Food and drink

IT’S 10pm on a Sunday and I’m dancing alongside 50 strangers, an Aperol spritz in one hand and a skewered olive in the other.

I’m at La Ciclatera Sotto Il Mare, a bar tucked into the medieval walls of Bari in southern Italy.

This historic port city is the capital of Puglia, sitting in the heel of Italy’s boot on the Adriatic coast.

And it’s that same coastline I’m now gazing at, swaying to Italian tunes the locals know every word to as they dig into shared pizza boxes.

It’s a moment that really captures the city’s vibe, and is just one of many reasons to see it for yourself.

This summer, easyJet started flying to Bari from Manchester, joining its existing routes from Gatwick and Bristol. With a flight time of just under three hours, it’s a fresh alternative to the usual long weekend in Barcelona or Lisbon.

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Until now, Bari has largely been known to Brits as a stepping stone to the more famous corners of Puglia — but it deserves better..

Bari’s real charm lies in its old town, Bari Vecchia, where you can easily lose a whole day.

Its alleys twist between pale stone houses strung with washing lines, past tiny churches and crumbling shopfronts, before opening on to squares packed with restaurants, bars and trendy gelato spots.

Despite being on the coast, Bari isn’t brimming with beaches but there are still sunbathing spots — Pane e Pomodoro is a 30-minute stroll from the centre.

This small stretch of sand is easy to swim from and dotted with bars. It gets very busy at weekends though, so arrive early.

Those after a bit of culture should check out the Basilica di San Nicola, an 11th-century church built to house the remains of Saint Nicholas, the man who inspired Santa Claus.

A few streets away, there’s the 12th-century Castello Svevo, which has a museum and art exhibitions, as well as panoramic vistas from its ramparts.

But the biggest attraction in Bari is the food. It is the birthplace of orecchiette — the “little ears” pasta shape Puglia is famous for — and you’ll find it on most menus.

The best I had was at La Beuat, a modern seafood spot on a tiny square in the Carbonara district.

Every table was full of locals tucking into dishes such as grilled octopus and fiery spaghetti all’assassina — Bari’s signature pasta cooked in a scorching pan until the edges char.

Three courses for two with wine came to around €60 (£50), which is fairly standard for a good quality meal in the old town.

For more traditional vibes, La Cantina dello Zio is a family-run trattoria famous for its orecchiette with turnip tops.

Another favourite was Osteria del Borgo on Piazza Mercantile, one of the old town’s most atmospheric squares.

As I ended every evening with a stomach full of pasta, I was grateful for the short walk back to my hotel, the 4* Movenpick Bari.

Rooms are contemporary and comfortable and breakfast is served on the eighth floor, which has sweeping views of the city and harbour.

Bari is a great base for exploring the Puglia region and Ionian coast, where powder-white sands have earned it the nickname “the Maldives of Italy”.

Hire a car from around £30 per day to reach the more remote areas or let the train take the strain.

Polignano a Mare, the clifftop town famed for its beach carved into the cliffs, is fewer than 30 minutes away from Bari by rail.

Monopoli, with its whitewashed old town and string of turquoise coves, is also well worth an afternoon visit for a swim and plate of pasta by the harbour.

A little further afield is Alberobello, a UNESCO World Heritage Site that is renowned for its trulli (traditional cone-roofed stone huts).

That said, you don’t have to go far. Bari has more than enough charm, food and character to fill a long weekend — especially if you plan your days around what’s on the menu.

The hunt for the UK’s best fish and chip shop 2027 is on and there are 40 potential winners, as the shops near you make the shortlist and standout amongst thousands

More than 40 chippies have been named on the National Fish and Chip Awards longlist, as they battle it out to be winners of the National Fish & Chip Awards for 2027.

There are contenders in almost every county, from the seaside to small villages and big cities; the UK is home to an array of tasty chippies.

This lineup of fish and chip shops has impressed the judges, scoring ‘outstanding’ across a number of categories, including food quality, customer service, industry expertise and commitment to sustainability.

Selected from entries across the UK, the businesses in the longlist have impressed judges with their products, service and ability to represent fish and chip-loving communities up and down the country.

In their 39th year of awards, they continue to recognise greatness in the food world, across 14 categories, which includes the highly contested Restaurant of the Year.

The current Takeaway of the Year titleholder, Aman Dhesi, co-owner of The Scrap Box in York, Yorkshire, shared what his win meant to him last year.

He said: “More than six months on from winning, we’re still seeing the impact of the award. It gave the business a huge boost, as did reaching the top 10 the year before, but probably the biggest thing has been the opportunities it’s opened up for us outside the shop, from media and travel to meeting people across the industry and getting involved in some really exciting projects.

“For those in the top 40, I’d say enjoy the process and make the most of it. The awards journey really makes you look closely at your own business – what you do well, what makes you different and where you can still improve.

“We learned a huge amount through the process before we ever won. And don’t try to second-guess what the judges want. Be proud of what makes your shop yours and tell that story.”

The next stage will narrow this number down to 20 in the semi-finals, before the top 10 is revealed for 2027.

The shortlist for the 40 best Fish and Chip takeaways in the UK:

Bristol

Bishopston Fish Bar

Jolly Fryer

Devon

Chippies Plaice, Newton Abbot

Taffs Fish and Chips, Torrington

Dorset

Somewhere Else Fishy, Sherborne

Essex

The Hook of Halstead

Greater Manchester

Taylors, Stockport

Hampshire

Berties, New Milton

Best Fry, Southampton

Mike’s Traditional Fish and Chips, Eastleigh

Mister Pink’s, Milford-on-Sea

Hertfordshire

The Corner Plaice, Rickmansworth

Lancashire

The Cottage, Blackpool

Lincolnshire

Catch 22, Tattershall

Linfords Fish and Chips, Market Deeping

Pips Chips, Cleethorpes

London

Chipping Wharf Fish & Chips, Bow

Fish! Kitchen, Southwark

Skipjacks, Harrow

Merseyside

The Good Catch (Freshfield), Liverpool

Norfolk

Grosvenor Fish Bar, Norwich

Nottinghamshire

Angell’s Fisheries, Newark

Oxfordshire

Harrison’s Fish & Chip Co., Oxford

Somerset

Knights Fish Restaurant, Glastonbury

Suffolk

Tulula’s Fish & Chips, Halesworth

Surrey

The Hake, Weybridge

Seafare Guildford

Yorkshire

The Fish Bank, Sherburn-in-Elmet

Northern Ireland

County Antrim

Browns Award Winning Fish and Chips, Belfast

Merchant Fish and Chips, Ballymena

County Down

The Frying Squad (Balloo), Bangor

McCann’s Fish & Chips, Newcastle

Scotland

Aberdeenshire

Garioch Fish Bar, Inverurie

Lows Traditional Fish & Chips (Westhill), Aberdeen

Ayrshire

Enzo’s Fish and Chips, Irvine

The Fish Works, Largs

Inverness-shire

Hilton Chip Shop, Inverness

Monster Fish & Chips Co., Fort Augustus

Wales

Powys

Hennighan’s Fish & Chips Bottom Shop, Machynlleth

Vale of Glamorgan

Farnhams Fish and Chips (Boverton), Llantwit Major

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There’s no worse feeling than looking up at the board in the airport to see your flight has been delayed, or being sat at the gate ready to board when it gets pushed back again.

Then comes the waiting game, and if you’ve ever wanted to swap those hard airport chairs for somewhere more comfortable, you’re in luck.

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With Travelzoo, if your flight gets delayed by an hour or more, you’ll see airport lounge tickets pop up straight into your email inbox or via text.

Then you can simply head straight to the lounge to enjoy free Wi-Fi, somewhere to charge your phone, free food and drinks (including alcohol) as well as comfy seats.

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So instead of sitting bored at the gate or squeezing onto a table in an expensive airport restaurant, you could treat the family to a comfy sofa with free-flowing food and drink.

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Airport lounge day passes typically cost between £30 – £40, whereas a Travelzoo membership costs £30 for an entire year.

That means just one delayed flight would justify the cost of an entire year’s membership.

Instead of blowing £30 on bottles of water, snacks and in overpriced airport shops, you could bag yourself an entire year of comfort when you most need it.

But there’s no need to pay the £30 without trialling it out first, when you can pay £1 to give Travelzoo a go for a month by clicking here.

But it’s not all about the stylish airport lounges. Travelzoo members also get access to super cheap holiday deals.

We’ve found UK breaks from £89pp, Portugal holidays from £127pp, and even an incredible 11-night River Nile cruise and hotel package for £549pp – package deals that are reserved for Travelzoo members.

One of the best deals this week is a three-night £151pp all inclusive holiday to Marrakesh including flights, staying the 4-star Aqua Mirage Club & Aqua Parc, set at the foot of the Atlas Mountains. 

The hotel has three swimming pools onsite, two of which are heated through winter, plus a wellness centre, tennis courts and football field.  

And guests can take the daily shuttle into central Marrakesh to explore the souks and medina.

We also found a Benidorm package holiday for £179pp, a two-night staycation for two in Northumberland for £89, or a charming English inn stay for £59.

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Sun readers can try Travelzoo for 30 days for just £1 by clicking the button below.

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Prices correct at the time of publication.

SEVERAL UK eateries have been named among the best in the world – from a mash bar to a £100 gothic feast.

Tripadvisor has revealed its 2026 Travellers‘ Choice Awards: Best of the Best Restaurants and 12 of the top spots in the world are in the UK.

All the spots featured were decided on by millions of reviews for the past year.

Here is a rundown of the top places to head for a bite in the UK:

Coming out eighth in the world in the Casual Dining category was Casa Brazilian Rodizio in York.

The family-run Brazilian steakhouse – also named the top spot in the UK in the category for a second year in a row – is more of a dining experience than your usual sit-down-and-eat restaurant.

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Diners have to flip a card on their table to green if they want the chef, who is doing loops of the room, to carve spit-roasted meats at the table.

For a breather, visitors must turn the card to red.

Dinner costs £36.95 per person and is available every evening from 4pm and includes premium cuts such as flank steak and chilli beef.

Next up, longtime Travellers’ Choice favourite Makars Gourmet Mash Bar, Edinburgh was named twelfth in the world on the same list.

Diners are meant to pick a meat or plant-based alternative, with one of nine mash options including Scottish cheese and black pudding.

When it came to the Hidden Gems list, Hampstead-based spot Bonoo Indian Tapas which serves Indian small plates was named 13th in the world.

Prices range between £20 and £40 per person.

A few UK destinations were named on the best Date Nights spots in the world, as well.

London Steakhouse Co., which was opened by chef Marco Pierre White in 2008 and typically ranges from £40 to £100 per person, secured fourth place.

Another steak spot – The Herd Steak Restaurant in Bath – was then named in eleventh place.

And finally, modern family-run British bistro 1863 Restaurant in the picturesque village of Pooley Bridge in the Lake District came in at 19th.

Up in Glasgow, Indian spot Green Gates Merchant City made the world list for the first time, ranking sixth in Vegan & Vegetarian restaurants category.

When it comes to immersive food and drink experiences, the Royal Historic Pubs Walking Guided Tour in London, costing from £32 per person, was named tenth in the world on the World Wine & Beer Experiences list.

The tour usually includes heading to different historic pubs and learning about their history and famous visitors including former Prime Minister Winston Churchill, King Charles II and pop icon Ed Sheeran.

Dishoom was first on the Viral Right Now list, with London hotspots Mad Hatter’s Tea at Sanderson’s following in third and Borough Market Food Tour London named twelfth.

If you don’t mind splashing the cash, in Edinburgh, Scotland, The Witchery was named fourth in the World in the Fine Dining category.

The Witchery also claimed the top spot in Europe and the UK, for Fine Dining.

The well-known restaurant is a Gothic-style luxury restaurant which originally opened back in 1979 and can be found inside a historic building dating back to the 16th century.

Inside, diners can expect candlelight and oak panels with meals usually costing over £100 per person.