Connor Gibson

London

Theo’s Pizzeria is greater than the sum of its parts. The interior design lends itself to life's great pastime; eating lunch. Danish interior, white wash walls and natural light seeping through the floor to ceiling windows creates an ethereal atmosphere. The lunchtime special panuozzo; specifically the tuna with mozzarella and their fiery fermented chilli condiment is a steal for only a fiver, split an Aubergine Parm and you're looking at a killer lunch.

One of life's great pleasures is rocking up at St John Bread and Wine past 9pm for a late evening dessert and digestive. With a pudding menu that is almost the same size as the mains, it’s worth ordering a selection of British classics such as ‘steamed pudding and custard’ or the ‘Eccles cake and Lancashire cheese’ and a bottle of Gamay to start proceedings. Moving swiftly on to Fergronies or Manhattans is the move, there’s a sense of beating the system.

Hole in the wall joints are few and far between in London, if something is good then it’s usually trying to capitalise on the gentrification of an area. Surrey Quays is a culinary wasteland but La Chingada makes it well worth the visit. The owner hailing from Mexico City is producing suardero and al pastor tacos and molettes with fiery salsas and Mexican beverages. It’s cheap, it’s cheerful and more importantly, it’s legit which is something missing in other London Mexican establishments.

Filipino food in London hasn’t had a light shone on it yet but Budgie is doing amazing things from his hole in the wall restaurant in Brixton Market. His signature dish is Lechon; slow cooked rolled pork belly with glass like skin and stuffed with Lemongrass and other fine things. Budgie has a fine dining background so brings that precision and is really showcasing Filipino food in a casual setting.

There’s rarely a better way to spend a Sunday afternoon than a bracing walk in Hampstead heath followed by a pint by the fire and a pork roll at the Southampton Arms. A proper boozer with tables full of regulars, this is a pub that does things properly. Independent Ales, warm pork and apple rolls, Mature cheddar and chutney sarnies, it’s as British as you can get.

This is what I would call the Soho double, it’s a hark back to old Soho and its Italian roots and is the perfect lunchtime combo. I Camisa & Sons is London's original Italian deli and is the perfect spot to grab a cured meat sandwich. Follow this up with a negroni at Bar Termini. Perch at the bar and get the perfect pour negroni, there’s a 20th century charm to the service and the feeling that you’re putting the world to rights.

Palace records situated in a side street off of Crystal palace high street is the epitome of digging culture. The owner buys in Job lot record collections, primarily of late 90’s, early 2000s deep house and techno. They give you the space to properly dig and find some gems and the owner is always on hand to give you a little nudge in the right direction.

Guide to London’s Best Restaurants with Connor

HiedraH Club de Baile

Buenos Aires

Although it is a very recognizable tourist place, like la Ciudad Vieja in Montevideo, it preserves the melancholy and mystery of the city. There is an enhancement of the city to combine the most avant-garde art galleries with the riverside museums of typical artists of the area. The most beautiful art district and the charm of the city mixed with the stench of the river are a perfect combo for us.

This is the essence of the city of Buenos Aires itself and its Misa Criolla, the sensitive concept of our identity. It's a mix between Hogwarts and the Parisian amphitheater from "Interview with the Vampire" but with a Sudaka energy. You can watch the milonga dance under the candlelight and enjoy a glass of wine. It opens from Tuesday to Sunday and you will find the most suspiciously friendly characters here.

The best pizzeria in Buenos Aires and one of the obligatory stops when we bring a foreign producer. The ritual of eating a slice of muzza al corte and a deep-fried empanada is unique of Buenos Aires.

Other people would say that the renowned cemetery in Buenos Aires is La Recoleta, but for us the cemetery and La Chacarita neighborhood implies a beautiful universe of popular heritage. The Cemetery was created to house the enormous quantity of corpses resulting from the yellow fever that struck Buenos Aires in 1871 and that brutal energy is felt in its streets. You can visit the niches of Gilda, Gardel, Moura, Favio, Ferrari, and other popular artists of Buenos Aires and get to know the largest necropolis in the city. Also, on the outskirts of the Cemetery you will find a sanctuary of Gauchito Gil, a pagan saint to whom we usually bring offerings or ask for help, and on Saturdays in Parque Los Andes there are some very good fairs to buy trinkets.

It’s the city's largest and most biodiverse green space, in contrast to its location in the fancier area of the City. Also, it has a “hidden” side, in which it is a good spot to practice cruising behind the bushes. On weekends you can also drink a beer and eat a choripan in the carritos parrilleros at the entry and walk through la feria while people dance cumbia in the street. La combi completa!

Parque de La Memoria (Memorial Park) is a scenic landmark and one of the most beautiful historical monuments in the city. It is located facing the Rio de La Plata, the fatal destination of many of the people who disappeared due to the murderous actions of the last military dictatorship. In addition to its strong historical content, it has a very interesting contemporary art center and astonishment monuments. It is a solemn, beautiful and forceful space to be visited on a sunny day.

The Market was inaugurated at the end of the 19th century with the aim of supplying the necessary food to the new wave of European immigrants. The building retains its original internal structure, made up of metal beams, arches and columns with sheet metal and glass roofs. In addition to its architecture, it also preserves a certain charm of old customs and in its corridors, you can buy everything from meat, fish or vegetables to antiques, jewelry and decoration elements. It is also a gastronomic pole to eat regional or international food.

33km from the city of Buenos Aires, Tigre is one of the most important tourist destinations in the province and is the weekend getaway for many Buenos Aires residents. There is the lower Delta of the Paraná River, one of the largest in the world. On its way it drags a large volume of sediment that is deposited forming clay, sand and silt banks that continually grow and give rise to islands. This complex water system, of more than 350 islands that divide the course of the waters, contributes to giving its shape to the landscape, and also shapes the lives of its inhabitants who have the river environment as their main means of communication by boats. It is a unique ecosystem in the world and a great adventure to navigate its waters and spend a weekend in its stilt houses. Super recommended!

It is a crowded place on weekends, but if you can go during the week it is a very nice place for doing sports, rollerblading or cycling, running or simply to sunbathe and enjoy the air of the city smoking a joint.

Buenos Aires with HiedraH Club de Baile

Athens

Best place for grilled shrimps, they don't accept reservations tho!! Is part of my slow self care Sunday routine as it's in front of a Hammam!!

Super on budget fresh fish option! Third generation greek sea food tavern, try the fresh sea bass, mussels and handmade ntolmadakia. 

Recently added to Michelin Guide, lsandsia is a "new-age" taverna with their menu changing around the seasons and even more often with 100% bio and organic ingredients. Don't forget to check their in-house candle shop. 

The best pizza in Athens, bet! Pizzas are always served with fresh olive oil on top, be sure you try the Zucchini-Gorgonzola one, the burned tomato salad with Aperol's companion. Best staff ever!

Traditional ouzeri. First things first, you HAVE TO DRINK some ouzo or tsipouro. Their octopus is amazing, but until it's ready, snack some french fries with tzatziki. 

I imagine these burgers as SpongeBob SquarePants' patties.  They only make a type of burger but it's SO GOOD!

The 7 Best Restaurants in Athens with Evelina 

Mohammad Gorjestani

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

Kelvin Tayler 

Auckland 

A slice of Brooklyn in Auckland courtesy of the Dylan’s, Brian and Leo! Go for the New Yorker or do a Kelvin Custom with Pepperoni & Crumbed Chicken.

The fashion heart of Auckland, it’s the 1st stop the local Britomart subway station. It’s a hub that reliable for multiple needs.

For the Bohemian Pacific Rim shopping vibes of Aotearoa, Helen and the team has custom jewellery, incense and even furniture for your spiritual retreat.

The 1st Latin American gourmet restaurant with prawn tacos to die for! Chef Luis and Ana will show you the Mexican goods.

Let L.U.C.A lace you with finest designer and vintage threads. As a DJ his mixes played in store and available on Soundcloud! Search up L.U.C.A

Kelvin Taylor's Guide To The Best Food Spots In Auckland

Wuh Oh

Glasgow

First up is Tchai Ovna! This is a wee stone cabin where they serve yummy vegetarian food and about a hundred types of tea. This spot has such a cosy atmosphere, with its own little garden and even spots to sit on the floor if you fancy. It’s a lovely way to start your morning, alone with a book or with a few buddies.

Next let’s hit the park. On our few days of summer in Glasgow, it feels as if the whole city congregates in this park (primarily on the one big hill at the centre!) and the warm sense of community is always comforting. BBQs, tunes, booze and always at least one group practicing their tightrope walking between a couple of trees... It’s all there.

Now that we’ve lounged on the grass for a bit, we can move on to this magical place. It has hundreds of hand crafted characters and structures built from scrap wood and metal. A few times a day it all springs to life, performing wonderful, mechanised choreography to spooky music and a synchronised light show. It’s so very endearing, elegantly playing out little tales of the human experience within the eternal cycle of life and death.

We’ve got a bit of time left before dinner so let’s check out Mono. This independent venue is a homely creative hub with a cosy feeling of community and music in the air. As well as having a bar serving quality beer and tasty vegan food, there’s an incredible little record shop inside called Monorail Music that I could lose hours in. You never know what music, poetry or other performance is going to pop up on their little stage.


It’s dinner time and therefore time for the best pizza I’ve ever had! Constantly bustling with an excellent atmosphere, this place has a super simple menu of insanely good pizzas fired for what feels like seconds in their stone oven. The pizza is soupy at the centre and charred perfectly at the crust. I’m completely addicted.

I am a complete sucker for the novelty and outright gimmickry of crazy golf. This place has these in spades! Fore Play is the perfect way to start pre-drinks properly, drinking a few beers as you merrily whack your way around 18 holes. This course has you putting into a giant helper skelter traffic cone, blasting your ball round a loop de loop and many more tasks that grow increasingly and hilariously more impossible as the drinks start to take their toll.

Now it’s time to go ‘out out’! While the Barras is every returning Glasgow musician’s dream live show, Subby is the DJs’ dream set! This dark underground venue is an institution and is second to none for its energy in the wee hours. In another fun flooring feature, there are sub woofers built beneath the dance floor so that you can feel the bass from your feet to your face!

It’s 4am and we’re not going home without a bite! This little food van close to where I stay in the West End is an institution of its own. Maggie’s is an absolute lifesaver for post-club scran and the crown jewel of their menu is the infamous Scooby Snack. This beast is aptly titled as it features basically every element of the Scottish fried breakfast (bacon, egg, tatty scone, black pudding, square sausage) plus cheese and a beef patty, arranged precariously in a towering stack within the burger bun. No better food to munch on as you stumble happily home after the loveliest of days and the biggest of nights!

Wuh Oh’s Day to Night in Glasgow

Wiki

New York City 

Chicken spot. Local. Fire food. Everyone just be skating and kickin' it outside there.

Couple of locations. It’s reliable and a good slice.

Been going there since I was a kid, it’s still there which is good to see.

Wiki’s Hit List: The Best Places to Eat in NYC

Bru-C

Nottingham 

Has to be first, purely due to the history. Robin Hood, the history of many kings, hella corruption and hella rebellion, bun the government and all that.


You need to go to Stealth, the best nightclub in Nottingham. Great for a little party, little shoobs, little knees up. Bubbling Tuesdays, D&B every Tuesday, that's my event by the way - cheeky plug.


In the Heart of Hockley, which is like the shoreditch of Nottingham, super creative place. Cool cinema that shows alot of independent films, you can also order a full meal and a bottle of wine into the cinema. Like what's better than eating chips and getting steaming whilst watching your favourite foreign film?


Obviously. Not that you'll get a ticket cos we're in the prem now, but if you get a chance mate shout up the reds at the river Trent.

It's full of skateboarders and mandem drinking beers in the middle of the day. It's just an experience, do you know what I mean? Sometimes you've gotta take the rough with the smooth.


Actually technically Derbyshire, but it's an NG10 postcode so that's what I've been telling people my whole life  - you know what I'm saying? It's the ends man, it's where I grew up - there isn't a lot going on there to be honest, but go check it out man. It's a strange and wonderful place.

Go to Suede Pizza, bad boy pizza - actual levels and the owner is a G.

The final place to visit in Nottingham is the Brian Clough statue on the market square. Living legend from Nottingham. If you don't know about Brian Clough you don't know about Nottingham.

The Best Spots in Nottingham with Bru-C

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 

Marseille

Chez Gilda is a laid-back fry-up spot for dinner. Come here for roadside prawns in pastis, octopus and mangetout, the Mediterranean whitebait. They also do a good panisse (chickpea flour fries) – just make sure you take loads of harissa and cumin on the side as you gotta self season. Once you're done here, go to Pasarelle over the road for a bottle of affordable natural wines. The owner is iconically the double of David Bowie.

I live off Pizza Enervée at least three times a week. Pizza by the slice for €2.50 and the slice is a quarter of the pizza. Hungover, drunk or just hungry – it's there for all your moods. Their white bases are a winning underdog. Speed is not on their side though, so if it's a big queue have patience.

This sweet Afghan spot between Les Réformés and Longchamps is run by a mother and son. Marion does the lunchtime cooking, while Romain gives his mum the night off and does the evening service himself. It's a simple question of "beer or wine" and "meat or no meat," but what you get is a delicious and substantial plate of home cooking. If you're hungry there's always more, it's real hospitality.

My favourite patisserie orientale in Marseille. A traditional Tunisian Jewish bakery, David always has a really warm smile and knows what I'm after before I walk in the door. The potato and caper brick with the slice of lemon is the one.  Pick up a fricassé and sweet treats while you're there for the perfect spread on weekdays. Make sure you get fricassé sandwich (not to be confused with the one pot chicken dish). You'll find them in most corner patisseries in Noailles, served with a sweet mint tea or just to take away. Made by overfilling an oval-shaped doughnut dough with confit tuna, boiled egg, potato and olives. Always say yes to the spicy harissa, they will ask spicy or not spicy. Take the spicy option.

Little Italian; beautiful cooking and really good people, probably my favourite restaurant in Marseille. Don't miss out on the tripe if it's on the menu.

A classic seaside fish restaurant but it's as fresh as it gets. Go for lunch, you can pick a whole fish from the counter or take a pizza away and go have a wander round Les Goudes. There's a sweet little port, Croix de Cap Croisette, that's good for swimming if you follow the road round from Chez Paul to the water.

Head to Livingston on a Sunday or Monday. When a lot of other places can be closed, you can have a lively wine and dine using some of the best producers in the south of France. JB's vegetables really have been touched by Midas and Val's cooking is very distinctive and considered. He's one to watch.

I love to sit here for my morning coffee or dose of afternoon sun and people watch. Probably my favourite all day spot in the inner city, and it's guarded from the wind when the mistral is blowing.

The Best Restaurants in Marseille, Chosen by Chef Megan

Bianca Beers

Sydney

Great Malaysian food! Make sure to get the savoury roti and the dessert rotis.... again maybe get one of everything and share! There’s always a bit of a line, but it moves fast. And it’s BYO!

Walk around, get an ice cream and soak up the sun. Go to the Museum of Contemporary Art, take some pics in front of the Harbour Bridge and the Sydney Opera House, and get some grub!

Go bushwalking! Visit the Three Sisters, hike, catch the cliff side train ride, do the pulpit rock walk then eat at the Hydro Majestic if you’re feeling fancy and want to digest a beautiful view!

Another Aussie icon! Visit the beach, do the Bondi to Bronte coastal walk, and eat at The Well if you’re into fresh, healthy YUM food!

The Opera House is an Aussie icon. If you’re into opera, ballet, classical music etc. this place is great! Otherwise, just go to Opera Bar for some cocktails on the harbour. Go at sunset!

Amaaaazing vegan restaurant in the park. Again, order one of everything and share them shits!

There are a few, but the ones near Oxford St are best. Make sure you get the garlic bread!!

Bianca Beers' Top Sydney Spots

Essie Buckman

A meet up spot for the fashion heads that you can’t miss if you’re coming for NYFW


My favourite is the Caesar Salad on the menu. It’s always good to catch up with people outside. I’ve been meeting friends at this spot all fashion week. 

This is my girl’s Korean soju bar. Ideal for between shows to get a quick drink and hang with friends or take a lil meeting. Such a vibe, I recommend this place A LOT!

Love this spot for a quick bite and drinks in the city. Especially after a long shopping day in soho. Watch out for the skater boys who are destined to ruin your life as supreme is right around the corner. Highly recommend the green papaya salad, ginger chicken, Chinese broccoli and fried rice!


Such a fun shopping experience, it’s giving clueless or laundrette! You can definitely find something cute in there exclusively from independent/upcoming designers. I particularly love their super weird selection of jewellery and accessories

The freshest sushi in NYC. So tasty and so good! Don’t fuck around, just get the Omakase tasting menu and try it all! They have a cocktail with a lychee in it, I can’t remember the name but I can’t stop ordering them.. clearly!


If you wanna ditch the fashion week parties for a bit as I surely will. You can head to Brooklyn and dance the night away at paragon! Guaranteed good music to get lost to in the smoke machines and lights


Where to Go During New York City Fashion Week with Essie Buckman

Medellin

This food cart has been located on the same area/corner in Envigado as far as I can remember and serve the most outrageous yet delicious perras, which is our version of a hot dog where the sausage gets replaced with bacon and cheese, then topped with coleslaw, crushed crisps and loads of sauce. Medellín Street Eats 101.

When in Medellín you should always take a trip to one of our plazas or markets to get a more real image of the city. But, more importantly, you also get a wide option of small traditional restaurants and going to La Floresta’s plaza will get you off the beaten path. Look for Menu del Día and you will get a lovely Colombian meal for a reasonable price.

This one is for the sweet tooth. This cosy wooden shack at the top of Medellín’s Hills serve, as you can imagine, grotesque, coma-inducing traditional desserts. Go for the strawberries with cream or oblea con todo, which is a tortilla shaped wafer sandwich with cream, dulce de leche, cheese, blueberry jam, strawberries. You can also add extra toppings, not that you need it.

This is one of Medellín’s best hidden spots. Specialising in the Pacific Coast cuisine, El Barco (the boat) is packed with ocean décor resembling a wooden ship inside serving traditional dishes. I always recommend the fish soup (better if you have a hangover) but they serve whole fried fish with plantain chips, coconut rice and salad. The legend says the owner has his own cargo jet and he gets fresh fish for the restaurant. No miss here.

Located in the outskirts with a stunning view of the city, Donde Estela is the staple Paisa (individual belonging to Medellín) establishment. A place for hard liquor (Aguardiente is the way to go) and an assembly of pork belly, chorizo, pork belly, arepas and plantain chips. Just figure out the size, portions are generous, and off you go.

I am a pizza enthusiast and although I would make my pizza at home, Pizza Centro is my go-to option when friends are visiting. Located in downtown Medellín, this pizzeria serves an OK pizza (I got to be honest), but being in a historical, traditional neighbourhood downtown elevates the experience.

Chitterlings, chitlings or chunchurria, as we call it, is a love or hate dish in Medellín, responsible for many discussions – normally in the company of Aguardiente. When poorly done, avoiding it is a must, but the one from del Mocho is among the best if not the best in the city.

Medellín is not great on breakfasts or baking, but buñuelos (deep fried cheese balls) are among the best bites one gets around in most bakeries. Buñuelo Supremo located at the heart of Poblado will cover your daily dose. They serve a range of full breakfast options (arepas, eggs, chocolate, etc.) but I would suggest exploring our most common fried bites (empanadas, buñuelos, pastel de pollo, etc.).

There is something about naming traditional food joints as the owner, just like Donde Estela, La Gloria de Gloria in Envigado is the go-to place for our most known and important dish: la Bandeja Paisa. If you suffer from the heart, avoid it (I mean it), this plate comes with our traditional thick bean soup, rice, minced meat, salad, fried chorizo, plantain, egg, avocado, fries and a massive pork belly (yes, you guessed right, also fried). Sharing between two is my recommendation.

Although this is located around 30 minutes from Medellín, it gets a mention as I always paid a visit when cycling outside the city (pretty much every weekend). Ricas Arepas serve, in my opinion, the best, sweetcorn arepas in the country – yes, the country! They grind the corn daily and are baked in a clay oven. These arepas are split open, smothered in butter and fresh cheese – a match made in heaven. A bonus here is that you are close to Scarab Cycles and Torrealta Cerveceria, two local artisans making bespoke Colombia bicycles and beer.

TraTraTrax Co-Founder, DJ Lomalinda, Selects His Top 10 Food Joints in Medellín

Silk Road has been a mainstay on the London Chinese restaurant scene and certainly remains the best option south of the river. Its Xinjiang-style Sichuan dishes have been consistently numbing mouths and burning tongues for well over a decade now. Although the mountains of long dried chillies have been somewhat curtailed for the less capable spice palate of the clientele, even these more accessible iterations of classic, home-style dishes are delicious in their lashings of black vinegar and hot oil. Our order has been remarkably unchanged for a long time. Order lamb skewers, pork and black fungus fried beef dumplings, cucumber salad, home-style aubergine, home-style cabbage with rice and luxury noodles.

Nestled in a corner of a Brutalist estate courtyard, Zeret always offers a convivial welcome and setting. Tafe Beleynah, the matriarch of this unassuming Ethiopian restaurant, will encourage you to order from the sharing platter, with a view to reordering your favourite options. Portions are ample however, so maybe take note of firm favourites and plan your return with new familiarity of the menu. The platters are arranged on injera – a fermented flatbread designed to grip and dip at the various lashings of vegan and meat stews. Cutlery is not provided as standard (although probably available; not that we’ve ever felt the need). Eat with your hands, get tactile; feed yourself and each other. Order the meat selection or vegan selection with an Ethiopian beer.

Grove Lane Deli, as we know it, feels like something from a Richard Curtis Movie. Any Camberwell coffee devotee has made GLD part of their daily routine, and if Jackie Chan was right and "coffee is a language in itself", then Danielle – the owner and baker – speaks with great fluency. The coffee, pastries, well-curated selection of posh, dry goods and natural wines make for fun shopping when you fancy a treat. Order the chicken focaccia sandwich (if it hasn’t sold out), burnt milk cookie and coffee. We write this in memorandum of GLD's former self. As of July 2024, it is going through a mysterious transformation – so watch this space.

We first happened upon Betty's just after they had opened. The owner, Andres, thrust plates of his flamed grilled chorizo and potatoes smothered with salsa verde into our hands, before cordially ushering us through the door past the haze from his daring curbside barbecue. We sat and heeded advice to opt for the sopa del dia – a broth rich in beef collagen and punctuated with bright vegetables, paired with the recommended plump long grain rice and avocado that somehow tasted of something beyond the water usually wasted in its cultivation. Not soon after we’d perched, the fire brigade showed up with something to say about Andres’ barbecuing practices. Some light-hearted bribery with grilled meats and good hospitality reassured them, but now you can find Betty's barbecue on less flammable ground at the Camberwell Farmers Market every Saturday from 11am. Order sopa del dia, avocado and rice, empanadas and the BBQ on Camberwell Farmers Market every Saturday.

A fairly new addition to Camberwell, Delly's has a cracker of a lunchtime deal. Lunchtime main and two sides and a drink for six [pounds], but if I could tempt you away from the efficiency of the meal deal, then go for their beef patty. An incredibly short and flaky pastry with an invitingly umber hue instead of the standard brilliant yellow. Encases a filling that I’m convinced is a repurposing of their stewed oxtail. Whatever it is, it’s delicious and blows Greggs’ steak bake out of the water at a savvy £1.50.

South London’s supreme ocakbasi spot, FM Mangal is a shining example of fire and flame cookery. Although recently renovated and stylised to something akin to a provincial Essex Instagram fever dream – complete with a faux flower statement wall – the grill still burns with great genetic skill and prowess. Work your way through the chef specials, grab yourself an Adana kebab; the bafflingly good sumac grilled onions and the bread is moistened to perfection with meaty juice run-off to mop it all up. Order the FM Mangal chef's special:  lamb beyti aubergine.

Lockdown sandwich maestros are slinging their playfully named sub-roll bangers from bustling pub destinations: the Grove House Tavern and The White Horse in Peckham. Their lunchtime executive solutions, once the saviour of working from home isolation, are still out for delivery daily. We worked alongside these fellas for a good while and gladly scoffed their sandwiches on the regs – and without fatigue. Don’t miss their evening menu either, perfectly calibrated alongside fun and pint sinking. Order literally any sandwich.

An unassumingly credible Dominican food spot. Despite its name, we would recommend to flip the menu and ignore the breakfast. As far as South American food goes, expect lots of fried meats piled high on a plate. This is a real great alternative to the fry-up if you’ve had a few too many beverages the night before. Order the empanadas, parrillada and the pollo a la canasta.

The obvious caff in Camberwell to nurse a hangover would be Rock Steady Eddies, but we prefer to drag ourselves a bit further up Coldharbour Lane to Johnnies. A sensory overload at every turn, this diner is the perfect spot for people watching. At peak times there’s a queue out the door but wait it out if you can. [You'll be] well fed for around a tenner. Order the full English.

Theo’s pizza is one of the closest replicants of Neopolitan-style pizza we’ve come across in London. We spent the best part of a week in the Italian centre of pizza, consuming 17 pizzas in five days, so we got a decent grasp of what was good and how it should be. Although that pizza pilgrimage is still definitely unrivalled, Theo’s does pretty damn well and, if anything, their pizza fritta comes the closest to the Italian original. Aside from strictly pizza authenticity, Theo’s works well as a restaurant with scope outside of their main commodity. Their sharing plates of mortadella, guindilla peppers and puffed fried dough nuggets are a great way to limber up before the main event. And there’s that tiramisu that’s just about perfectly formed and available for takeaway if the gluten overload has rendered dessert a bridge too far. Order the sharing platter, calzone and tiramisu.

Many of us have a very precise configuration of what to order at the British-Chinese takeaway. Regularly passed down a generation, these precisely recited orders become admitted into a kind of British oral history. Van Hing can cater to cravings for the classics, like salt and pepper dishes and Singapore noodles, while also hosting Vietnamese-style offerings as well. Van Hing does what it does and it does it well. You shouldn’t expect modern ‘elevated’ Pan-Asian fusion cooking or the like here; it’s a good, solid choice for cheap and quick eats. Order the sea-spiced aubergine.

The steady decline of the independent boozer is a sad marker of hard times. As pub chains and monopolies swoop in across south London, the essential soul of a good pub is being lost to the sterile formula of the modern gastropub nightmare. This is why we revere places like The Hermits Cave. It may not be the most comfortable or the best equipped, but it does have character. There’s no food offering here, but you’re invited to take your pick from the bounties of Camberwell New Road and eat it in the pub, with local hotspots like Silk Road, FM Mangal or Theo’s to accompany your pint.

Toad Bakery, formerly Frog Bakery, has dominated a market saturated with laminated baked goods. Toad’s creativity in the field is refreshing and despite the cost of butter soaring to almost crisis levels, they never skimp. In a conversation with the lovely owners, Rebecca and Oliver, they admitted that butter was their chief expenditure after staffing costs and it shows. Their Hawaiian spin on a Danish with ham hock and pineapple has been a firm favourite. Their innovative and daring combinations will have you pushing the boundaries of your tastebuds on your morning commute. Regular queues out the door are a sure sign of something good. RIP Frog, long live Toad.

Huong Vi Viet had big boots to fill, stepping into the premises of its now neighbour Silk Road. [This is] a family-run and orientated restaurant with multi-generational staff bringing warm hosting and authentic feeling dishes. The offering spans from the rice noodle to salads of the same extraction, soups and pho (we all know and love), but [the menu] eclipses the usual Anglified plod with some real home-style flourishes. Come hungry as the aunties in the kitchen are here to feed with great maternal instinct. The attentive staff will recommend the best dishes to your taste – we love the bún chả nem Hanoi.

Cutie Pies on Their Top Food Spots in Camberwell, London

David Roelen

Berlin

The Black Lodge is an intimate, Twin Peaks inspired, bar which is always decorated with beautiful bouquets that contrast the dark walls and the smoky mix of a shady Berlin crowd. You’ll find a nice selection of beers and well done cocktails, served by a really nice team. 

Apparently run by the owners of Balck Lodge, Bar Brutal has all the things that remind me of the wild times in early 2000’s Berlin Mitte. The right mix of good drinks (long waits) and people who occasionally use the bathrooms for literally everything but their intentional function.

This West Berlin 1980’s relic is so unique that I have a hard time describing it. It’s kinda trashy, kinda kitsch but then just cool at the same time because of its realness. In no-covid times Kumpelnest was always packed with the most eclectic crowd and there was always a vibe. The perfect stop-over on a wild bar night when you need to dance to a Madonna song before moving over to one of the big clubs.

This is a real “Kneipe”, an Eastern German worker’s bar. The Service (usually two middle aged women) draught the beer and prepare simple meals in the small kitchen. It’s one of those places that smell like the hundred thousand of Beers that have been served, blended with old wooden floors. Love to come here whenever I’m in Mitte and have no plans afterwards.

Do De Li is located around the corner from where I live and I have been walking past this restaurant for many years until one rainy night about 3 years ago. It’s worth mentioning that when we entered the place for the first time it looked different than now. It was this cozy, kinda dark, typical Chinese family restaurant with one major difference about it. The walls were covered in framed drawings, showing fantastic beings, drawn in small squares consisting of parallel lines. The nerdy kind of drawing if you know what I mean. They turned out to be drawn by the owner’s 11yo son who is highly gifted and has waaay beyond average IQ. 

Who else is highly gifted here, is the chef. All dishes are extremely tasty and well cooked. The Mapo Tofu is bomb and what’s absolutely outstanding for me are the fried noodles (side dish).
If you go, also try one of their beautiful teas i.e. Rose Tea, the smell is just beautiful.


I won’t say much about W.
Just this: If you are in Neukölln and have a desire for a good Pizza, W is your place to go. It’s simply Berlin’s best Pizza. Period.

The 2nd Chinese restaurant in my neighbourhood that deserves attention. Sitting on a corner in the middle of Kanstr. (Berlin’s Chinatown), it has big windows that give way into the neon light bathed restaurant. Vibrant and delicious, Aroma is my favourite Berlin late night restaurant where one can eat delicious food until 3am, every day. We usually come here after a late screening in the cinema and never get tired of it. The Water Spinach and Pork ribs Salt and Pepper are amazing.

Late Nights in Berlin with Dl Roelen

Minneapolis 

Head to Fhima's for fine Moroccan and Sicilian cuisine. It's tradition before a Gravy show in Minneapolis to go here with my mum and all the homies. We’ll get a private room, a bunch of drinks and get the menu brought out family feast-style. I've tried every item on the menu, and probably quite a few that aren't on there, and have loved every one. My favourite restaurant in Minnesota. Don't miss it.

The nicest little classy bar and restaurant in Rochester. Right downtown – within walking distance from my crib – and the food is sensational. My favourite meal is the Minute Chicken, with the steak fondue appetiser if you're big-time hungry. All the waitresses and bartenders are people I grew up with so tell ‘em Matt Hauri says what’s good.

Pizza shop right down the street from my childhood home. They have the best pizza in all of Rochester, and just the dopest people working there. Every time I step in it turns into a party.

The most poppin' bar that has survived in Rochester. So if you end up in Rochester on any weekend night, Kathy’s is where it's at. It's got a little rooftop that I'd recommend. A lot of hectic memories from back in the day up there.

This is basically where all the rich people in Minnesota live, but even us middle class folk would pull up and show face. It's a big ass lake with a ton of shoreland that people build fancy shit on. Tons of lake bars and supper clubs that people can pull their boats up to. In high school I'd go out there with my boys in a canoe and convince people to let us wild out on their boats. This is as Minnesota as it gets.

If you end up at Minnetonka I recommend Lord Fletcher's, it's the go-to spot on Minnetonka. Giant ass bar. They probably have like five different bars spread out there, could fit like 1,000 people probably. Everyone is lit too.

Another spot to check out on Minnetonka: Big Island is the main spot where everyone goes on weekends. Hundreds of boats tied together, Michelob Golden (the Minnesota beer), waist-high water, it's lit.

It's my favourite club to hit on a weekend night. They've got bottle service, they know what music to play and that’s where you'll find me if I'm in Minneapolis.

This is a Jamaican restaurant and rum bar with discotheque music from all over the world, and they have some of the best Caribbean food that I've had – at least in the Midwest. And just an insane set of rums. It’s a great vibe.

Lit ass bar in downtown Minneapolis. Potentially the most lit gay bar that I've been to, and I spend a lot of time in WeHo. Gay folks party harder than most, baby don't miss it.

Bar and coffee shop all in one. The coffee is fire, the bar is fire, it's pretty poppin'. I met the owner and he's a great fella.

Yung Gravy's Guide to Minnesota 

Elliot Cunningham

This one is close to home, having joined the PP team back for first full-time roll in food - Thom and James offer a fun take on Neapolitan Style Pizza - head to dean street branch for soho basement feel and table football, or west India quay for table tennis! Don’t forget to add your pizza box art to their wall, tell James they have to!

I ordered a marinara with fresh anchovies from here and it’s the closest to Authentic Neapolitan Pizza I’ve tasted in London. The dough, the sauce, the mouth feel - it was all there.

I think I’ve eaten more pizzas here than anywhere else. Open to the early hours of the morning, this spot is definitely one for after hours. Order the resto do carne and get your honey at the ready.

New site for these pizza purists, authentic Neapolitan style pizzas with a brilliant focus on making something for everyone.
Ask for Edy and tell him I sent you.

Family-run Italian style restaurant. Old school, start-to-finish, experience, the sort that will throw pizza dough at you on your bday while the whole restaurant sings. Order the calzone!

The mix and match kings and queens. Definitely one for a party! Go and order the Chorizo pizza for something a little different. 

The Best Pizza in London With Chef Elliot Cunningham

Los Angeles 

That’s a spot I've been eating at since I was like 17.

This is a Jamaican spot, I started eating here like 2012, they just opened up a new location in Inglewood. I order curry chicken, cabbage, jerk chicken and rice with the hot sauce.

The poppin weed spots in Cali is Cookies, you gotta go to a Cookies store. Berner the homie, he’s the founder of Cookies. So that's the number one weed spot in California.

That's the spot where the basketball players, rappers, celebrities, the models and shit go, you can't just be a regular person trying to get up in there. You can't be on yo phone, you can't take no pictures and you can't record. So you can go there and enjoy yourself, and you don't have to worry about people walking up to you asking for pictures and all this weird shit.

It's multiple locations if you into fashion and I'm not going to give up the spots neither! But H Lorenzo sell certain brands.

One of my homies here is tat2nene, he from Compton.

YG's 7 Best Munchies Spots in LA

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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