1516 Brewing Company – the best meeting place in Vienna

Photo: 1516 Brewing Company

Alex discovered this place more than a decade ago. No wonder, knowing his love for beer. 1516 Brewing Company is an Irish pub/microbrewery/restaurant that is very difficult to beat. It is popular with locals and expats, and it is easy to understand why. 1516 serves excellent food (gourmet style at pub prices), offers their own beer, a fine selection of wines and the service is impeccable. The place is full 24/7 and on special occasions you get to listen to some groovy tunes live. On a lazy Saturday afternoon during the summer months you can sit outside, puffing on a Havana and sipping whatever you fancy: we doubt that they will not have it. Be it an exotic beer (how about a Russian Stout), a Spanish Rioja or a shot of vodka with some cool chaser. The Vienna diplomatic community loves the place, international personalities can be seen rubbing shoulders, and, to make a long story short, everybody seems to have a great time. This is definitely the in-place in Vienna, especially for those who enjoy long evenings in good company over a few beers. Alex no longer lives in Austria but whenever a member of the samandthedunes team passes through, this is the one place we never miss to stop by. Bottom line, if you are in Vienna, you must visit the 1516 Brewing Company. We promise – you will not be disappointed!

Photo: 1516 Brewing Company

Bar Mut in business

Photo: samandthedunes

If you go to Barcelona (Spain), don’t miss Bar Mut. It’s an awesome tapas bar located right in the business district close to Avenida Diagonal. The prices are certainly on the expensive side but the food is on the other hand impeccable.

Here you can enjoy a wide selection of traditional tapas with  a contemporary twist in a friendly and modern atmosphere.

The restaurant kitchen is small but has an open design and displays its delicious seafood at the front of the bar. We strongly recommend you to book table – its a busy place!

Carrer de Pau Claris, 192
+34 93 217 4338

Daios deLuxe

Located in downtown Thessaloniki (Greece), this little gem is very expensive, luxurious beyond belief (try the suite) and has a really cool food-bar serving semi-Italian cuisine. If you go for one of the more exquisite rooms you get to sit on the balcony in the evening with a glass of Port enjoying the view of the Mediterranean just at your fingertips.  The hotel doesn’t have a pool but they don’t really cater to the holiday crowd and it is more suitable for the travelling businessman.

The area around Hotel Daios***** is nothing to write home about but there are a few bars worth visiting on the boardwalk. If you are craving for traditional American cuisine while visiting Greece (shame on you), Applebee’s is just a stone’s throw away.

The food-bar in Daios is a popular meeting point for the well-to-do who tend to indulge in some really fantastic pasta (try the spaghetti with squid ink and fresh tomatoes), fish or spicy chicken meatballs. If you are into something lighter, the salads are awesome too (don’t miss the one with warm goat cheese and pine nuts).  On weekends you can listen to some funky live jazz while sipping a glass of wine from the hotel’s collection of local vintages. If one is into cigars, the humidor is at your disposal offering the one and only, truly the best, hats off…Cuban Cohiba.

Bottom line, if you stay in Thessaloniki any day of the year, and happen to be too old to go to a disco, Daios is your answer to having an unforgettable evening.