There are plenty of dining options along Krakowskie Przedmieście, one of the main tourist strips in Warsaw, Poland, some more touristy than others. One that is more favored by locals is Restauracja Kultura, housed on the ground floor of Kino Kultura, one of Warsaw’s best-known cinemas. Restauracja Kultura is the perfect destination for dinner after you’ve just attended a screening here, or if you’re merely wandering down the old Royal Route on your way from the Royal Castle or checking out the U.S.–Polish exhibits across the street. Whatever the reason for finding this restaurant, you’ll be very glad you chose it for your evening meal. Read more >
Tag Archives: food
Lucas Park Grille’s Marvelous Menu in a Revitalized Area of St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis often gets a bad rap, continuously ranked among the worst U.S. cities for murder rates and overall violence, and suffering a 90-year population plummet. But that should not deter you from visiting the Gateway to the West and exploring more than just its iconic arch. One of the most positive, and under-reported, stories to come out of St. Louis is the successful and ongoing revitalization of the Washington Avenue Historic District. Since the late 1990s, sturdy buildings from the late 1800s through the 1920s have been redeveloped as apartments and condos, prompting a surge of young people to move into this neighborhood and spurring a growth in the number of restaurants. And one of the best places to dine here is Lucas Park Grille. Read more >
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Terrific Food and Beer on Tap at Albany Pump Station
Facing the elevated roads of US Route 9 and then Interstate 787 that lead into Albany, New York, Albany Pump Station doesn’t have much of a view. But that won’t matter as you cross the cobblestone parking area and enter the century’s-old buildings that house this brewery and restaurant. This unique venue serves up more than a dozen home-brewed beers that have won awards and both national and international competitions, and plates of food that would satisfy even the most voracious appetites. Read more >
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A Taste of Russia in Finland at Helsinki’s Šašlik Restaurant
All around Helsinki, I kept coming across big and small reminders of Russia’s influence in the city and throughout Finland, which was part of its massive neighbor from 1809 until its independence in 1917. You may still hear some Russian conversations, although, even though it’s the third most spoken native language in Finland, Russian now represents only 1 percent of native languages spoken. You’re more likely to see evidence of Russia’s sway in, for instance, the statue of Emperor Alexander II standing before the striking Helsinki Cathedral in Senate Square, and the gorgeous Uspenski Cathedral, the largest orthodox church in Western Europe. You’ll also find it in the cuisine, and one of the top Russian restaurants in the Finnish capital, Šašlik, immediately transported me back to the era of the Romanovs. Read more >
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Contemporary Fare in a Victorian Setting at Billy’s in Lincoln, Nebraska
After a guided tour of the Nebraska State Capitol in Lincoln — one of the top five U.S. state capitols — I headed back to my rental car, parked in the leafy residential neighborhood adjacent to the grounds of the capitol. The dull-green Victorian-style house with a pitched roof, lawn statues, and red, white, and blue bunting caught my attention. On second glance, I noticed the sign that read, Billy’s Restaurant. Intrigued by this location for a restaurant, I made an impromptu decision to lunch here. My choice was rewarded with a terrific meal in a lovely setting, and a new Iranian friend. Read more >
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Sampling Little Italy’s Best at La Scala in Baltimore, Maryland
I had already sampled the surf in Baltimore, Maryland, at Oceanaire Seafood Room, and now I wanted to try the turf. So I crossed over Eastern Avenue Bridge spanning a narrow inlet of the Inner Harbor and entered the city’s Little Italy, where red, white, and green lights stretch across a few streets and the aromas of Italian cooking waft from the neighborhood’s handful of restaurants and cafés. Of these, La Scala Ristorante, consistently rated one of the city’s best Italian restaurants, grabbed my attention with its promise of a delectable meal and possibly a game of bocce. Read more >
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Two Italian Brothers Shake Things Up in Glasgow, Scotland
The neon lights spelling out “Il meglio di buono” (basically, the best of good) at the entrance of Fratelli Sarti on Renfield Street in Glasgow, Scotland, tempted me every day from the window of my hotel room across the street. The restaurant looked appealing, but I often found myself passing by it, on the hunt for traditional Scottish haggis, shortbread, and whisky elsewhere. After a few days, however, just like Chaophraya and its outstanding Thai food, Sarti lured me in with the aromas and promise of something non-Scottish for a change of pace. Read more >
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Italian Immigrants Keep It Real at Sorge’s in Corning, New York
I devoted most of my only day in Corning, New York, to the outstanding Corning Museum of Glass, where I admired thousands of fantastic glass objects and took a flameworking class and created my own glass pumpkin pendant. By the time I emerged, the sun had shifted to the opposite end of the sky, and I was ready for a large meal. Just a couple doors down from my lodgings, the wonderful Inn at the Gaffer Grille, I found Sorge’s. This was hardly a discovery — everyone in town seemed to be there already — but it was certainly a stroke of good decision-making when I chose it for dinner. Read more >
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Lingering Over Lunch in Tivoli, Italy
A short day trip out of Rome took me to Tivoli, a smaller city of around 55,000 people about 25 miles northeast of the Italian capital. I traveled here specifically to see Villa d’Este, a 16th-century palace famed for the gardens and 51 fountains that spill down the hillside behind it. A full morning spent admiring the villa’s frescoes and climbing up and down some steep paths and staircases to appreciate the property had stirred my appetite. On my way back to the train station, I hunted for a spot for lunch where I could soak in the aura of this place. I found it perfectly captured at Ristorante L’Angolino di Mirko. Read more >
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The French Food Connection in Washington, D.C.
Not far from my hotel in Washington, D.C., and conveniently located just a block from the Metro station I was using on a regular basis, Café Soleil was the restaurant I kept passing by on my way elsewhere. Finally, after a week of exploring the American capital, including some of the city’s best churches and the fantastic interior of the Jefferson Building of the Library of Congress, I skirted around the restaurant’s flowerboxes and wrought-iron fence under the red awning and entered a heavenly petite slice of France. Read more >
Stephen Travels 