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Bilbao

eat

Breakfast: Café Iruña: A hub of Neo-Mudejar design, it’s beloved by Bilbaínos; expect a colourful vignette of life in the port city.
cafeirunabilbao.net

Drinks: Atelier Bilbao 67: Kick off with a glass of txakoli, the Basque country’s slightly aerated white wine, before sampling the cocktails in this (relatively) quiet nightspot.
+34 673 166 061

Lunch: Baster: With the air of a quaint corner diner in the Casco Viejo, this energetic restaurant prides itself on its patatas bravas.
+34 944 071 228

Coffee: Bihotz: A slowly brewing coffee scene has been spurred on by this café, which means “heart” in Euskera. Find it in the regenerating San Francisco district.
+34 679 060 312


Stay

Gran Hotel Domine Bilbao: Eschewing the perils of complacency, this five-star lodging (with its plum position facing the Guggenheim) underwent an impressive refurb last year by Foraster Arquitectos and Mariscal.
hoteldominebilbao.com


shop

Persuade: Rosa Orrantia has battled Bilbao’s strait-laced sartorial current for more than three decades. Her shop is stocked with inspired threads.
persuade.es

Service: I’m Miu: This unisex hair salon may be fitted out with antiques but the team’s tonsuring talents remain cutting-edge.
immiusalon.com


Graz

eat

Breakfast: Kunsthaus Café: Feast on eggs Benedict in a relaxed industrial-style space in Graz’s fabulously bulbous Kunsthaus art museum. Brunch runs until 16.00.
kunsthauscafe.co.at

Drinks: Bar Albert: The vaulted renaissance-era ceilings frame a funky interior that draws in Graz’s thinkers and makers with excellent local wine and cocktails.
bar-albert.com

Lunch: Aiola im Schloss: For an elegant lunch that won’t disappoint, head to the castle overlooking the city. Regional Austrian fodder such as pork fillets, schnitzel and duck are always spot on and in summer bar Aiola Upstairs has a vast terrace with killer views.
aiola.at

Coffee: Tribeka: With calming interiors and four locations across the city, Tribeka offers excellent brews. Its motto is “drink better coffee” and it’s easy to follow that advice here.
tribeka.at


Stay

Schlossberg Art Hotel: A comfy mix of antiques and contemporary art grace 49 rooms at the foot of the castle in the old city. For sweeping views, book the penthouse.
schlossberg-hotel.at


shop

Kastner & Öhler: This glamorous branch of southern Austria’s premier department store offers a variety of brands for women, men and mountain-climbers (of any gender).
kastner-oehler.at

Service: Hey Tiger Barbershop: Traditional barbershop that provides haircuts, shaves and beard-grooming, administered by UK-trained barber Jürgen Niederl and team.
barbershop-graz.at


Houston

eat

Breakfast: Night Heron: Try the house-cured bacon and the Vietnamese iced coffee – a favourite in these parts.
agricolehospitality.com

Drinks: Goodnight Charlie’s: Named after one of the Lone Star state’s brightest stars, this upscale honky-tonk features live music and a decent wine list.
goodnightcharlies.com

Lunch: Emmaline: This not-quite-French restaurant has lunch and dinner menus and serves afternoon tea in the sunroom.
dineemmaline.com

Coffee: Catalina Coffeeshop: A bright, airy spot where they pour their own Amaya Roasting Company coffee as well as loose-leaf tea.
catalinacoffeeshop.com


Stay

Hotel Icon: Situated in a former bank, the Icon has kept many of the original 1911 details while still feeling refreshed – and it’s only a short walk to downtown.
hotelicon.com


shop

Sid and Ann Mashburn: This husband-and-wife team sells clothes and homeware from a beautiful shop.
sidmashburn.com

Service: Cutthroat Barbers: A prime spot for a snip, this nostalgia-happy straight-razored affair has laidback barbers and plenty of chairs.
cutthroatbarbers.com


Phnom Penh

eat

Breakfast: Lot 369: This Aussie-owned neighbourhood favourite serves a mean all-day breakfast menu filled with egg dishes, banana pancakes, muesli bowls and boards made for sharing.
lot369cafe.com

Drinks: Foreign Correspondent Club: The public bar has long been a mainstay of Phnom Penh’s nightlife. Once filled with foreign journalists and aid workers, it remains popular not least for its sunset views overlooking Tonle Sap River.
fcccambodia.com

Lunch: Van’s Restaurant: This French restaurant is a more formal affair, perfect for business lunches. The careful restoration of this piece of late-19th century French colonial architecture – from the tiles to the wood panelling – is well worth the visit.
vans-restaurant.com

Coffee: Brown Coffee: Cambodians like their coffee sweet with condensed milk in a tall glass over ice from roadside stalls. But for those people who are in the mood for a more conventional European-style brew, Brown is a great go-to.
browncoffee.com.kh


Stay

Raffles Le Royal: This 90-year-old institution welcomed luminaries such as Jackie Kennedy, who was in Cambodia to fulfil her dream of seeing the Angkor Wat.
raffles.com/phnom-penh


shop

Un été à Kep-sur-Mer: You can’t miss the distinctive blue façade of this Parisian-style womenswear shop.
+855 9222 2151

Service: Monument Books: History buffs will appreciate the range of books on Cambodia as well as the wider region, including Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam.
monument-books.com


Vancouver

eat

Breakfast: The Birds & The Beets: Owners Matt Senecal-Junkeer and Sean Cunningham sought to redefine traditional counter service with this food-focused stop. Expect breakfast bites made from nearby producers and served at affordable prices.
birdsandbeets.ca

Drinks: Osteria Savio Volpe: Head out of downtown for a more contemporary take on traditional Italian fare. Regional beers, apertivos and an all-Italian wine list accompany homemade pasta in an interior that’s anything but rustic.
saviovolpe.com

Lunch: Botanist: Located in the Fairmont Pacific Rim Hotel, this new arrival on the city’s fine-dining scene sports an extensive lunch menu focused on the bounties of the Pacific Northwest.
botanistrestaurant.com

Coffee: Matchstick: First opened in 2012, this roaster now offers its well-regarded brews and pastries out of three airy and artsy locations across the city.
matchstickyvr.com


Stay

Shangri-La Vancouver: Housed in the province’s tallest skyscraper, this beacon of hospitality affords guests with some of the city’s best views of the surrounding mountains and coast.
shangri-la.com/vancouver


shop

Service: The Belmont Barbershop: While retro styling may be a touch tired in the barbering industry, this throwback shop still provides some of the city’s best cuts and service out of its East Broadway location.
belmontbarbers.ca

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