FatVicks
I’m Vicky and I love to eat food. I love to write about food, spend my entire day obsessing about what I want to eat, which new recipes I want to try, and where I want to visit next both in London and the rest of the world. I hope you enjoy my food blog!
South East London Single Sexy Summer Date Spots
Thanks to my current social media MVP, Kimberly Cumberbatch, it’s single sexy summer whether you’re single or not. Chante Joseph made us question relationships as a whole, and Kimberley is forcing us into strategy mode. She’s also releasing a range of single-sexy-summer merch that launches at 7pm tonight, which is important news. As a result […]
A Yoga Mountain Retreat in the Alpujarras
Exploring the beauty of yoga amidst the serene Alpujarra mountains in Andalucía.
Life, Tranquilo: A Retreat at Shanti-Som Marbella
Trading a dank UK summer for four hours' flight to a tropical, Balinese-inspired wellness retreat above Marbella.
A Tapas Crawl Through Málaga
A bar-by-bar crawl through Málaga's tapas scene, from old-school bodegas to newer haunts.
Slow Bites in Vienna: From Café Culture to Fire-Cooked Feasts
A foodie tour of Austria's capital, from dumplings to fine dining, and a city of quiet culinary innovation.
New York, On Ice: A Winter Martini Crawl
A sub-zero Manhattan calls for one thing: a crawl through the city's best martini bars, in a city that does nothing in halves.
Solaya Is a Soaring Shoreditch Success
Kenny Atkinson, of two Michelin-starred restaurants in Newcastle, brings Solaya to the art'otel in Hoxton.
Guide to Rio de Janeiro
For those who don’t know, I spent the first half of 2025 living in Rio de Janeiro, on a one-person mission to squeeze every last drop out of the city, brush up on my questionable Portuguese, and eat and drink my body weight in local delicacies. Armed with what I like to think is a […]
Didi & Franc
A closer look at the Kennington deli-by-day, restaurant-by-night that turns up in her own South East London date spots.
Villa Paranaguá Hotel & Spa: A Hidden Paradise in Rio
Something rather magical happens as you leave Rio de Janeiro's busy, chaotic historical centre and begin to ascend towards Santa Teresa — a review of a hidden hotel between Glória and Santa Teresa.
Braai and Biltong at the Brilliant Vivat Bacchus
South African restaurant Vivat Bacchus offers meaty magnificence with its braai board and rolling biltong bar.
Rio's Botecos: A Taste of Brazil's Community Spirit
On organising a boteco crawl through Rio with a local foodie expert — Brazil's answer to the corner pub, and why they matter.
Bohemian Luxury in the Hills: A Stay at Chez Georges, Rio's Best-Kept Secret
High above Rio's postcard beaches, in the bohemian hills of Santa Teresa — a review of one of the neighbourhood's quietest, coolest stays.
Palate's Guide to Açaí and Where to Find the Best in Rio de Janeiro
A guide to Rio's açaí culture — where it comes from, how to order it like a local, and the spots worth the queue.
Into Paradise: A Night at Vila Santa Teresa, Rio de Janeiro
A seven-bedroom former family home turned boutique hotel, sitting atop five hectares of private land in the heights of Santa Teresa.
Itinerary: Date Night in Hackney
It’s been a minute since I imparted some knowledge via the fatvicks blog. The previous date night itineraries have gone down fairly well: we’re talking a smattering of glowing reviews and so far no relationship fatalities. I don’t want to say that this is a perfect plan, because anything can happen in Hackney on any […]
Eco-lodging in Colombia
Two blissful days were all I had at Cannúa, a remote eco lodge perched in the foothills of the Andes, a half-hour drive from Marinilla and ninety-minute drive from Medellín. Dotted in a small section of the valley, nestled within a 9 lush hectares of protected forest, Cannúa’s wooden cabins are understated, blending beautifully into […]
20 affordable & essential London spots
Here are some not too crazily pricy spots that I always recommend – ideal for bringing visiting parents to, date nights, group meals, brunch, and many more occasions. Lots more of these but I find myself constantly recommending the same bunch here:
Bar D4100
A deeper dive into the Nunhead pizza-and-spritz spot she keeps sending people to.
Medellín te amo
There is something special in the air in Medellin. Emerging from the deep Aburrá valley in the Antioquia region, the city casts a striking silhouette with its characteristic terracotta-coloured roofs and skyscrapers that jut out amidst dramatic outlines of the Andes mountains on all sides. The approach from the airport involves a constant ascent and […]
Where to go for decent food in Clapham
About a month ago I bid farewell to the region of London I’d called home for three years. The Clapham Junction area was where I lay my hat during two different house tenancies and I was lucky enough to have three fantastic years living in that much-abused haven for the culturally unimaginative and the demographically […]
Itinerary: Date Night in Angel
After a hiatus favicks is back on the blog. I’ve had some excellent date night inspo recently so brace yourselves for a real bonanza as we lock into date night season. Thank you to all who have tried out the Soho itinerary, this is fantastic, love the feedback so keep it coming. Here is date […]
A petit trip to Paris
As followers of my @fatvicks Instagram page will know, I was lucky enough to visit Paris a whopping five times over the past eight months. I practically had a favourite seat on the Eurostar. Therefore, speaking as a local (joking, please hold the abuse) I feel I have the authority to recommend some of the […]
A Young Person’s Guide to the Camino de Santiago
Guest feature alert! Adam has just been on the Camino de Santiago in Spain for three weeks and is here to share his thoughts – very useful guide below: In April 2023, I walked the Camino de Santiago (‘the Way of St James’). If you are reading this, you likely already know what the Camino […]
Tel Aviv food: discovering new classics
Don’t get me wrong, I love a good recommendation. I spend most of my waking hours (outside of work hours, obviously) collating restaurants, recipes and destinations onto one of my many extensive lists and databases, stashing them away in case of emergencies. If I ever find myself suddenly dropped in the middle of Japan, for […]
Itinerary: Date Night in Soho
I’ve been asked by a considerable number of people whether I have a good idea for a date night itinerary. While I am by no means deeming myself to be a dating guru (I’ve had my fair share of disaster stories, thank you Hinge) I do have some ideas up my sleeve for what I […]
I want to Liv in Tel Aviv
I want to Liv in Tel Aviv Tel Aviv is a very special place. Roaming around the streets on the first night, we were soon exposed to the incredibly unique feeling of the city. Never before have I seen such a striking combination of shabby, falling-down buildings and modern, uber-trendy hole-in-the-wall bars and restaurants bedecked […]