Two places to have brunch in Krakow

I often find it hard to find a decent brunch in other countries. We have such a solid brunch culture here in the UK that nothing ever really seems to live up too. I think we're a bit spoilt! But Karkow didn't disappoint. We were only there for a couple of breakfasts and each one we picked got our seal of approval. Good work Krakow!

Ranny Ptaszek
If you're after a quick and casual breakfast, then this is a place to go. Sitting at the bar I ordered one of my favourite breakfast dishes, the Middle-Eastern speciality of Shakshuka. Accompanied by a basket of warm pitta bread, pickles and siracha mayo, it was just the ticket to begin a day. The breakfast menu isn't the biggest but it's great value and service is very quick.

Alchemia Od Kuchni
Located in the trendy Jewish Quarter of Kazimierz, this restaurant is just off the main square. Full of hip exposed brickwork, industrial-themed decor and a good solid breakfast menu, it's perfect to enjoy your first meal of the day. I decided to pump for the chorizo hash brown. A chunky round chorizo hash brown topped with wilted spinach and two poached eggs drizzled with tangy hollandaise sauce and chopped chives. It was great value, priced at about £5, and a good centre location for a day out in the Jewish Quarter.

Read more

Updated: my new five favourite places to eat in London

Mien Tay
I've mentioned time and time again that Vietnamese is one of my favourite cuisines and Mien Tay is up there as my top place to eat it in London.  The food always tastes so fresh, it's great value for the capital and the menu is so varied. Definitely opt for the chicken clay pot curry and you won't be disappointed. The lighter vermicelli noodles are great if you don't want a heavy meal.

Dishoom
I've mentioned this before but thought I'd mentioned it again as they're opening a new branch in west London this autumn. Even more locations for you to enjoy the food! I tell everyone they absolutely need to try the bacon naan if it's the last thing they do. I never knew something so simple could be so tasty! If you go for dinner make sure you pump for the delicious black dal and moreish lamb chops.

Franco Manca
Pizza is my jam and Franco Manca is the king of pizza. Bold claim I know but true. I never opt for anything other than number 4. A tantalising combination of salty home-cured Gloucester Old Spot Ham, creamy mozzarella, buffalo ricotta, soft wild mushrooms and juicy tomatoes on a chewy, sourdough base.

Chic N Sours
Korean Fried Chicken would be my last meal on earth and Chic n Sours does a cracking version. Just the right amount of heat, addictive sauce and unbelievably tender chicken. The hot Szechuan crispy aubergine, K-Pop chicken burger and addictive house fry are also well worth ordering. In fact make sure you go multiple times so you can try everything on the menu.

Honey & Co
For a mere £16.50 Honey & Co offers a fantastic brunch option. The whole table has to order but you get so much food. The table can enjoy a selection of meze, breads, olives, pickles, cereals, yogurt, fresh fruit and homemade jam. Then everyone gets to choose their own main meal to enjoy. I opted for the green Shakshuka with two Cornish eggs.

Read more

Three places to visit in Warsaw outside the Old Town

Wilanov Palace
When we go away I always drag everyone to some sort of palace or castle. I love them. Everyone else? Not so much. But this one was a winner for everyone. Over my 28 years I've seen lots and lots of palaces but this 17th Century one might just be my favourite - it's one of the most beautiful buildings I've seen. It doesn't hurt that yellow is my favourite colour too! It's an easy 30 minutes bus journey from the Old Town and couldn't be simpler to get to. Just one straight journey and you can use your travel card (a must for getting around Warsaw). Amazingly this grand royal palace survived the Second World War. I find this incredible as so much of Poland was destroyed and rebuilt. A stunning yellow colour, the palace is now an art gallery so we never made it inside as galleries aren't really our jam. But we did pay a couple of pounds to go in the gardens and they were absolutely beautiful. There's a lake where you can hire rowing boats, a gorgeous rose garden, the Baroque garden which is the oldest part of the park and an English-Chinese garden.

Neon Museum
Located in the Praga district of Warsaw, the super cool neon museum is a collection of vintage neon signs from the communist area. It is quite a trek from the Old Town but Praga is said to be the hipster district of the city so it's a great place for a bar crawl. It's very different from the Old Town, a lot more grittier but it's a great place to get a 'real' feel for the city, away from the hoards of tourists. The museum reminded me a lot of God's Own Graveyard in Walthamstow. It's not a place you'd spend hours wandering around but it's really interesting, cool and something a little bit different.

Palace of Culture and Science
Built by the Soviets in 1955 as a 'gift', the tallest building in Poland has such a presence in the Financial District of the new town. Now it's home to a huge congress hall, theatres, a multi-screen cinema and museums. Catch the lift to the top to the observation tower and you've be rewarded with amazing views over the city. It's well worth a visit just for this but beware, it gets windy on the 30th floor!

Read more