Poring over this new addition to the Monocle stable has got our editor in chief dreaming about what kind of drinking-and-dining establishment he’d like to open: and this time he’s going back to basics.

Stephanie Füssenich /

The US-Mexico border may be politically contentious but food culture and entrepreneurship have found a way to flourish here, with some tasty results.

The Bindella family has been continually reinventing Swiss-Italian cuisine for four generations. As the torch is passed again, we meet the man grasping it with both hands.

China and the US lead the demand for a rare community: the perfect butler. But the rich family’s ultimate luxury doesn’t come cheap. We visit the Dutch school that turns out the best in class.

‘Tabernas’ are like the lively living rooms of the Spanish capital but tough times have left many out of business. We meet a new generation who are turning the tables.

Try these delicious dishes from Mediterranean islands and feel the sun’s warmth in every mouthful.

Want to become the next great Italian chef? Then head to a palace in northern Italy that’s training the next generation of star cooks.

There are more ways to make an impact in the food world than opening a swanky restaurant. We’ve sought out the innovators in the industry, be they urban farmers, philosophical wine-makers or Parisian jam peddlers.

Tasmania has become a powerhouse of Aussie cooking, growing and brewing. Now it’s out to dominate the gin market by using its unique ingredients and a resourcefulness that their remote island home imbues.

Pour yourself a frosty one and tuck into our pick of Australia’s famously tip-top tucker, be it a steak to relish or a burger with the lot, not to mention a queer take on a revived classic.

Culinary connoisseurs on the propaganda of provenance, the cookbook’s longevity, how to spot a good restaurant, drunken conventions, eating vicariously and divine produce.

New restaurants tend to reap the plaudits and column inches but those that have stood the test of time have valuable lessons to impart. Here we meet the restaurateurs behind fledgling ventures and venerated institutions with decades of experience to find out how they set up shop, stay ahead and endure.

Buffets might seem a little passé but we celebrate three elevating the art in Lisbon, Hong Kong and San Francisco.

The Alps aren’t just for winter treats – they have the summer months covered too. Join us for a trek from base-camp canapés to peak rösti. And leave some space for the strüdel in your knapsack.

We tour the tower-top Berlin bar of publisher Axel Springer. It’s a watering hole for the powerful and well-connected that also welcomes junior journalists (as long as they’re dressed for it).

Final touches that transform the moment, plus knowing when to add a little decoration for a dash of something special.

There’s plenty to be written about novel restaurants and fresh chefs and we celebrate them most months in Monocle. But what of the neighbourhood spots that have catered for us for years, or those special openings with the makings of future classics? That’s where our annual restaurant awards come in. Now in its fourth year, our rundown celebrates a clutch of restaurants in which our editors have eaten well (or enjoyed a great cocktail) and felt looked after. Expect new spots in Bangkok, Seoul, Zürich and Mexico City among others, plus a celebration of lesser-known independents alongside a few familiar dining rooms that deserve extra helpings of praise. Let us show you to your table.

Is there such a thing as a perfect restaurant? No – all sorts of elements add to the mix. That said, our favourite establishments share some confident design-minded details. Here are a few rules of thumb for making restaurants dignified and a pleasure to dine in. Our suggestions aren’t exhaustive or to be treated as an exact recipe but, rather, as a little food for thought. Why, for instance, are we in thrall to sound-bouncing concrete floors and exposed brick walls? Do we need to see the sweat on the brows of chefs? Does communal seating destroy the delight of discreet dining? Read on for our fixes.

Creating food packaging that pops isn’t easy. We meet three studios helping businesses off the shelf.

Wondering where to eat this summer? Here we explore an impressive band of global openings and meet the roving restaurateurs behind them, including the Sydney cyclist peddling pies from the back of his bicycle and the Umbrian chef heading up a new venture from an Italian deli in London’s Soho.

There’s more to the black stuff than hip cafés and flat whites. We meet three time-tested roasters.

There’s no one definitive wine list for all preferences and purses so we’ve dispensed with the idea of offering one at all. Instead we’ve sought out a few lesser-known bottles, producers and people from the usual French haunts and New World nooks, as well as newcomer nations such as Morocco, Lebanon, Greece and even drizzly England. Read on for an around-the-vineyards report on the bottles we’ll be stashing, sipping and stocking our cellars with come summer.

The conclusions we drew while on the road researching our inaugural ‘Drinking & Dining Directory’.