Food And Travel

Five beverages that predate the wine list by centuries and have been waiting for the world to catch up — mitti attar from Kannauj, ceremonial matcha from Uji, tepache from Oaxaca, sikhye from Korea, and single-origin drinking chocolate from Madagascar.

At a certain point, Goa stops being about the places you go and starts being about the place you stay. Seré Resort in Vagator — eight fully serviced private pool villas, dedicated butlers, in-villa dining — is built for exactly that realization.

Founded in Tokyo in 2001, the chain now operates around 80 locations across Japan and has an established presence in Singapore, Taiwan, and Hong Kong. It has just opened its first flagship in the United States, in Pasadena, California, with locations in Boston, Idaho, and Northern California confirmed to follow.

In a small city south of Kyoto, the world's most serious cup of tea has been made the same way for eight centuries. What it costs to produce it properly, and why the finest version of it is unlike anything else you will ever drink.