São Paulo

Ariel learned to cut hair in prison and developed the most famous hair-cut in Brazil: “Blindado”. The most resistant cut, able to resist even a motorcycle passing-by. Today he travels the world to spread the essence of Brazilian favelas cuts, a styled called "chavosos".

OG favela gear from south side of São Paulo. Worn by the real ones, from artists to rappers. They also have a community bar and football team.

A Brazilian Indigenous Afro brand led by Isaac Silva. Genderless democratic fashion for all kinds of bodies. Haute couture is also present in its DNA, all handmade by the stylist Isaac Silva himself.

Led by Cameroonian Melanito Biyouha, this stylish African eatery uses spices to make their food with love. The environment welcomes everyone as a family. Each employee who passes through the kitchen ends up recreating the dishes of their land (the extensive menu has more than 40 options with different kind of flavours from Africa).

Working as a fashion designer for more than 10 years, Luiz Cláudio, is filled with the desire to build an amazing and intricate fashion label, characterised by the use of manual techniques and precious fabrics worthy of a couture atelier.

Lu Safro is an incredible hair designer who creates true masterpieces and owns a saloon in the heart of downtown, near the iconic Galeria Rock. She usually does hair styling for the most important fashion shows in São Paulo Fashion Week, always alongside her daughter, Mika Safro, the most relevant young beauty artist in the emerging fashion scene.

Amazing vegan cuisine created by Congolese refugee Pitchou Luambo, with the help of his daughter Marie Luambo. "The basis of African gastronomy is vegetables, which we need to demystify that there is meat in our kitchen, a habit that was practically acquired only in Brazil when our ancestors arrived here".

Cacau Brito doesn’t do nails, she does art. Much demanded by the most relevant artists in the rap scene, and using several techniques combined to reach its perfection in composing unique and memorable nails. Nail Queen? definitely.

Bar do Biu is an absolute classic and is the headquarters of Corinthians soccer team fans in the west of São Paulo. That typical Brazilian-style bar, serving the best Northeastern dishes & traditional feijoada every day.

Jardin do Centro is a plant shop and cafeteria in Downtown. They occupy 2 floors of a building hosting a film room, a co-working space and promotes black artists thought events and exhibitions.

Black-Owned Businesses in São Paulo

Kinez Riza and Nindy Noto

Bali

The stone foundations of this temple are megalithic, or around 2000 years old, and is one of Bali’s most sacred temples under the Agung Volcano. It is exceptionally large with stone paved alleys leading you towards the interior complex.

Tenganan Pegeringsinan Village is one of Bali’s earliest villages known for their ‘evil warding’ geringsing textiles and Perang Pandan, an annual ceremony held at the end of June that showcases fighters striking each other with Pandan leaves.

Melukat in Sebatu is a spring temple cleanse in the Sebatu valley, discovered as a sacred site 8 years ago and potent in energy. Required to go with a mangku or guide to enter the premises and conduct the ceremony.

Qi Temple Acupuncture, Bamboo Cupping, Moxibustion and Tui Na is my go to for a regular fix to ease physical or mental tension in Canggu.

Their Codage facials are especially compatible with my skincare needs, alongside their stretch shiatsu massage and signature massage. The Olaplex hair treatment and eyelash extensions are essential too.

John Hardy Seminyak serves a fantastic lunch inspired by flavours across the archipelago paired with jamu drinks in the Seminyak flagship store of jeweller John Hardy, known for Bali heritage jewellery techniques such as the chain link weave in silver, gold and precious metals.

Pura Ayun in Bongkasa - a quiet temple in the village of Bongkasa across the valley from Sayan Road, flanked by ancient banyan trees so old and colossal it is visible along the tree line as you look across the valley

A beautiful stay in the mountains in an organic coffee plantation with different styled rooms if you’re seeking colder nights by the fire and incredible organic food, owned by Ibu Kentri Norberg who is a mother to all. There are several natural river pools on the property accessible in a 15 minute trek when the days get hot.

Agustian Supriatna is a multi-instrumentalist who leads sound healing sessions using various instruments such as bamboo flutes, sitar, steel hand pan, bells and singing bowls. Catch him perform at venues in Ubud to help you attain a more peaceful and aligned state of mind.

Tirta Usada is a holistic clinic led by Tjokorde Gde Kerthyasa. Trained as a homoeopath and a Buteko Breathwork practitioner, he is also a tea master. If you have a specific ailment, he’s full of great advice. You can also head to the clinic for general advice on how to incorporate natural health practices into your daily life.

Savitri Devi is a Kundilini yoga teacher, reiki master, as well as a holistic and wellness lifestyle coach. She is based in the wellness hub of the island, an area called Ubud, and teaches at three different places there.

Bali's Spiritual and Wellness Side with Nindy and Kinez

Khruangbin

Houston

The vibe is great here. There's a functioning reel to reel tape machine providing the soundscape that greets you at the entrance. The entire menu is fire, but don't leave without trying the "Nancy Cakes.

Lots of records, cassettes, CDs and band swag here. There's also a small stage there as well that Khruangbin played many years ago.

Affectionately called "Rudz". Mark, Laura & I hung out here practically every Tuesday night before starting Khruangbin. Burger with cheddar & fresh jalapeños with a side of tots...and a side of mayo for dipping the tots.

Coolest late night hang in town, and if you can catch DJ Sun spinning while you're there, you're in for a treat.

Best BBQ spot on the Nawfside of the H. Can't go wrong with a chopped beef sandwich.

Hats fitted and made to order, perched above a barber shop in Downtown Houston.

A quirky gift shop filled with fun trinkets located in Rice Village.

Authentic Tex-Mex. An order of queso for the table, and chicken & beef combination fajitas. Corn or Flour tortillas is a big debate, but it's totally your call (I dig flour)

There's always interesting, well curated exhibits on display here throughout the year. James Turrell's "The Light Inside" installation lives there.

Khruangbin's Favourite Spots in Houston

Portland

Owner, Ian Williams, offers sneaker-themed coffee + 👟 detail shop ☕️.

🎧 The NW first & only Hip-Hop winery created by Bertony Faustin.

Delicious, authentic west African cuisine cooked by a native west African girl.

They serve authentic Jamaican Cuisine in the heart of Portland. And yes, they cater events!

A contemporary soul food restaurant that provides career development opportunities and is non-profit.

Based in Portland, this pop-up vegan supper club is curated by two Black queer artists, Chef Salimatu Amabebe and artist, Annika Hansteen-Izora. It was founded on the premise to rail and dance against the erasure of Blackness in the food and art worlds.

A mellow Ethiopian spot offering yummy traditional food.

A unique cultural experience where you can come learn how to cook African food or order some for dinner!

Fresh and delicious Haitian and Caribbean meals.

Everything to make you salivate: baby back ribs, brisket, chicken, cajun links, etc…

Private Chef/Caterer providing delicious food all throughout the PDX & Gresham area.

The BEST green juices and smoothies. Literally, the best.

Cannabis dispensary in the heart of Madison South neighbourhood.

Black co-owned florist. Flowers & weddings without rules.

Keeping it sweet and simple. Good coffee, good food.

Owner Anthony Brown and big smile brings unique food is unique in his bright blue cart with Southern and Mexican inspired fusion of just plain ol” deliciousness.

Home of custom cakes & elaborate cupcakes, cookies... you name it.

BuzzFeed Tasty's Top 50 wings in the USA!

Southern-style cuisine fused with their Oregon roots.

A fun and tasty twist on your average healthy snacks. Perfect snacks for kids.

A soul food cart serving heart-warming dishes.

This publishing company all started with a book written by co-founder and CEO, Jelani Memory. As a black father with a blended family, racism was an inevitable topic of conversation. The increasingly popularity of this book developed into creating more books about complex topics such as feminism, cancer, gratitude, belonging and much more.

Their work and activism includes direct community education workshops, supporting the outreach of their continued advocacy as first respondents, and helping community members contribute through direct engagement and legislative value. They are focused on shifting cultural and systemic discrimination.

An amazing initiative which tracks the progress of the federal, state and local legislation which addresses police violence.

Founded by Cameron Whitten, a local Portlander, who has more than five years of experience in non-profit leadership and donation accountability. Cameron has served as the Executive Director of local nonprofits such as Know Your City, Brown Hope, and Q Center.

Black-Owned Businesses in Portland

Varnrable

Addis Ababa

A place for organic homemade Ethiopian food and tella, a traditional brew. Tella is brewed in households, usually in the rural areas, and consumed on a daily basis. But tella's legitimate status has been fading away, losing its place to mass produced beer and imported liquor. In Selo everything is homemade, from the injera to the tella. Ingredients are collected from local communities, creating an authentic and sustainable culture around Selo. The energy is inclusive and warm, the food is fresh and tasty, and there is a variation of tellas to try out!

Shifta offers a wide range of delicious Caribbean, vegan and African food. The food I had there was super tasty! It's vibrant and filled with local creatives. A great place to eat, drink and hang out all night, having good conversations or just listening to the music. 

Fendika Cultural Center is the perfect place to take in traditional music, and at the same time enjoy traditional food and drinks in a chilled environment. There are performances every week and the place is filled with soul and good energy. Everything is traditional and relevant. I went there to soak up some local jazz one night and that was a beautiful trip.

This is a club concept, making electronic parties at different locations and with differenct DJs. They are reimagining rave culture in the modern day Addis Ababa. These parties are some of the highlights in the club scene and are happening once a month. 

A traditional restaurant in Addis Ababa where you can experience cultural performances while you eat local food. From around 7.30pm there are musicians, dancers and singers performing traditional acts from different tribes around Ethiopia, while wearing outfits from the different regions. All your senses are being stimulated while being in a beautifully decorated room with traditional design and art. 

The perfect way to get out of the city, and it is only a short car ride away from the centrum. There is a great view over the city and you're able to take a walk in nature. The park itself is how we know most parks to be, but if you wander more up, in the mountain, there are small villages; more raw and beautiful nature. 

An institute of Ethio jazz in its historical location, owned by the legendary Mulatu Astatke. This place features some of the best jazz musicians live in raw sessions. 

Explore Addis Ababa's Cultural Scene with Varnrable

Berlin

Found in Berlin-Charlottenburg, this restaurant serve delicious Ethiopian fare and is open to dine at and for curb side pick-up.

African Food Festival Berlin brings to you the best of healthy delicious African fare. Breaking the gap between street and haute cuisine. Bringing the rich variety of authentic African food from grill to sea to vegan.

A 100% vegan African-Italian restaurant offering amazing creative breakfasts and Sunday brunches. Zero waste and plastic-free.

When strolling through the African quarter in Wedding, you quickly get the impression that you have ended up in the streets of a small African town. The restaurant, owned by Suzanne Saitz, serves authentic Cameroonian food that's open 'til late.

Found in Reinickendorf, BaoPab offers tasty homemade food from burgers to grilled fish. One of the hot spots in the area. Also hosts jazz nights with cocktails.

Baraka is an amalgamation of Moroccan, Egyptian and Arabian food. Expect mouth-watering dishes like the traditional soup called Harira, that is usually served during Ramadhan, and the usual dips like baba ghanoush and hummus.

Since its opening in 1993, the Africa House, led by the sociologist, Oumar Diallo, from Guinea Conakry, has developed into an institution that is recognised beyond the capital's borders as a place for transcultural encounter and political education.

Experts in all hair textures, specialising in relaxers, texturizers, cutting & colouring.

Centrally located in the heart of Berlin Wedding, Salone Market is a multi-cultural meeting point. You can get both tropical and African food and drinks, as well as typical West African dishes (e.g. rice with peanut sauce, fish with plantains) at moderate prices. They also offer freshly ground classic coffee specialties. Main courses are available from €6 and the drink prices are cheap.

Founded by Femi Oyewole, Black Brown Berlin is a community directory and platform celebrating their culture and community in Berlin. They aim to shine the spotlight on Black and Brown excellence throughout the city by providing a range of thoughtfully curated content aimed to inform, connect, and serve the black and brown community.

Found in the ever-cool Kreuzberg, this vegan shop serves homemade banana bread in different flavours, from cream cheese, white chocolate and walnut to cream, nougat and hazelnut. For now, they offer a pick-up service where they bake twice a week and orders can be collected on Friday and Tuesdays.

This sustainable, handmade lingerie brand offers sultry pieces made out of left-over pieces of chiffon and silk in red, white, purple and many more. Sets made to order.

Found in Berlin-Neukölln, this West African kitchen serving delicious dishes like tilapia, jollof rice, fried yams and a special dish of banku (fermented corn and cassava dough) served with groundnut soup and mixed meat. They also have many vegan and vegetarian options.

Based in Berlin, this hair stylist is an expert in creating gorgeous braids and crowns on POC hair.

For designer Soji Solarin, his clothes are a tool to playfully challenge the preconceptions of black identity. In his collection 'Negro Cowboy', he addresses the cowboy - a landscape in which the black narrative has definitively been written out - with playful graphic tees and structured denim chaps.

Black-Owned Businesses in Berlin

Hawai'i

Owner and head instructor, Dharma Shay, opened the gym which specialises in functional fitness, athletic training, personal training, nutrition guidance, HIIT, post-natal exercise classes, youth athletic training, strength and conditioning, Olympic lifting, jiu-jitsu, and stand up martial arts. This is a great gym on the big island with highly trained and professional staff.

Owners, Randy and Gabby, opened their locally-sourced restaurant on the Big Island in 2011. They have delicious options such as blackened ono sandwiches, their Da Aina burger with a fantastic avocado cream sauce, lilikoi cheesecake or their tropical dreams ice cream. They also have an online shop selling their signature Kona Ketchup, Hawaiian Fire Sauce, and Mauka Mustard at great prices. Vegan friendly!

A beautiful studio in Kailua Kona that offers vinyasa, power, yin, restorative, and meditation classes.

A family-operated hearty, healthy, soul restaurant serving delicious, organic food in the heart of Lihue. The menu consists of Kauai-grown traditional soul food staples such as collard greens, candied yams, fried fish, and fresh baked cornbread.

Opened by two best friends, Chase and Mercedes, Pau Hana offers a high-quality mobile bar service for any event, celebration or reason to have a great time with delicious drinks in hand without having to worry about your guests desires.

After receiving her cosmetology license in 2009 from Western Beauty Institute in Van Nuys, California Raquel with her Los Angeles-native hustle and island girl heart is living out her dreams in Maui. In 2017, Raquel became a Curl Coach Educator for DevaCurl. While curly hair is a passion of Raquel's she also loves to style, colour, and cut all hair types. She has an online shop carrying various hair products as well.

A wonderful artist who tattoos around Maui and Kauai Island. He specialises in black and grey, Polynesian tribal, and ornamental work.

Qiana, a native New Yorker, from Red Hook, Brooklyn and her husband from Southern Italy opened Sale Pepe - Maui’s authentic Italian restaurant. Their pastas and artisan Italian pizzas are crafted by a certified pizzaiola with fresh, local ingredients in classic and creative presentations. Paired with the enjoyment of a fun, social wine bar atmosphere you cant find anywhere else on the island.

They are open for business.

This teahouse has multiple locations across Oahu inside various Sand People and Down To Earth retail stores. Founded in 2015, Kye Teahouse was established on the foundation of Going Back to Nature. Their ingredients are grown in Hawaii & picked only at the peak of freshness. It's one of the reasons why their tea taste so incredible. All of the packing and shipping materials are biodegradable & environmentally sustainable.

Chef, Lamont Brown, showcases locally-sourced ingredients on a worldly platform, with emphasis on Spanish and Mediterranean cuisine. Visit their restaurant in Haleiwa for the perfect date night, or a great time with friend.

Owner, Soufiane Bouharkat, grew up in Paris and opened his first cafe there. Later moving to Oahu, he opened Le Crepe Cafe in 2009. He creates a bright and enthusiastic Ohana environment for everyone to experience and strives daily to provide his guests with fresh, natural ingredients that not only taste good, but makes you feel great as well.

Locally-owned scuba diving company located in Honolulu, Hawaii. Manny will take you on incredible diving adventures and leave with an experience you'll never forget! Check out his website for a list of activities and price.

Husband and wife team, the Bensons, whose roots are from Louisiana, were inspired by the Hawaiian Islands, which they decided to make Oahu home and open a mouth-watering deli.

Hawaii finally has their very first co-working space! Located on Oahu and birthed from the idea of creating a community of creators and dreamers, BoxJelly strives to cultivate an inspiring workplace that embodies the worth of a well-lived in home.

A food Truck that specializes in Jamaican cuisine. The truck was inspired by a great friend of owner, Damon, that taught him how to cook Jamaican food. He passed away about thirteen years ago and he's been sharing his food with friends and family for years. He actually started the business in December 2019 with a food cart only selling chicken and shrimp plates. In June of 2020, he obtained the food truck, expanded his menu to brown stew chicken and curry chicken. They also do a jerk pork belly, sandwiches and tacos with the Caribbean flare.

Black-Owned Businesses in Hawai'i

Barcelona

I discovered this place 4 years ago approximately and been going a lot, it's kind of my safe spot when I need to be out of my house but still feel safe and be alone. It's a free small cinema with a digital archive with a lot of experimental films. I highly recommend this spot. 

This is another cinema recommendation but this time it is an actual movie theatre. I think the most beautiful one I have been in and they also show the best selection of movies, old ones and contemporary also. Fun fact, I was there last year for their Halloween experience, and never had that much fun on Halloween, it was amazing. 

This is a vintage shop based in the centre of Barcelona, they have a really nice selection, handpicked and top quality with a lot of Vintage designer clothes and also they have a space (if i'm not wrong) for new designer clothes like Espiritu Club. They also have the nicest dressing rooms ever. 

This is an archival clothing store + record store. Been here a lot to check for weird archive pieces, they have a really nice selection of unique clothes, shoes and accessories. 

A new natural wine and music bar also based in the centre (Raval). I'm not really a drinker, so what I usually look in bars when I go is a place where I can chill and talk with my friends, is more the atmosphere of the place, the ambience they create, and here I felt super comfortable, regarding the people working there and the crowd also. Plus they have an old piano as a table, cute af. 

A vegan restaurant near the beach. I really like this place, especially around summer, they have a nice set up and nice vegan food, i'm not vegan but still enjoy vegan food a loot. All their menus are delicious. I especially recommend their vegan nachos. 

If you are looking for the best sandwiches it's here for sure. They have lots of options, including gluten free and vegan options. Plus the space inside is really cute and they also have a terrace to sit outside. 

This recommendation can be maybe the most mainstream one but since I discovered this place I have been going a lot when I have the time. I feel good here, it's kind of an oasis in the city to me, love going here alone with my headphones and just spending hours. Wont say much about the place, you just have to go! It's a small fragment of the rainforest. I feel really relaxed in these kinds of environments, like humid deep green places. 

Explore Barcelona with Primavera Artist YOZY

Ethiopian Records 

Order the ye tsom firfir (fasting firfir). It is the best thing and come with friends, you won't be able to finish it on your own.

Their green juice is my personal favourite and the place is filled with artwork, most of it made by ZELALEM MERGA and Tesfahun Kebru.

Come early if you want to get those precious seats inside so you can experience the live music up close.

Anytime you want somewhere that has fresh air, greener around Mexico/ Mekenissa Zoma Musuem is the place, take a book and take time for yourself. Also take your time to explore the entire space.

Found next to Washa Mikael Rock Hewn Church. A walk up the hill with a nice view. Go during the day.

Found in the neighbourhood of Goma Kuteba and in front of the Ministry of Health. Take your time exploring the space.

Inside or out, the national theatre is filled with history.

My current neighbourhood, Kazanchis, where Fendika is situated. Sundays are the best days to work around anywhere in Addis.

I like barber shops, even though I haven't cut my hair in more than 10 years and I only go there for a trim or for my beard, because like anywhere else in the world, the barber shop conversations are lively. I used to go at least twice a month to another called Finfine Hotel Barber’s with my dad, I have very fond memories of that place.

Addis Ababa with Ethiopian Records 

Amsterdam

Black-owned vegan food spot in Amsterdam southeast with flavourful Surinamese dishes. The bowls are bomb and the vegan pom is a must-try!

A family-run vegan restaurant fusing Jamaican and Caribbean dishes with Japanese dishes. I love their Jamaican plate with plantains and the owners are too sweet!

Newly open at one of my favourite clubs in Amsterdam, Garage Noord. Authentic Sichuan food with fab cocktails and a terrace as well. The club opens at midnight so you can burn the calories off with a dance!

Also known as 'the queen of johnnycakes', which are Caribbean snacks. You can find her stand in multiple locations in southeast Amsterdam. Tip: they also do vegan johnnycakes with different fillings!

Authentic Ethiopian restaurant. Great for sharing meals, especially the injera with all toppings. They also have great fruit-flavoured beers and coffee.

Ghanaian restaurant in Amsterdam southeast. You can’t go wrong with the jollof, plantains or kelewele. African restaurants are very rare in Amsterdam so I’m always looking forward to supporting any new spot.

Non-profit art space with great exhibitions and curation focusing on queer and Afro-diasporic communities.

A Black-owned event space in southeast Amsterdam facilitating its direct community by hosting small parties, panels and ballroom functions. We love to see it!

Being a part of the ballroom community, I notice how hard it is to have access to spaces to practice or get together. Cultural centre Nowhere has facilitated its space to the community for many years. There are classes every week from members of the Dutch ballroom scene as well as organised get-togethers by The Living Room.

Arakaza on Where to Go in Amsterdam During Dekmantel Festival

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

Simran Randhawa

London

The queues are always crazy for dinner, so try get there before 6:30PM (LATEST). It's sooo worth the queue, some of the most authentic Malaysian food in London. You gotta get the roti (duh) and mamak mee noodles to share.

It's a major major trek, but honestly forget Dishoom; this is the BEST spot for Indian food in London. PERIOD.

Best place to grab lunch, healthy and light and SO peng.

Best place to stop for coffee and cake, the owners are SO lovely and they always have different cake flavours on rotation to keep it fresh. Also if you go during warmer months make sure you try their soft serve!!! It's SO good!

Again, it's probably a little out the way (though I think they have one near Trafalgar Sq) but pop in here if you want amazing, cheap, filling Indian food. 90% of my food pictures on my gram are from here, and 2 people could easily eat for less than £20. Bargain.

London with Simran Randhawa

Pablo Nouvelle

Zurich

An Italian enclave at the very end of famous Langstrasse. Paninis in every variety. Everything in this store is a 100% Italian. The ingredients, the amazing antipasti and the songs playing from the radio. How can something so simple be so good.

Zürich might be one of the most decent but surely not the biggest place on earth. If you want to get an overview first put on your fast shoes and head up to Käferbärg, which offers a little escape into the woods and a beautiful view over the city, the lake and the incredible alps. Make sure you set out for the trip in the late afternoon to catch the golden evening sun.

Close to my studio, this little restaurant has become my go to place if I want to treat myself for lunch. Honest meals, affordable and made with love.

Escape the city and climb the little mountain overseeing Zurich. Best to bring your bike and enjoy one of the many single trails and downhill tracks down the 400 meters altitude.

A beautiful bath to dip in the lake with a little beach and a tower out in the water to climb and jump from.

Claudio the soul of Sacci Bar will take care of your needs and make sure you won’t leave town without having tasted the best Negroni or natural wines there is.

Fancy a fancy dinner? Go to Kle. You’ll eat exclusively creations you’ve never experienced before. All vegan.

A small concert venue with one of the best bookings of local and international acts.

Jump from the bridge into the cold waters of the Limmat and drift down to Obere Letten. Have a Margarita at the rooftop of Primitivo Bar whilst watching people and go to a concert in the evening at the near by Parkplatz.

Best see and to be seen place on a Sunday afternoon. Visit the lovely Cafe Bonheur or bring your own and sit around the fountain.

Best cinema in town with the latest independent films and the most charming bar to linger around.

Discover Zürich with Pablo Nouvelle

Maya Kerthyasa

One of the best Balinese meals I’ve had recently was at Dapur Bali Mula in Les on the island’s north coast. Basically, it’s a kitchen run by chef Jero Mangku Dalem Suci Gede Yudiawan, who also happens to be a pemangku, or priest, in the area. He cooks everything over wood-fire in a hand-built clay stove, using only traditional, local ingredients and techniques.



This could be mackerel, caught that morning, massaged with yellow spices and turmeric leaves and cooked in a tube of young bamboo, or smoked chicken with raw sambal and Javanese long pepper leaves for greens. You might end proceedings with daluman leaf jelly in a glass of coconut cream and lontar-palm sugar syrup, or work your way through Yudiawan’s impressive collection of house-made arak – palm wine (also made from the nectar of the lontar tree) flavoured with everything from moringa leaves to fresh mango and fermented in 8th century Chinese clay pots. Either way, you’ll leave inspired.

Mek Juwel is another absolute go-to in my books. It’s a warung, which is best described as a small local eatery that’s usually family-run and specialises in a specific regional dish. Mek Juwel serves nasi or rice, with ayam or chicken, braised in a secret formula of spices and aromatics until it’s fork tender and simultaneously bright and earthy on the palate. It’s displayed behind a glass counter alongside a spread of equally-as-delicious condiments – torch ginger flower sambal and stir-fried noodles, among them. Head there in the morning when the birds are still warm.



Over the past few decades, meat has become the star of the Balinese diet – but this hasn’t always been so. As recently as 35 years ago, our cuisine was mostly made-up of native plants. We’d cook whatever nature provided – whether that’s fern tips, mango leaves, young papaya, banana-tree trunks or young bamboo shoots. Proteins from larger animals (pigs, ducks) were reserved for ceremonies or special occasions, and smaller animals (dragonflies, frogs, small eels known as belut) would be foraged in the rice fields and eaten on more of a daily basis.

Batukaru Coffee Retreat is up in the foothills of the island’s western mountains and a great place to explore home-style Balinese vegetarian food. Its proprietor, Kentri Norberg, prepares her menus based on the food she ate growing up: just-picked, minimally fussed-with, naturally medicinal. She only uses house-made coconut oil and palm sugar from the farm next door; her rice is sourced from heirloom fields below the property; her coffee is grown biodynamically on the adjoining plantation. Comfort eating in its most nourishing form.

The north-east coast on the other side of the island, is brimming with artisanal producers such as sea-salt makers, home arak distilleries and coconut groves that turn out everything from palm sugar to coconut milk and oil. Many of the best cooks source their ingredients directly from these small producers out east. When I head up there, I like to stop at Warung Lesehan Merta Sari for fish sate. They use tuna, which they mince, spice and grill over coconut charcoals, served with white rice, a bowl of glassy seafood soup and stir-fried kangkung or water spinach. You dine lesehan-style, cross-legged on elevated seating platforms in a sprawling, buzzing dining hall.

I’ve stopped eating pork for spiritual reasons, but have heard great things about the suckling pig at Babi Guling Pan Ana. The pork skin is the real draw here. It’s super-golden, crisp and glossy. Another big plus, is that this warung is located in Denpasar, which is a great place to explore all the different riffs on Indonesian cuisine. It’s often overlooked by travellers, but I strongly recommend it to anyone who loves food.

Fu Shou Noodle Club Ubud is full of culinary treasures and one of its most intriguing casual diners. The offerings are kept simple. There’s a few varieties of steaming bakmie noodle soups with free-range chicken, mushrooms or pork, classic Hainan chicken rice and pangsit dumplings deep-fried or boiled in chicken broth. It’s all made from scratch, in-house and with a noticeable dose of care.

Room4Dessert, on the opposite end of town, is my favourite special-occasion restaurant. You’ve probably heard of it if you’re a Chef’s Table binge-watcher or a proud owner of chef-owner Will Goldfarb’s dreamy cookbook (Room for Dessert, Phaidon, 2018). What I love about Goldfarb’s cooking and ethos is that he’s such a champion for real Balinese produce. He digs deep to source rare native foods from small-scale farmers, and works with them thoughtfully, allowing the produce to shine. There’s a blockbuster tasting menu 21-courses strong, and a new a la carte menu that’s super-accessible if you’d rather drop in for a tray of house-baked breads and condiments with a glass of natural wine.

The Best Local Spots to Eat in Bali with Maya Kerthyasa

cktrl

Best fried dumplings in south. Healthiest juices available too (Apple juice and moringa)

Best jerk chicken and rice & peas in south, fight me. Always hits different.

Chef can make anything happen with jackfruit.

Health is wealth here, all your ital plant based dietary needs are met. Menu changes daily too.

Spelt flour fried dumplings actually go hard.. when there’s any left.

West Indian Spots in Southeast London With cktrl

Karun

Nairobi

It's a super cute Vegan-friendly and child-friendly cafe that has an all-deaf waiting staff. They also sometimes have a market of all sorts of Kenyan made crafts.

Especially when they have the flea market, or on Wednesday evenings when they have the ‘Speaker Box’. Speaker Box is a series of live acoustic music performances curated by Patricia Kihoro. (Check out her socials, she has great taste in music and always find the best underground indie/folk/jazz Kenyan artists to play.)

I like this restaurant because she always has some dope Kenyan art on display and for sale (Painters, Photographers, mixed media) and live acoustic music on Saturdays.

Or this one, depending on what’s closest. Also great trails. (Also Tip, there are multiple entrances to Karura, find the lesser-known ones for a more peaceful time.)

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