The Dutch have a long-beloved tradition called bruine kroegs, or brown cafes. This is Dutch pub culture at its most traditional, and Cafe Papeneiland is one of the oldest and most typical of them all. In fact, it was first granted a liquor license in 1642, but was likely serving up drinks to patrons a…
Author: Donna Meyer
Donna Meyer is a freelance travel writer and the creator of Nomad Women, a blog to inspire older women travelers to get out and see more of the world. When she is not traveling the world--and eating everything in sight--she lives in San Miguel de Allende, in central Mexico.
Zero Waste Dining at Instock Restaurant, Amsterdam
In Amsterdam (and now in two other Dutch cities), it’s easy and lovely to eat a fine meal and also help the planet. At Instock Restaurant in the Oosterpark neighborhood just outside the historic canal belt, food waste is turned into creative cuisine. Think ugly but perfectly edible fruits and vegetables, one-day-old bread, bycatch fish,…
Tapas at La Rambla Restaurant & Bar, McMinnville, Oregon
Oregon’s Willamette Valley has become a popular destination for wine touring. The valley produces some of the finest wines in the country, with a special emphasis on award-winning Pinot Noirs. And where there is good wine, you’re going to get really fine food. McMinnville, Oregon makes a wonderful base for wine touring in the valley….
J.Trani in San Pedro, CA–Classic Italian with a Modern Twist
If you find yourself in the LA Harbor town of San Pedro, California—and you really should; it’s an intriguing place—you can’t do better than to treat yourself to a meal at J.Trani Italian Ristorante. Just ask any San Pedran who has eaten here in the last 93 years! Yep, that’s how long this classic Italian…
El Pegaso–Eclectic Mexican Food & Style in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico
San Miguel de Allende, the lovely colonial town found in the central highlands of Mexico, has become something of a destination for foodies, with a new and upscale, chef-centered restaurant seeming to open every month. But if you ask any long-time ex-pat in this UNESCO World Heritage site to name a few of their favorite…
A Meal in the Forest at The Gastrognome, Idyllwild, California
Perched under the tall pines of the San Jacinto Mountains, right in the center of the idyllic mountain village of Idyllwild, California, is The Gastrognome Restaurant… or as locals call it, The Gnome. Like a rustic throwback Alpine chalet, but with a sun-drenched wooden dining deck and serving up-to-date New American Cuisine, this popular site…
Philippe The Original French Dipped Sandwiches in Downtown Los Angeles, CA
When you head to Philippe the Original in Downtown Los Angeles, you’re not just going to a great deli/restaurant. You’re heading into a landmark. A favorite with local workers on lunch break, high-class concert goers, Dodger fans pre or post-game, and pretty much anyone else who’s ever been there, Philippe’s has been a downtown fixture…
Peace, Tea and Lunch at Lan Su Chinese Garden, Portland OR
The phrase “an oasis of peace” has become a sad cliché. But there’s no better way to describe the Lan Su Chinese Garden, a walled-in island of serenity in the heart of Portland, Oregon’s Old Town. You enter, and the busyness and noise of the city streets disappear into quiet, into green, into paths and…
The Whale and Ale in San Pedro, California—You’ll Think You’re in England
When you feel like getting on a plane or a boat to cross the Atlantic for a truly authentic and delicious British pub meal…but you don’t have the time or opportunity…you can head to the The Whale and Ale in San Pedro, California instead. Owned by a genuine Englishman, this is the real deal, pub…
At Tandem Carrboro, World Cuisine Joins Fresh Local Products
Take one highly trained Moroccan chef. Add one lovely Englishwoman with years of managing casual dining and hotel restaurants. Sprinkle with love and marriage. The result? Tandem Carrboro in Carrboro, North Carolina, snugged up right next to the university town of Chapel Hill. Chef Younes Sabouh and his wife and partner Emma Dunbar Sabouh opened…