From the backstreets of Paris to the boho corners of Lima, jet-setting columnist Shinan Govani takes you on a globetrotting journey through seven unforgettable restaurants. These under-the-radar gems aren’t just places to eat—they’re destinations in their own right, each with a story, a vibe, and a plate worth crossing oceans for. Passport ready? Let’s dive in.
1. PARIS
LE BON GEORGES
45, rue Saint-Georges
Le Bon Georges invites diners with chalkboard menus, a curated wine list, and a relaxed take on classic French cuisine. Photo: Le Bon George/@lephotographedudimanche
Steak tartare, a must in Parisian bistros. Photo: Le Bon George/@lephotographedudimanche
A NIGHT TO REMEMBER: one I spent at Le Bon Georges, on a picaresque rue in the 9ème.
The kind of bistro that knows exactly what it is – and also one mending the gap these days between Paris’ fuddy-duddy eateries, and those hip-just-for-the-sake-of-being-hip. Led by Benoit Duval-Arnould, a charming restauranteur who is an agricultural engineer and once worked for the Campbell’s Soup Company, and featuring postcard-perfect flourishes – chalkboard menus, swoony lighting, banter-enabling too-close tables – it’s where other famous chefs like Ludo Lefebvre and Gordon Ramsay beeline for the oeufs mayonnaise. Eggs-defying!
Well-sourced meats and vegetables? Point. A trout with Pomegranate Beurre Blanc. Oui! A natty wine list abounds, as does a small-village-of-a-cheese-selection, via Fromagerie Boujon.
lebongeorges.paris
2. TORONTO
JAMIL’S CHAAT HOUSE
1086 Queen Street West
Photo: Jamil’s Chaat House
WHERE YYZ MEETS LAHORE: this warm, narrow nook giving both hipster and Pakistani in Canada’s largest city. Fronted by shutters evoking colonial-era clubhouse, and a long, convivial bar inside that’s perhaps the ideal place to park. THINK: a succinct menu, snack bar vibes and Bollywood tunes. The sort of spot that beckons with dishes like “papdi chaat” (pomegranate! mint!), a Palak Paneer (spinach with Methi, basmati, lots of peppery notes!), and their spin on beef seekh kabab. All zingy and bright. jamils.ca
3. LIMA
LA PERLITA
Jiron Domeyer 140, Barranco
Garlic Tuna Tapa & clams
If Lima is the culinary capital of South America, then Barranco is its beating, boho heart. Ideally situated in the Peruvian capital – which skims the Pacific Ocean, and is just 12 miles south of the equator – it fizzes with restaurants, including the much-acclaimed Siete from gregarious young chef, Ricardo Martins. EVEN NEWER: a Beautiful People spot Martins also just opened on the same street called La Perlita. Cool enough to be in Brooklyn or Brixton, with its nostalgic take on a Peruvian tavern – complete with a suited older gent in a poor boy’s cap playing the piano, when I was there – it’s a place to chill with ceviche all ways, creamy sea urchin, and heady Bloody Marys. instagram.com/laperlitabarranco
4. NEW YORK CITY
LA TÊTE D’OR
318 Park Ave S
Step into the heart of culinary artistry in The Chef’s Salon at La Tête d’Or. With just 10 seats, this intimate counter offers an exclusive front-row experience as the chefs craft dishes from the tasting menu right before your eyes. Photo: La Tête d’Or
Slow-roasted for eight hours, the prime rib is pure decadence—rolled out on a gleaming trolley and carved tableside. It’s served with rich creamed spinach, silky pommes purée, and a golden, impossibly crisp popover.
DECO, DRAPER, AND WAGYU: the seal of the deal at Manhattan’s swishiest new steakhouse. The latest bauble of Chef Daniel Boulud, located in the Flatiron district, it is one foxy space: an 18-foot ceiling’ed room, curvy banquets, pink-ish lighting, wood and leather paneling, plus notable sound design (a healthy purr, but never obtrusive). A place, moreover, where prime rib is king, the Caesar comes to life tableside, and there’s a decidedly feminine touch to it all. Not your daddy’s steakhouse! latetedorbydaniel.com
5. MACAU
LA FAMIGLIA
28-30 R. dos Clerigos
Seafood Rice served on a traditional Portuguese terracotta dish, accompanied with some Porto Tónico and Porto Negroni.
A PLEASANT SURPRISE: La Famiglia, set in a terra-cotta house amidst the back alleys of Macau. A contrast to the ultra-modern spectacle that the island has become – with its endless starchitecture and monster casinos – this restaurant is just so very lovely, specializing as it does in Macanese food (a cross between Chinese, African and Portuguese, a nod to the island’s colonial history). Helmed by Florita Alves, who’s become a champion of these flavours – and is kind of the Ina Garten of Macao – it is all food and love. Slow-cooked stews, salted cod, “minchi” and eggy tarts: a look, truly, into one of the OG “fusion” cuisines. @lafamigliamacau
6. ISTANBUL
YENI LOKANTA
Kumbaracı Yokuşu 66, Beyoğlu
Meatball tartare with fresh garlic!
SO MUCH MORE THAN JUST KEBAB: Anatolian cuisine. And what better place to take in its modernity than the Michelin-rated Yeni Lokanta? A discreet facade on a steep street in this city 15 million-deep, its name offers a hint: yeni means “new;” “lokanta” connotes diner. At night, in particular, it spills easy elegance – exposed brick, spiffy tile work, deep-green pendant lights hung low and copper bread bowls. Likewise, a playful menu approach, c/o Chef Civan Er, winks involving “burnt yogurt,” a fab use of dried aubergine, a “lamb cut of the day,” and a muhallebi (milk pudding), itself worth the trip. Yenilokanta.com
7. MEXICO CITY
MI COMPA CHAVA
Colima 150, Roma Norte
“Cachetona” Tostada – Loaded with crab, fish ceviche, catarina scallops, marinated and cooked shrimp, avocado, and topped with a luscious callo de hacha (pen shell scallop). Served with a spicy broth infused with smoked soy and serrano chili.
Possessing one of the world’s greatest gastronomic scenes, the usual Mexico City visitors’ playbook is locked in. You go to Contramar. You nab a rez at Pujol. You cozy in the courtyard at Rosetta. For the leisurely lunch itch, though, there’s one spot topping the list for me currently: Mi Compa Chava. Sinaloa beach fare transported to cosmo high altitude: the deal. A large, bustling space, located on one of those leafy Roma streets, and accepting walk-ins only: take note. A share – everything spot that started as a “pop-up” during the pandemic, got insanely popular, and where the main character dish is a dollhouse of aguachiles (raw shrimp in spicy sauce) served on a mattress of cucumbers. Seafood, the constant. So good – and so fun! instagram.com/micompachava
