Restaurant
Paris, France
“Hissa” like Hisayuki Takeuchi.
Self defined as “Master Artist-Chef”, Mr Takeuchi is exactly that. A virtuoso of modern Japanese cuisine, making works of arts out of fish, rice and a few traditional and less traditional ingredients. Hissa is genuinely creative. Genuinely, because he is not “trying”. This is who is. Always has been, always will be.
Restaurant
London, UK
Gloria is a recent addition to the Shoreditch scene, with quite a different positioning. Inspired by 70s Capri (one of our most favorite places on earth), Gloria is a bold, colourful, vibrant, noisy, and happening Italian trattoria. Serving all the traditional dishes we love, the atmosphere is completed by some less “traditional” tunes playing later in the evening, best enjoyed with some of Gloria’s amazing cocktails. Difficult to book in advance, your best bet is just to walk-in, sip a glass of wine at the bar waiting for your table and enjoy the scene.
Restaurant
London, UK
Set in Marylebone, Opso is a corner of mediterranean sunshine in the heart of London. Serving updated traditional Greek dishes, tapas-style, the atmosphere is lively (even if sometimes almost noisy)… A good place to make the summer last a little longer.
Restaurant
Caparica, Portugal
Princesa is a beach restaurant filling a historical gap in the Lisbon / Cascais region: think inventive and flavourful dishes served in a cool, nature inspired setting, striking the right balance between relax and hip… Overlooking the expanse of the beautiful beaches of Caparica, Princesa reminds us of some of the nice places in Mykonos or Ibiza, without losing its cool and Portuguese heritage. That said, stick around as the sun sets and the places does become as happening as those other destinations…
Restaurant / Beach
Cascais, Portugal
Hífen can be misleading from outside: what looks like a traditional and old fashioned Portuguese restaurant is actually one of the most interesting additions to the Cascais scene (can we already talk about a scene ?). The modern and surprising restaurant is split between a happening downstairs, with louder music and high tables, and a more quiet upstairs with one of the best views of the fishing port of Cascais. The food is delicious: based on sharing, it is inventive, mixing unexpected flavours together. Very successfully.
But one question remains: why do Portuguese restaurants, even those we prefer, need to have a TV ? Could certainly do without.
That said, Hífen is a great place for inventive food and good time.
Restaurant
Singapore, Singapore
“Crossroads cooking”, the term coined by the chef of Nouri, is a good description of the dishes served in this beautiful restaurant: inspired by Italian, Spanish, German, Brazilian and Asian influences, every dish is as inventive as a next, full of surprises. Best for dinner.
Restaurant
Comporta, Portugal
Combining traditional and modern, this restaurant set in an old and renovated horse stable serves inventive but delightful dishes. Focused on local and bio-diverse ingredients, the Cavalarica makes the most of its perfect location in the heart of Comporta.
Restaurant
Cascais, Portugal
The restaurant is quite simple, but serves good traditional Portuguese food. The real find here is where the O Picadeiro is located. In a horse riding heaven, surrounded by large expenses of woods, sand dunes, pines everywhere and traditional stables scattered around the domain. The place is taken care of by people who are passionate about horses, not business people trying to make a quick buck from tourists. Genuine, peaceful, authentic. The place reminds us of Argentina (even though we have never been to Argentina !). To top it of, the school for the kids is the right balance between teaching the right technical skills while providing a relaxing and fun environment. 15 minutes away from Cascais, the Centro Hipico Quinta da Marinha is a beautiful experience.
Restaurant / Equestrian Centre
London, UK
Delamina East, in Spitafields between Shoreditch and the City, serves traditional but perfectly executed Eastern Mediterranean / Middle Eastern cooking. Think roasted vegetables, slow cooked meats, spices, herbs, more spices and more herbs. The setting is also a reflection of the menu: traditional accents but modern and different without being pretentious. And the atmosphere is as delightful as a long summer evening in that part of the world…
Restaurant
Luxembourg, Luxembourg
One of the great surprises in Luxembourg, Um Plateau is a refreshing discovery: interesting interior design with great character, inventive carte serving flavour-ful dishes without being pompous, welcome outdoor terrasse for alfresco dining and a beautiful selection of wines.
Restaurant
Sagres, Portugal
Not a place one goes for the location - right in a middle of a simple residential area with no stores, restaurants around. Not a place one goes for the design - unless you are into Portuguese football teams and Portuguese beer brands. But certainly a place one goes to to have great, simple fish. As fresh as one can find given that the restaurant is just by the seaport and only serves whatever was available that day from the sea. Best to reserve because the queue can quickly become significant. But don’t worry, the plastic chairs outside are quite comfortable for the wait.
Restaurant
New York City, US
How to best describe Estela ? Difficult to put in a box. This small place on the first floor above Houston Street can get quickly packed and noisy. But the food, expected to be your usual brasserie dishes has a welcome quirky-ness, inspired by the Mediterranean cooking training of the head chef. Best places to seat: at the bar. Even more so given that the bar stays open late. A fun night ahead…
Restaurant
New York City, US
Charlie Bird is a serious restaurant, serving solid Italian seasonal dishes, which doesn’t take itself seriously. Love the playful design and typical-Soho vibe. The outdoor patio and wine selection are not to be missed either.
Restaurant
New York City, US
Inspired by New Zealand cooking, the Musket Room delivers a refined modern and sophisticated set of dishes and a naturally edgy but cool setting. A gem in the Nolita neighbourhood of NYC, Musket definitely deserves its 1 Michelin star. Also, we love the small herb garden at the back !
Restaurant
Paris, France
Bambou will take you back to the colonial times in Asia. The huge space, formerly the location for a fabric manufacturer, is a trip across all corners of Asia. From the main restaurant space on the ground floor, to the cocktail den on the lower ground floor, to the terrasse and open air bar…
Restaurant
Ravello, Italy
Perched at the very top of a cliff overlooking the infinite blue sea ahead, Villa Cimbrone offers the ultimate experience on the Amalfi Coast. Combining an incredible site, a history of having hosted illustrious names of the arts and science (Greta Garbo, Virginia Woolf,…) and a restaurant serving the most amazing casarecce pasta, Villa Cimbrone will take you back to a time we all miss. The view from the edge of the park, where the sea and the sky melt together, will certainly help you travel back to that time…
Restaurant
London, UK
This is not a place you go to for the food. This is a place you go to for the setting, a quirky rooftop at the border between the City and Shoreditch, surrounded by high-rises. A place you go to for the “efficient” cocktails and for the vibe on a nice spring / summer evening. A different experience…
Restaurant/Bar
London, UK
Not exactly the type of restaurant you would expect to find on Brick Lane, Blanchette is the result of the collaboration of 3 brothers, delivering what looks like a traditional French experience with a definite “je ne sais quoi”. Mixing Southern French and North African influences, Blanchette is a great surprise in this edgy part of Shoreditch.
Restaurant
Lisbon, Portugal
Talk about “pure play”. Landeau serve only 1 thing: a chocolate cake. They are not a chocolate cake specialist with a whole selection of cakes to chose from. They only have 1 recipe. Just 1 cake. But not any cake. This is one of most incredible chocolate cakes we have ever had. They have 2 locations in Lisbon but we recommend the one in LX Factory: the Meatpacking District / Shoreditch equivalent of Lisbon. Great vibe all around to enjoy your cocoa fix.
Restaurant / Cafe
London, UK
One of the first restaurants in London combining traditional Japanese sushi (Izakaya) with modern European influences more than 10 years ago, Dinings remains a reference to this day. In particular their original location in Marylebone, in a small non-commercial side street, housing their tiny first restaurant. Would really recommend to seat upstairs at the bar. The food is as spectacular downstairs, but the space can be a little “tight”. The original Dinings is certainly not a scene, but definitely a culinary experience.
Restaurant