Michelle Li

New York City 

The best tofu in town. Growing up I used to eat sweet rice cakes every morning for breakfast, this place takes me back with their bai tang gao. It comes in different flavors but I like to stick to the classic white sugar one!

Bring a spicy friend. You choose your ingredients and they throw it in a Chinese dry pot together for you with the perfect blend of spices. The atmosphere inside is so cozy and nostalgic, as if you were in a Wong Kar Wai movie.

Lil store big bites. I love their chicken biscuit sandwich with gravy and cole slaw, if I'm feeling extra treat-y I'll grab a bag of beignets and eat them at the park on Forsyth Street.

A nice place to end a day in the Lower East Side. This cute coffee shop is the kind of place you go into for a snack but then see the table beside you eating something yummy so you end up having a whole meal."

So many good classic Szechuan plates here. Another spicy spot to bring a friend, Chinese food is for sharing so the bigger the group the better because you can try more dishes.

I used to work retail down the street in college and this was my go-to lunch spot. Their moussaka lunch special is SO special and the baklava is self-serve from tiny drawers that hold sheets of them. It's a light airy cafe that if you can snag a seat, do it and sit for a bit.

They're famous for their beef noodles but on days that I miss home I like to go in and just get a cucumber salad and lu ro fan, my comfort food.

Malaysian breakfast! I love to go and get a bunch of snacks, sweets, and cute fancy toasts.

This well-curated shop has pieces that are quirky and unique, they inspire you to want to break out of your style comfort zone and try to wear some more color or a new silhouette. It's a very persuasive store.

An LES (Lower East Side) institution at this point. A lot of NYC girls are always shopping here for their oversized wool coats, blanket scarves, and plaid blazers. There are a lot of knick knacks and familiar brands, but you'll always find some new designer from Europe in here.

My go-to for when I'm in a bind and need to pick up a cute gift for a friend. Also a great place to go if you're looking for special home goods.

The purveyors of finding great younger brands and designers. I always pop in this store when I'm looking for some inspiration for upcoming shoots, it's a great way to see what is up-and-coming in the fashion world.

NYC's Best Spots to Eat and Shop by Michelle Li

Paris

She describes herself as a sassy club in the 6th arrondissement around Saint-Germain-des-Près. Pretty new to the scene but hosts a lot of parties during fashion week. Interesting people to look at, music varies every night so can match anybody’s music taste. Might get a little hot and sweaty but we love it!

There's not much time since we’re running around, so a delicious, filling sandwich is my go to. Can be eaten on the go. They have veggie versions, some with fish but my go to is the roast beef one – it’s to die for! Also you've got to get the crumble, it’s a must!

If you have time to sit and have a nice dinner, this spot is my absolute favourite. It’s a hidden tapas restaurant in the back of a cute alley. They have the most delicious natural wine selection and the food is incredible. Amazing to share with your friends that you only get to see during fashion week. Make sure to make a reservation ASAP!

Need a coffee or matcha break? This is the perfect spot. It’s owned by a Japanese couple. They make amazing coffee but my go to is their iced houjicha latte. It’s a perfect pick-me-up with one of the cakes that they make everyday. I personally like their lemon glaze cake or their scones. Might be a little crowded to sit but you can walk around and sit at a nearby park!

This spot has been a Paris girl favourite lately. They sell the cutest and well curated vintage pieces, and they also started making their own clothes which are actually so cute and great quality. They restock quite often, so if you go in the chances of you coming out with something you love are very high.

You might already know this spot but if one night you feel like dressing up and being fancy, this is the place to go. Getting a drink surrounded by red velvet and dim lights is always a vibe, whether it’s with friends or why not a date?! If you’re feeling a little peckish and have a sweet tooth, definitely get the pavlova – it’s delicious!

Where to Go in Paris During Fashion Week, According to Local Creative Yaya

Andrea Martina Specchio

Venice

My favourite place to have breakfast or 'merenda' (afternoon break). This tiny pastry and coffee shop is where I always start my day when I am in Venice. I discovered Tonolo many moons ago when I was in town often to visit my friends who were studying here. Every time, I cannot resist getting at least two pastries, if not more. 

My local restaurant crush! The food is WOW and the menu has a lot of veggie options. I love the warm atmosphere and the wooden walls, so I recommend booking a table inside.

Just another excuse to go to Venice. Every other year, from April to November, Venice becomes a living exhibition of contemporary art with worldwide artists exhibiting their works in different areas of the town. The theme for 2022 is 'The Milk of Dreams': artists were asked to think of creative ways for a more sustainable coexistence between us as individuals and the universe we inhabit. 

This little old fashion bar is the king of 'tramezzini' – fresh sandwiches stuffed with different ingredients and TONS of mayo. This is my favourite lunch spot and my place-to-go to grab a 'tramezzino' for my trip back home before leaving Venice.

If you love books (and the smell of old books – something I could die for) visit this historical shop. A maze of bookshelves, vintage armchairs, old posters, retro postcards and tons of other random stuff – including a couple of resident cats!

Come here to have wine and fresh sandwiches with cold cuts. This is a spot where locals have their daily 'ombre di vino' (little glasses of wine) from 6am to 8pm… Venice rules!

Come here to hang out in the University campus area. Opt for a spritz at Bar Rosso or the 'cicchetti' ritual (aperitif in Venice style) at Ai Do Draghi. 

An Insider's Guide to Visiting Venice During the Biennale

Enrico Gambadoro

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

Athens

One of my favourite wine bars in Athens. Stergios is one of the owners, a warm-hearted person with a great knowledge of wine. I totally recommend trying Roditis Orange, Ktima Sklavou-Tsaousi and Ktima Patistis Bio.


There are not a lot of spots in Exarchia where you can buy good quality bread. However BLACK SALAMI is quite a new entry and makes amazing bread as well as good espresso to take away. Try the focaccia and the avocado toast. Definitely pay a visit and grab your breakfast if you stay around.


This is very old pastry shop just around the corner of my store transfers you to an old Athenian scenery. Wooden decoration, assistants with uniforms, long glass windows, smell of biscuits. If you pass by, try their fresh chocolate cream, the traditional rice cream and the squared tiny praline bytes! To die for!!


Two brothers own this cafe. The younger one, Makis, can make you amazing espresso and let you know more tips about Athens. In case you need a sugar boost , try their apple pie!! Last but not least , there you can find a well curated selection of international magazines.


This place is as old school as my dad's Chevignon puffer  jacket. There is no music, but there you can find the most original drinks in town. The space is cosy and small, filled with beautiful people who usually go for an 'afterwork' drink.


Located opposite my store, this bar looks dark from outside but it will brighten up your taste with the best GIn & Tonic in Athens.

Traditional taverna in Exarchia, cult and cute, try the bacalao fish as well as their piaz beans.

Best pizza in the area. I am always happy to eat the one with Zucchine & gorgonzola.

8 Food and Drink Spots You Need to Try in Athens 

Amanda Mussi

Asunción

Night club in the central area, located in the basement of a classic hotel from the 80's, the club kept the original architecture and furniture, and it's a very unique and elegant space with a great sound system and atmosphere, it's where I play monthly as a resident DJ, and there are techno nights on Saturdays and different styles on Fridays hosting guest events. It's where I had the best cocktails in town. Best Cocktail: Thai Massage

Bar and club located in Las Mercedes neighbourhood, where I also play monthly, the venue has a Thursday night run by Inbetween label, with residents and guests DJs. The venue has a small and cozy but powerful dancefloor with a bar, and drinks menu is simple but proper: draft beer, Fernet & Coke and Gin&Tonic are the favourites there.

New venue in Centro, located at an old colonial big house, where the space was adapted to a music recording studio, a café and a nightclub and record shop called Panpanam.

Asian fusion restaurant in Las Mercedes with great cocktails, a cozy backyard with music and an inside more intimate area. 
Best cocktail: Las Mercedes / Best Meal: Chicken Bimbibap and Veggie Mandu


Gourmet versions of typical Paraguayan food, like manioc, empanadas, corn, meat, normally I order to share, dishes come in small portions, so I usually order all the menu and share everything. Their menu is constantly changing and everything is absurdly delicious.

It's a bar, with a pub vibe, owned by skateboarders, located in Las Lomas, they serve tapas, finger food and various craft beer brands.

100% sourdough bread take away bakery, located in Villa Morra and Las Mercedes. They're whole wheat bread is my favorite for breakfast, they also sell croissants, brownies and other sweet bakery

Their slogan says it all "Cocina sin Raíces" - which means "rootless kitchen", they basically have pizza and tapas, and a variety of dishes from typical local food to hamburger and fries. Located in barrio Mburucuyá, at a dead end street, with tables outside and inside, nice music selection.

Local and latin-american clay & sculpture museum, with contemporary exhibitions and antique art collection. 

Contemporary art gallery/space and house in 2 addresses, with guided visits, open space to see the house, artist’s studio, workshops, events.


Legendary Tattoo studio in Centro from one of the first tattoo artists of Paraguay; Walter de Souza Lobo, traditional and Japanese tattoos and where many travelling artists also work while in town. 

Amanda Mussi's Guide to Asunción

Toumba

Amman

Hands down the best shawerma in Amman in my opinion. Kept extremely simple with just meat, sumac onions, tomatoes and their signature tahini sauce. It is borderline magical how effectively these sandwiches keep you wanting more and coming back to get it. At 1.25 JD (£1.42) for a regular and 1.75 JD (£2) for a large, between which the difference is the amount of meat rather than the size of the sandwich, you really can’t go wrong.

Open 24 hours a day, this spot on Basman Street in downtown Amman serving up amazing grills is our go-to spot for a late (or extra late post-night out) dinner. It’s a big four floor restaurant but I’d always recommend sitting at the top floor for nice views of the street. Staff are super friendly, the atmosphere is amazing, food is inexpensive and they serve alcohol. We’ve taken countless artists to this spot and it has become a staple in the scene. Big tip is to go for an assortment of their amazing salads before moving onto the meats.

One of the oldest falafel spots in Amman, Abu Mahjoob is the embodiment of a neighbourhood eatery. It’s a staple of Jabal Al Luweibdeh, one of the most vibrant and culturally rich areas in Amman, making it the perfect addition to your schedule while wandering the beautiful streets of the must visit neighbourhood.

Al-Thawaq is a no-frills sandwich shop that serves classic home-style sandwiches. However, the magic lies in the bread, the preparation and the sandwich selection. They prepare the simple home-style sandwiches in a way that completely elevates them without compromising their homely simplicity. The menu consists of everything from everyday staples like halloum, labaneh and zeit w za’atar, to more hardcore classics like spleen, tongue and marrow (which are a must try if you’re slightly adventurous).

Foron Rex is an artisanal bakery that makes some of the best bread in Amman. What I go there for, however, are the sandwiches. They use their outstanding bread to make equally outstanding sandwiches using 100 percent local products and produce. My personal favourites are the double decker (their take on a club sandwich with locally produced mortadella and beef bacon sandwiched in their gorgeous milk and butter toast) and the roast beef baguette or focaccia with horseradish sauce. Rex is also a great spot to buy delicious local products like cured meats from Jolly Man, artisanal jams and marmalades from Namliyeh; Tuneib’s amazing pickles, chilli sauces and tapenades. Half a baguette will set you back around four JD (£4.50) which is a bit pricier than what you’d expect for sandwiches in Amman, but it’s well worth it.

If you visit Amman without trying knafeh you’d be missing out on one of the most amazing desserts in the world (I might be a bit biased). The best place for me to get knafeh in Amman, albeit a mainstream spot, is Habiba downtown near the famous Hashem Restaurant. The place and the atmosphere around it is magnetising. It’s a small shop, barely fitting five to 10 people, so you order your knafeh (125 grams of knafeh khishneh for me) and eat it outside while it’s hot.

Tamreyet Omar is the perfect spot to hit after enjoying a sandwich (or two) from Reem; located just across the street and serving up one of the simplest yet mouthwatering desserts around. As the name suggests, the hole-in-the-wall spot specialises in tamreyat – an extremely light and fluffy fried dough dusted with powdered sugar – but it also serves awwamat and asabea’a zaynab. A single temreyeh will set you back 0.3 JD while the bigger tamreyeh extra will set you back 0.5 JD which makes it one of the cheapest desserts in town too.

What better way to start your morning than with fresh hot manaqeesh, and the best spot to get them in Amman in my opinion is Sabaho. While they do have a big selection of manaqeesh, I personally just go for either the classic akkawi cheese or zeit w za’atar, which isn’t to say that the other menu items aren’t just as good (the basterma is killer).

Floriana is a pizza shop next to my house in Um Uthaina. While their pizzas are good, it’s their sandwiches – particularly the Zinger – that keeps me going back. They use the same pizza dough to make the flatbread for the sandwiches and it’s baked in their pizza over fresh to order, which makes it extremely light, airy and slightly crispy in all the right places. After the bread is baked, the fillings are spread onto it before it’s wrapped and put inside the woodfired oven one more time to warm it up just enough to slightly burn the roof of your mouth on the first bite, but it’s so good that you end up finishing it before it even slightly cools down.

This sweets shop is where you can get the absolute best halawat al jubon in Amman. It’s definitely a must visit if you have a sweet tooth and you want to try one of the most delicious traditional desserts in Amman. It’s also located in downtown so it’s a perfect stop to stop by for a quick, sweet snack while you explore the city.

Shams El Balad has been my go-to for a drink for years. Its stunning architecture, timeless decorations and vibrant, welcoming atmosphere makes it hard not to turn into a regular. While it serves some of the best food in Amman using all locally sourced ingredients, the star of the show, to me, is their Gin O’tra cocktail: a gin-based cocktail with cucumber juice and sweet scented geranium. Depending on when you go during the day, Shams El Balad can serve as the perfect spot for serenity while you have some coffee or a nice cocktail, but also as a great night out with nicely curated music and an unparalleled atmosphere. The place also occasionally hosts some interesting events like the Honest Natural Wine Fair and the Palestine Supper Club. You can also find a selection of products by local designers that you can buy there!

Manara has been a recent favourite of mine when it comes to coffee shops. In addition to their nice coffee, they have an outstanding view of the city on their top floor. Its location in Jabal Luweibdeh makes it a hub for creatives and young people to come and work there, or just catch up over a nice cup of coffee. You can also check out their ever-changing selection of handmade goods by local designers which are often sold to raise funds for charity.

This fresh juice spot is located right next to Al-Thawwaq (big tip on the Al-Thawwaq/Beit El-Rumman combo). They serve what must be at least 20 different combinations of fresh fruit juice smoothies and they give you the option to custom make whatever combo you want. The selection of combos changes throughout the year to accommodate for what’s in season but it’s almost a guarantee that whatever you get from there is gonna be extremely refreshing and hit every spot it needs to hit.

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