STAY > The Twenty One Hotel, Athens (17/20)

Step away from the classical chaos and into the contemporary embrace of Twenty One Hotel — a clever, design-forward refuge at the leafy heart of Kifisia, Athens’ most quietly confident district. Here, you will find a bold façade of charcoal and glass frames, in a cocoon of Nordic-minimal calm, all just a metro ride…

ByCrispyNovember 8, 20250Comments

EAT > GC EAT > QLD EAT > EAT > AUSTRALIA

EAT > Little Truffle, Mermaid Beach (17/20)

Tucked discreetly behind a modest shopfront on the Gold Coast Highway, Little Truffle is the kind of place you hear about in passing and instantly add to your must-visit list—a Mermaid Beach fixture devoted to polished European flavours, immaculate service, and the warm local touch that’s always set it apart. After a refurbishment and a…

ByCrispyNovember 4, 20250Comments

EAT > MELBOURNE EAT > VICTORIA EAT > EAT > AUSTRALIA

EAT > L’Hôtel Gitan (17/20)

Step off bustling Commercial Road and into the warm embrace of l’hôtel gitan—a South Yarra institution by Jacques Reymond, where the Parisian spirit mingles with Melbourne’s urban edge. Housed in the bones of an old pub and radiating the unforced style and glamour that’s become Reymond’s signature, its polished floorboards, frosted glass, and curved…

ByCrispyOctober 26, 20250Comments

DRINK > ATHENS DRINK > BARS DRINK > GREECE

DRINK > Brettos, Athens (17/20)

The oldest distillery in Athens, in the middle of the Plaka, selling cold drinks and snacks. What’s not to like? . AMBIENCE > Operating since 1909, Brettos has had time to produce and collect lots of bottles. Two walls are lined with coloured glass bottles, a kaleidoscope of colour and alcohol with enough brightness to remind…

ByPaulaOctober 11, 20250Comments

EAT > MELBOURNE EAT > EAT > VICTORIA

EAT > The European, Spring Street Melbourne (17/20)

Step from the tram-swept bustle of Spring Street into The European and the years seem to slide away. The mosaic floors and bentwood chairs recall another era—a continental refuge under the colonnade, shadowed by the stately Parliament House. Here in the theatre district, Melbourne’s appetite for the Old World is enduring, and nowhere is it…

ByCrispyOctober 6, 20250Comments

EAT > BURGUNDY EAT >

EAT > Le Globe, Meursault (Burgundy) France (17/20)

In the heart of Burgundy’s fabled wine country, Le Globe stands on Meursault’s main street—a boutique bolthole where the joys of French hospitality, jewel-like plates and insider wine knowledge blend together in a style that is distinctly local yet wholly contemporary. There’s an easy confidence in the air here: a feeling that comes from a…

ByCrispySeptember 21, 20250Comments

EAT > EAT > ADELAIDE

EAT > Salopian Inn, McLaren Vale (17/20)

Salopian Inn is a location firmly lodged in my childhood mind, it was the home of family friends in my primary school years and I visited often. Decades later I returned to the restaurant with the same couple who had lived there in the late 1970's when I was young. The venue became…

ByCrispyAugust 26, 20250Comments

EAT > SYDNEY EAT >

EAT > Porteño, Surry Hills Sydney (17/20)

In 2025, Porteno was recognised as number 20 on the world's best steak restaurants. This is Sydney hospitality done well, Its a smart room, good food, good service and an excellent wine cellar. What's not to love. AMBIANCE > Step inside Porteno and it’s Buenos Aires by way of Sydney—soccer pennants, dark wood, flickering lamps,…

ByCrispyAugust 25, 20250Comments

EAT > MELBOURNE EAT >

EAT > Harriot, Melbourne (17/20)

Set on the corner of King and Collins, Harriot is where Melbourne’s European ambitions shimmer brightest. Think discreet bon vivant, white tablecloths and all. Yet beneath the crisp linen and glass is a quietly restless soul, drawing whispers from Parisian bistros but thumping a resolutely Melbourne tune. Step inside and it’s luminous—a 60-seat ode to…

ByCrispyAugust 17, 20250Comments

STAY > STAY > FRANCE

STAY > Maison Heler, Metz France (17/20)

Nestled in the vibrant Amphithéâtre district of Metz, Maison Heler Metz, a Stark hotel and part of the Curio Collection by Hilton, redefines contemporary hospitality with its visionary blend of art, storytelling, and architecture. Designed by the iconic Philippe Starck, this hotel is not merely a place to stay but an immersive, surreal experience that…

BySebAugust 10, 20250Comments

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