2023 was an up and down year

2023 was an exciting year in terms of destinations. And finding things different to your expectations. The seven panelists travelled to far-flung destinations like Japan, Columbia, Canada, Brazil, the USA from their bases in Spain, Austria, Cyprus, the UAE, Australia and South Africa. They also revisited foodie favourites like Italy, France and Germany. Some previousContinue reading “2023 was an up and down year”

2023 Top 3 Winner: LONGTABLE RESTAURANT, Stellenbosch, South Africa

Longtable Restaurant at Haskell Vineyards in the Cape Winelands of South Africa, has won an international Thacks Award for ‘Best Brunch in the Cape Winelands’. Longtable Restaurant offers exceptional food, warm service, and stunning views that make it a must-visit for anyone in the Stellenbosch Cape winelands area. During our visit, we had the pleasureContinue reading “2023 Top 3 Winner: LONGTABLE RESTAURANT, Stellenbosch, South Africa”

Son Restaurant (Bordeaux) Review

Ranked a #1 Restaurant in Bordeaux, Son indeed delivers a treat and is sold as a ‘sophisticated restaurant presenting innovative cuisine amid elegant surroundings’. This is an award winning and credible dining experience with a great ‘value for money’ €25 lunch menu and a €65 five-course dinner menu for what it is. Though when weContinue reading “Son Restaurant (Bordeaux) Review”

2022 Top 5 Winner: RUST EN VREDE RESTAURANT, Stellenbosch, South Africa

As far as international comparisons go, Rust en Vrede Restaurant on the stunning Rust en Vrede wine estate near Cape Town, under the fine management of superb chef Fabio Daniel, has already won multiple awards in 2022 since winning the Thacks Awards 2021 Top International Eatery award: and their ‘Estate Experience’ is an appreciated benchmarkContinue reading “2022 Top 5 Winner: RUST EN VREDE RESTAURANT, Stellenbosch, South Africa”

2022 Top 5 Winner: LEO HILLINGER WINESHOP & BAR, Vienna, Austria

After a week in three cities in Croatia in September three of the panelists parted ways: one went on to do some wine stomping in Spain a week later while another jetted off to Slovenia, then two reunited in time for a quick stop to Germany into October, but the same three panelists then reunitedContinue reading “2022 Top 5 Winner: LEO HILLINGER WINESHOP & BAR, Vienna, Austria”

2022 Top 5 Winner: MEDITERRANEO, Hvar, Croatia

Croatia is a bucket-list destination for many, especially after Game of Thrones made some of the city sights a must-see destination to fans and we noticed mostly American visitors in the narrow city streets of Dubrovnik, Split and Hvar. The days of being known as an affordable destination are however over, and with Croatia setContinue reading “2022 Top 5 Winner: MEDITERRANEO, Hvar, Croatia”

2022 Top 5 Winner: CONSONANCE, Bordeaux, France

When you stumble onto a classy wine bar establishment with super-friendly service and you aren’t hungry but can’t stop ordering their tasty menu treats, you know you’ve stumbled upon the next Thacks Awards winner! Whilst the word Consonance means ‘agreement or compatibility between opinions and actions’ our opinion has been that we need to takeContinue reading “2022 Top 5 Winner: CONSONANCE, Bordeaux, France”

Ets Vallauri Wine Bar and Shop (Cannes) Review

When you’re in Cannes for a day and want some good wine, this is your place! We saw an online review simply reading “A bit snobby”. When someone who visited in January 2021 (when Covid was still lurking around) posts a rubbish 3-word review like that, you wonder what they thought to be so rude.Continue reading “Ets Vallauri Wine Bar and Shop (Cannes) Review”

Vinorte Wine Bar (Valencia) Review

For something to be featured on Thacks Awards, it needs to be good. And ‘Vinorte’ in Valencia won’t disappoint!Last night two of the panelists and their friends stumbled upon this gem. And we’ll be back… very soon. We had a 21:30 dinner show reservation nearby and it turned out that the highlight of our eveningContinue reading “Vinorte Wine Bar (Valencia) Review”

Bluebells Restaurant (Ascot) Review

Bluebells Restaurant in Ascot in the United Kingdom – not far from London – is listed to offer a relaxed yet formal approach to dining. Options include lunch, dinner, Sunday and a kids menu. “Bluebells Restaurant was fully booked a week in advance and when I eventually secured a table at 3pm on a Sunday,Continue reading “Bluebells Restaurant (Ascot) Review”