Pickled mulberry pani puri at Mister Mao

Crescent City Cuisine

January 3, 2023

As coauthor of the updated 2024 edition of Frommer’s EasyGuide to New Orleans, I’ve compiled this intentionally eclectic selection of restaurants near the convention center (and close by, in the French Quarter) with something for everyone, plus some farther-away destinations to take you a little deeper, doable by rideshare or even public bike. Make dinner … Continue reading Crescent City Cuisine


Reading Terminal Market. Photo: Visit Philadelphia

The Philly Food Scene

January 2, 2020

Here are the best of the best, from faux-colonial taverns to historic food-hall cornucopias, whiskey bars to funky vegan eateries, and Pennsylvania Dutch smorgasbords to Zahav, named the top restaurant in the country in 2019 by the James Beard Foundation. Conventioneers are doubly fortunate to have the three dozen food stands of 125-year-old Reading Terminal … Continue reading The Philly Food Scene


Ben’s Chili Bowl. Photo: washington.org

A Culinary Capital

June 3, 2019

Today, rock-star chefs have transformed neighborhoods into epicurean destinations and turned what was once a dining drought into a wave of new restaurants, vibrant tastes, and international cuisines. Ready to dig in? Here is a guide to the best flavors in our culinary capital, excerpted from Frommer’s EasyGuide to Washington, D.C., 2020. Near the Convention … Continue reading A Culinary Capital


Happy hour special at Miller’s Guild. Photo: Miller’s Guild

Emerald City Eats

January 2, 2019

Then, like the tech industry that refueled Seattle’s ailing aerospace economy, the food scene exploded. Cooking became an art, and the materials needed to create that art were close at hand—right at the famous Pike Place Market. The “buy fresh, eat local” philosophy, which places a premium on sustainable fishing and organic farming practices, now … Continue reading Emerald City Eats


Shrimp and grits at Surrey’s. Photo: Paul Broussard

Big Easy Eats

June 1, 2018

As author of numerous travel guides, including Frommer’s Easy Guide to New Orleans, I’m here to help. My customized dining guide lists a spectrum of selections, focusing on those in proximity to the convention center and some choice spots a short distance away. There’s something for everyone, so dive in with forks ablaze and laissez … Continue reading Big Easy Eats


Diners chow down on Asian street food at Cho77.

Mile-High Bites

January 2, 2018

The Mile High City has emerged as a hot spot for chef-driven, farm-to-table restaurants. Numerous standout eateries have hung a shingle and earned one rave review after another. As author of the Frommer’s EasyGuide to Colorado, I was lucky enough to take my taste buds on a tour of Denver’s rising restaurants and enjoy every … Continue reading Mile-High Bites


Steam buns at Yusho

Windy City Eats

June 1, 2017

A few years ago, I was given one of the best assignments a writer could hope for: to eat my way around Chicago and share the best restaurants in the Frommer’s EasyGuide to Chicago. American Libraries asked me to take some of my favorites and create a guide just for you, ensuring that you’re well … Continue reading Windy City Eats


The view from Polaris

Eating in the ATL

January 3, 2017

American Libraries teamed with Creative Loafing Atlanta, the city’s weekly independent newspaper, to bring Midwinter guests a broad selection of restaurants to enjoy before and after their conference activities, all located within a reasonable distance from the Georgia World Congress Center in downtown Atlanta. Downtown Alma Cocina 404-968-9662 191 Peachtree St. NE Alma Cocina serves … Continue reading Eating in the ATL


Grilled meatloaf on lobster mashed potatoes at Soco. Photo: Cricket Whitman

Orlando Magic

May 25, 2016

Downtown Mamak Asian Street Food 407-270-4688 mamakasianorlando.com 1231 E. Colonial Dr. For a taste of Orlando’s Asian neighborhood, casual Mamak (“mamak” is the Malaysian word for a street food stall) is a lively, inexpensive spot with familiar bites such as crispy spring rolls, Vietnamese summer rolls, and dumplings. But you can also try something unusual … Continue reading Orlando Magic


New England clam chowder at Legal Harborside

Boston’s Best Eats

December 10, 2015

Early January can test even the sturdiest of Bostonians. Luckily, there’s no better way to battle Mother Nature’s winter assault than with New England’s most famous culinary export: a bowl of hot clam chowder. You’ll find options aplenty, as well as diverse dishes that vary from vegetarian food-truck snacks to luxurious steakhouse feasts. These listings … Continue reading Boston’s Best Eats


The bar at Marlowe. Photo: Eric Wolfinger

Dining in the Golden City

May 29, 2015

Some are white-tablecloth establishments that present culinary masterpieces with warm formality, while others are so casual they practically toss you your food, a paper plate, and a napkin from out of the side of a truck. It’s impossible to get in and out of San Francisco without having a gastronomic epiphany, or at least a … Continue reading Dining in the Golden City


Lou Malnati's pizza

Hot Eats for Cold Nights

December 30, 2014

While the ultimate Windy City comfort foods are the oh-so-familiar Chicago-style hot dogs and deep dish pizza, each neighborhood offers its own soothing culinary creature comfort: noodles in Chinatown, tacos in Pilsen, and reinvented diner fare in the trendy West Loop. (All of the spots listed within this guide are within an easy El or … Continue reading Hot Eats for Cold Nights