L'Eixample
At the most authentic gelato outlet in town, all flavours are natural (and most gluten-free) and fruit arrives fresh every day. Along with classic Italian…
Must-see restaurants in Mediterranean Europe
San Giovanni & Testaccio
Just round the corner from the famous Volpetti deli, this casual restaurant serves a cosmopolitan menu of beloved Roman pastas and creative modern mains…
Pisa
This small bistro on a pretty square, well away from the Leaning Tower crowd, is the perfect fusion of easy dining and gourmet excellence. Its menu is…
Arezzo
Located near the railway station, this much-loved trattoria is cosy in winter when its vaulted, red-brick cellar setting comes into its own. Cuisine is…
Spain
The best restaurant in the region, El Arco is located in Villavieja del Lozoya, close to Buitrago, and is known for its fresh, creative cuisine based on…
Toledo
In this haven for jamón and game, vegetarians can go hungry in Toledo. This excellent vegetarian restaurant has a menu that ranges from tofu and seitan…
Istanbul
The usta (grill master) at this simple place presides over a charcoal grill where choice cuts of meats are cooked to perfection. You can claim a stool, or…
Fira
You're up for authentic Italian pizza, with ingredients imported from Rome, perfectly al dente homemade pastas and other Italian favourites at this old…
Sulcis
The flavours of the Campidano district are celebrated at this good-looking restaurant near Piazza del Popolo. Housed in a farm-style building, complete…
Syracuse
'Voglia Matta' means 'Mad Desire', which is exactly what you'll feel at this busy corner gelateria. The ice cream here is superlative, made fresh and with…
Cefalù
Fresh seafood rules the chalkboard menu at this upscale eatery along the old town's main waterfront thoroughfare. Depending on the season, you'll find…
Granada
Beamed ceilings, a marble bar and barrels of homemade vermouth grace the spruced-up 1920s interior of this tiny tapas bar. Seasonal produce fuels the menu…
Cantabria
A Madrid-trained chef heads this brasserie specialising in fun, local- and internationally inspired concoctions that manage to be inventive without going…
Mallorca
Much-loved by cyclists seeking a breather or just to fuel up on breakfast, this restaurant/bar/cafe serves excellent pizza, pastas and paella (you often…
Bilbao
Tucked in a narrow lane, rustic Berton lures you in with a long wooden bar topped with tiny delicacies and frothy pilsner on tap. Glistening slices of…
The Veneto
This cosy tavern with its winter fire and streetside summer seating is everyone’s favourite spot in Arquà. The menu features Venetian cuisine with…
Salamanca
Restaurante Estay is partly a standard Spanish bar, where besuited waiters serve café con leche, and partly one of the best-loved tapas bars in this part…
Cortona
Simple seasonal dishes are the trademark of this vaulted cellar, a hotspot with local bon vivants who come to indulge in their pick of Tuscan and Italian…
Naples
Mennella has developed a cult following with its superb, all-natural gelato. Each flavour is made using fresh, prime ingredients, whether it's lemons from…
Rethymno
Not your average takeaway joint, Makan is more of a designer souvlaki bar, with a contemporary-chic interior yet old-school prices. Here you can build…
Oltrarno
This contemporary pizza space in San Frediano is an inspirational cocktail of perfect pizza, delicious craft beers brewed by small producers and striking…
Istanbul
After a morning spent trading repartee with the touts in the Grand Bazaar, you'll be in need of a respite. And where better than this Western-style cafe…
Tarifa
Amiable Sergio roams the tables Italian style, armed with loaded plates and amusing stories, and presides over genuine home-country cooking at this…
Lanzarote
The seafood-tastic menu showcases what's been caught each day at cheerful family-owned El Amanecer, an unpretentious local favourite with a sea-view…
Santa Cruz de Tenerife
With a dining room decked out in standard terracotta and stone, this Italian-owned restaurant serves a better class of pizza and pasta than most at very…
Morro Jable
The small menu here may be translated into several languages, but the voices around you are almost all Canarian and so is the entirely uncontrived feel…
Porta Garibaldi & Isola
All natural, hand-turned ice cream and sorbets in an interesting range of flavours, such as chocolate with chilli, and DOP pistachio with salt and pepper…
Assisi
A short hop from the Basilica di San Francesco, this inviting restaurant is big on old-world charm, with low arches and stone walls. The menu is similarly…
Ios
The Nest feels authentic, right down to the rembetika music and the tables of older men deep in discussion over rounds of raki. Local garlic sausage,…
Ancona
Hidden away in a tennis club near the Passetto, this workaday fish restaurant is as authentic as it gets. Every lunch, crowds of hungry locals – everyone…
Southeastern Sicily
This popular cafe-cum-cake-shop is a great spot for a quick bite of lunch or a mid-afternoon pick-me-up. There's a daily selection of pastas and simple…
Cuenca
A good all-round restaurant located at the top of the old town with panoramic views over the river gorge, this place will satisfy both romantic diners and…
Vicenza
A short walk from the city centre, behind a stained-glass door, this local institution serves up a thoroughly local scene where walls are hung with family…
Venice
In addition to unleavened pumpkin and radicchio bread, this kosher bakery sells unusual treats such as crumbly impade (biscuity logs flavoured with ground…
Centro Storico
A Roman primo colazione (breakfast) rarely consists of more than a coffee and a cornetto (croissant). Not here. Coromandel is renowned for its breakfasts…
Gros
The pick of the seats at this little cafe a block from the beach are on the terrace, shaded by a retractable awning. Breakfast dishes range from yogurt…
Siena
The name means 'Whaddya want?' and the answer is simple – cheap and tasty food prepared fast and served in pleasant surrounds. Beloved of local students,…
Barcelona
The most magical place to dine at this romantic restaurant is in the bougainvillea-draped, tree-filled garden, reached by an arbour. Outstanding,…
Costa Brava
Perched atop the cape, this all-day restaurant caters to exhausted hikers and beach-goers with an unexpected combination of Catalan and Indian food. The…
Göreme
Simply the best pide (Turkish-style pizza) in town is found in this local haunt. The cavernous wood oven fires up meat and vegetarian options and anything…
