Over the years, Bastille has transformed from a humble artisanal hub to a verifiable gastronomic wonderland. The area around the Bastille was once where people made things—every commerce was a cabinet maker, a carpet weaver, or a ceramicist. It was the artisanal crafts quarter of the city, full of skilled workers turning out beautiful objects. […]
Cafés
Our Favorite Paris Restaurants by Neighborhood: Saint-Germain-des-Prés
Saint-Germain-des-Prés can be touristy, but it’s also home to fantastic cafes and shops ranging from the authentically Parisian to the avant-garde. This is the heart of Paris’s Left Bank, the literary center of the capital. Cafe de Flore and Les Deux Magots were centers of literary life of Paris in the 1930s to 1960s—and they’re […]
The 7 Best Places for Coffee in Paris + Essential Coffee Vocab
In Paris, cafe culture runs deep. Coffee culture, well—as others have reported, it’s still developing. For many years, the only available coffee options in Paris were very average, at best. This is for a number of reasons, among them strict regulations for opening new cafes, France’s history of colonialism, and general lack of innovation in […]
4 Perfect Days of Eating in Rome
We have a saying: “one life isn’t enough for Rome.” And it’s probably true. But if you only have four days in Rome, here’s where you should eat, drink and hang out. Photo Credit: Abbie Stark, Text Overlay: Devour Rome Food Tours An itinerary for four days in Rome In theory, finding places to eat […]
How to Order Coffee in French Like You Know What You’re Doing
It seems like an easy task: ordering a coffee. But as with many things in France, there’s a right and a wrong way. French coffee culture is guided by a number of spoken and unspoken rules. There’s the somewhat confusing nomenclature, unique coffee shop dynamics and a strong tendency toward over-caffeination. As a visitor to […]
The 6 Best Places for Coffee in Rome + Essential Coffee Vocab
Everyone knows the wonders of the world are best explored caffeinated. The good news is, you’re in Rome. The possibly not-as-great news is, you may be suffering at the hands of that beast known as jet lag. Luckily, we have the solution, because you’re in the land of un buon caffè (a good coffee). Below […]
Rome Then & Now: Cafes
When you think of Italy, we bet you think of pizza, pasta and coffee. But let’s focus on the third thing for now. There’s a good reason why Italy is synonymous with charming sidewalk cafes and flavorful coffee—in fact, it would practically be a sin to come here and not indulge in an espresso, cappuccino […]
What We Would Eat in Rome If We Had Only One Day
There’s a lifetime’s worth of meals to be eaten in Rome. But sometimes you’ve only got one day. Rome is Italy’s capital and biggest city, with literally thousands of great restaurants, bars, pizzerias, gelato shops and bakeries that we could recommend if you’re hungry. The good thing, though, is that Rome is still a relatively […]
A Love Letter to Paris: Rue Paul Bert
This post is part of our Love Letter series: first-person accounts of what we love about Paris. It was a grey mid-December day, but it still seemed like I could see all of Paris. There I stood, nose to floor-to-ceiling window of a sixth floor, one-bedroom on rue Paul Bert in the 11th arrondissement, contemplating […]
How to Order Coffee in Italy: The Complete Guide
Coffee is of crucial importance in all of Italy (coming in just behind the Colosseo in thematic importance). Coffee in Italy goes way beyond just a caffeine fix. It’s a ritual with cultural significance, social relevance and a profound impact in people’s lives. There’s no doubt: some of the world’s best coffee can be found […]