Five continents, 15 countries, 52 flights and 2,500 points of interest — that’s my count for this year, all in the name of research and development as I travel around the world reporting for Bloomberg Pursuits. Many people travel all over the world for work, but I’m not sure many do it like us Travel Journalists do, three dinners per night and that’s it.
After all, I don’t claim to be an expert on every place I write about, whether it’s my two-night minimum city guides or longer features that delve deeper into emerging destinations. Instead, my job is to talk to as many people as possible and learn about the places where they live. I want to ask them what makes their city tick, what its moods and rhythms are, how it’s growing and changing, and, of course, what its under-the-radar gems are. Read this also From ‘flying naked’ to ‘sleeping divorce’: 5 viral travel trends that took over 2024
And then, after collecting hundreds of suggestions, it’s time for me to take the initiative and check them all myself – sometimes more than once – to find the best of the best. (You should see the noise of the pinpoints saved in my Google Maps.)
Here are some of the places I can’t stop thinking about on my travels throughout the year — along with the travel hacks and trends they reveal.
The best new restaurants aren’t restaurants at all
Many of my favorite meals in 2024 were created at casual eateries and supper clubs – a testament to how expensive running a traditional restaurant can be these days.
In Singapore, I enjoyed a heaping portion of char kway teow with Shen Tan at his micro-restaurant (just one table a night) operating out of an apartment in the country’s vast public housing system. He estimates there are about 3,000 businesses like his across the city-state, as the cost of local real estate has continued to rise over the past decade.
In Toronto, chef Ken Yau is also keeping real estate costs down in creative ways: after years of cooking under Heston Blumenthal at his restaurants around the world, he returned to his hometown to open a wildly popular weekend dinner club. Have come. It’s located in an unlikely place: his ceramics studio. When he’s not busy designing dishware for some of the city’s most notable restaurants, he’s crafting Asian-accented main dishes like a congee-esque onion soup with abalone as well as Madeira jus. Char-siu-style beef short rib. Read this also Peru travel warning: Beaches closed for New Year’s Eve amid huge waves, 91 ports closed
If I had to give out an award for the best meal of the year, it would go to a juicy piece of flame-grilled steak at the Uruguayan-style Rincon Escondido in Sao Paulo. By now you might not be surprised to hear that this isn’t any ordinary restaurant either: it’s a speakeasy churrascaria located in an enclosed garden off a side street in the city’s Villa Maddalena neighborhood. It is open approximately six to eight days per month with ticketed banquets, during which guests can watch the grillmasters in action.
Walking 10,000 steps can make 10,000 new friends.
Despite the abundance of communication devices at our fingertips, people are lonely – perhaps a relic of the pandemic. As a result, many of the activities people recommended in 2024 were easy-to-join, low-pressure workouts designed to build community.
For example, during my visit to Toronto, Matthew Jordan, founder of Hidden River Tours, told me that most of the people who join him on his urban rugged tours are locals looking for new friends. In Manchester, UK, Track Brewing hosts a weekly, no-judgment running club called One Foot Forward that starts and ends in the taproom. And in Melbourne, Run the Tan is a great option for runners to take a group stroll through the city’s lush botanical gardens. Of all of them, I found that breaking a sweat with strangers abroad or at home is actually one of the most enjoyable experiences.
The best souvenirs can fit in your carry-on
I’m a staunch minimalist, except when it comes to two things: books and ceramics. My home office is filled to the max with these two – these are the things I collect on every trip. Some of my favorite ceramics this year include some convex, nature-inspired vessels from Estudio Héloïsa Galvão and a small, wheel-spun cup covered with dimple-like carvings from Malecény Ceramics in Bogotá. At a time when checked luggage can cost you as much as a regional flight, this type of shopping seems like the easiest way to support local artists while fitting your luggage into a carry-on-only lifestyle.
A few nights ago I stayed at Hachimonjiya, famously Kyoto’s (and probably Japan’s) dirtiest bar, with piles of torn literature and a toilet that hasn’t been cleaned since. It’s a popular hangout spot for the city’s creatives who gather to pay homage to the owner, Kai Fusayoshi, a prodigious local photographer – many of the books scattered about are compilations of his own work. A bound collection of photographs of people reading (very fittingly) is coming home with me. Read this also What shows Indian travel blogger Bali gets you £1,000: ‘a budget traveller’s dream’
The best hybrid work situation is also the tastiest
The “work from hotel” version of “WFH” is never as comfortable as hoteliers would like you to believe — even after many of them made pandemic-era upgrades to their room desk setups. So, when the deadline approaches, I usually hide in a “third place” like a coffee shop. The advantage of that approach is that it’s possible to make do with pastries and a coffee crawl wherever I go. This is a method I highly recommend—one that can also highlight a city’s culture.
Manchester gets the award for the most hangout spots per capita, largely due to its growing student population. I loved working at Polen while snacking on their signature “cruffins” (croissant dough baked in muffin tins and filled with curd filled with swirled fruits like cherries or blueberries) – beware, Dominique Ancel! I had to stop going to the nearby sip shop because their glazed donuts were so delicious—I could never eat even one. The city’s incredible heritage of libraries should not be forgotten; The membership-only Portico Library was my favorite ritual – there’s a great non-member area just below the huge stained glass oculus.
If I lived in Bogotá, Tropicalia would be my usual haunt, where cherry-brightened coffee is served under a sun-drenched rattan umbrella amid heaps of palm fronds. All classes of well-heeled Bogotanos congregate here: yoga moms pushing strollers (with dogs), fashionistas taking a break from perusing the boutiques next door, and jet-setters perusing deals on their laptops. Are doing. It’s the perfect place to get work done and enjoy the local flavor at the same time.
Additional shoutouts go to Indianapolis’ chic Café Patachou, which has been re-established in the former headquarters of the Stutz Motor Car Company. Its fun, self-dubbed “student union for adults” mantra really rings true as there’s a bustling brunch hour of regulars who all know each other’s names—even the servers’. I also loved the energy of Fleur Fugle in Copenhagen’s emerging Nordwest neighbourhood. It is housed in a converted auto repair garage that now serves as a communal space dedicated to the spread and preservation of democracy – very Danish.
the suburbs are in
As travelers become increasingly interested in getting off the beaten path, the hottest new thing is heading to the suburbs. Not really.
In Reykjavik, avoid the throngs of tourists by heading to Hafnarfjord, a small port complex featuring brightly painted aluminium-sided dwellings and old wooden ships wobbly in the harbour. (It’s a 15-minute drive from Hallsgrimskirkja church.) Inside a working greenhouse, fine dining is up-and-comer Sól, where diners sit at tables in the same garden beds that supply the kitchen. .
In Manchester, reverse-travel to Altrincham, a suburb at the end of the municipal tramline near the international airport. This is where you’ll find the adorable 735-year-old Altrincham Market, which is packed with produce and craft vendors and features a domed food hall.
The ‘burbs are also where you’ll find real-deal Cantonese and Sichuan food in Toronto. The staff at excellent restaurant Sunny’s Chinese maintains a directory of their favorite spots in Markham and Scarborough; It’s at the bottom of the menu here on their website. Consider this a cheat sheet worth bookmarking.
The best pizza isn’t in New York City or Italy anymore.
Yes, you should always focus on the local foods of the countries you visit: ajiaco chicken soup in Bogotá or goya champur stir-fried noodles in Okinawa. But when you need to avoid dining outside your comfort zone, your move is no longer to order a club sandwich from room service. It’s all about pizza these days. In fact, the best slices I had this year weren’t in Italy or New York City (gasp!): Ronan in Los Angeles, Savoy in Tokyo, and Yoroshiku in Kyoto all showed off their faithful Neapolitan execution and perfectly seared Blown me to pieces.
