I have visited Mexico City multiple times in the last five years (another Mexico City guide here). It’s an incredible city and probably the best in North America. At 8,000 feet of elevation, the summertime is technically the rainy season. But not like you see in Vietnam or Thailand. It basically just rains a little every day. Sometimes a lot. But not really so much that it ruins a trip. In fact, it was about 20° cooler than the insane humid summer we’re having in Michigan.

I’m going to recap the things I did and places I stayed in this city guide. I took two friends and both proclaimed it was one of their best trips yet…

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I have been making and thinking about pizza for the majority of my life. When I was a kid, my grandfather would make a focaccia, deep dish, hybrid pizza in the home oven. By the time I was 15 I was slapping dough at a local Papa John’s. I’ve made some kind of hand tossed flat round ingredient topped bread at every restaurant I’ve ever worked. I’ve organized pizza competitions, installed a wood fired Forno Bravo in my backyard and recently invested in and partnered into a local pizzeria: Amelia Street.

I am fortunate to travel quite frequently throughout the year. I’ve made the pilgrimage to Phoenix for Bianco. I eat slices around NYC every year, I’ve zipped around the back of a moped in Naples with a belly full of pizza fritta. I’m a pseudo-regular at Sabasu in Akasaka, Tokyo. Walked around New Haven with a white clam pie. Tried a Little Caesar’s in Oaxaca (don’t do that). And I pop into independent, interesting pizza places from Galway to Osaka and anywhere in between. And you know what? I’m no expert. I’m an enthusiast. I fucking love pizza. But what is it really? Is Chicago tavern, Neopolitan, Detroit style, Roman pizza al metro, Jet’s four corner, frozen cauliflower crust grocery store pizza all the same thing? It’s categorized as such. Which means everyone is an enthusiast. But not everyone will agree on exactly what they are enthused about.

Dough, cheese, sauce, toppings. Although I think cheese is a topping, albeit an extremely popular one. Sauce too. Although sauce can also be sauce on the side. For dunking and drizzling. So maybe it’s just dough and toppings. Because pizza is broad and makes up a large portion of affordable restaurant cuisine I feel there’s automatically a perceived value argument for many Americans about quantity over quality. Some folks want to feel a heavy box when they carry it out. If it’s a “meal” then it needs to be topped. Even though bread itself has been sustenance for over 14,000 years and I personally view pizza as a garnished bread experience, many people view the dough as a simple vessel for the real meal.

I always found the meat lovers or excessive topping culture to be sloppy and unnecessary. I also think midwesterners are conditioned to like a wet, pale, soft pizza experience. Every picture I see posted with some nice char and leoparding will have someone in the comment section shouting “burnt!”. Why are we like this? I don’t look at Hot N Ready’s and shout “wet!” Or “soft!”. Hell, Hot N Ready’s kept me from starving at points in my life. But they’ve also steered our pizza palates into questionable territory.

Pizza in the US is about a $50 Billion industry. So you could say it’s slightly competitive and maaaybe a little saturated. We are the second largest consumer of pizza (behind Norway! What the hell lol). But if Pizzeria Bianco, Lucali and Hungry Howie’s are categorically the same, then what does that even mean?

I remember when my friend Luciano Del Signore opened his first pizza place, Bigalora in Southfield Michigan, he found a local competitor digging in his dumpster to see what brands of products he was using. Before we even opened the doors at Amelia Street we had people posting one-star reviews with elaborate (& very fake) stories of guests hating the pizza. A little light Google detective work would easily lead to these being from competitors in the area.

If you can buy a horribly cheap and nutritionally benign flour from some Big Ag hellscape supplier or an organic, carefully milled, fresh artisan flour from a real farm owned by real people and both can be turned into pizza, where does the responsibility of perceived value lie? Some people can taste the difference and immediately justify any extra expense.

Like coffee. I’ve waited in line at Koffee Mameya in Tokyo to buy hand selected and meticulously roasted beans curated to me by a coffee sommelier, while the hotel I was staying at was literally giving away a free option.

If you buy bulk Folgers and make it at home, you can enjoy a caffeine buzz for about 6-10 cents. But your local coffee shop probably sells a nice pour over coffee for $7. That’s a difference of over 100 fold for “categorically” the same product. But I’m sure we can all agree, they’re not the same.

At the end of the day pizza is food. And regardless of palate and socioeconomic status, we all need food to live. Sustenance. As a chef, I view most moments of sustenance as an opportunity for flavor and emotional stimulation. Not everyone agrees, and not everyone has the luxury to feel that way. I think it becomes problematic when those who eat for sustenance only dabble in the criticism of those who eat for something more. You can buy a plastic folding chair at Walmart for less than $10 or a Minotti lounge chair for $10,000. I’ve been sitting in chairs my whole life. I’ve even spent tens of thousands of dollars buying rounds and rounds of chairs for restaurants. But I am absolutely no expert in chairs. In fact, you could argue I don’t know shit about chairs. So if I were to criticize one because I’ve sat in and purchased them, I would sound quite silly to someone who spent their life building them.

Chefs, pizzaiolos, people who make things get their feelings hurt. In today’s day and age (especially with social media) if you put yourself out there in the slightest, someone is willing to cut your head off for nothing. But that’s just the way people are. Think about your favorite band or the most beautiful actor or actress you’ve ever seen. Your favorite painting. Your favorite movie.

If you look up any criticism or go down any rabbit holes on Reddit, you’ll find a legion of people who despise the exact thing you love. And that’s life. That’s show business. But it doesn’t have to be. I recommend you leave positive reviews when you have a positive experience. And don’t return to the places where you don’t. Or if it’s really bad, email the owner and let them know your situation. I assure you, pizza is a happy experience. There’s that old saying that pizza is like sex. Even when it’s bad it’s still pretty good.

So let’s all relax and be grateful that we live in a time where there’s so many pizzas to choose from. And remember the other Famous quote: “Every pizza is a personal pizza if you try hard enough”. - Bill Murray

Plum Galette

You will need (equipment)

• A mixer with paddle attachment

• Rolling pin

• Standard sheet pan

• Parchment paper or other sheet pan liner

• Pastry brush

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You would think that after a year-and-a-half of writing a travel guide, we would’ve considered our own hometown already. But it’s easy to take where you live for granted. I think of Detroit as the real capital of Michigan. The Crown Jewel of the Rust Belt. A true modern American city, where independent businesses can still open up for a somewhat reasonable cost. Where all four seasons show up and show out. All major sports teams have representation. A city that guarantees a stop on big-name-musician tours. An airport with quick direct flight to New York, Chicago, Atlanta, Miami, New Orleans not to mention a daily direct flight to Tokyo. Relatively affordable housing. A body of water always within a stone’s throw. A city where the bar food scene is just as interesting as the fine dining food scene. And how about Dearborn and the incredible diversity of Middle Eastern cuisine inside its city limits! Or the John R corridor in Madison Heights and all of its Asian influence and ingredients. Sure, Michigan isn’t perfect. There’s definitely some crust and rust. But that’s what makes it real. And interesting. The people of Detroit, southeast Michigan and the entire state represent a do-it-yourself, tough but hospitable lifestyle. The friendliness in the Midwest is not a myth. You can be tough, interesting and kind. To me, that’s what I think of when describing Detroit.

Where to stay

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Chef James:

Vegas is hot. And so are Michigan summers. We recently ran this toast at Mabel and it was one of my favorite dishes of the summer. Strawberry season is the best! I also like to add some thinly shaved prosciutto or Benton’s Ham to this dish. Make it a whole meal!

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Disclaimer: we discuss adult entertainment in this guide. Proceed with caution if that’s not your thing.

Oh Las Vegas. The bouillon cube of American culture. A dizzying and overwhelming city that’s often too hot, too crowded and too gluttonous. I’ve been three times in my life prior to this past visit - the most recent being 18 years ago. I never really desired to go back. In fact, I tried to avoid it. However, my dear friend, Nicole Rupersburg moved out there 12 years ago and I couldn’t continue my stubborn avoidance on behalf of our wonderful friendship. Alas, I returned.

Nicole spent many years as a food writer in the Detroit area and can build a to-do/must-visit/top-spot list faster and better than the best of them. So naturally, I rolled into town sorta blind and allowed her to plan most things.

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Vegetal and refreshing, it’s hard to have just one…

Makes one cocktail:

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This month’s City Guide is brought to you by Sam Stanisz - Chef James’ life partner, Mabel Gray Sous Chef and the calligraphy artist behind Mabel’s controversially handwritten menu. Sam grows food in her home food forest for the restaurant and often accompanies Chef James on his international travels. We asked her to chime in on her favorite winter getaway, San Diego…

Almost every Spring for the past seven years, when I’m over the cold weather and gray skies, I hop on a Delta flight and head to San Diego for a few days. It reignites a fire within me that only the ocean waves outside my window and 75-degree sunny days can spark.

More specifically, I head to a laid back surf town called Ocean Beach. Only a 10-minute drive from the San Diego airport and a 15 min drive to downtown San Diego.

San Diego is less like one single city and more like a collection of very different coastal towns, urban districts, historic enclaves, and suburban communities stitched together by beaches, canyons, and freeways. Each neighborhood has a noticeably different personality.

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Chef James, here:

Griddled Cornbread

Historically, Slovenian cuisine is pretty rustic. However, like Prague in Czech Republic, Ljubljana has had incredible creative growth from the chefs in the area and the future is wide open. Not to mention Ana Roš’s 3-Michelin Mecca. But I’m going to deviate from being directly inspired and just go with something I th…

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Paulina here. When Chef James and I were planning our trip to Northern Italy in January of 2026, we were assembling our itinerary and deciding between driving to the alpine city of Bolzano or spending more time in Verona. I was leaning towards Bolzano, despite the snowy drive and the hubbub of the Olympics, when Chef recommended we drive to Ljubljana for a few days instead. I was skeptical at first, not knowing much about Slovenia aside from the few (delicious) wines I’ve tasted. I’m so glad he pushed for it because I loved our time there and can’t wait to return.

Slovenia is a relatively new nation that is culturally still coming into itself after 1,000 years under the Habsburg rule and 80 years as part of Yugoslavia. Their ‘Ten-Day’ war for independence was in June of 1991. Ljubljana is the capital city and the largest city, with a (mostly) car-free city center flanking the Ljubljana river with restaurants, bars, museums and community spaces. The moody Castle of Ljubljana looms over the city which romanticized our winter stay and made us crave a cold beer and a sausage from the Christmas market. The food scene is young, embracing local dairy and artisanal charcuterie products. The tension between high-brow/low-brow dining and drinking is fun and approachable. We were equally impressed by the composed dishes in a bistro as we were with the goulash at the dive bar down the street.

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Lamb Neck Pozole

Pozole is a classic Mexican soup utilizing hominy (nixtamalized corn), red chiles and typically pork or chicken. Common garnishes are shaved raw cabbage, radishes, cilantro, avocado, jalapeño, lime, raw onion and jicama. Any combination of these garnishes are awesome. The more the merrier!

I love lamb and the flavor you get from braising lamb on the bone is hard to beat. If you can’t find lamb necks it’s ok to substitute lamb shanks or bone-in lamb shoulder.

I like to overnight braise in the oven at a really low setting. Like 250°. If I don’t have any high quality stock, I’ll typically use a Mexican lager, like Modelo, as the braising liquid.

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Intro

Austin, Texas has long been a destination for food and it’s only gotten bigger and more famous. I’ve been to Austin quite a few times and always enjoy the blend of Texas weather, dive bars, Mexican influence, Asian influence, great lodging options, live music and walkability. It’s certainly not perfect. Gentrification and corporate takeover is real and sometimes it’s hard to tell the difference if you’re in Nashville/Miami/Seattle/Austin/Chicago or Denver by the development, design and architecture. American food cities have a corporate homogenization problem and Austin is not immune. BUT! It doesn’t mean it’s all bad. In fact, it’s mostly good! Just take the time to make sure you’re supporting local and independent, and chances are you’ll be eating much better.

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Italy loves soup. And honestly, I love soup! I feel like soup is not a common dish you see in chef-owned restaurants nowadays. You see it in Italian restaurants in America. You definitely see it in Italy.

When I was a private chef, my boss at the time, Habib, told me one winter: “I want a different soup every day”. I was already very comfortable making soup, but had never been challenged with variety like that. It was an odd exercise but it cemented my commitment to making soup lol. I also feel like it’s a great dish to serve for texture and aroma on a tasting menu. So it serves Mabel Gray well.

We recently ran our vegan mushroom bisque at the restaurant. This is a soup that I’ve been making for years (in one version or another). It’s rich, umami, creamy and filling. It’s a crowd-pleaser for the vegans looking for sustenance. For the lover of mushrooms, it’s just a bowl of comfort.

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This month, we’re picking up where we left of on our wintery Italian roadtrip. In case you missed our last travel guide, here’s a link to Part I, when we flew to Venice, drove through Friuli and landed in the charming canal town of Treviso. To start this second leg of our trip, we hop back in the car and drive 1 hour and 40 minutes to Verona to meet Chef’s cousin, Mattia.

Verona

As a Shakespeare fan, I (Paulina) was particularly excited to walk the bustling streets of Verona. Verona' is known for the Arena di Verona (an ancient Roman amphitheater), a rich art and opera culture, and the adjacent wine subregions of Valpolicella and Soave. Of course, there’s also Juliet’s balcony which Mattia calls “the world’s most disappointing tourist attraction” because the structure has no relevance to Shakespeare’s play, and the courtyard is covered in chewing gum. We skipped this stop in favor of a long lunch, and a visit to the Ponte Pietra bridge.

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Hi, everyone! Sous Chef Adam here. I’ve been reflecting on our time in Italy earlier this month, and found the bar culture in Venice to be particularly memorable. All food in Italy is delicious, but in Venice has its fair share of pricey tourist traps with unremarkable menus. Bacari are the perfect way around this. The name ‘bacari’ comes from the Venetian phrase ‘far bacara,’ meaning ‘to make noise,’ or ‘to party.’ These are little wine bars, or rustic taverns, serving tapas-style small bites (cicchetti), approachable local wines and spritzes. Oftentimes, you snack quickly, standing up, before moving on to the next location. You’ll find a wide variety of cicchetti all through Venice: toasted bread with shaved ham, fried meatballs, marinated sardines, whipped salt cod, or marinated vegetables. The list goes on. The dishes below are a Mabel Gray-twist on the cicchetti you find while walking the moody canal labyrinth of Venice at night.

At home, these recipes are perfect for a cocktail hour or potluck. You could create your own ‘spritz bar’ where guests choose between Cynar, Aperol or Campari and serve Venetian bites alongside. This sort of laidback hosting allows for more time for chatting and less fussing.

First - start with your favorite bakery. Grab the best focaccia, ciabatta or baguette you can find. We frequent Crispelli’s at the restaurant. This will be your vessel. Cut the bread into toast points, or small two bite pieces. Lay on a baking pan and drizzle with a little olive oil and season with salt. Bake at 350° until toasty golden brown.

Baccalà with Pickled Onion and Castelvetrano

For baccalà montecato (whipped salt cod spread) - 4 servings

1 lb salt cod

High quality heavy cream (we prefer Guernsey dairy)

4 cloves garlic

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The Rigatos are northern Italians that trace much farther back than the country itself. In and around Treviso, you’ll see or hear the name all the time. I connected with my cousins there a few years back and have visited many times. I even brought my cousin Mattia to Michigan to hang out in Detroit as well as visit the Keweenaw and Isle Royale.

Mattia’s father, Valentino, is basically the family historian. He even took me to the family home of my great great grandmother. The home is under renovations from a new owner, but the kitchen and even the bedroom is still intact. It was wild to see the bedroom where my great grandfather, Giovanni, was born. As well as the birth record inscription at the church.

I love Italy. All of it. Such a varied and special place. But I think Veneto is overlooked. Obviously Venice isn’t, but the rest of the region has so many treasures you could spend months exploring it.

I will visit Padua, Treviso, Valdobbiadene, Verona and Bassano del Grappa anytime! But Asolo has my heart. I think it’s the best kept secret in the area (more on that later).

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The Hakata Ward is the main district in Fukuoka city located on Kyushu Island. It’s about a 4-hour Shinkansen ride or 2-hour flight southwest of Tokyo and only about an hour train ride from Hiroshima. The area has been called “Hakata” for about 1,200 years with plenty of shrines and 1,000+ year old trees throughout.

Although the city is called Fukuoka now, the main train station is still called Hakata Station. The train station is also a huge shopping area and worth some time spent exploring.

Fukuoka City is a port town with quick access to beautiful mountains and natural scenery. For instance, you could be eating ramen in the city center for lunch, and an hour later be exploring the Shiraito Falls. From beaches to the subway, street food to the Ritz-Carlton, this corner of Japan is not to be overlooked.

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