Some unexpected free time in Hamburg has editor in chief Tyler Brûlé poring over the delights of a grocer that’s a perfect fit for its charming neighbourhood – and wondering why there aren’t more of them in cities around the world.

Our reporters and editors have it covered, from tasty reportage and newsy bites to some juicy opinion and toothsome takes.

Fiery Sichuan-influenced skewers, tasty miso-infused rice balls, succulent pork belly and tender steak: our barbecue line-up has plenty of sizzle.

We meet the entrepreneurs turning a plucky vision and top-notch ingredients into fulfilling businesses.

Peter Prato /

From island delicacies to seaside specials, we break bread and celebrate a Med-inspired feast that’s replete with snapper, squid and sides.

Our culinary correspondents chew the fat, filleting topics such as the use of needlessly exotic ingredients, work lunches and The Human League. Hungry for more?

We’ve dropped in on three people we admire – a journalist an editor and a chef – for a natter. They’ve also got a few tips on cooking at home and how to entertain for friends and family. The result? Barbecue chicken, G&Ts and a drumroll, please.

Portugal’s Algarve is blighted by mass tourism but entrepreneurs are leading a quality-focused rethink. We plot a course to meet them.

Forget those health-food fads and staying abstemious. Instead cook up a storm with some comfort food, Iberian style.

The vast kitchen of Swiss caterer Candrian lies beneath Zürich’s main station. We ventured below to learn why feeding Gipfeli to commuters is only part of its plan.

Conference calls and emails form the bulk of our workdays but when it comes to shaking hands on an agreement, the restaurant still rules.

Is it that time already? Duck out of the afternoon sun and take a perch in the cool of the café, where the lightest of fabrics skim sunkissed skin and neutral tones are ideal for a casual coffee or must-impress meal.

However you round off your meal – velvety cheesecake, apple tart with a twist or sticky rhubarb cake – let us help you do so in the best possible way.

Our fifth annual Restaurant Awards celebrate great drinking and dining without the foam, fuss and trickery. Let us show you to your table.

Bricks-and-mortar retail, we’re told, is suffering. But just try telling that to these shop owners and stall-holders leading a food-focused high street revival.

Whether you’re peckish on business in Hong Kong or parched on a beach in Honolulu, we’ve got you covered with our rundown of the best places to refuel, renourish and relax in 25 cities.

The world of the wine list is often imbued with too-little information (and, at its worst, a whiff of snobbery). As such we’ve compiled a failsafe list of top bottles – sparkling, orange, dessert, red, white and rosé – for any occasion and at most price-points. The list also reflects our changing tastes. We’ve omitted the well-known and the already-vaunted in favour of honest and interesting winemakers and lesser-known regions (yes, we’ve got France and Italy but we’ve also scouted out creations from Romania and Thailand). Fancy a top-up?

What we learned while putting together this year’s ‘Drinking & Dining Directory’.

Vienna, home to more city vineyards than anywhere in the world, hosts a curious culinary event that brings food (and wine) lovers out in force: welcome to the ‘Heuriger’.

An unquenchable thirst for new brews is forcing the drinks industry into a shake up. Here’s what you need to know.

Recommendations are vital in the restaurant world but why are hundreds of thousands of Japanese poring over the culinary musings of a fictional salesman? We meet the Solitary Gourmet.

The small California town of Ojai is within striking distance of Los Angeles, has a bubbling food scene and is famed for its native population of pixies. Grab a basket.

Once a wreck, the refurbished Tuscan estate of Potentino is now a draw for city slickers keen to put urban life behind them and get back to the land – even if it means digging ditches for free.

Monocle’s contributing editor Alica Kirby holds forth on the power of picnics to enliven city life.