The following recommendations were put together by my friends/coworkers/myself, with LOCAL input and/or THOROUGH research.
Chicago
Rooftops and Patios:
·
I|O Godfrey – River North; drinks, apps
·
Tanta – River North; drinks, apps
·
Parlor Pizza – West Loop or Wicker park; dinner
or brunch (best bloody mary bar)
·
Big Star – Wicker Park; tacos and margs
·
Federales – West Loop
Food:
·
Mercadito – River North; Mexican/tacos and great
drinks
·
Yuza Sushi – Wicker Park
·
Mindy’s Hot Chocolate – Wicker Park; amazing hot
chocolate and desserts
·
Bar Siena – West Loop; dinner or brunch
·
Bombobar – West Loop; the best chocolate gelato
·
Velvet Taco – Gold Coast; tacos (great for quick
lunch or open late night)
·
Untitled – River North; dinner, whiskey bar,
speakeasy, dj and dance floor
·
Fig and Olive – Gold Coast; dinner, amazing
cocktails
·
Violet Hour – Wicker Park; Speakeasy
·
Maple and Ash – Gold Coast; dinner
·
De Cero – West Loop; Tacos and Margs
·
Pump Room – Gold Coast; dinner
·
Doughnut Vault
·
Stan’s Donuts
·
Nutella Café – Loop
·
Quartino – Gold Coast; dinner, Italian shared
plates
·
Summer House – Lincoln Park; dinner or brunch
·
Café Ba Ba Reeba – Lincoln Park; dinner, Spanish
tapas, awesome sangria
·
Beatrix – River North; brunch
·
Arbella – River North; drinks
·
The Bedford – Wicker Park; dinner, drinks,
speakeasy
· Lou Malnati's for local pizza
· Portillo's for local comfort food
Dallas
Perry’s (Steakhouse)
Nick & Sam’s (Steakhouse)
Truluck’s (Steakhouse, however focus here is seafood)
HG Supply Co. (American food, HG stands for Hunt &
Gatherer, one of the few roof tops in Dallas)
Taco Deli (Tacos obviously - only open for lunch, and in my
opinion it’s the best taco spot in the city)
Meso Maya (Mexican – known as the ‘most authentic’ in the
area)
Mr. Mesero (Mexican)
Cane Rosso (Pizza – featured on the Food Network show)
Twisted Root (Burgers – featured on Food Network show)
Maple & Motor (Burgers)
Pecan Lodge (BBQ - featured on Food Network show)
18th & Vine (BBQ)
Miami
Cuban Food
Garcia's - Really good Cuban seafood place recommended by my buddy who is Cuban
Sergio's - Authentic Cuban food in Coral
Gables – This will be a 10 minute uber ride from downtown.
Havana 1957 - Located in Bricknell
Peruvian
Ceviche 105 - This place has the best ceviche in Miami and I eat here at least once a month
(highly recommend for lunch)
Brazil Steak House
Steak Brasil - (For lunch they have a $25 all you can eat).
Greek
Stoupsy's of Athens– Really good gyros and Greek salads – Lunch
spot only
Italian
Ristorante Fratelli Milano - Very good Italian food that is decently priced in Miami
Il Gabbiano - Bad ass Italian restaurant on the water in downtown across the street from
the office. (however it is pretty expensive – high end).
Other Options
The River - Happy hour it is half off oysters. Food here is really good as well.
Bonding - Sushi and Thai (Really good Pad Thai) – Always order delivery from here but
the food is amazing.
Mistero - Had Salad and Pizza here
and it was very good (in the Mary Brickell village area)
***MUST TRY***
El Carajo - tapas restaurant INSIDE of a gas station - (do not let looks deceive you!); exceptional + cheap wine supply
Paris
Eats:
The Soufflé Restaurant
Eiffel Tower restaurant inside
Higuma Ramen off Italien blvd has kimchi Ramen
Holybelly brunch
L'Avant Comptoir (french)
L'as Du Fallafel (middle eastern)
Chez Janou
Les Deux Magots - Cafe
Café de Flore - Cafe
Berthillon (ice cream)
Laduree restaurant off Champs Elysees for macarons and
desserts
Ellsworth - modern
Le Petit Vendome
Au Trappiste
Angelina - Dessert
Joel Robuchon Etoile
Things:
Sandeman Tour
Eiffel Tower/Trocadero
Cooking class
Macaroons class
Moulin Rouge Show
Le Jardin du
Luxembourg
Musee d’ Orsay
Palais Royale
Musee de l’ Orangerie
Centre Pompidou
Walk around Le Marais
Sacre Coeur
Day trip to Versailles
London
Things:
Buckingham Palace
London Eye
Tower of London
Take a boat on Thames River
Fortnum and Mason (British tea /scones)
Visit Piccadilly Circus (eat and shop)
Spitalfield market
Harry Potter and the Cursed Child
Eats:
Dishoom (indian)
Mala (indian)
The Goat (fish and chips)
Hawksmoor Knightsbridge (steak/seafood)
Aqua Shard (modern)
Fortnum & Mason (tea)
Itinerary
Breakfast: The Black Penny (Coffeeshop/brunch place near
Convent Garden)
Free Tour: Sandeman London - 2.5hr
Afternoon Tea: Charlie Chocolate
Dinner: SKETCH (Glade)
Cocktails: Seymour’s Parlour
Breakfast: Ivy Kensington Brasserie
Lunch: Caravan Bankside
Afternoon Tea: The Shard
Dinner: Duck & Waffle
Dessert: ROKA Aldwych
Amsterdam
Amsterdam letters
● I amsterdam is the city's and its residents'
collective catch phrase.
Neighbourhood
markets in Amsterdam
● Albert Cuypmarket in De Pijp (Mon -
Sat)
● Lindengracht market in the Jordaan
(Saturdays)
● Waterlooplein flea market (Mon – Sat).
● ● De Hallen Amsterdam
○ Food, film, fashion, crafts and
architecture converge at this cultural centre in a converted industrial
building in trendy Amsterdam Oud-West.
○ Food Hallen
Travelling by
ferry in Amsterdam
● Amsterdam’s ferries provide essential,
free connections across the River IJ
The Jordaan
● possibly the most famous neighbourhood
in the Netherlands.
Anne Frank
House
Museumplein
● the cultural beating heart of
Amsterdam
● Rijksmuseum
● Van Gogh Museum
● Stedelijk Museum of Modern Art
Amsterdam
Central Station
● Amsterdam Centraal is the largest
railway station of Amsterdam
● NDSM Wharf
Canal
cruising
● ● On the water in Amsterdam
Kalverstraat
● The Kalverstraat is a busy shopping street of Amsterdam,
the capital of the Netherlands
De Negen Straatjes or ‘The Nine Streets’
●
quaint warren of cobbled
streets that connect the main canals between Leidsegracht and Raadhuisstraat
Souvenirs
●
Amsterdam brands at the
Local Goods Store in De Hallen or the I amsterdam Store in Central Station
Oostelijke Eilanden (Eastern Docklands)
● De Gooyer Windmill
Brouwerij
't IJ (the IJ Brewery)
○
an award winning artisan
microbrewery with a large outdoor drinking terrace and 30-minute guided tasting
tours.
Westergasfabriek
● home to a variety of
tempting bars, restaurants, coffee roasters, a microbrewery, arthouse cinema,
and a whole host of creative businesses.
The Flower
Strip or 'Bollenstreek'
● one of the most popular and unique
sights in the Netherlands. Every spring the entire region bursts into vivid
colour as bulbs shoot and millions of flowers blossom.
Vondelpark
● The 47 acre park is the largest;
housing an outdoor theatre with live concerts in summer, three bars and
restaurants and a range of other attractions.
Other parks
● Westerpark
● Sarphatipark in De Pijp
● Rembrandtpark in the West – home to
the oldest petting zoo in the city.
De Pijp
● Bustling mix of culture, cuisine and
cafés
● Lose yourself for hours in Amsterdam’s
lively Latin Quarter
De Plantage
● Cultural garden with an elegant touch
Oosterpark
● Hip places, green spaces and diverse
faces
EYE
Filmmuseum
● EYE is already one of Amsterdam’s
modern icons. Situated on the northern bank of the River IJ, just opposite
Central Station, this cinema, film museum, café/restaurant and cutting-edge
event location is a standout location.
Breakfast
● Gartine (10AM -6PM)
● Omelegg (7AM - 4PM)
● The Lobby Nesplein (7AM -11PM)
● The Pancake Bakery (9Am -930PM)
● Pannenkoekenhuis Upstairs (12PM-6PM)
● De Vier Pilaren (9AM - 8PM)
● Pancakes Amsterdam (9AM - 6PM)
Snacks
● Van Stapele Koekmakerij (10AM-6PM)
○ COOKIES
● Lanskroon Banketbakkerij (8AM -530PM)
○ STROOPWAFFEL
● Banketbakkerij van der Linde (11AM -
6PM)
○ Whipped Cream cone!
● Melly’s Cookie Bar (9AM -6PM)
○ Alfajores
Cafes
● C.T - Coffee And Coconuts (8AM -11PM)
● Winkel 43 (8AM - 1AM)
○ APPELTAART
Copenhagen
Words to know:
*tak = thanks in danish! Everyone speaks english
*24 hour subway system
*home of hans christian andersen & legos
*do not jaywalk
*hygge = coziness (pronounced hooga)
*happiest place on earth apparently
*minimal tipping - restaurants include service charge
usually
*dkk = danish krone (crown)
*tivoli gardens - world’s second oldest amusement park
Restaurants:
Vakst: modern Nordic foods
Host: contemporary Nordic cuisine $$$
Restaurant Soren K: danish food
Restaurant Kanalen: waterfront views, french-danish cuisine
Copenhagen street food: waterside marketplace full of food
stalls with danish-inspired twist
Royal smushi cafe: sushi + smorrebrod
Aaman’s - smorrebrod store
Drinks:
Mikkeller
Lidkoeb
Coffee:
Atelier September
Kaffebaren
Coffee Collective
Cafe det vide hus
Dessert:
Rajissimo - dipped chocolate waffles
Ismageriet - ice cream
Osterberg - ice cream
OLUFs IS - ice pops
Things to do:
Copenhagen Opera House
Royal Danish Theatre
Nyhavn harbor - famous waterway
National museum of denmark (free)
Rosenborg castle - king’s garden
Rundetaarn (famous spiral tower - may be touristy - but best
views of copenhagen apparently)
Free tower: tarnet - views of copenhagen
Borsen - 17th century former stock exchange
Amelienborg: former queen/kings residence
Design Museum of Denmark
Marmorkirken - church
Christiania - freetown autonomous neighborhood (hippietown)
Shopping:
Torverhallerne
Stroget & Kongens Nytorv
Castles:
Frederiksborg Castle (1.5 train or 30 min drive)
Rosen Castle (crown jewels)
Special danish foods to try!
Flæskesteg, or roast pork with
crackling skin
Pølse - danish hot dog (found on stands throughout the city)
Smørrebrød - openfaced sandwich (danes prefer rye bread)
