Reflections on 2023: Part 1: Eatin’ and drinkin’
How has a month of 2024 gone by already?
Last year, we spent 69 days travelling – which may or may not seem like a lot until you consider that was almost 19% of the year actively getting around somewhere that wasn’t home or work.
One thing you always forget when travelling, away from the comforts of your cereal shelves or favourite shops, is that you have to go out and buy three (or more) meals a day. So, here’s hoping our favourite things from 2023 help you on your journeys in 2024 — and beyond!
A bag full of goodness
Best bakery experience
What is it about travelling that makes you want to eat bread all day? There are some solid contenders for best baked good we tried during the year but our favourite was Sankt Peders Bageri, the oldest bakery in Copenhagen. With their phenomenal cinnamon buns — also known as "onsdagssnegle" (Wednesday snails/cinnamon roll) — that somehow stayed soft and warm late into the day, as well as their cardamon scrolls, this place was a must visit.
Runners up: Buns from Home in Covent Garden, London and, closer to home, anything from vegan bakery Miss Sina in Marrickville, Sydney.
Biggest YUM from 2023
This is a bit like choosing a favourite breath of air. We ate well in 2023. Yet the chance encounter with Fat Punditt at Covent Garden in London, with their Indo Chinese fusion took the cake. Or more specifically, took the salt and pepper okra – right after the dumplings they traditionally serve at the start of every meal.
Runner up: Bottomless brunch at Palo on the Disney Wonder. Or the 100% plant-based generosity of Mildreds in London.
Best alcoholic beverage
A kriek at Cantillion
We pretty much went to Belgium for beer, and our first stop (after dropping off our bags at the hotel) was Brasserie Cantillon/Musée Bruxellois de la Gueuze in Brussels. Home of the spontaneously fermented lambics, gueuze and krieks, we enjoyed a tour and a relaxing drop at the onsite bar. For our money, the Kriek 100% Lambic or the Classic Guezue are always reliable.
Runner up: The very awesome people at Garage Project’s Wild Workshop in Wellington, NZ and the Gimlet and/or the Gin and Tonic at the Cadillac Lounge on the Disney Wonder.
Nicest place for a beer
In a year when we ate and drank on land, at sea, in the air and various places in between, there’s a few to pick from. In the end, we chose the simple elegance of having a couple of brews on Easter Sunday in the Wispe Brewery, a converted church that now holds the town’s taphouse. Plus, when you step outside you’re in one of the most gorgeous parts of Amsterdam.
Runner up: Brouwerij 't IJ, located right underneath a famous Dutch windmill, is certainly an iconic place to drink. At the other end of the scale, Copenhagen’s Warpigs lives up to the hype and, surprisingly, has vegetarian options.
Best street snack
Fresh Stroopwafels from Melly’s in Amsterdam. There are heaps of places to pick up these crispy, syruppy, warm treats all over Amsterdam. They are iconic for sure. When we visited Melly’s I asked the lovely local what kind she preferred and she said the classic, the ones without all of the dips and chocolate coverings. Boy, was she right! Top tip, grab a bag of ‘broken bits’ to travel with.
Favourite random find
Reffen in Copenhagen is this effortlessly cool string of eateries that look like they have both popped up that day and also have been there for decades. Located near the water around the corner from the Copenhagen Contemporary we just happened upon it and spent a chilly afternoon drinking local beer, eating local food and watching kids learn how to drop in at the little skate park.
Reffen is Copenhagen’s street food wonderland
Best random encounter
We called into Moeder Lambic Fontainas in Brussels for a drink or three. The lovely Virginians we met that night ensured we stayed for a few more. They generously shared bottles of Cantillon, Jandrain-Jandrenouille and Geuzestekerji De Cam. Beer folks are like that, but this group went above and beyond. If you’re out there, thank you!