Dining & Drinking

COME HUNGRY, DARLIN’: What to eat in the Big Easy

With a head-spinning array of unique and inspiring choices, the answer to the question, “What should I eat in New Orleans?” is really another question: What shouldn’t I eat? And the answer to that is, essentially, nothing! It’s pretty much all amazing, and a foodie, casual or serious, can’t really go wrong in one of the world’s greatest food cities.

YOU GOTTA EAT HERE: Air Canada unveils best restaurant nominees

The nominees for Canada’s Best New Restaurants 2023 have been unveiled by Air Canada, with 30 entries spanning 15 cities from coast-to-coast, in the running for the Top 10 announcement on Nov. 1. The list showcases the best of new Canadian cuisines and features a new group of restaurants in the longest-running Canadian restaurant awards.

PUBS, PATIOS & BARS: The Royal York’s storied Library Bar

Cocktails (and swank cocktail bars) are all the rage, from a new Harry Potter-themed space in London to the iconic long bar at Raffles in Singapore, home of the Singapore Sling, and thousands in between. In Toronto, near the top of the list is always the Library Bar at the Royal York Hotel.

PUBS, PATIOS & BARS: 13 lucky places to have a Red Stripe in Jamaica

Red Stripe, Jamaica’s famed beer, is synonymous the island. Its smooth yet zesty taste, served chilled in iconic stubby bottles, reminds drinkers of the genuinely vibrant yet calming spirit of the island and its inhabitants. Moreover, the logo adorns all manner of souvenirs that are carried by tourists to destinations around the world.

RAMSAY RESTAURANT TO FIRE UP GRILL IN BC

Celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay is bringing his burger and steak outlets to a Vancouver casino and nearby resort. Gordon Ramsay Burger – the first in Canada – is set to open its doors at Hard Rock Casino Vancouver this fall, and Gordon Ramsay Steak will follow next year at River Rock Casino Resort in Richmond, BC.

PUBS, PATIOS & BARS: Iconic San Fran brewery weighed down by history

San Francisco’s iconic Anchor Brewing Company – dubbed “the birthplace of craft beer” – says it is shutting down for good. The 127-year-old brewing company, known as a trailblazer of craft beers, announced it would close after years of declining sales and tough economic conditions. The tap room will remain open until the end of the month.

PUBS, PATIOS & BARS: Philly bars hit new heights

It is rooftop bar season in Philadelphia and there’s nothing quite like taking in the stunning views atop the City of Brotherly Love’s best drinking and dining establishments with a bite to eat and a drink in hand.

HARD ROCK CELEBRATES MESSI WITH CHICKEN SANDWICH

Love Lionel? Then Hard Rock International has the sandwich for you. The pop-culture inspired hotel brand has teamed up with arguably the world’s greatest-ever soccer player, Lionel Messi, to launch a namesake menu item – the Messi Chicken Sandwich, “Made For You by Leo Messi.”

A DISH BEST SERVED IN CANADA

The Culinary Tourism Alliance (CTA), a trailblazer of Canada’s culinary tourism industry, is set to serve up the “Great Taste of Canada,” an ultimate field guide to mouthwatering eats, hands-on food experiences, and unique tastes across the nation. “More than just maple syrup and poutine (though there certainly is that), Canada’s food scene is a true smorgasbord of gastronomic journeys, shaped by the rich history, heritage, and cultures across the country,” says CTA.

PUBS, PATIOS & BARS: Mellow yellow on Granville Island

Vancouver is certainly known for its bridges, but the one we’re most enamoured of is Bridges restaurant and patio, found on Granville Island, overlooking fabulous False Creek, the city skyline, and the mountains of the north shore.

FORT WORTH – TEXAS TILL THE COWS COME HOME

A place where “cowboy boots and hats come together,” Fort Worth exudes a real Texas vibe, yet with a “modern west” ambiance befitting America’s 12th largest city.

PUBS, PATIOS & BARS: New rooftop bar an oasis in L.A.

La Lo La Rooftop is an ethereal, sophisticated oasis high above the heart of downtown Los Angeles. Located on the 34th floor of the recently debuted AC Hotel Downtown LA, the expansive wraparound rooftop, which spans almost 410 sq. m., provides an intimate setting for both visitors and locals.

CANADA’S BEST RESTAURANTS AND BARS REVEALED

Canada’s 100 Best Restaurants List 2023 paints a vibrant portrait of the Canadian culinary scene. The list offers Canadians a guide to the country’s top dining destinations as selected by a team of 135 culinary tastemakers across the country, with judges including Lauren Mozer, Franco Stalteri, Michael Smith, Mijune Pak, Élise Tastet, and Alexandra Gill.

PUBS, PATIOS & BARS: Carnival reveals top margaritas on Cinco de Mayo

Carnival knows margaritas. After all, the cruise line says it will serve over 15,000 of incomparable frozen cocktails on its ships fleetwide today alone. With this mind, and in celebration of Cinco de Mayo (that’s May 5!), Carnival has revealed its top five most-ordered tequila-based concoctions from its Mexican-inspired BlueIguana Tequila Bar.

PUBS, PATIOS & BARS: Santé to Quebec’s booming beer culture

While Quebec is already well-known for its refined gins and wine, the province’s craft beer scene is booming too. With over 150 microbreweries, several summer beer festivals, and a special passport to help promote beer tourism, the province has plenty to offer craft beer-lovers.

PUBS, PATIOS & BARS: England’s oldest hotel a prism to the past

While most of Britain will be celebrating the coronation of King Charles III this spring, the quaint Cotswold town of Malmesbury will also be looking back over a thousand years to another other milestone: the crowning of the first king of Britain – Athelstone, who is today the town’s most famous son.

PUBS, PATIOS & BARS: Whiskey set to flow again in Belfast

Belfast’s first distillery in a century will soon open its doors in a historic converted prison, courtesy of the Belfast Distillery Co., which is on a “mission” to bring whiskey distilling back to the Northern Irish city.

PUBS, PATIOS & BARS: For whom the mojito tolls

I’ll be honest, I don’t really get the Ernest Hemingway cult in Cuba (or elsewhere), but if you’re like a lot of visitors to Havana, at some point you’ll attempt to stop by the Old Town venue most commonly known as “the Hemingway bar,” otherwise known as La Bodeguita del Medio.

WHY IS JAMAICA’S BLUE MOUNTAIN COFFEE THE WORLD’S MOST SOUGHT-AFTER COFFEE?

Rhythmic reggae beats, mesmerizing beaches and waterfalls, friendly people, a vibrant culture and Blue Mountain Coffee — these are just a few of the amazing things that Jamaica is known for. While there are many reasons for your clients to visit this vibrant island, on top of that list is being able to wake up to the delightful aromas of a cup of the world-famous Blue Mountain Coffee.

WHAT’S COOKING IN BIRMINGHAM

Birmingham today is hardly recognizable to those who may have visited in the past. Britain’s second city has re-invented itself over the past couple of decades, and not least in recent years leading up to and including last summer’s Commonwealth Games – an event city officials consider a global coming out party for the West Midlands city.

PUBS, PATIOS & BARS: St. Kitts launches rum certification course

St. Kitts is launching a distinctive, first-of-its-kind “Kittitian RumMaster” program for both rum aficionados and other visitors simply wanting to learn more about the island’s historic spirit, while also getting a taste of Kittitian culture and history.

PUBS, PATIOS & BARS: The Beatles Bar Varadero, yeah, yeah, yeah

In the land of Fidel and Che, a venue based on the memory of John, Paul, George, and Ringo certainly comes as a surprise. Nevertheless, The Beatles Bar Varadero is one of the Cuban beach resort’s most popular hangouts, drawing crowds nightly for live music and mojitos under the stars – or more accurately, under leafy trees on a patio.

PUBS, PATIOS & BARS: Sky’s the limit at Thai rooftop bar

The first five-star hotel to open in Chiang Mai, Thailand, since the global pandemic’s onset has launched a 360-degree rooftop bar affording awe-inspiring views of the Ping River to the city’s east and famed Doi Suthep Temple on the mountaintop to the west.

BAM!: Carnival names Emeril Chief Culinary Officer

Carnival Cruise Line has announced that Emeril Lagasse will serve as its Chief Culinary Officer – a role in which the celebrated chef and restauranteur will support Carnival’s chefs with guidance on food trends and techniques, as well as advise on future menu items and dining concepts.

TABLE SET FOR VANCOUVER DINE OUT FEST

Diners are invited to taste the world from the comfort of more than 350 restaurants across Vancouver at the 21st Annual Dine Out Vancouver Festival, taking place from Jan. 20 to Feb. 5.

PUBS, PATIOS & BARS: Four festive Caribbean cocktails for the holiday

For children, the holidays are a time to sample the latest and greatest in seasonal confectionary – an all-you-can-eat feast of whatever cookies and sweets their relatives baked that year. For adults, the holidays represent a time to indulge in sweet things of a more liquid and alcoholic variety.

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