Buddhist shrine behind the counter holds a banh mi offering shrouded in incense smoke, and a production line of staff assemble each sandwich with specialiaed precision. Bun Bun keeps it traditional — no frills, no gimmicks, just quality ingredients and recipes perfected over the years. Their salad game is unmatched: plentiful and fresh. The use of ghee instead of butter or mayo adds a unique richness you won’t find anywhere else. Each type of banh mi is slipped into a different coloured bag depending on the protein you opted for — a small but satisfying touch indicative of Bun Bun’s care and attention to detail.

We’re starting with a classic. N. Lee Bakery on Smith Street in Collingwood has been holding it down since 1991. Every good banh mi starts with good bread and N. Lee has the best in the business - baked fresh on site, with a superbly crisp crust and a soft, fluffy centre. The perfect ratio of pâté, mayo, and hoisin blends into a heavenly creamyness, offset by the pickled julienned daikon that runs throughout. It’s simple and clean, a staple, an everyday banh mi, a banh mi that never gets old. Local tip: Pick up a fresh detox salon juice from Sonsa Market next door, perfect collab with any N. Lee banh mi.

At first glance, To’s banh mi might seem pretty stripped back - maybe even unremarkable - but a closer look (and bite) reveals something quietly brilliant. The baguette is sprinkled with sesame seeds, with a touch of cracked pepper inside for a subtle kick. Coriander takes centre stage, and yesterday’s bread is cubed into croutons adding an innovative and resourceful crunch. To’s is reliable and consistent — it has everything you want in a banh mi and nothing you don’t. It’s the kind of roll that keeps you coming back again and again.

“Silence the Fiercest of Hunger” -  Melbourne’s Best Bánh Mì Spots With HighSchool

Kevin Coval

Chicago

Silver Room is one of my favourite places in the city. It’s become a  cultural institution that’s been an anchor to the revitalisation of the business district on 53rd Street in Hyde Park. The Silver Room started as a jewellery/culture space and it’s become a place where the community comes together for open mics, for storytelling events. An important place. 

A Korean fusion restaurant run by my buddy chef Won Kim who is also a graffiti writer and DJ. The most exciting cultural spaces in Chicago now is in food pop-ups run by young entrepreneurial first-second generation immigrants, fusing their country's palette into Chicago fare. Most of these younger chefs happen to be pan-Asian - Won at Kimski is the uncle of this new moment. He is one the finest chefs this city has. 

Allan - the gallerist - is really trying to work with emerging artists to further professionalise their craft and business acumen. I admire that as I think Chicago artists get overlooked, even though  they make some of the illest work on the planet. Allan is generous with his space, there is a lot that goes on outside of gallery shows - dinners, readings, gatherings. Just a cool, elevated cultural space. 

They have acted - like many street wear shops in Chicago - as a community centre that's helped to foster the local music community. They’ve probably been around going on 20 years as a streetwear brand. The sort of golden moments in Chicago hip hop music most recently was early 2010s - the sound known as drill was beginning to bubble. A lot of the crossover - listening sessions and gear - came from spaces like Jugrnaut. It continues to support the local music scene: hosting listening parties and open mics.

They have affordable vinyl both new and used - difficult to find stuff. They run a DJ program in that space and give opportunities to emerging DJs including having DJ classes. 

Hungry Brain is oftentimes a jazz bar. You will see folks like artists who are on Chicago's International Anthem label - they do a for real job of highlighting new music that is fresh. The jazz scene in Chicago is slept on in a way, Chicago has this tradition of free, experimental jazz. 

Run by folks from the neighbourhood who are trying to create a third space for everybody. Cafes in Chicago are having a renaissance as third spaces, there is a generation of young entrepreneurs excited about creating spaces for people to gather outside of work and the home, which is essential to cultural fabric of the city. They make incredible lattes while making sure that you feel welcome.

It is an active factory that has embraced the culture of graffiti art. The folklore is that the owner's son was graffiti writer, he got tired of him and knucklehead friends calling from jail so turned over their walls to graffiti writers in a decriminalised way. You can go practice as a novice and see uninterrupted masterpieces on the outside walls. In my opinion, it is one of the best public art space in the city, if not the country.

“The Country Is at Its Best in Radically Mixed Spaces”: Kevin Coval's Top Chicago Spots

Lawrence Agyei 

One of my absolute favourite galleries in the city. They’ve hosted incredible shows with contemporary artists from all over the world. The Gabriel Moses exhibition they did still sticks with me—it was that good.

Tucked downstairs in the Hoxton Hotel, this cocktail lounge has quickly become my Friday night go-to. Super intimate with live music Wednesday through Sunday—it feels like a hidden gem.

Hands down one of the best restaurants in the city. The soul food here is unreal. I always go for the mac and cheese, cornbread, and blackened catfish—life-changing combo. Beyond the food, the space has become a hub for creatives. There’s a powerful Dawoud Bey photograph on the wall, beautiful paintings throughout, and the music always sets the right vibe.

A cozy cocktail and record lounge that feels like home. Every first Wednesday they host a jazz night, and on Tuesdays you can bring your own vinyl to play. One of the wildest nights there was when Anderson .Paak randomly showed up and DJed the entire night.

My favourite gallery in Chicago, no question. I make it a point to attend every exhibition they put on. The team cares deeply about the artists they represent, and you can feel that love in every show.

A lounge/restaurant right in the heart of Bronzeville. The neighborhood itself carries so much history—it was once called the Black Renaissance neighbourhood, home to writers, photographers, and musicians. The food and drinks are amazing, and on certain nights they bring in DJs who spin soul, house, and jazz. I go there just to relax and vibe.

My favourite photography gallery in the city. They feature legendary photographers like Dawoud Bey, Robert Frank, and Alex Webb. Once, I even got a look at some of their archival pieces, and it left me inspired for weeks.

Feel the Love: Lawrence Agyei On Chicago's Cultural Beauty

Madeline

Smartbar has been around since 1982, it's a very important institution for us and has one of the best sound systems in the city. Although the venue itself is not technically a queer space, Queen! on Sundays or any nights hosted and curated by queer residents (Ariel Zetina, Shaun J Wright, Harry Cross, myself) carve out necessary space for queer bookings and dancefloors. Queen! is the iconic weekly house party that celebrates the LGBTQ roots of dance music. 

This is one of the oldest running drag establishments in Chicago. It was founded in 1969 and it's where the international drag pageant Miss Continental happens. It's a very old-Chicago type of space - a stairway down into a basement, classic stage with red velvet curtains, carpeted floors - a specific vibe that's becoming more rare in the city. It’s actually just been bought and is being turned into a leather bar but hopefully the new owners will preserve the energy of this historical space. 

Dorothy is one of the only lesbian bars in Chicago! It's only been around for a few years and filled a necessary gap. A cocktail bar with a lot of charm and character to it - very plush with cushions and vibey with mood lighting, the drinks are lovingly concocted by all- queer, trans, and femme bartenders. They have DJs and live music regularly and host a variety of events and themed nights there:  spoken word, poetry, theater, film screenings.

This is another historic establishment that's been around since 1984. It's effectively a gay dive bar, a relic from a time when the downtown "Tower Town" area was more of a queer epicenter than the contemporary Boystown. Most of the bars in Boystown are a bit more commercial and corporate, but Second Story has more of a classic dive character. Lovably tiny and a bit gritty, the drinks are really cheap and it's cash only. It's the type of place that isn't around much anymore.

This is a museum that celebrates the history of gay leather culture, fetishism, and alternative sexual practices in general. A great place to learn more about queer kink and leather history in Chicago and look at a lot of interesting leather garments, old murals from leather bars, and more. 

The gay beach in Chicago! Where "the grinder grid comes to life" as my friend Ben Trotter once said. Hollywood Beach is sort of a spiritual successor to Belmont Rocks which was one of the few places for gay men to be openly queer/cruise in public in the 70s and 80s. Hollywood is less of a cruising spot and more of a place to socialise outside of nightlife and enjoy the sun in the summer, in addition to being more gender inclusive. You can be comfortable in a thong or topless on the beach compared to most family-dominated beaches. The southern half of the beach is queerer than the northern half - look for the rainbow lighthouse on the end of the pier and follow it. Or just follow your ears because there’s usually gay music being played on like 17 different speakers.

This is one of the only Black and trans-operated spaces in the city that functions as a community resource for trans and gender-nonconforming people. It's effectively a community centre with support groups and mutual aid programs. They collect and redistribute food donations through a pantry program, offer lockers for unhoused individuals, provide free wigs and other gender-affirming beauty supplies, and have a temporary housing program. It's a great resource for folks who need some extra support or want to spend time with community in a judgment-free space.

The gay strip club in Boystown. I have many friends who have worked there over the years. It's a fun first stop on the more commercial Boystown bar circuit - a place to do a fireball shot and give the dancers some dollars before hitting the standard bar/drag institutions in the nearby area (Roscoe's, Sidetrack, Splash, Scarlet, etc - all walkable within a few minutes of each other)

Owned and operated by two Black lesbians in the lesbian-heavy neighbourhood of Andersonville, this is pretty much the only other lesbian cocktail bar besides Dorothy. It has a sleek and modern lounge vibe with trivia nights, singles mixers, music, a private events space, and many loving homages to Black femme icons like Nina Simone, Eartha Kitt, and Summer Walker.

“Gay Music Being Played on 17 Different Speakers”: Madeline’s Guide to Queer Chicago

Ravyn Lenae

My family and I have been going here since I was a little girl. I usually order the chocolate chip pancakes with a side of hashbrowns.


His place is definitely one of my favourites whenever I’m in the mood for a seafood boil. You have to make sure you get the “3 The Chi Way” sauce on whatever you order. I actually had a bottle of this shipped to LA because it’s that good.
 


I’m a regular here. When I was living in Hyde Park this became one of my favourite Caribbean spots. I order the stewed salmon with extra plantains.


This is a southside classic. I remember having my first BBQ ribs here and begging my mom to take me all the time.
 


One of the many great pizza spots we have. If you’re in the mood for heavy-handed cheesy pizza this is perfect.

Bomb. I always order their fried shrimp with fries and veggies. This was my go-to whenever I waited too long to eat dinner because they’re open until 10 PM.


UNDERRATED. Best lemon pepper wings in the city!


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Trippin

What's New

Explore the World

Food Dives

Cold Weather, Warm Feelings

"Even the leaves fall down in lovelier patterns here" - Gwendolyn Brooks ('Beverly Hills, Chicago')