Austria - Vienna

Kervannnaray Fisch Restaurant, 9 Mahler Strasse
51 28 843
Located one block from the opera house, this is a terrific seafood restaurant with tanks of live fish to choose from. The wine list is diverse, if not large.

Korso, Hotel Bristol, 2 Mahler Strasse
51 51 65 46
If this isn’t one of the most attractive restaurants in the world I can’t wait to see a better one. It’s pricey, but the service is impeccable, the food is adventuresome and the wine list offers some of Austria’s best.

Czech Republic -Prague

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Restaurant Kampa Park from the Charles Bridge

England - London

Boisdale, 13 Eccleston St. (Victoria) 
7730 6922
A Scottish restaurant with an outstanding wine list. The atmosphere and food are unique –Haggis anyone? 

Cantina Vinopolis, 1 Back End (London Bridge) 
7940 8333
Located in the wine museum, which is on the sight of a 2,000-year-old winery. The wine list is very broad and the food is quite good. Stay and visit the museum. 

Chez Bruce, 2 Bellevue Rd. (Wandsworth) 
8672 0174
What a great name! One-star Michelin and one of London’s best. Everything is outstanding . The food is continental and the wine list is very well organized by sommelier Terry Threlfall, who is young and highly regarded. 

Clarke’s, 124 Kensington Church Road  (Kensington)
7221 9225
Sally Clarke has had this restaurant for 20+ years and has always offered one prix-fixe dinner. Recently she has changed to offer several choices each evening. Outstanding preparations, service and wine list. If you’re lucky, you can even meet Sally herself. 

Gaucho Grill, 7 locations in London
Is this just a franchise concept? No, this is a beef restaurant which serves Argentine beef like no other I’ve ever tasted. The wine list is South American-oriented and very good. I’ve even had their hamburger, and it was worth the very high price.  

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The Gaucho Grill in London's
Canary Wharf area.

The Good Earth, 233 Brompton Rd. (S. Kensington)
7582 3658
High-quality Chinese food that can be paired with their broad wine list, even half bottles. Shark fin soup is on the menu. 

J. Sheekey, 28-32 St. Matins Court (Lancester Sq.)  
72140 2565
Seafood at its best. This large restaurant has a varied seafood offering, but the Dover Sole, even at that price, is a must. The wine list offers a broad choice of whites and reds. 

Le Suquet, 104 Draycott Ave. (S. Kensington)
A little bit of Provence in London, this intimate bistro specializes in seafood, but other items are available. A short but interesting wine list is available – speaking French is a plus. 

Red Lion Pub, Whitehall St. (across from #10 Downing St.)
The second-floor restaurant is tight with its space, but the beer and ale is cold and the pub food is good. It’s a little bit of old London. 

Royal China, 4 locations
As large a menu as I have seen and everything I’ve tasted has been outstanding.

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France - Bordeaux

Chateau Cordeillan-Bages, Route des Chateaux, Pauillac
33 5 56 59 24 24
Now 2-star Michelin with terrific food and wine list. It’s owned by the Lynch Bages people so try the Lynch-Bages Blanc, which is always hard to find.

Clos de Vougeot vineyard in early spring
in Burgundy region of France.

France - Paris

Café Marly, Cour Napoleon de Louvre, 1^st Arrondissement

With a great view of the Louvre’s pyramid, this is an interesting weekend brunch or coffee stop. Seek one of the outdoor tables.

Chez Tante Louise, Rue Doissy d’Anglais, 17^th Arrondissement
01 42 65 06 85

A casual bistro which operates at one of the highest levels for a non-starred restaurant. I haven’t been there since Bernard Loiseau took his own life, but I see continued good reviews.

Musee d’Orsay, 1 Rue de la d’Honneur, 7^th Arrondissement

On the 2^nd floor of the museum, it is one of the most beautiful dining rooms I’ve ever been in. The food is outstanding for a museum restaurant and the wine list is modest, but you can find a number of interesting choices.

Taillevent, 15 Rue Lamennais, 8^th Arrondissement
44 95 15 01

There is something special when you are in what is considered the finest restaurant in Paris and owner Jean-Claude Vrinat comes to your table and says, “Mr. Heye, welcome to Taillevent. If there is anything I can personally do while you are here, please ask.” Well, when the service is perfect, you don’t have to ask for much. The food is outstanding and, with a wine cellar containing 300,000 bottles, a 3 ½ hour lunch can be quite an experience.

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Willie’s Wine Bar, 13 Rue des Petits, 1^st Arrondissement

British-owned so language is no problem. Very popular with a variety of continental offerings. The wine list is mostly off-beat, but interesting.

Germany - Berlin

Borchardt, 47 Franzosische Strasse
20 39 71 17
This is what upscale German food can be and it is outstanding. The service is first class; the wine list has all the great wine producers from Germany and a variety from around the world. This restaurant serves the best Weiner Schnitzel I’ve ever had. As a bonus, it is just a few blocks’ walk to two opera houses. It was Herr Borchardt who discovered the bust of Nefertiti which is in the Egyptian Museum 3 blocks away. 

Paris Bar Restaurant, Kantstrasse
152 313-8052
A little bit of France in Berlin with outstanding food and a very complete French wine list. 

Reinhard’s Café, Kurfurstendamm
190 881-1621
This is a pleasant café with the finest Apfel Strudel I’ve ever had. 

Via Conditti, 73 Fasanenstrasse
88 67 78 97
If the German cuisine gets tiring than an outstanding Italian restaurant is the Via Conditti. The food is terrific, but it is the complete Italian wine list that gets me. They have all the big names and some of the not so big names that can be outstanding.

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Italy - Rome

La Terrazza dell’Eden, Hotel Eden, Via Ludovisi
49  06 478 121
This one-star Michelin restaurant is on the roof top of the hotel. The view is special, particularly in the evening as the sun is setting. The food is creative Italian and wonderful. The wine list is complete and also imaginative.

Italy - Strada en Chianti

De Padellina
This is on the main highway going through town; it doesn’t look like much but if you get there early and obtain a seat on the balcony you will have one fantastic view of the Tuscan hills. By the way, the food’s pretty good also.

Portugal - Lisbon

Pap Acorda, Rue de Atalia 
21 346 4811
Don’t let the neighborhood fool you, this is one of Lisbon’s finest restaurants. Inside is starkly modern with a European cuisine that has many interesting items to choose from. The service is very attentive, and the wine list offers Portuguese wines plus others from all over the world. 

Pousadas
Any Pousada located throughout the country offers an excellent dining room with food and wine attractively priced for such high quality.

Restaurante Leao d’Ouro, Rue de Dezembro
89 99  342 61 95
This 100-year-old seafood restaurant has walls lined with traditional Portuguese tiles and an atmosphere that is just plain relaxing. The seafood is fresh since you can see it swimming in the tanks located throughout . The service is pleasant and cordial, and the wines are mostly Portuguese.

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The Vintage House with vineyards in the background.

Casa Botin, Cuchillea, 17 (Plaza Mayor)
91 336 4217
When you’re in the Guinness Book of Records as the oldest continuously running restaurant, you must be doing something right. It may be a bit touristy during the season but the suckling pig is a Spanish classic. 

Paradores – Throughout the country
Any Spanish Paradore has some of the best dining rooms in the country and they are priced right for the quality.

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