Somewhere between a filling breakfast and an early dinner while I’m away, I usually start feeling a little peckish. To prevent becoming hangry, I ordinarily tote around a snack with me that I can consume while continuing on my day, but there are times when that doesn’t suffice. That’s when I start looking at what’s around me, for places to take a break and enjoy a little snack. That often results in a wonderful discovery and a memorable snacking experience. These are my favorites.

#1 Mango-Lime Cake and Wild Berry Tea (Café Kappeli, Helsinki, Finland)

One of the world’s top cafés, Café Kappeli, set in the heart of Helsinki, has been satisfying customers since 1867. Helsinki’s signature café was a meeting place right from the start, not only for hungry patrons, but for artists, musicians, and poets eager to exchange ideas and philosophies. Fronting Esplanade Park, one of the best works by architect Carl Ludvig Engel, Kappeli boasts two very dissimilar faces: The central entrance is a façade of slender columns, a trio of arches, caryatids, and a highly sculpted, classical pediment; the other, to either side, with ceiling-to-floor ornamented windows, domes, and green roofs. Inside, the posh yet comfortable décor includes crystal chandeliers, friezes, archival photos of the city, statues and paintings by famous Finnish artists, and a bar with a wonderful plaster and gold-leaf ceiling. I would pass by every night on my way back to my hotel, the superior Hotel Kämp, and pop in for dessert—a slice of mouthwatering mango-lime cake and a cup of wild berry tea one day, a slab of light chocolate cake and an Italian strawberry soda on another. In fairer weather, grab a table at one of the city’s largest outdoor terraces to engage in some people-watching or to listen to live music on the Espa stage just a few feet away.

#2 Apple and Honey Cookies (Astoria Pastry Shop, Detroit, Michigan)

I had just finished a visit to St. Mary’s Roman Catholic Church, the third-oldest Roman Catholic parish in the city, founded in 1834 to serve German-speaking immigrants, and one of the most beautiful churches in Detroit, and then a wonderfully savory lunch at a restaurant in Greektown, a bastion of Hellenic culture in downtown Detroit. I was in the mood for a sweet treat, so I popped into Astoria Pastry Shop. Founded in 1971 by the Teftis family, the shop serves up specialty gourmet coffees and more than 100 different pastries and desserts that range from cheesecakes and tiramisu cakes to brownies, rum balls, and a huge selection of honey pastries. The soft apple and honey cookies are unforgettable.

#3 Cheddar-Scallion Scone, Lavender Sugar Cookie, and Hot Chocolate (Blackbird Bakery, Bainbridge Island, Washington)

Crossing 9.5 watery miles of Elliott Bay, my ferry from Seattle to Bainbridge Island took only 35 minutes and turned out to be one of the best boat rides in the world. Views of the gorgeous Olympic Mountains and Seattle quickly came into view, beguiling me and making those 35 minutes feel like seconds. The ferry slowed as it glided by waterfront homes and marinas filled with gleaming white sailboats and ketches on its way into Eagle Harbor. After disembarking, I made my way along the main road to Blackbird Bakery. Opened in September 1999, the bakery taps local purveyors for many of the ingredients it incorporates into its fine assortment of breads, pastries, quiches, cakes, pies, and cookies. I picked up a cheddar-scallion scone and hot chocolate and savored both of them as I spent a stress-free day in the vicinity of the terminal, meandering around the three-acre Waypoint Park and 5.5-acre Waterfront Park, and browsing in the specialty shops and art galleries. As evening approached, I boarded the ferry back to Seattle and started munching on the lavender sugar cookie I had purchased at Blackbird as I watched the setting sun cast wonderful colors across the sky and transform the water into a golden bay. Seattle’s skyline—one of the world’s best—lit up against the darkening sky with all its skyscrapers aflame with lights, from the Space Needle all the way down to the city’s most interesting building, Smith Tower—the perfect way to end the day.

#4 Jagdwurst (Trekroneren, Bergen, Norway)

It was May 17, and the celebrations began with a bang at exactly 7 a.m. I was in Bergen, by lucky happenstance, on Constitution Day, a national holiday that Norwegians take very seriously, and with a great deal of fun. I spent the entire day enjoying the festivities and the welcoming Norwegians—attending parades, marveling at their traditional and expertly embroidered costumes, listening to outdoor musical performances, and, late that night, following a spontaneous invitation, marching in “the fire”—a torchlight parade that wends its way through downtown Bergen and culminates in a fireworks display over the five-acre natural lake in a park in the city center. Nearly everything shuts down on this day so that the citizens can participate in the day’s activities, and the restaurants are packed beyond capacity. With that option closed off, it was time to try some street food, and that’s when I stumbled upon Trekroneren, an unassuming sausage stall that’s been around for 70 years. Taking its name (three kroner) from the price of a sausage back in 1978, Trekroneren serves up a tempting variety of sausages—all made by a local butcher not 30 minutes away by foot. From this selection, which includes bratwurst and reindeer sausages, as well as nearly a dozen toppings that range from lingonberry sauce to garlic dressing, I chose the fantastic jagdwurst. This footlong wild-game sausage, created with herbs, spices, and pepper, goes perfectly with the “super-strong” mustard. It’s simply the best thing on a bun you’re ever likely to have.

#5 Lamb and Mint Pie (Arrowtown Bakery & Café, Arrowtown, New Zealand)

Arrowtown, a small town of fewer than 3,000 people, was a short 20-minute drive (so much more when you’re slowing down to gape at gorgeous scenery) from Queenstown. I was there to check out the Historic Arrowtown Chinese Settlement, a partially restored 1880s village of Chinese gold miners, and to take a little walk along the Arrow River. Along Buckingham Street, the town’s main shopping street, I came across Arrowtown Bakery & Café. The popular café—expect a line, but a quick-moving one—offers a variety of baked goods, rolls, and sandwiches. Outstandingly tasty is the savory lamb and mint pie, with a perfectly flaky pastry shell, best enjoyed in the village green with the cutest little library you’ve ever seen.

Five Runners-Up

• Brownie (Wagner’s European Bakery & Café, Olympia, Washington)
• Potato lefse with softened butter (Norwegian Folk Museum, Oslo, Norway)
• Cajun peanuts and chocolate-covered peanuts (A&M Peanut Shop, Mobile, Alabama)
• Cherry pecan cookie (Naegelin’s Bakery, New Braunfels, Texas)
• Oreo cookies and cream cupcake (CupCake Omaha!, Omaha, Nebraska)

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