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What could be better on a visit to Gothenburg to indulge in the nation’s pastime of fika – a rite-of-passage in every self-respecting Swede’s day, which involves carving time everyday for ‘coffee and cake’. However, this is merely a rough translation, as fika encompasses much more than this. It’s become a lifestyle choice, where taking a break from work to savour something delicious is seen as good for the soul.
Gothenburg is a laid-back, slow-pace kind of city. It’s also the birthplace of one of our favourite roasteries – Gringo Nordic, one of the vital components of fika. Founded by three self-confessed coffee addicts, Gringo Nordic are serious about its sourcing, production and roasting. Their speciality coffee beans come from small farms and cooperatives, to support farmers that focus on quality, from as far and as wide as Rwanda, Brazil and Sumatra. In Colombia, Gringo Nordic own a coffee farm, showing their commitment to the intricacies of the growing process.
Roasting is done in-house, in small productions using energy -efficient air roasting. Each batch is tweaked accordingly to the type of bean, creating a truly bespoke system. This attention to detail and meticulous consciousness to the whole process means a thoughtfully produced brew, created with passion and care. With a large range of organic single origin, smooth blends and Italian-style expresso, Gringo Nordic will find a coffee to match every discerning palette.
For the ultimate in local fare that’s “still” organic — as in “it was never anything but” — Chez Vrony in Zermatt, Switzerland serves up time-honored recipes that have been handed down generation to generation, like the restaurant itself.
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Since the 14th century, the village of Mund and the UNESCO mountain region has been the quiet spice producer since it was smuggled in via Italy and the Simplon Pass.
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Learn to craft a piece of Switzerland's foodie Alpine culture yourself with lessons from a Raclette master in Vals, accompanied by a sip of local wine.
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Just a few blocks off Tribeca’s main pathways, Grand Banks is more than a restaurant--it’s a chance to step back into NYC’s maritime history. Nestled at the southwest edge of Pier 25, this award-winning oyster bar and restaurant dwells inside the iconic wooden schooner the Sherman Zwicker, the last original salt bank fishing vessel still in use.
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When the doors opened to the public in 1970, it wasn’t just the interior of Flash Flash that was forward thinking. The restaurant is soundproofed to make conversation easy and comfortable, and while it may not seem particularly revolutionary now, the restaurant is only closed on Christmas day and features bright and pleasant restrooms — both rare in a restaurant in 1970!
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Although they are currently closed for the winter season, the stunning (and ever so sunny) designer den in Mallorca, Son Brull Hotel and Spa, is still doing its bit for sustainability.
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Sun-drenched and sustainable, luxury eco-friendly hotel, Son Brull Boutique Hotel and Spa, have recently added a further string to their organic Mallorcan bow, in the form of special edition Son Brull wines, made in collaboration with nearby celebrated organic winery, Bodega Can Axartell.
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The world within a Viennese coffee house is filled with so much more than just Sacher - glimpse Vienna & Austria's grand imperial past, always 'mit Schlag'.
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Burgenland's Gut Oggau winery is Austria's famed and finest biodynamic vineyard, famous also for its association with Austria foodie institution, Taubenkobel.
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There are the typical Vienna to-dos for any foodie enthusiast who visits Austria’s capital city; from classic cafés to innovative restaurants to ice-cream parlours.
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One for you travelling oenophiles - Switzerland's beautiful Valais holds the highest vineyard in Europe, and wines that are regarded as "the pearl of the Alps".
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The Bardolino Wine Festival, or Festa Dell’Uva to locals, is found on the eastern shore of Italy’s beautiful Lake Garda, and is truly an oenophile’s dream, enjoying cult status in the wine world.
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Get the insider news and lowdown on what we've been up to, where we've been, and who we've met along the way. Be the first to discover new places and get the scoop on our favourites.