Not a restaurant: Hotel Giulia Milan. Part of a small chain of boutique hotels located mostly in Europe but with one property in New York. I add it here so...

Another option in Brera: il Cestino. Also recommended by our hotel staff. Corner space and a great place to watch the world go by while having a bit of Italian...

Brunch: Marchesi. Started in 1824, we visited one of the three current sites, this one near the Duomo and in the upscale Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II shopping area above Prada....

Recommended by the hotel: Osteria di Brera. Our best food experience in Milan. It was fashion week so most places were busy but since Italians tend to eat late, tables...

Nice spot on the lake for gelato: Daniel’s. Not a typical name for an Italian bar and restaurant but the location is indeed Italian as are the offerings. From the...

One more dinner for the masses: Piccolo Lago. Located near Stresa on Lago Mergozzo it’s a venue to definitely consider for a large group. The chef has two-Michelin-stars but it...

Another dinner for 100: Ristorante Verbano. On the beautiful Isola dei Pescatori in the middle of Lago Maggiore in northern Italy. The food was good but once again the location...

Dinner for 100: Schloss Laufen. Even though the dinner here was for a large party and the food was only so so, the location is drop dead gorgeous. Located at...

More pastry options: Konditorei-Café Weissenbeck. Tucked away in the town of Dachau you’ll find this gem. It’s in an unusual area for a bakery….surrounded by office complexes and warehouses. Not...

Very popular place in the old city: Zeughauskeller. The story goes that the building was built in 1487 and originally housed an armory but in 1929 it was converted to...

Off to Switzerland with a stop at: Chedi Andermatt. If you’re looking for drop dead gorgeous then this will fit the bill. Part of a multi year “upgrade” to this small...

A must visit for us when we are in Munich: zum Spöckmeier. We have to visit this place every few years since it was a place Suzan’s Oma (grandmother) would...

Lovely hotel, restaurant and brewery: Kapplerbräu. Like many European breweries this place goes back several centuries….1561 to be exact. It’s a bit of a hike….about 30 miles NW of Munich...

Pike Place Market on steroids: Viktualienmarkt. Beer gardens, wine and cheese shops, seafood, flowers, vegetables, fruits…you name it…..it can be found here and that has been so for over 2...