our favourite random finds that make our trips so special

So this is the way we travel - we wander. Prior to our trip I of course plan a bit ahead, prepare a Google map with some landmarks to see, or particular spots I would like to pass by, some restaurant recommendations I have… but the principal is just to walk around and see where we get.

This is very important to me and I am so grateful I have found my perfect travel buddy with the same approach to travelling. I believe that this way we’re not tourists but also not travellers, who I feel like manifest their presence in the space too strongly. We’re as local as we can be and just vanish in the landscape. In French, there is even a word for that: flâneur. A perfect travel philosophy if you ask me.

What makes our journeys even more special, and more memorable, is that when we wander our ways and look for the places to stuff our bellies (the two big gourmands we are), we tend to find ourselves in the most amazing, truly local places with some of the most delicious foods we’ve ever tasted.

Thinking back about all these, I got inspired to create a list of the most memorable ones.

The best tapas bar in Nerja, Spain

Seriously, the best we’ve ever been to and we like ourselves some tapas!
1 tapa free with each drink (€2), 1€ by itself = a night full of drinking and eating for less than €20 for two.

More about our trip to Andalusia here.

La Puntilla
Calle Bolivia, 1, 29780 Nerja, Málaga, Spain

The most genuine Portuguese cuisine in Lisbon, Portugal

Brace yourself, there’s a story coming.
When we visited Lisbon together 3 years go, we stayed in this cozy little Airbnb at the bottom of Alfama - one of the oldest neighbourhoods of the capital. Right in front of our house was this tiny bar/restaurant where on the first day we stopped for a coffee.
There we met the wonderful owner - an older lady who in broken English / French / Spanish told us that she opened this place for her passed husband, that’s why the name translating into “Lisbon - Yours and Mine”.
She must have opened only recently at the time and it was end of February so not necessarily a high season… but this place was always empty and every time we would pass by, she would call us in to give us some of her food, worried that no-one else is stopping by. Heart-breaking.
The food was delicious though. Genuine Portuguese home-cooking. So at the end of our stay we asked the lady for her email address and other details and announced her presence to the Internet: added the address to Google Maps and created a profile on TripAdvisor.
Now, check for yourself her success and if you’re ever in the area - go and eat there cause you’ll be missing out if you don’t.

Lisboa Tu e Eu
R. Adiça 58, 1100-538 Lisboa, Portugal

The best kushikatsu in the world in Osaka, Japan

Planning our trip to Japan, we read about kushikatsu before and couldn't wait to get to Osaka to try it. Now, you would most probably never enter this place by yourself but you definitely should if wandering through Osaka's Shinsekai area. It's a tiny restaurant with only several seats at the counter but their skewers were absolutely exceptional. The ultimate rule: NEVER dip your skewer twice in the sauce bowl! 

Read more about our Japanese food experience here.

Kushikatsu Daruma Shinsekai Souhonten
2 Chome-3-9 Ebisuhigashi, Naniwa-ku, Osaka-shi, Osaka-fu 556-0002, Japan

As home-made as it gets in Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica

Don’t mind the crates in the windows and a VERY local clientele and order Caribbean chicken. You’ll never forget it.

More about our trip to Costa Rica here.

Lidia's Place
Avenia 67, Calle 217, Puerto Viejo de Talamanca 70401, Costa Rica

The tastiest pork sandwiches over the old market in Porto, Portugal

Another spot you would never consider, especially if you’re one of those straining from food-poisoning. Joking aside, if you’re looking for the yummy Portuguese pork sandwiches in the lowest price ever, climb up to the first floor of Mercado do Bolhao.

More about our stay in Porto here.

Mercado do Bolhão, 1st floor
R. Formosa, 4000-214 Porto, Portugal

All flavours of Florence in Florence, Italy

Spending a day in Florence, you will surely hear of the famous bistecca alla fiorentina - a local variation of a coal-grilled beef steak traditionally served in a minimum of 1 kg (sic!). Trattoria Za Za is where you get to try this exquisite tradition. For a cheaper option (1 kg of meat has its price wherever...), their selection of pasta is also amazing (and truffle everything...)! Plus obligatory mascarpone cream for dessert.

More about our trip to Florence here.

Trattoria ZaZa
Piazza del Mercato Centrale, 26r, 50123 Firenze FI, Italy

The coolest jazz bar in Budapest, Hungary

Giving up on finding a cool spot for dinner on a Friday evening in Budapest and having no reservation? We practically gave up and looked for whatever. And there it was - beautiful setting, live music and delicious food. Perfection (I would consider booking though cause it was a pure luck for us to get a table!).

See beautiful Budapest by night here.

Zeller Bistro
Budapest, Hercegprímás u. 18, 1051 Hungary

The most local bar in Tokyo, Japan

The time we discovered a place called Gado Shita in Tokyo where under the railway you can find a line of bars and restaurants and this place was absolutely amazing – filled with locals only, enjoying a drink after work.

See our full Japan itinerary here.

Yurakucho Sanchoku Inshokugai
2 Chome-1-１ Yurakucho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo-to 100-0006, Japan