Chuck Inglish

Chicago

Chicago’s most famous chicken shack - you go to Sears Tower and then go to Harold's - that’s what you do. It’s a tourist moment, but ya gotta do it.

This spot is like an international food market, food court kinda thing.

This is a whole new breed of pizza spot - try the caramelised cheese crust.

Top restaurant in the city - good date spot if you’re travelling with boo. Get the oxtail egg rolls!

The experience during games is super live, dope wings and get the parmesan fries.

The buffalo wings & the sandwiches & the happy hours :)

The pasta salad, the brisket, the chicken, the selections of beers on draft, the architecture - that type of shit.

Chuck Inglish’s Top Chicago Food Spots

Singapore 

Perfect for a date night, pre-drinks before going out-out, catching up with friends and discovering new DJs, old heads and undiscovered tunes. It’s a sociable hub for music lovers, creatives and friendly faces. It’s not open late so I’d recommend not after 8pm if you want a good shift. They serve Pan-Asian fusion food and cocktails, the menu is mouthwatering! Ask for Dean Chew, one of the co-founders of the label Darker Than Wax runs this place. He’s a sweet, sweet soul.

Perfect for a casual catch up with your friends. The crowd is a lot of East-siders – so some really laid-back people. The sunset is beautiful around the East Coast, it feels really nostalgic, so I’d say [pull up] at 7pm just before the evening sets in. They serve beers and spirits, as well as some hard-hitting Thai food. The spot is run by a really chill older couple, I used to work here actually!

The vibe is perfect for if you’re craving some authentic Chinese seafood whilst having a catch up with some friends and family. This is the place you need to hit up. Almost exclusively local Singaporean folk and longtime Singapore residents. It’s definitely a hidden gem. The stingray, fried rice and sambal kangkong are my go-to dishes. If you haven’t tried stingray, it has a soft meat texture that essentially melts in your mouth.

It’s affordable dim sum, so the vibe is perfect for any occasion! You have hundreds of options and insanely quick service. The place is almost always local Singaporeans – another hidden gem. You should order lime juice with sour plum, xiao long bao (Shanghai soup dumplings), siu mai, fried prawn dumplings, wanton, crab meat sauce with mantou. Basically anything, to be honest. I could order everything twice over.

It’s the perfect place to end your night out. I’d always end up here after the club with a group of friends. I'd say the crowd is a mix between people who want to watch football and drunk club-goers. Order the roti prata with fish, chicken, lamb curry or dhal if you’re vegan or vegetarian.

You can get to the island by hopping on a ferry for under 20 Singapore dollars (SGD) from Marina South Pier. I’d recommend the 10am ferry so you get a full day out. Definitely bring your own food and water to St John’s Island because they don’t sell any!

It’s super affordable to get to Pulau Ubin – it costs under five SGD for a single trip. You can get a bumboat at Changi Point Ferry Terminal which usually takes around 15 minutes. You can also bring your own bicycle here or rent one when you’re there. It’s also a good shout to bring your own water and snacks even though you can find food there. My favourite thing to do is kayaking along the mangroves – surreal.

Jhumka on Where to Go in Singapore

Juran Bowen

Barbados

Now this bar is an old time local favourite for the middle class of Barbados, but what this unique space has become is so much more. Embracing its connection to live music and its commitment to providing LGBTQIA+ safe spaces, Mojo has become a hub centred on love, family and acceptance. It’s easy to get to and the food is really yummy too. My favourite hidden gem here are the deep fried mushrooms, and all the bar tenders know me and my friends by name.

Now this one is close to my creative side. Sage Bar represents artistry at its finest as it is the home to so many queer-friendly creative spaces for open mics to performances in the most intimate of settings. The aesthetic of the place is its charm and eclectic atmosphere with mismatched pieces of furniture – from couches to stools to love seats and more; but imagine that all in the front of your cosy old style Barbadian bungalow. You heard right. It’s run out of the owners’ house and trust me when I say you’d love them, because they run it with love, love and more love.

Worthing Square is like a second home to me. It’s a food truck plaza with about 30 types of food to choose from: Asian fusion, Italian pizza, tacos, burgers, Bajan food (like the real, real stuff), curries and even some Arabian food. Imagine all of that and then add a Mount Gay rum bar with specialty cocktails and bottles for sale, even a three for $10 beer special, and seating to enjoy the cool shade on a hot day. At night, the vibe changes as live entertainment livens up the place.

This is my best friend’s favourite place to go and I knew I needed to
mention it because thrifting is both charity and self-gratification. Cheap, unique, thrifty finds with a particular Bajan flair, trust me it’s worth it.

Lastly, my workspace. An organisation dedicated to providing safe spaces and services to the LGBTQIA+ community. Now I've got to mention this. Equals hosts and sponsors limes, games nights, balls, parties, quiz nights – all for queer people by queer people.

Queer-Friendly Spaces in Barbados Spotlighted by Juran

Maeve

Cayman Islands

This is where a lot of the locals get their fish fry. In my opinion, it's the best place on island for fish fry. They also have tables under cabanas on a beach and it's on the quieter side of the island.

My favourite spot on the Island. Not only do they have amazing food but they throw events like live music and parties. It's an amazing cultural and creative hub. They use a lot of local produce, give a lot back to the community and support local creatives.
If you go you should ask for Aris Latham's vegan pie - it's unreal.

It's a local tradition to hop on a boat and go to Rum Point on a Sunday. It can get pretty crazy - everyone anchors at a sandbar plays music and it always ends up being a big party. You can't miss this tradition if you come to Cayman!

They have insane Trinidadian and local food here but my favourite thing to get are the doubles. The best hangover cure is getting takeaway from here.

Little Cayman is the smallest island of the three and though the majority of tourists visit Grand Cayman - Little Cayman is an amazing place to go for a couple of days to recharge. Everything is slow moving here and it's so peaceful. You can rent scooters and explore the island.

A quiet beach named after the fact that it's got little starfish dotted around the shore. You can get there by boat and anchor in the shallows. It's a nice place to chill with friends.

Here you can get local art and amazing produce from local farmers. Also cool place to meet some Caymanians and get some advice on what's going on on the island.

Discover the Cayman Islands with Maeve

San Francisco 

Loquat explores the the flavours of Iraqi Jewish heritage and is the brainchild of my homie Tal Mor, who is behind Four Barrel Coffee and The Mill with Josey Baker Bread. Loquat is built from love and intentionally sourcing all of its ingredients, many of which are from Palestine. My favourite thing is the boureka plate with the house harissa and zhoug. Don’t sleep on the salted chocolate babka either.

I low-key think this is the best bar in America. The combination of community, food and drinks is unmatched. I get creatively inspired here with what Nicholas Torres and his team does. The cocktails span the imagination, and I especially appreciate the low ABV drinks. I would get the bartenders choice of cocktail and definitely get the hen of the woods mushrooms.

This is a special special place run by amazing people. You can’t beat the vibe – it is unequivocally San Francisco. 20 Spot is a restaurant inside the old Force of Habit record store, it’s run by Bodhi Freedom who is a Frisco OG. I recommend just sitting at the bar with a flatbread and anything else that looks good on Alejandro’s (the chef's) menu and letting Bodhi pour you a glass of what he’s feeling that night.

Isa and Kenzie used to work on farms before opening this spot that serves the most incredible tamales and bowls. Everything is amazing, but I go with the Hugo Street Retreat with a breakfast cookie to enjoy on a walk around one of the best neighbourhoods in the city.

24th Street is my favourite street in San Francisco and there’s nothing like it or La Palma in the world. I go with the Taco Sonora and I grab some queso and salsa for the fridge on my way out.

The best coffee in America is in San Francisco (sorry Portland) and Grand is one of my favourites. I love the two locations on Mission Street and I love everything this place and its owners represent as a community business. I love their espresso and usually go with an eight-ounce Americano or a Gibralatar (don’t call it a Cortado!).

When I first moved to San Francisco I lived in the Richmond, and I discovered this tiny spot that changed how I think about how food is made and that small is better. Pizetta makes a few pizzas a day based on what's at the farmer's market. I usually get whatever pizza is on the menu, a slice of flourless chocolate cake, and an espresso that takes me back to 2007 when I used to just sit at the bar and write.

Anybody telling you San Francisco is dead, just bring them here on the Friday or Saturday night. Probably the most fun place to dance in the city, and while I admittedly avoid the dancefloor, I do appreciate the natural wine, top shelf DJ and music curation that makes this place bump.

There’s a few great dive bars I was thinking of for this list, like Lone Palm and 500 Club, but I’m putting Wazema [down] because in addition to being around the block from me, and it being a historic San Francisco business, they also serve Ethiopian food every night 'til 10. I order the sampler plate and enjoy a little fernet after, and hit the pool table in the back.

I go to bat for Gallardo’s as the best brunch in the city. It’s only on the weekends, but it's worth the wait for their birria served with their tortillas and fixings.

Sunset Squares Foodhall is where you can go watch a game and choose between Sunset Squares Pizza (sourdough pizza), Namu Stonepot (Korean-inspired fare), Filipino food (Uncle Tito’s) and a really amazing curation of beer and wine. I go for the Pub pizza, and I add olives and gardiniere for the first half of the game.

The Palestinian diaspora in San Francisco is one of the most special things about the city. Biet Rima is a family business that makes you feel at home every time you eat at either of their two locations. I usually go with their chicken shish tawook plate, the mezze platter – and don’t sleep on Samir’s bread.

Few places in San Francisco have the room feeling that Zuni does. I always go back and forth between Bix and Zuni as my favourite old-school vibes. But Zuni takes it for me because when I first moved to the city it was the late-night meals I had here after my shifts that shaped my love for food. The move here is to grab a seat by the bar, get a martini, order the chicken, and patiently wait for it enjoying their Caesar salad. Classic and perfect.

Where to Eat and Drink in San Francisco, According to Mohammad Gorjestani

Ortigia

Bar Artale is one of the oldest bars on the island of Ortigia. A stone's throw from the Cathedral of Syracuse you can taste excellent granitas and a fine selection of traditional pastries. Definitely try the almond granita and cassatelle!

Marco Cappuccio grew up in the family fish market. Cappuccio, an institution in Ortigia’s market, as well as being an excellent musician, offers a selection of fresh, high-quality fish. The tuna hamburger is one of the cult dishes of this iconic street food spot in the island.

Chiodo was, in the past, a beautiful interior design workshop. Over the recent years it has been transformed into a bistro, open for both lunch and dinner. The restaurant recalls its background despite the change, thanks to refined interior and furnishings. Dishes to try include red prawn and mango tartare and the ceviche with catch of the day.

The spaghetti with urchins from the Pesce Azzurro Trattoria, over the years, has become one of the staple stops for the Ortigia Sound System audience. In this trattoria run by the landlord called 'Sergio known as the Turk' you can try some of the dishes of the seafood tradition, such as sarde alla beccafico and the red prawns.

Enoteca Solaria over the last few years has become an institution for natural wine, not only in Syracuse but throughout Sicily. The two owners have a great passion for organic wines. The beautiful wooden interior offers a selection of wine of the highest quality.

Malamore represents a unique rarity on the island of Ortigia. It is, in fact, a small record shop with lots of gems. Run by a team of DJs and entrepreneurs including Lucio Acquilina (half of Neapolitan group Nu Genea). In addition to records, you can drink an excellent selection of local beers, both draught or canned.

Divino Mare is located in the heart of the Ortigia market, and in recent years has established itself as a place for experimentation and research in the field of food and wine. At Divino Mare you can relax simply by ordering a bottle of wine and tasting some tapas. Must try: the fried fish and tuna belly skewers.

Boats is a cocktail bar located opposite the splendid ruins of the Temple of Apollo. Top quality and research make this venue one of the essential hedonistic stops of the Ortigia tour. For cocktails let yourself be guided by the skillful hands of the bartender, but we can always recommend the Pisco Sours.

As well as being one of the festival's most iconic venues, during the rest of the year the boat becomes a viable platform for events of various types and genres. Various activities organised during the season: parties, tastings, dinners and much more. In addition, the bar is always open from sunset onwards so you can have a beer or a cocktail by the sea.

A Guide to Ortigia Island by Festival Founder Enrico Gambadoro

Hong Kong

[You] need an online booking. Make an appointment a month before. [You can] book for weekdays more easily than for the weekend.

A lot of good food around, and you can eat on the street with the homies and skip dinner, just chill on the street. It's a vibe.

Order the strawberry daiquiri and the banana daiquiri. I used to go here after dinner and order non-alcohol daiquiris. The cup [comes] covered with cocoa powder; feels like dessert to me. Alcohol [may be even] better, I bet.

Located in Mong Kok just a few minutes on foot from the Prince Edward MTR station, the flower market is one of the most colourful places in Hong Kong. It is adjacent to the Yuen Po Street Bird Garden.

This market is a few minutes away from the flower market.

[Go to] Mummy Pancake [for] the chocolate egg waffles. In the alley they have a vintage store. There's a lot of good, local food shops there and some cafes.


I went there every month when I was a kid 'cause Tuesdays or Wednesdays are free. Also, I really like the old Hong Kong history decor there.

The location is at Mongkok. It's a very popular area and if you’re tourists you must go. This is the one and only special cafe. The orange colour is for the main decor, inside [it's] full of graffiti by HK's famous graffiti artist “Uncle,” and the burger is very delicious.

FM Belowground radio station powered by YEITOUT. They always have guest DJs doing recordings or podcasts in there, and the ASTERISK retail shop has got all kinds of stuff to shop. Sometimes, belowground have a unique pop-up store.

Explore the Streets of Hong Kong with Subez

Lorenzo BITW

Rome

One of the biggest food markets of the city and a place where you can get lost really easily. I love to go shopping there when I have time to spend and find some particular food or something very typical that you won’t find in supermarkets.

Il Mangiadischi is a small record store situated in the area of San Lorenzo, Fidel Kato the owner is an hip hop and rap connoisseur and he will make you feel at home when you enter into the store.

The place is tiny and you can’t even sit inside, they will call it now street food but it’s something we always had in Rome. Supplì is the best thing to try there, a fried rice balls with ragù inside.

I love the fact that the owners of this spot are quite rude and they have the characteristics of the typical Roman guys. The bar is situated in popular area of Testaccio and the best thing to try there is Zabaione.

This is where locals in my area, Prati, go to have a drink or to chill but it’s not the usual Prati spot because it’s cheap and people are friendly. If you go there try Spritz mezzo e mezzo.

This beautiful building was built by Borromini and it has a unique architecture, inside there is also an incredible library. The place is not always open so it’s a matter of luck of walking by and find the doors opened.

This place is kind of magic and it has his own charm. Hanging everywhere there are communist posters and they serve only wine or prosecco. They have a really good selection of wine and you can also bring your own food and eat there.

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