My mate in…

My mate Sarah in Brunswick East, Melbourne, gives a shout out to her go-to for stacked burgers, live music, and good vibes: The Beast. This is a bar with all the goods: wings, a soul night, and live comedy. Looking for other good places in Melbourne to grab a drink?6. Side Quest x CBD, Melbourne x Beneath Driver Lane1. Northcote, Melbourne x South Crescent & Kelvin

In Amsterdam's city centre, Moak is an American pancake joint with throwback New York hip-hop vibes. Line up for some stacked up sweet or savoury pancakes, coffee, and juice.You can see the menu and the delicious pancakes I had, as well as some street pictures of my adventures near Maok at the My Mate In... blog.If you pop over to Belgium from The Netherlands, and want to complement your pancakes with waffles, I got you: Belgian waffles, anyone?

My mate Don in Canberra shares with us the scoop on a well-loved food institution. For two and a half decades the same food stall has provided consistent comfort to Canberrans. Every Sunday at the Southside Farmers Market you can get your hands (and mouth) onto delicious pupusas and tamales at the El Salvador food stall.Other yummy food to try in CanberraEpisode 10. Canberra x Burns Club (Kambah) & The Public Place (Chisholm)Episode 7. Canberra x Brew Bar (Tuggeranong), Cartel Taqueria (Queanbeyan East) & Zaab (Braddon)

Looking for a cosy, comfortable place in Northcote, Melbourne, for a coffee and a pastry? Ellis' Belly is a relatively new addition to the Northcote cafe scene, based on Simpson St not far from Dennis Station.Next door is the Art Guide Bookstore.Looking for other cafes to try in Northcote? One of my favourites is South Crescent Cafe - hear more in episode 1. These two cafes are just a train stop apart.

Today, I want to talk to you about Flint. Flint is a restaurant on the Fitzroy side of Smith Street in Melbourne. Here, the focus is on fire. The food is flamed or smoked. Think charred meats and smoked fish. This is the kind of place that you go if you want a really nice fancy experience that’s really relaxed and comfortable.

Here is a quick side quest episode about a cafe you'll love if you are into breakfast, coffee, anime and painting: Flinch Coffee and Play.Update: The Flinch team invited us back insisting we try the pancakes. The looked and tasted amazing! They come in all different flavours. We had a lemon tart style one and a plain one. See pictures of the statues for painting and pancakes here.The transcript for this episode was checked for accuracy by Amy Edwards.

In this episode, I catch up with my mate in Sydney’s Inner West, Brendan. Brendan tells me about two of his favourite local places and throws in some honourable mentions as well.Brendan’s two favourite places:- Chinese restaurant in Ashfield called New Shanghai. - Middle Eastern restaurant in Stanmore called Emma’s Snack Bar.Honourable mentions:- Italian deli in Rozelle called Lombardo.- Northern Chinese noodle restaurant in Burwood called Xian Eatery.- Pub in Stanmore called Warren View Hotel.

In this episode, I catch up with my mate Kelly from Boston. Kelly tells me about three Boston institutions steeped in history that are a must-eat when she is visiting her hometown. You can really hear the pride in this episode - Kelly sells Boston well!First up, Kelly talks about her favourite seafood restaurant called Union Oyster House. Kelly likes this place because of the: · Quintessential New England seafood experience, including lobster, oysters, steamers, and crab cakes· Clam chowder and oyster crackers – her go-to order.The second place is Kelly’s and her family’s go-to pizza spot, called Pizzeria Regina. Some highlights:· Really big and classic Neapolitan style cheese pizza· Located in the historical North End where there are lots of great bakeries and you can walk the Freedom Trail· Great value, consistent quality, and good for families (don’t mind the salty waitresses).Finally, we finish with a nightcap at J.J. Foley’s Cafe:· Early 1900s style Irish bar open all hours, but at its best after midnight· The go to drink is Guinness· Because this one is not touristy and has a discrete front, you might miss it. It is in an area with a lot of fun touristy Irish pubs.

In this episode, I catch up with my mate Stew in Canberra. Stew tells me about three of his favourite places to go to.The first is Stew’s daily café choice called Brew Bar in Tuggeranong. Stew likes this place because it has: · Great coffee· Delicious muffins (raspberry and white chocolate / blueberry)· Good service· Managers that treat their staff well.The second place is a taco restaurant called Cartel Taqueria in Queanbeyan East. Some highlights:· Strong margaritas· Delicious horchata (a sweet vanilla and cinnamon milk beverage)· All of the tacos are awesome!Finally, Zaab is a Lao and Thai restaurant in Braddon. Stew suggests trying:· Their range of Lao cuisine· The Snickers old fashioned cocktail.

In this Side Quest I ventured to Belles, a Nashville inspired hot chicken diner, at 150 Gertrude Street in Fitzroy, Melbourne. Highlights include:Nashville style hot chicken and sides (mac and cheese, loaded fries).Sweet iced tea with ryeAtmosphere.Click here for images to accompany this episode.

I catch up with my mate Claudia in Sydney. Claudia tells me about two of her favourite places. One is a café in Mascot called Pochito. The other is a bakery in Ashfield called The Tart Sisters.

I catch up with my mate Tim in Northcote, Melbourne. Tim tells me about two of his local favourites: a cafe called South Crescent and a bar called Kelvin.