Struggling to find that elusive summer combination of a stunning beach backed by some fantastic eating experiences? While they may not all have stars, there are plenty of restaurants that the Michelin inspectors won’t have heard of, says Food and Travel expert Michael Raffael.
Gozitans have their own seaside snack. Ħobż biż-zejt is a tomato, mint and onion crush, mixed with anchovy, olive oil and local Ġbejna cheese that’s spread on chunks of sourdough bread baked in a wood-fired oven. This is a useful slice of insider knowledge to have; from the moment passengers step off the ferry in Mġarr and arrive at the tiny island off the Maltese coast, they are never more than a brisk walk from the sand. ‘X’ marks the spot for the best bakery and restaurant, Tal- Furnar in Xagħra. It’s midway between the capital, Victoria, and russet-sand-strand Ramla il-Ħamra, where even in summer there’s space to park a parasol. Also X-rated is the food in Xlendi, a picture- postcard inlet. Ta’ Karolina, on the waterfront, is the local favourite but The Stone Crab next door also scores very highly. Lampuki and swordfish, are simply brushed with olive and slapped on a grill.
WHERE TO STAY
Kempinski San Lawrenz
This is a luxury resort that delivers. Its spa treatments are well-conceived and the honeyed stone buildings don’t jar with the landscape. Doubles from £107 per night. kempinski.com
Ta’ Cenc
A low-slung country hotel that moulds seamlessly into the landscape. This classic hasn’t dated at all: discreet, quiet and beautiful. Doubles from £81 per night. tacenc.com
San Andrea
Xlendi makes the ideal island base. This waterfront hotel is without frills but almost half the rooms overlook the bay and all
have balconies. Doubles from £27 per night. hotelsanandrea.com
WHERE TO EAT
The Stone Crab
On the Xlendi waterfront it’s a drop-in pizza restaurant or a spot where you can dine out on local Gozitan cuisine. Pricey, but worth it. £80 (with wine). 00 356 2155 6400, thestonecrab.com
Tal-Furnar
Authentic is an overused word but the simple wood-fired bread and ftiras – a kind of Maltese quiche – prepared here are to die for. £30. 136 Gnien Xibla Str, Xagra, 00 356 2155 6372
Ta’ Karolina
Gozo is in love with its home-grown tomatoes so they feature on most menus. In this restaurant, where Gozitans have been eating for over a century, the tomato sauce is fresh and so is the fish. £25. Triq L-Ghar ta Karolina, Munxar, 00 356 2155 9675
Poke around the rocks that jag the coastline around Cascais
and you may be lucky enough to find a few percebes. The prized goose barnacles, boiled fresh, are a delicacy. The town, on the Estoril coast, has almost spread to the Lisbon suburbs, yet Praia de Guincho still earns its spot among the world’s best unspoilt beaches. Tucked between the coast and the quirky, culture-rich townlet of neighbouring Sintra, in the middle of the Natural Park is Colares. Little more than a hamlet, it produces unique wines, grown on rootstock buried in the sand that survived the phylloxera epidemic that wiped out European vines during the 19th century. Explore the region and bottles of Colares, maybe 40 years old and still drinkable, may turn up. They were the favourite tipple
of the eccentric millionaire William Beckford who lived here in Georgian times. The Pousada de Cascais in a renovated 16th- century fortress stocks a few choice bottles, for those in the know.
WHERE TO STAY
Farol Design Hotel
Perched on a rocky ledge above the ocean and abutting the lighthouse, this cool but elegant design hotel massages both body and soul. It has a sexy cocktail lounge and fine restaurant too. Doubles from £187 per night. farol.com.pt
Fortaleza do Guincho
Overlooking the beach with great views. Classic furnishings, soft upholstery, warm colours and a courtyard put the hotel firmly in the Relais & Châteaux stable, while the Michelin-starred kitchen mixes Portuguese and French styles to perfection. Doubles from £115 per night. fortalezadoguincho.com
Palácio de Seteais
In the neighbouring town of Sintra, this charmingly maintained old castle has resisted the temptation to over-modernise itself. Its grandeur only enhances the romance. Doubles from £148 per night. tivolihotels.com
WHERE TO EAT
Furnas do Guincho
The architecture overlooking the Atlantic looks modernist, but the menu is closer to traditional Portuguese cuisine with an emphasis on fresh fish. £62. furnasdoguincho.pt
O Parreirinha
Equidistant between Cascais, Lisbon and Sintra this is a haven of traditional top-quality food among the welter of shoddy tourist dives along the coast. It’s over 50 years old but doesn’t show it whatsoever. £41. oparreirinha.com
Pousada de Cascais
A beautiful historic monument decked out with art. The food is carefully prepared and the wines well chosen, with many from local producers. £45. pousadas.pt
Songwriter-poet Jacques Brel called West Flanders ‘Le Plat Pays’: the flat land. Oostduinkerke’s vast tablecloth sands are, if that’s possible, flatter still. Sand yachts scud across it. Kite surfers skate over its North Sea fringes. Paragliders hover above it. At low tide the shrimpers – known as garnaalvissers – arrive wearing oilskins and toting wicker baskets, not in boats but on horseback. They harness their Brabant horses to purse nets and a chain that vibrates as it drags along the seabed. This causes the crevettes grises to jump into the nets. There’s no secret to cooking or eating them. The fishermen’s wives simply drop them willy-nilly into lightly salted, boiling water, draining them when they turn pink. On Unesco’s intangible heritage list, the practice is more than a tourist attraction. The shrimping season lasts through the summer and into early autumn.
WHERE TO STAY
Albert Hotel
On the prom at Oostduinkerke you can watch the horses and fishermen from your room – 14 of which offer a sea view. There are also family rooms and studios for up to six guests. Doubles from £91 per night. alberthotel.be
B&B The Old House
Located in the historic, beautiful Flemish town of Veurne a few kilometres from the beach this ancient townhouse has been sympathetically maintained. There are 14 rooms – the ones under rafters are the most spacious and are the top pick. Doubles from £36 per night. theoldhouse.be
Bourgoensch Hof
Bruges is only 30 minutes’ drive up the E4 and this stylish three-star hotel in the historic city centre has great views of the canal. The hotel combines an old exterior with modern interiors. Doubles from £85 per night. hotelbh.be
WHERE TO EAT
De Huifkar
This Flemish restaurant in Koksijde-Bad, within sniffing distance of the French border and Dunkirk, deservedly holds a Michelin Bib Gourmand. The seafood menu changes according to the catch; the cuisine is honest retro. £30. dehuifkar.be
8chef
The ambience may have echoes of Ikea but the cooking is assured and heavily reliant on local produce – not just fish. More of a bistro than a fine dining experience, the dishes are well balanced and prettily presented. £72. 8chef.be
Ten Bogaerde
Just four kilometres from the sea, this almost grand chateau uses an Oscar Wilde quote as its mission statement: ‘I have simple tastes. I am always satisfied with the best.’ It is the only gastronomic restaurant around and isn’t afraid of showing off its credentials. £67. tenbogaerde.be
Barceloneta Beach hangs like a sandy vapour-trail from the port. Chiringuitos – beach bars – along its four-kilometre stretch deal out beers, burgers and bombas, a local meat and potato tapa. Hawkers strut along the sand offering everything from fast food to a quick massage. It’s urban, democratic and populist. So you never got to eat at El Bulli before it closed in 2012? Then, try out any of Ferran Adrià’s kid brother Albert’s bar-restaurants. They’re the ideal antidote to the stale glamour of the Ramblas. He owns five now: Niño Viejo, Pakta, Tickets, Hoja Santa and Bodega 1900. The latter ratchets up the traditional Spanish vermut and tapas experience, whereas the others play frivolous games with ethnic or cosmopolitan influences. For picnics the one-stop Boqueria will always be a good option, but there are new-wave takeaway delis like Pim Pam Plats where you can stock up with finger foods.
WHERE TO STAY
Ohla
From the outside it looks like a classic early 20th-century hotel, but inside it certainly has a streamlined gosh factor. Bed, sheet and pillow menus are a big plus for travellers who can’t drop off without their favourite linen. The restaurant, Saüc, is super, too. Doubles from £180 per night. ohlahotel.com
Murmuri
Angular soft-toned rooms and one or two bedroom apartments designed by renowned Kelly Hoppen have a sleek but cosy feel. It’s an archetypal designer that never
shows off. Doubles from £163 per night. murmuri.com
Mehlià Barcelona Sky
In a city that, Gaudi’s cathedral apart, tends to shun high rise, 29 storeys certainly makes a statement. Rooms have the typical Mehlià style of bright modernistic colours. Doubles from £168 per night. melia.com
WHERE TO EAT
Tickets Bar, Paketa, etc.
The quickest way to hunt down any of Albert Adria’s venues is to visit the website and, as is the way with celebs, you may have to book ahead if you want a table at any of his Barcelona ventures. Each has its own idiosyncratic style, but all have great personality. £31. elbarriadria.com
La Xocolateria by Oriol Balaguer
He’s probably one of the world’s top three chocolatiers with several patisseries in his home base, plus a few more in other leading cities. His chocolate shop is a kind of tearoom where you can sit and indulge when you aren’t sunning yourself. Try the ice cream. £4. oriolbalaguer.com
Xiringuito Escribà
This is the chiringuito of pastry chef , Joan Escribà: an institution in Barcelona. Located on Ave de la Litoral, it’s a great place to try the kind of Spanish food that tourists hope for and very rarely receive. The paella is authentic and well worth ordering for a group. £46. xiringuitoescriba.com
Istria’s jagged coastline fragments to hundreds of offshore isles and islets. Its population too reflects its fractured history. By turns this northern rim of Croatia formed part of the late-Yugoslavia, Italy, the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Pula, its largest town, was ‘Pola’ when James Joyce came and taught languages for Berlitz. Its number one tourist bait is a first-century Roman amphitheatre with an arena that remains almost intact. The original meaning of the Latin word ‘arena’ is sand, but this corner of the Adriatic has a lot more gravel, shale, rock and pebbles to lounge on, many in wood-fringed coves — if you want white sands go to its Sardinian namesake Santa Margherita di Pula instead. Croat restaurants may lack pizzazz, but the Italian influence is strong and the Misal sparkling wine as good as most prosecco or cava. The truffles shaved generously over pasta cost a fraction of what they would across the border, which is why so many Italians holiday here.
WHERE TO STAY
Valsabbion
When it first opened in 1995, this was a hideaway haunt for the likes of Sting and Pavarotti –not necessarily at the same time. Stellar guests may have moved to more distant destinations, but the recently refurbished boutique hotel and medical spa, overlooking a pretty cove are still a find. Doubles from £119 per night. valsabbion.hr
Oasi
Little bigger than a Torquay guesthouse, without the Fawlty Towers trimmings, this is a cute retro-modernistic curiosity where service comes above all. Its style reflects the mishmash of international influences that have affected Pula over the last century. Doubles from £100 per night. oasi.hr
Neptun-Istra or Karmen
When the late President Tito used to visit his villa on Brijuni island, a short boat ride from Pula, the two hotels represented communist class. They seem ungarnished mid-spend hostelries today, but certainly worth a stopover. Doubles from £28 per night. brijuni.hr
WHERE TO EAT
Farabuto
Wholesome Croatian cuisine veers towards Veneto in this relaxing trattoria. There’s no menu as such; the catch of the day determines what you eat. There’s no attempt at following food fashion but you come away full and with a sense of enjoyment. £35 (including wine). farabuto.hr
Fresh: Sandwich and Salad Bar
The name is a tad provocative, but the food hits the spot after spending a morning sightseeing in the city. It’s a café that doubles as a grocery store and delivers just what it promises. £7. Anticova 5, Pula.
Enoteca Istriana
If you don’t know Istrian wines and want a helpful induction to them, stop by this popular wine bar. There are smart little tapas to nibble while you quaff glasses of Croatian wine — well worth a holiday tipple. £8. Forum 11, Pula
The piquant whiff of kumru welcomes all-comers to the village.
A toasted cheese and sausage sandwich, served with pickles; the aroma is as characteristic as malt vinegar on Blackpool chips and just a moreish. Alaçati was once a fishing village and you can still find pickled samphire and purslane in its market. With cobbled streets, tucked-away boutique hotels and bistros, it seems a continent away from helter-skelter Bodrum. The scale, down to its D-shaped beach, is cosseting. Away-from-it-all, though? Hardly. An hour’s drive from Izmir, it’s the quintessential day out. Nearby Çeşme harvests the masses. This is more select. Sit under a mastic tree (it supplies the gum used for Turkish delight) and sip Tempus, a delicious red wine from nearby Urla. Beğendik Abi, a small tavern, dishes up some of the best regional cooking in the Levant.
WHERE TO STAY
Imren Han
Panoramic views of Çeşme at this hilltop inn on
the edge of Alaçati. The rooms are smallish but feminine and romantic. Doubles from £70 per night. alacatiimrenhanotel.com
O Ev
Tucked away in an Alaçati alley, this old merchant’s house has been converted into a boutique hotel. There’s a mastic tree in the garden by the pool and rooms, though not luxurious, aren’t over-egged. Room rate not available. Yeni Mecidiye Mahallesi Kempalpasa Caddesi No 76, +90 232 716 6150
Vintage Hotel
Understated but elegant rooms with a vintage Hollywood theme. Breakfasts in the garden are sumptuous. Doubles from £100 per night. vintagealacati.com
WHERE TO EAT
Kabak Çiçegi
Its name translates as ‘courgette flowers’ and pretty well describes the homely Mediterranean cuisine with some discreet personal touches. Although there are dozens of small eateries like this, the quality and freshness is high. £27. Tokoglu Mah 2001 Sk No: 21/B, +90 232 716 0878
Beğendik Abi
Slow Food at its best in Urla’s village square. The menu is displayed by the entrance, but find out what the dishes of the day are too. Great use of foraged herbs. £28. begendikabi.com
Dalyan Restaurant
In the fishing port of Çeşme, where fish, fresh off the boats here, go straight to the kitchen and thence to the quayside tables. £25. dalyanrestaurant.com
San Sebastian’s secret isn’t its scalloped La Concha beach. It’s not the pintxo (tapas on a stick) bars in the old town. Nor is it the multi-star restaurants: Mugaritz, Akellare, Arzak and Berasategui. What sets it apart is an ingrained love of food that verges on obsessive. This may have its origins in the eating clubs, once an exclusive male domain. They fostered a sense of Basque identity, a gut feeling, that has permeated the routine of daily life. The first tiny peas, guisante lágrima, can reduce a grown man to tears. Cherries, wild mushrooms or a catch of gleaming anchovies sold in La Bretxa market belong to Donostiarras (the inhabitants) and not grockles guzzling patatas bravas until the early hours. The cider houses at Astigarraga snap up their share of tourists, but they couldn’t survive without the affectionate support of the Spanish, who party there on salt cod and T-bone steaks.
WHERE TO STAY
Apartamentos Arrizul
Clean and slick self-catering apartments in the central Gros barrio. These have all the modern electronic gadgets you could wish for and a 24-hour reception. Great for families. Doubles from £90 per night. arrizul.com
Hotel de Londres
The location at the end of La Concha can’t be bettered; this once Grand Hotel is certainly a classic. For the experience, take a trip in its antique elevator, to get a sense of
a bygone era. Doubles from £184 per night. hlondres.com
Maria Cristina
Designed by Charles Mewès, the architect who created the Ritz hotels in Paris and London, it’s the poshest place in town. Revamped a couple of years back it’s opulent and some of the rooms and suites are larger than the average apartment. Doubles from £328 per night. hotel-mariacristina.com
WHERE TO EAT
A Fuego Negro
Hip Parte Vieja bar with pyrotechnical pintxos. Expect anything from Basque pork to razor shell with blood and strawberry and chocolate zombie. £134. afuegonegro.com
Borda Berri
One of the first cutting-edge pintxo bars to open and still a favourite. It has a proper menu these days with middling- sized portions for mixing and matching. £104. bordaberri.com
Bar Zeruco
Innovative and fun; stand-up grazing chic with some successful molecular tricks. It’s spread its wings to New York, but the home base has kept its swinging style. Have a go at the signature txupa txup de bacalao (lollipop). £60. barzeruko.com
Couscous and climbing? It’s a strange combination. That’s how the small Sicilian resort promotes itself — that and its beach. Vertiginous cliffs pocked with caves dominate the strand. The annual ‘rockfest’ (not the musical kind) is morphing into its first outdoor games this year with a mix of trail running, kayaking and mountain biking. As to the couscous, it’s similar to the North African variety, and alberghi like Ritrovo will make their own by hand, rather than buy it in a packet. The town holds an international festival that brings together teams of chefs from around the Med who compete to produce original recipes. The local speciality – served in osterie – is a version with pesce azzurro, a kind of pilchard. The town is not too far from the Trapani saltpans which harvests fior di sale and is worth the detour.
WHERE TO STAY
B&B Le Biciclette
No, the name isn’t bad French; it’s Italian for bicycles, plural. It’s neat, stylish and a cut above many of the hotels in the village. Cookery courses are available and you get a free bike during your stay. Doubles from £107 per night. bblebiciclette.it
Hotel Trinacria
Comfortable, friendly and a few metres from the beach, the hotel is especially popular with its Italian clientele which heaps praise on the choice and abundance of its breakfasts. Doubles from £94 per night. hoteltrinacria.it
Al Ritrovo
It’s both an albergo and a ristorante. The rooms are colourful, comfortable and functional. The hotel is geared to holiday-makers who want to be active. It will help with anything from scooter hire to winery tours. Doubles from £74. ilritrovo.com
WHERE TO EAT
Tratt del Sale
It’s attached at the hip to the salt museum in Trapani, and in the middle of the salinas pools, but well worth a journey both for the local ambience and the fresh, authentic rustic food. £49. trattoriadelsale.com
Al Ritrovo
Slow Food-recommended osteria, the restaurant side of this family-run albergo sticks to regional cuisine including couscous dishes. The bluefish more tunny than mackerel is served pink and the pasta is redolent of new season garlic. £45. alritrovo.it
Syrah
Beachside ristorante that’s not quite cheap and cheerful. Fish soup with couscous, couscous with shellfish. You’ve guessed it: couscous may not come with everything, but it’s always lurking. £75 (including wine). Via Savoia 5, San Vito Lo Capo.
The largest of the Channel Islands dishes up a seafood platter of surprises in Jersey’s capital. It’s only 40 minutes’ boat ride from Brittany and St Malo, but the main street in its capital St Helier might be any suburban town in the South of England. It’s a financial centre of global importance and yet there are no condos or skyscrapers. It prints its own money, sets its own taxes and yet remains loyal to the British crown. Three world-class beaches –St Aubin, St Ouen and St Brelade’s Bay – defy any attempts at crowding. The best thing of all is that any of these offer fish and shellfish as fresh and as good as elsewhere in Europe. Dine on a splendid crab cannelloni at Ormer, Food and Travel Best Newcomer in our Restaurant of The Year awards 2014. Chef Shaun Rankin uses the very best in local produce to aplomb, serving up the very best seafood with panache and delicacy that both looks fantastic and allows each ingredient to shine.
WHERE TO STAY
The Atlantic
Overlooking the spectacular St Ouen Bay, the hotel’s restaurant handles some of the finest catches in the Channel Islands. Sleek, bright rooms catch the daylight facing the sea. It’s also on the shortlist for this year’s Food and Travel Reader Awards. Doubles from £200 per night. theatlantichotel.com
Longueville Manor
This lovely granite hotel close to St Helier has the warmth and friendliness that only the very best family-owned hotels have. It’s luxurious — you can charter its private yacht by the day — but never overbearing. Doubles from £375. longuevillemanor.com
Grand Jersey Hotel & Spa
On the outskirts of St Helier, this established hotel has kept pace with change and designed modern rooms with views of St Aubin Bay. It has a glamorous spa and its Tassili restaurant boasts a Michelin star. The lounge also does mean champagne teas. Doubles from £144. handpickedhotels.co.uk
WHERE TO EAT
Bohemia
For sheer talent there’s no better chef in the Channel Islands than Steve Smith. It’s not just that his ideas are clever and his presentation assured, but he knows how to make food taste utterly delicious. £120. bohemiajersey.com
Mark Jordan at the Beach
In dining out terms this is one of
the better things to happen to St Helier, a menu that isn’t padded out but sticks to the business of simple fresh food in smart surroundings. £55. markjordanatthebeach.com
Ormer
Chef Shaun Rankin has turned himself into a popular TV star, but his all-day eatery matches the taste of the local Jersiais and vacationers alike. Everything is on offer here from a first-class breakfast to fine dining. £110. ormerjersey.com
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