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

GUAPDAD 4000

Oakland

Brazilian / Asian / soul food fusion spot. I know the chef personally and this food is VERY well prepared and upscale.

THE FILIPINO SPOT WITH HANDS DOWN THE BEST CHICKEN WINGS. GOTTA GET THE G FIRE CHICKEN WINGS. NO EXCUSES!

A dimly lit, very sexy, very tucked away sushi spot. Believe me when I say this is some of the best cuts of fish in the whole of the Bay Area

This is a nod to secret speakeasy spots. The hidden restaurant, the bar and the wings and burger are amazing and not to be missed.

The best thing since Philly cheesesteaks fact check me

In the Dubs ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Best banh Mi !!!!! Exxxtraa latte


Oakland's Top Food Joints with Rapper, GUAPDAD 4000

Niia

Los Angeles 

My favourite late-night chic cocktail spot. Sometimes I'll get up and sing a song if I'm drunk enough.

A secret, tiny restaurant that reminds me of NYC. Best breakfast ever

My go-to Italian spot. You sit outside and feel like you're in Italy.

Understated jazz club where you'll often catch insane musicians.

I highly encourage getting stoned and seeing this strange and amazing museum.

Arguably the most iconic music and movie store ever.

Explore LA With Niia

Wiki

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

Andrea Martina Specchio

Venice

Fav 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 2 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.

This little old fashion bar is the king of “tramezzini” (fresh sandwiches stuffed with different ingredients and TONS of mayo). This is my fav 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 6 AM to 8 PM…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. 

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. 

Venice with BeMyJourney's founder Andrea

Brad Morrison and Jamie Strachan

London

Of course, we recommend coming to see us in our roastery in Homerton. We have a takeaway counter where our head barista has been developing incredible seasonal drinks. Come in now and get the Cold Brew Orange Mocha Frappuccino. We're takeaway only, but you'll be glad of that when you hear whatever music the production team is blaring that day, always space for some curb-side hangouts for the very brave though.

One of the first, if not thee first, 3rd wave (specialist) cafes in London. Get a, um, flat white from any of the veterans working there Ask for Liam and tell him Jackson C Frank is overrated.

The stand out thing at Hand Cafe is the greek ‘inspired’ pies: some quite traditional and some grecophile interpretation. Look out for one of the owners, Dom, probably wearing a hat that reads ‘Tinos’, and ask him who he thinks is the best basketball player in the league and when he tells you ‘Giannis Antetokounmpo’ ask him why.

Tip: Grab a filter and order the vegan Dom 2.0 with added vinegar pickles and burnt jalapeño sauce. Trust me. (Oh, and make sure you have a napkin).

Look Mum is such a unique place. It's one of the first places I worked when I moved to London, and 8 years later I still love the atmosphere there. Try and find Dave in the workshop and he’ll chat to you about hip hop, or Sam actually. Or you could speak to Lewin about his favourite disco 12's and ask him who he thinks is the best basketball player in the league and why it’s Giannis Antetokounmpo.

Sit at the bar, grab an espresso and order one of everything on the food menu, the kitchen is insane! After that get Haris to make you a mezcal old fashioned.

A long-standing East London favourite. The cafe always has a fast-paced and fun vibe. I know that avocado on toast is a coffee shop trope but I still think Climpsons are the best to ever do it.

The most striking thing here is the location. Previously a private golf course, Beckenham Place Park is now open to the public. Go at the weekend and grab a flat white from Chris on the cart outside and pair it with one of the in-house-made pastries.

This vegan cafe has a long history in the London punk scene, with the current owners also being part of the co-op in its previous incarnation as Pogo Cafe in the same location. Come here, utilise the zine library, try to find all the band references in the poster display and order whatever stew head chef Nacho has prepared that day. All the food here is great but I think that his stews are the highlight.

It’s hard to miss with the bright yellow shopfront right outside Brockley station. Home of the best cinnamon buns in London. Look out for the owner Erin who will be the one with the biggest smile.

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