Olive Magazine February/March 2026

Aix-en-Provence, France

The sun-soaked city of Aix, just 30 minutes from Marseille, has long attracted food adventurers looking for an authentic taste of Provence. In recent years it’s seen a new wave of culinary creatives bringing their unique flair to the town. The bustling open-air Marché d’Aix is a great place to start exploring, where stalls overflow with local goat’s cheeses, lavender honey, fragrant herbes de Provence and calissons (marzipan-like iced confectionery made from almonds). Pick up a buttery croissant at Farinoman Fou – one of the best bakeries in town – then wander through Cours Mirabeau taking in the calm vibes of the café-lined streets. For lunch, head to modern bistro Le Ramus for contemporary takes on traditional dishes such as panisse with curry aïoli, seared octopus tartare and homemade tarte tatin. Don’t miss Château La Coste, a beautiful vineyard that hosts contemporary art exhibitions with five restaurants dotted around the estate. End your day at Les Galinas, a rustic Provençal restaurant with a focus on seasonality and simplicity. Try dishes like confit lamb with nutmeg, mackerel in white wine, devilled ‘mimosa’ eggs and flambéed crêpes suzette to finish.

Rabat, Morocco

A relaxed city with its own unique culinary culture, Rabat is being hailed as the new Marrakesh. After taking in the 12th-century mosque and historic hilltop kasbah, the vibrant Souk el Kebir (‘big market’) is the best place to begin your foodie immersion. Its atmospheric alleyways are filled with traders selling preserved lemons, honey, spices and traditional Moroccan tagines cooked in wood-fired ovens – and the market really comes to life with entertainment in the evening. Rabat has a vibrant street food scene with stalls all over the city selling Moroccan specialities like rziza (coiled stringy bread), pastillas (sweet-savoury flaky pie with almonds and cinnamon) and habricha (a local sandwich filled with ground meat or fish, olives, spices and sauces). For lunch head to Le Dhow, a converted wooden boat moored on the Bou Regreg river, serving Moroccan cuisine with live music. Alternatively, Villa Mandarine is a refined spot set in an orange grove. Try dinner at Le Ziryab, a classic Rabati restaurant combining traditional cuisine and Andalusian music, where it’s worth trying rfissa – slow-cooked chicken and lentils over shredded msemen flatbreads with saffron and fenugreek.

Chicago, USA

Chicago is a city filled with gourmet neighbourhoods that light up the city like a big culinary mosaic. The West Loop Fulton Market District is the sleekest and trendiest place to start – home to Time Out Market Chicago which packs in more than 15 eateries including Bar Goa (a coastal Indian offering), Bill Kim Ramen Bar and Lil Amaru for Latin street food. Head south to Pilsen, Chicago’s hub of Mexican cuisine and heritage, where family-run taquerias like Don Pedro Carnitas are a must-try. There is an area for everything: dim sum parlours in Chinatown, classic Italian-American restaurants in Little Italy on Taylor Street, and a taste of Swedish roots in Andersonville in the north. Kasama, a Filipino restaurant and bakery in the East Ukrainian Village, was made famous thanks to The Bear and has diners queuing around the block for the pork adobo and ube basque cheesecake. Loba Pastry in North Center on an unassuming corner produces some of the best baked goods in the city. It specialises in unusual pastries and seasonal fruits, like pineapple sourdough muffins, curry white chocolate scones and laminated black sesame buns. Finally, Sifr in River North is a stylish Middle Eastern restaurant serving up wood-fired baharat angus beef kebabs and seasonal meze.

The Italian island of Sardinia is a haven for food lovers, where flavours of the land and sea meet with rugged Mediterranean sensibility

Samarkand, Uzbekistan

The cultural capital of Uzbekistan, Samarkand is a city rich in history – a crossroads along the silk roads where Persian, Turkic, Russian and Chinese culinary influences all converge. It’s celebrated for its striking Islamic architecture, beautiful mosaics and unique cuisine. Siyob Bozori (or Siab Bazaar) is a great place to start, where you’ll find countless stalls selling local delights like dried apricots, pistachio halvas, spices and fragrant Uzbek pastries like samsa – triangle pastries stuffed with meat or pumpkin, onion and spices. Plov, Uzbekistan’s national dish is a must-try – a one-pot pilaf rice dish with additions like lamb, carrots, cumin, coriander and whole heads of garlic. Samarqand Osh Markazi is a popular communal restaurant famous for its cauldrons of plov rice garnished with lamb, raisins, barberries, red chilli, quail’s egg and chickpeas. For the city’s best kebabs head to Ikrom Shashlik, which serves coal-charred skewers with fresh tomato and onion salads, and tangy strained yogurt dip. Other local dishes to try are manti (Uzbek steamed dumplings) filled with lamb and herbs served on smetana soured cream, and laghman, a hand-pulled Uyghur noodle dish in fragrant broth, beef and vegetables, both of which you can try at the atmospheric Old City Restaurant.

Sardinia, Italy

From the mountains of Barbagia to the coastlines of Alghero and Cagliari, the Italian island of Sardinia is a haven for food lovers, where flavours of the land and sea meet with rugged Mediterranean sensibility. Fresh tuna, sardines, lamb and pork are the mainstays of the island, cooked up into an aromatic, fruity and richly robust cuisine that reflects the island’s unique environment. Porceddu is a signature dish not to miss – a suckling pig slow-roasted over myrtle branches and stuffed with aromatics like rosemary and fennel, until the skin is crackling and the meat tender. Try it at S’Apposentu in the beautiful village of Siddi, where chef Roberto Petza is reimagining Sardinian pastoral cooking with Michelin-starred finesse. For lunch, head to Trattoria Sa Bell’e Crabasa which specialises in local seafood like bottarga pâté with seasonal artichokes, grilled local mullet and clams, and comunedda – stewed eels with pecorino. The stylish Da Renzo in Siamaggiore is known for its pasta dishes like lemon ricotta ravioli with tomato and basil, spaghetti with lobster, and malloreddus with wild boar. While on the island make sure to enjoy a glass of bold cannonau – the signature red wine with a rich, full-bodied flavour. Head to Sarduzzo Enoteca, a wine shop specialising in vintages from Sardinian and Abruzzo territories, that serves up many of its wines by the glass alongside a menu of arrosticini skewers.

Alentejo, Portugal

The unspoilt Alentejo region of Portugal sits in between Lisbon to its north and the Algarve to its south. It’s known for being the wine heartland of Portugal, producing rich, jammy, powerfully spiced reds. It has a rustic, hearty cuisine, with serene markets in cities like Evora and even an ancient fortress – the city of Elvas. Overlooking the bay of Porto Covo, Lamelas is a family-run restaurant whose mission is to celebrate new Alentejo cuisine using seasonal ingredients and sustainable principles. The menu includes highlights like hake with clams in molho verde, Alentejo-style pork ribs and white beans with seaweed and kale. The atmospheric Tasca do Celso in Vila Nova de Milfontes is famous for its cataplana de peixe (fish stew) and exceptional wine list that shows off the best vineyards of the region. Nestled on the sun-drenched slopes of Vidigueira in the heart of the region is Quinta do Quetzal, a stunning sustainable winery and restaurant where the legacy of ancient vines meets the innovation of contemporary cuisine. Its ‘rich red’ wine is made with alicante bouschet grapes picked at their ripest and is best served chilled, while the restaurant from chef João Mourato reimagines the region’s traditional dishes with a modern twist. Think confit cod with roast garlic and pickled mushrooms, game ravioli, and grape ice cream with olive oil.

Folegandros, Greece

The small rugged island of Folegandros in the Cyclades offers up a unique taste of Greece away from the busy crowds. Chora, the island’s vehicle-free clifftop capital, is the best place to begin. Built around three interconnected squares, it’s dotted with whitewashed tavernas that serve matsáta, a local pasta with a rabbit-tomato sauce and sourotó, the island’s goat’s cheese, drizzled with thyme honey. To Goupi is one of the most charming tavernas, offering authentic island meze like fava bean fritters, and seafood dishes like octopus with black-eyed beans. In Ano Meria on the western edge of the island, head to Folegandros Bakery, which is famous for its homemade pies including karpouzenia – a unique watermelon pie with honey, sesame and cinnamon. Karavostasi is the main port area where Faros tou Panteli is known for its stunning views and lobster spaghetti. End your day at Agali beach with papoutsaki (stuffed aubergine), baked pastitsio and chilled Greek wines at O Psaromiligkas, a family-run restaurant known for its refined farm-to-table cooking that celebrates the freshest seasonal produce of the island.

Mexico City, Mexico

Mexico City blends ancient folkloric tradition and modern creativity with a fresh vibrancy. Every neighbourhood offers something different. The Centro Histórico is a good place to begin, particularly the stalls close to Mercado de San Juan where you’ll find must-try street foods like sizzling tacos al pastor and tamales oaxaqueños. The neighbourhoods of Roma and Condesa – the city’s culinary heartbeat – are the best place to explore the contemporary side, where hip chefs are reinventing Mexican cuisine with a global outlook. The stylish Madre Café serves up dishes like enmoladas – stuffed tortillas dipped in homemade mole poblano – or cochinita pork, refried bean and avocado sandwiches. Another popular spot in the area is Contramar, famous for its crispy tostadas with toppings like shrimp, chipotle mayonnaise, salsa macha and sweet potato. In the luxurious Polanco, Quintonil is a two-Michelin-starred restaurant renowned for its modern seasonal Mexican cuisine with dishes like duck pibil tamal and smoky avocado tartare paired with escamoles (edible ant larvae). Mercado de la Merced is a wonderful spot to try out regional specialities like barbacoa and aguas frescas. Finally, the charming area of Coyoacán is great for fresh churros and mariachi music. Try the chocolate a la mexicana at Churrería El Moro Coyoacán, whose origins date back to 1935.

Taipei, Taiwan

Taipei, the capital of Taiwan, is one of the most exciting food cities in Asia, a paradise for adventurous eaters that spans everything from street food night markets through to Michelin fine dining. Ningxia Night Market is the perfect place to immerse yourself in the city’s culinary scene, where you can try signature dishes like barbecue Taiwanese sausages, sizzling oyster omelettes, rou jia mo pork belly buns and fried stinky tofu. For breakfast head to Chia Te Bakery, which serves up award-winning classic Taiwanese pastries, like its original buttery pineapple egg yolk pastry, candied watermelon ‘wife’ cakes and savoury onion-nougat cracker cookies. Fine dining vegetarian restaurant Clavius has a creative mixture of Taiwanese plant-based plates with delicate Asian flavours, including marshmallow aubergine tomato soup, stir-fried brussels with fermented tofu, and chickpea corn crisps with red miso dip. A classic no-frills institution in the Da’an district not to miss is Yongkang Beef Noodles. Its signature braised beef noodle in spicy broth is rich, complex and flecked with chunks of beef flank. Finally, for all-day snacks head to local favourite Fu Hang Dou Jiang, famous for its salty-milk soup, flaky sesame shaobing stuffed with egg and crispy youtiao fried dough sticker.

Mauritius

The tropical island of Mauritius is a melting pot of Indian, African, Chinese and French influences that all come together in a fresh, spicy and exhilaratingly flavourful cuisine. Classic street food dishes like dal puri served up at institutions like Chez Bye Dhollpurri Roti in Rose Hill and Chef Vor at Bagatelle Mall are a must-try – thin pancake rotis filled with a spicy yellow pea filling, griddled until fluffy and served with chutneys and curry. La Rougaille Créole on Sunset Boulevard is a family-run restaurant where you can savour traditional Mauritian seafood rougaille – a tomato-based stew rich in onions, garlic, ginger, thyme and chilli, and Creole dishes like octopus aubergine curry. The stylish fine dining restaurant Domaine Anna on the west coast offers up a Chinese-leaning take on Mauritian food with dishes like sautéed calamari with shallots and ginger, and sizzling beef with onions. Quatre Bornes Market and Rose Hill Market are the best places to head for deep-fried Mauritian fritters called gâteaux piments, made with split peas, spices and herbs. Finally, set among the historic Balaclava ruins, Le Capitaine is an iconic seafood restaurant that serves up the freshest local produce into dishes like grilled fish with Creole rice, scampi curry and octopus salad with lime vinaigrette.