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Travelers Kitchen

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1731 S MacArthur Blvd

Springfield, IL 62704

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THE find of our four day trip to see the eclipse in Illinois. On Wednesday we went up to Springfield to see the Dana House by Frank Lloyd Wright, a must do. We also wandered around the Lincoln home area. We asked a number of locals for food suggestions and they was the micro brewery (big whoop) nearby and a place called Springfield Carriage that Google said was open but they were closed. So we did a little digging and came up with this west African spot. Lucky day. We were there in the afternoon and there was no one else there. The dining area is neat but, at least that day, airless. A young Africa (Gambian) man answered our question, took our order, went back, prepared it and served it! We sat outside on a beautiful day. I've had Ethiopia food before but I found out this is a totally different thing. Tenderly stewed onions that melt in your mouth smother a wonderfully seasoned chicken thigh in a dish known as chicken Yassa. It is served with plain white rice and a small serving of mixed, uniquely different, vegetables. This food is all about bold flavors and nothing displays that better than the Benachin chicken. I understand it's the national dish of Gambia. Beautiful to look at, the thigh has been slashed in several places to allow the spices to penetrate. Roasted (?) until the skin is crackingly crisp with the chicken moist inside. Insanely good jollof rice (rice with tomatoes, garlic, onions and seasonings) accompany it. Sometimes you take a chance and win. This was that day.

The Small and long awaited African Cuisine restaurant. I placed my order, got into my car and the aroma ignited my taste buds and my mouth watered until I got home. I couldn't wait to tear into this true ethnic food... Ok so let me tell you about my experience. I walked in one day, randomly after driving past several times. Note: Springfield has a fairly sizable African population so I thought they would be getting some good traffic by now. I said all that to say, there were no customers when I walked in but me and only one came in after me. I know the people are here... and the sign is big enough but , I don't think the word is out yet. Go figure. So,, I'm going to be honest but gentle because it's still new and more traffic would change some things. Ok, so here's the short of it...when I walked in there was some festive music playing. It wasn't blaring and it was quiet elevator music either. I wanted to eat and drink and dance just from the sounds and the smells. The workers were pleasant and friendly. I was surprised to see that the menu was so limited. I would have liked to have seen more soups, stews and veggie options, and some select African desserts, at least one or two. Anyway, I ordered two entrees and it was more expensive than I expected...I ordered the Jollaf rice with chicken and the fufu with goat peppered soup. I really liked the soup the goat meat was very tender and the soup had some kick to it. The fufu was a first for me but was well paired with the soup. I can't rate the fufu because I've nothing to compare it to. The Jollaf rice on the other hand I've had on many occasions over the years and in different parts of the U.S. I am well aware that there are national variations to preparing Jollaf rice. However, I've never had Jollaf rice that was both a bit bland and over cooked...and I really like Jollaf rice, I always have. So I was a bit disappointed. The chicken was well cooked and helped carry the rice but it could stand a bit more seasoning...just a pinch. I got a pinch of lettuce...not sure if that was to be salad or what??? It had no condiments. My recommendations: -Marketing is needed, get the word out that you are here. Use TikTok and FB, offer a discount to positive yelp reviews. -Host a couple of African social events to get the people to come in. -If you're not going to season generously then marinade the meats, in advance, and over night. -Make the rice in batches so you don't have to keep it warm so long -Lower the prices ..just a little I'm encouraging everyone to come out and try it for yourself. We need more ethnic foods in this town...I'll keep coming if you all do too. I won't be able to come if they don't survive...They built it so we should come.

Jollof rice with Chicken and Fish Yassa were amazing and we can see why they won best appetizer for their meat samosas! The ginger drink was like ginger beer without the bubbles, nice and tingly. We'll have to try the soups and other items next time.

Just tried the new restaurant "Travelers Kitchen" on MacArthur Boulevard. It's African (actually West African) cuisine, quite different from the usual American tastes. For the less adventurous, they have "Afro-Mex" like tacos, burritos, and taco salad, but we opted for the Benachin (Jolof rice) with half a tilapia, and Chicken Yassa, chicken cooked in an onion and vegetable sauce (with a nice kick to it.) Next time I'll try either the Fufu with goat pepper soup, or Domoda (Peanut Butter Soup cooked with beef.) Sadly, we were the only diners present at lunchtime. Hopefully, word will get around and we'll see an increase in their business.

The staff was very friendly asking how we were doing. The food we order was just fantastic! I had a Samosa, and I loved it so much, I ordered two for the road. The entrée I had (Yassa Chicken w/ Vegetables) was extremely delicious also. We were traveling through (Traveler's Kitchen) and decided to try this restaurant, and had a great dinner and will definitely come back when we go to Springfield again.

My son and I very much enjoyed the Benachin with Jollif Rice. We will be back to try something else!

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African specials, cheese cake, fountain drink (240z), fountain drink (160z), mexican sprite, water bottle, mexican coke, burrito (steak), tacos (chicken), 18. taco salad, 16. burritos, 15. quesadillas, jerk chicken, egusi soup only, fufu w/okra, small plate of rice, goat pepper soup only, lunch special, plantain plate, goat pepper soup with rice, fufu w goat pepper soup, fish yassa served with white rice, fish yassa with full fish (tilapia), benachin with full fish (tilapia), fufu with egusi soup, 12. egg roll, 7. chicken yassa w/ vegetables, 6. chicken yassa w/ rice, 5. benachin, 4. plantain w/ jollof rice, 3. benachin (chicken & plantain), 2. benachin (fish), 11. shrimp shawarma, 10.chicken shawarma, 1. benachin (chicken), vegetarain fufu, vegan samosa, vegan fried rice, wednesday 10 pc deal, wednesday 6pc deal, wednesday 8pc wings deal, party wings 8pc, party wings 10pc, party wings 12pc, travelers kitchen menu info, sponsored restaurants in your area.

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Travellers Kitchen & Bar

Ratings and reviews, location and contact.

The only drink hole in Tanah Rata near to where we stayed. My hubby and friend wanted a beer before dinner and we stopped here to chill out. As I am not a drinker I refuse the request when the server approach me. He then... offer to bring me a glass of water and that never came. For a glass of Heineken and a Kilkenny the bill chalk up almost 50 Ringgit. An odd thing about this bar is that there are NO SMOKING signs on the walls but there are ashtrays on all the tables! I wonder how the owners get away with this ruling!!! More

This is the only place with a proper bar ambience. Many options in beer. Hot drinks are available too. Outside seating was very good. Nice staff. Good place to hangout in Tanah Rata.

although he is a bar but he provide Shisha or Hookah it open late staff is lovely and the place is open to the air so the smoke doesn't stick to your clothes

Great spot for a drink in CH. The ambiance is nice being on the corner and having all the outdoor seating. Yes, the prices are a little higher, but they’re still reasonable. If you’re looking for a nice spot to chill and have a drink,... I definitely recommend Travelers Pub! More

Foods are delicious especially the bbq meat.Drinks are also good. The only issue is that the bar close too early.

great ambience. good management. friendly and good crowd. great place. they actually ran out of wine. i had a bottle with me and they let me open it there with no chargers.

thanks for the great review brother

Its a nice place to enjoy a drink and the staff is very friendly... they have a passion fruit cocktail that everyone should try. Love it!

Hi Jimena, Thanks a lot for the good review. We are glad that u loved our passion fruit cocktail.

A lively atmosphere with a welcoming bartenders... Unique collections of liquors.. Will be my first stop in Cameron for my next visit.

Hi, Thanks for the good review. It's our pleasure to serve you.

Excellent and comfort place, cocktail is super tasty. Handsome and kind bartender. Good travelling experience and must come back again.

Hi, Thanks for the good review, its our pleasure to serve you.

This is one or one of the few "pub style" place in Tanah Rata so in that sense, if you like a pub with draft beers, this is the place to go. Nice music, and pleasant in afternoon sun. Easy to find next to marketplace... that is located before going up the road to Heritage Hotel. There is no foods, not even beer bites. More

Hi Sir, Thanks a lot for the review. It's our pleasure to serve you, hope you had a good time.

Our drinks (kiwi margarita, pina colada) were excellent. My friends liked the friendly staff. The bar is modern looking and has a chill vibe, good for talking and hanging out with friends. Excellent to kick back after a jungle hike. Conveniently in the same complex... as most hostels and guesthouses. More

Hi, Thanks a lot for the review. It's our pleasure to serve you, hope you had a good time.

Good drinks and friendly staff - nice to hangout. Some tours starting next to this bar. Good Wifi and music

Hi Sir, Thanks for the great review. It has been our pleasure to serve you.

Travellers bar is a very nice place: friendly staff and great drinks. The perfect place to relax after a tourday or to catch up and meet new people during your stay!

Hi Sir, Thanks a lot for the great review. It's our pleasure to serve you. Hope you had a great time.

Good bartender with even better cocktails. Was here for an after dinner drink and got a good gin tonic and a mojito. Nice details and presentation!

Hi Daan, Thanks a lot for the good review. It's our pleasure to serve you. Hope you had a good time.

This is my second visit to Cameron Highlands with my husband. We thought of heading out for Saturday night to this bar. Having reviewed in Trip Advisor, I had mixed feeling about this bar since the reviews are not great but totally surprised.The service was... excellent, the staffs were friendly and attentive. Heard from the staff this place is under new management. The new owners are certainly putting a fresh spin on things whilst keeping cool atmosphere. The bar area is beautifully lit and perfect for a couple of relaxing drinks. Variety of choices of beer and whiskeys. Cocktail menu was extensive and the presentation of the cocktail was lovely You get the feeling the staff making these yummy concoctions really know their stuff and take pride in their work. Quite and relaxed place. Definitely worth a visit if you want to drop for a beautifully made drink. More

Hi Stacey, Thanks a lot for the good comments. We are pleased to serve you, hope you enjoyed ur time. Have a good holidays at Cameron Highlands.

Travellers Kitchen & Bar, Tanah Rata - Restaurant Reviews, Phone Number & Photos - Tripadvisor

• Service: 3.5
• Atmosphere: 3.5

Welcome to Traveler’s Table, we are a globally-inspired eatery, where we share our passion for exploring the world through food and drink, by serving modern versions of hand-selected dishes from around the world.

Curated Global Cuisine.

Order online, email signup, reservations.

By Ferne Arfin 11 November 2020

Souvenir recipes from world travellers’ kitchens

Sampling new dishes from unfamiliar cuisines is one of the great pleasures of travel. If you can’t hop on a plane and head for distant places right now, you can still bring the world home to your kitchen with these souvenir recipes collected by travel writers and bloggers.

Recipes make wonderful souvenirs for people who like to travel light. Souvenir recipes weigh nothing, usually cost nothing and you can collect loads of them without any of them ending up as dust gatherers in forgotten cupboards.

The word souvenir itself is a straight grab from the French souvenir, meaning memory . And nothing stimulates memory as powerfully as taste and smell. Prepare a treasured recipe collected during a foreign vacation, then close your eyes and you can imagine yourself back on a beach in Greece, in a Turkish market, a caffè in Milan or beside a steaming vent in the earth near an Icelandic volcano.

Travel writers and bloggers – experts at travelling light – are inveterate collectors of recipes and foodie experiences. So recently, after struggling to recreate an unusually seasoned dish from Greece (see below), I polled several of them about the recipes and cookery tricks they’d collected on their travels. After my own boozy Greek meatball recipe, see what those seasoned travellers shared with me.

And if you do try any of the recipes that follow, please do let us know about it in the comments below.

First – Going Greek with a twist

The scent of ouzo, Greece’s anise flavoured – and lethally more-ish aperitif – did it for me recently, taking me back to an open-air kitchen in Santorini. Chef Miltos, of the luxurious Andronis Concept Wellness Resort,   gave me a cookery lesson in a portable kitchen, shaded by a canopy from the searing hot sun. Somehow, between the island and home, I mislaid my notes about some of his recipes. But the memory of meatballs, seasoned with ouzo, oregano and mint, lingered. They were tiny and very tender, fragrant with the familiar wild herbs used in Greek cooking. The flavour and scent of the ouzo created an unmistakable yet subtle background note.

These would be great as part of a mixed meze of small dishes. Or make them slightly larger and stuff them into warm pita bread with Greek salad. I first ate them served with toothpicks, as hors d’oeuvres, without extra sauces. That way the hint of ouzo shines through and that’s the way I like them best.

• Santorini Keftedes

After a bit of trial and error, I succeeded in creating a close approximation of the originals. Start this recipe the day before – or at least several hours ahead of time – so the flavours can blend. Try them alongside ntomatokeftedes , another Santorini speciality.

Beef, pork, mint, wild oregano and a touch of ouzo make these Greek meatballs very special. Photo by Emiliano Vittoriosi on Unsplash

Ingredients

• 1 lb lean ground beef
• 1/2 lb ground pork
• 1 small yellow onion grated or very finely chopped
• 1/2 tsp dried mint plus several tablespoons fresh mint, shredded
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• a good dusting of freshly grated nutmeg – about 1/2 tsp
• 4 or 5 slices of stale white bread, soaked in milk or water
• 2 tbsp good quality virgin olive oil
• 1 large egg, beaten
• 1 or 2 shots of  * ouzo
• salt and pepper to taste
• plain flour
• vegetable oil – preferably sunflower or rapeseed (canola)oil – for frying

* About the ouzo – This ingredient is essential to the flavour of the dish, but the alcohol evaporates completely in the cooking, so no worries for teetotallers.

Preparation

• In a large bowl, mix the meats, onion, dried herbs and nutmeg. Set the fresh mint aside for later
• Squeeze as much liquid as possible out of the soaked bread and add to the meat mixture
• Beat the egg with the olive oil and add to the mixture
• Splash in the ouzo and knead together with your hands until well blended
• Refrigerate in a covered bowl overnight or at least six to eight hours
• Heat a small amount of oil in a pan and fry a teaspoon of the mixture, check the seasoning and then season the rest with salt and pepper to taste
• Dust a dinner plate with a generous amount of plain flour
• Form the remaining mixture into small meatballs, roll in the flour and then set aside on a baking sheet or large platter. The mixture should make 20 to 25 meatballs
• Heat the vegetable oil to 180C/ 350F in a large deep frying pan. The amount of oil will depend on your pan but try to cover it with about half an inch of oil. To check the temperature of the oil, drop in a cube of stale bread. It should take about 60 seconds to brown to a deep, toasty colour.
• Fry the meatballs in small batches until they are brown and crusty. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.
• Sprinkle with the shredded mint and serve.

More world cuisine “souvenir” recipes:

Explore all the recipes

• Going Greek with a twist
• Prawns “Amigo”
• When in Rome…Spaghetti carbonara with Parma ham
• Balinese Sambal Matah – When the sauce is the star

Homemade Lahmacun – Turkish spiced lamb flatbreads

• Piernik – Polish gingerbread cake
• Succulent and savoury Zuppa Gallurese

Icelandic Thunder Bread

Prawns “amigo” – a recipe souvenir from the algarve.

Kacie Morgan is an award-winning blogger who writes about food and travel at The Rare Welsh Bit. She reports that the best dish she tried, during a trip to Lagos in the Portuguese Algarve, was at an unassuming snack bar  – the O Amigo Snack Bar – near her hostel. She was so taken with their special prawns, she couldn’t wait to recreate it when she returned home.  She writes:

Prawns “Amigo” consisted of jumbo king prawns cooked with extra virgin olive oil, garlic, chilli, white wine, parsley and brandy. From the very first taste of that oily broth, the flavour just completely blew me away. It was almost addictive; if I lived in Lagos, I wouldn’t be able to stay away from this place. This dish was served in a clay earthenware dish and accompanied by a side of freshly boiled rice to mix in with the prawns, and a vibrant side salad.

Prawns “Amigo”, a dish of prawns with garlic, olive oil, chilli and more. Photo by Kacie Morgan.

I couldn’t stop thinking about this dish after I got home, so I decided to have a go at making it myself. I had a look around for similar recipes online but I didn’t find anything quite like what I’d tried in Portugal, so I came up with my own recipe based on the ingredients the restaurant told me they’d used. 

Read more about Kacie’s Portuguese experience and the recipe for Prawns “Amigo” it inspired. 

When in Rome…Spaghetti carbonara with Parma ham

Stuart Forster, creator of the blog Go · Eat · Do , is a professional traveller, writer, photographer and gourmand. He remembers first tasting spaghetti carbonara in Rome, many years ago and as he describes it, it had little resemblance to the creamy concoction usually served outside of Italy.

Since that first taste it’s remained one of his favourite Italian dishes. He writes:

I was a teenager on an Interrail tour around Europe. Despite money being tight, I was determined to taste as many local dishes as possible on my rail journey around the continent.

After a day exploring the Vatican, he chose a trattoria not far away. His choice of dinner that night had more to do with his knowledge of Italian history than with his knowledge of Italian food at the time.

To be honest, spaghetti carbonara wasn’t a dish that I knew. However, the name jumped out because I enjoyed reading about the unification of Italy and the history of the Risorgimento movement. The Carbonari were secret societies that pushed for change in the early part of the nineteenth century. Their name translates literally as ‘the charcoalmakers’.

Back in London, Stuart looked for a recipe to recreate the dish he’d eaten in Rome. But most involved lashings of cream. What he remembered was a sauce that included nothing more than beaten egg yolks, freshly ground black pepper, grated pecorino cheese and chunks of guanciale – cured pig cheeks.

Eventually, he created his own tasty version with the addition of Parma ham (prosciutto), mushrooms and whole eggs.

Read his recipe for Spaghetti carbonara with Parma ham along with fascinating insights into the making of the popular salted and air-dried ham.

Balinese Sambal Matah – When the sauce is the star

Larch Gauld is The Silver Nomad . She writes about travel and food from an over-50s perspective and

Spicy and fresh Sambal Matah. Photo by Larch Gauld

describes herself as “a real woman with cellulite.” That doesn’t stop her from travelling to adventurous destinations in Africa, Asia, Central and South America and the Middle East. Along the way, she collects souvenir recipes and says, “Sometimes the hero of a meal is not the main dish, but the accompaniments, those little additions that heighten the taste buds and add that tantalising extra zing to what you are eating.”

This Balinese cross between a raw salad and a relish is a case in point. She writes:

For me, when I visit Bali, the standout accompaniment is Sambal Matah. The raw sauce is a blend of lemongrass, shallots, chillies, coconut oil with the sharpness of lime juice and tang of shrimp paste adds a lemon bite to chicken, fish or vegetable dishes. Mouthfuls are sweet, sour, hot, cooling and lemony all in one.

A while back, I tried a meaty, spicy flatbread in the cafe at Strawberry Hill, the eccentric, faux medieval castle in the London suburbs. I’d never tasted anything like it and haven’t seen it on any menus since. Then I spotted Kavita Favelle’s recipe on her unabashedly foodie blog, Kavey Eats .

Lahmacun, Turkish lamb flatbread. Photo by Kavita Favelle

Kavey describes lahmacun as, “Circular flatbreads topped with a thin spread of spiced lamb and baked fast and hot until they are crisp, these delicious pizza-like treats originated in the Ottoman Empire, especially Armenia, Iraq, Lebanon, Syria and Turkey.”

She explains:

In Turkish restaurants  lahmacun  is usually served with a huge pile of fresh salad. I like to cut my  lahmacun in half and fold it around a mix of salad ingredients, eating it with my hands.

It sounded like the flatbread I had tasted in Twickenham and had been looking for ever since. So I decided to have a go. As Kavey promised, the dough is really easy to make. Because we are in lockdown right now I couldn’t travel beyond my immediate neighbourhood to find minced lamb, so I had to settle for beef. It still worked and piling the salad on top was delicious.

As soon as I can find some lamb, I will make this again. In the meantime, here is Kavey’s recipe for you to try yourself. Highly recommended, three stars!

Piernik gingerbread cake – a Polish souvenir recipe

Karis, a writer at Ladies What Travel visited Poland last December as part of a foodie promotion. While there she visited Toruń where they have been making gingerbread since the 13th century. Inspired, she created this gingerbread cake. It’s light and layered – quite different from the dense, sticky version you might be used to around this time of year. Karis added a few of her own touches – a blueberry and rose petal filling instead of the usual plum jam, and a drizzle of white chocolate for a really sweet treat. She writes:

If you’ve read anything else I’ve written for Ladies What Travel, it will come as no surprise that I’m all over food with a history. Polish gingerbread certainly fits that criterion. As far back as the 13th Century, gingerbread has been made in Toruń and while it has changed somewhat over the years, it’s considered a national icon…This cake has a lovely spice and is very light. It would look great on an afternoon tea table and is a fancier alternative to gingerbread biscuits.

Click here to check out Karis’s recipe and try it yourself

Succulent and savoury Zuppa Gallurese – A Sardinian souvenir recipe

Photo by Kathryn Burrington

Thrifty cooks all over the world make delicious dishes out of leftover, stale bread.  In England they make bread pudding, a sweet dessert. New Englanders layer stale buttered bread with grated cheddar cheese, soak it with beaten eggs and milk and produce a souffle-like speciality called strata. Tuscan cooks combine stale bread with juicy ripe tomatoes for the salad known as panzanella.

Award-winning photographer Kathryn Burrington travels the world with her camera and her appetite, bringing back gorgeous pictures and luscious recipes for her blog, Travel with Kat . She discovered this succulent, savoury bread pudding in Sardinia. With only a handful of ingredients – cheese, broth, bread and parsely – it’s a warming, economical and comforting dish. And it seems just right for this time of year. She says it’s a traditional peasant dish, believed to date back to the middle ages, adding:

I first tried Zuppa Gallurese during a traditional Sardinian feast at an agriturismo in the north-east of the island. This tasty and filling comfort food recipe is perfect for a chilly evening and it’s really easy to make.

Click here to try her recipe. 

Suzanne Jones, The Travel Bunny, took a whirlwind 24-hour trip to Iceland where she learned about a traditional bread made underground in geothermal springs.

Icelandic Thunder Bread cooked in a geothermal spring

Thunder bread is just a nickname for this dense, sweet rye bread. It’s actually called Hverabrauð and is a traditional specialty with as many different versions as there are Icelandic cooks. Suzanne describes part of the five hours process of making it:

We went outside to the lakeside to watch Siggi (Icelandic chef Sigurdur Hilmarsson) bury the bread in the geothermal spring. We could see steaming bubbles exploding in the black volcanic sand by the water’s edge and smell the faint, eggy smell of sulphur in the air. First, Siggi dug up the previous day’s thunder bread and cooled off the hot pot in the lake. Next, he buried the freshly made pots of thunder dough in the geothermal spring.

Rosie’s Deli Cafe owner and presenter Rosie Lovell watches Chef Sigurdur Hilmarsson bury the thunder bread in bubbling hot sand. Photo by The Travel Bunny

Don’t worry if you don’t happen to have a volcanic hot spring in your back garden. The bread can be made in a very slow oven, or even a slow cooker. How the bread earned the nickname thunder bread will give you a giggle. To find out about that, along with the recipe and more details of Suzanne’s Icelandic adventures click here .

And don’t forget – if you try any of these recipes, please let us know in the comments below. If you take a picture, we’d love to see that too.

You might also like these souvenir recipes:

• Miss Virginia’s shrimp ‘n grits
• Dishes from Santorini you can make at home
• It’s about thyme

Take a foodie tour to collect some souvenir recipes yourself:

• Foodie Tour Bali
• Explore Rome’s Trionfale Market on a 4-hour gluttons tour
• Sample Icelandic cuisine on a food lovers’ tour of Reykjavik
• Road of Tastes Sardinia is 8 days exploring the island’s food and wine
• Private Culinary Experience in Athens – Tasting Greece Workshop and Plaka Walking Tour

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This brings back memories, not just of the feast in Sardinia, but of cooking lessons on Santorini. I learnt all the dishes you mentioned. I’ll have to compare our recipes and make them again, although I can’t help but associate Santorini flavours with the summer. Silly really as these dishes must be scrumptious any time of year. Great post, Ferne. I must try Kavey’s flatbread too!

You’ve included some tasty recipes here. Rather than souvenirs, I find it lovely to return from a trip with a new recipe to cook.

These meals look amazing! I really like to cook different food and finding new things to try, especially at the moment when it’s an easier way to travel without leaving home. I’ve tried cooking carbonara this year for the first time from scratch but haven’t managed to get it quite right so far. This has given me new motivation to try again and maybe add a few more to the list.

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9 Best Photo Book Maker Websites

Print your favorite photos and don't let them go to waste.

We've been independently researching and testing products for over 120 years. If you buy through our links, we may earn a commission. Learn more about our review process.

Best Overall Photo Book Maker

Shutterfly photo books.

Best Value Custom Photo Book Maker

Walmart photo custom photo books.

Most Aesthetic Photo Book Maker

Artifact uprising photo books.

Best Themed Photo Book Maker

Mixbook photo books.

Best Photo Book Maker for Beginners

Printique photo books.

Best Photo Book Maker for Amazon Prime Members

Amazon prints.

Best Photo Book Maker for Young Kids

Pinhole press photo books.

Best Photo Book Maker for Google Photos Users

Google photo books.

Best Photo Book Maker for Families

Chatbooks custom photo books & albums.

The product analysts and experts in the Good Housekeeping Institute Media & Tech Lab continuously test everything from photo book maker websites to the best wedding photo albums , printers and much more. When making our selections, we reviewed each product for factors like ease of use and intuitiveness of the website and app, if applicable, photo quality, speed of delivery and extra features like templates, cover options and style. These are the best photo book maker websites of 2024, according to our pros.

Shutterfly offers basic photo books at an affordable price. You can choose from a wide selection of themes, like birthday, travel or wedding, or neutral styles , such as modern or rustic. You can also create your own book and choose the book size, cover style and page style, then embellish it with Shutterfly's extensive library of stickers and ribbons to make your book extra special. We appreciate how easily users can edit within their chosen template and the brand's high-quality photo book paper, making Shutterfly a top pick.

You can also opt for one of its 6" x 6" Instant Books , which let you add photos from your phone, tablet or computer in minutes. These mini photo books have only 20 pages, but they're a great place to store goofy candids or Instagram posts you never want to forget. The possibilities are essentially limitless, though the vast array of options could be overwhelming for those getting started.

If you don't want the pressure of deciding on a layout, the brand offers a convenient Make My Book option, in which Shutterfly's professional designers curate your photos and design the book for free. Plus, you'll still have the opportunity to put finishing touches on it before it gets printed. Whether you opt for 50 or 800 photos (the maximum), you'll receive an email notification within 24 hours that your book is complete.

Crunched for time? Design your photo book online and pick up select styles at a Walmart store near you in as little as one hour. Photo books picked up in one hour can have 15 single-sided pages and a linen cover, while same-day pickups (ready in a few hours) can have up to 20 double-sided pages and the option of a hardcover.

On top of the speedy turnaround, Walmart has a great selection of styles : You can choose everything from the photo size and layout to the type of cover, including hardcover glossy or matte, linen, leather and lay-flat glossy or matte. If you need help narrowing down the choices, there's also the option to shop by occasion, whether you're looking for a one-year anniversary or 15th-year anniversary gift .

Despite the fast shipping and variety, our expert tester, Rachel Rothman , former chief technologist and executive technical director at the Good Housekeeping Institute, did note that the quality is not as high as the options offered by other photo book makers on this list — but that may be expected considering the bargain price tag. Regardless, these photo books still make a superb present that can cost under $10 without compromising on sentimentality.

No matter the occasion, you can't go wrong with one of Artifact Uprising's high-quality photo books. There are numerous design options, including preset books to celebrate the birth of a new baby or commemorating a marriage. You can choose from lay-flat albums, books with photo strips and even softcover Instagram Friendly Books for the influencer in your life. The company even has an iPhone app that lets you create a photo book right from your smartphone. However, Rothman found the app to be glitchy at times and noted there's room for improvement with the software. Still, the books come out on top for elegance and simplicity .

One online reviewer wrote, "The fabric cover is beautiful. The photos are amazing quality and look amazing even though the photos were taken on film and therefore are a bit grainy." The overall 4.6-star rating (out of 5) backs up that review. Quality and elevated designs come with a higher price tag, but there are options for $20 or less if you're shopping on a budget.

If you have a special project and a little more money to spend, Artifact Uprising offers Design Services , which allow you to work one-on-one with an expert to bring your special moments to life. Just note that the design fee is rather steep at $119 and requires an additional $100 album deposit.

When Mixbook says it has "custom photo books for every occasion," it really means it. There are 374 different themed templates to choose from, including everything f rom travel and sports to weddings and recipes. But that doesn't mean you have to give up creative control. You can still customize the look to your liking, from fun backgrounds to stickers to text using the Editor tool. Plus, there are plenty of paper varieties, from semigloss to ultra-thick matte.

Rothman appreciated the nice balance between good photo editing and price, but she did experience issues with the lay-flat option, in which the photos bled into the crease. You can also use the iPhone app to organize your photos with a tool that the brand calls "Automagic": Simply choose the images you want and select a theme. The goal of Automagic is to help arrange your camera roll so your photos are in order when it comes time to add them to your photo book.

If you're not sure where to start, our pros love Printique because it's super easy to use. You can select one of the many predesigned layouts or create an entire photo book from scratch. Choose among portrait, landscape and square orientations, as well as hardcover and softcover options. You can even store your memories in a genuine leather or vegan leather book or pick from five different fabric colors. Although you can't choose the color for a hard- or softcover photo book, you can still customize the shape, size and paper type.

Looking for something more advanced? There'sa tool for professional photographers to design and create their own photo books. But if you want to keep things simple, consider starting with one of Printique's 4" x 4" Mini Softcover photo books , which have a maximum of 40 pages and come in three sizes.

Is Amazon Photos already your preferred destination for uploading photos? Then creating a photo book through its interface is an easy solution. Similar to other photo book makers, you can create by occasion and size, or choose its 8" x 8" Premium Photo Book for a versatile option that has a laminated cover and lay-flat binding. There's also an option with standard binding at a lower cost, and all Amazon Prime members get free shipping . (Everyone else is eligible for free shipping with a minimum order of $15.)

In addition to photo books, you can shop large prints, calendars, cards and metal tabletops. There are fewer size and style options than most services when it comes to photo books, but the other photo product choices make up for the lack of available styles. After all, sometimes it's easier and quicker to have fewer options to choose from if you need to pull something together by a certain date, like a last-minute gift for your boyfriend .

RELATED: 37 Best Personalized Gifts You Can Find on Amazon

With Pinhole Press, you can choose from various photo book styles ranging from board pages to softcovers to accordion-style setups. Upload your photos and let the system do the work, or manually place the photos into the layout yourself. Rothman says her kids love the Custom Board Books , which have themes such as " Count With Me ," " Healthy Habits " and " I Can Be Anything ." These photo books aren't just visually stimulating, but they can also educate and entertain kids for years to come .

"I got my daughter the ' My First Photo Book ' as a toddler and made it all about her — like pictures with family, doing things she likes, her favorite toys, at the playground and beach, etc. — and she still is obsessed with it," says Lexie Sachs , executive director of strategy and operations at the Good Housekeeping Institute.

Rothman also notes the custom Photo Puzzle is a fun option for kids, and the Itty Bitty Books are easy to tote around in a work bag for on-hand entertainment. There's less variety in some categories, including Itty Bitty and hardcover books, but with so many additional photo categories other companies lack, there are still plenty of great options for kids.

RELATED: 12 Best Personalized Books for Kids

If you store your snaps in Google Photos, then Google's very own photo book maker might be the most convenient option for you. Even though there are no fancy designs, the process is seamless. Choose from two options: a 7" x 7" softcover photo book or a 9" x 9" hardcover photo book. You can include between 20 and 140 pages, and you have the option to add a spine title if you hit more than 48 pages for a softcover or any number of pages for a hardcover.

Another hallmark of Google Photos is that you can make one photo book and order multiple copies to give to family members and friends who are also pictured in the photos. Since they come at an affordable price point, you could give everyone on your gift list a copy, whether you decide to create a collection of candid photos for your closest friends or a tangible memento of a fun family trip. Though there may not be as many designs and styles to choose from, that can make the customization process less daunting.

RELATED: 50 Trendy and Most Popular Gifts of 2023

Chatbooks Custom Photo Books & Albums

"Set and forget it," Rothman says about the ease of using Chatbooks, which markets itself as "ridiculously easy." You can upload images from Instagram, Flickr, Dropbox, Facebook or your computer and edit them on your desktop or via the app . The service's Custom Photo Books & Albums option is great for families looking to personalize a family vacation , as you can choose colors, layouts, cover styles, collages, captions and more. Peruse its vast collection of more than 300 unique book covers, or shop the premium lay-flat and special occasion photo books.

You can also have fun with the Instagram and Facebook series — a 6" x 6" or 8" x 8" book with 60 pages — that lets you store your favorite social media posts in a tangible place to look back on for years to come.

Unique to Chatbooks is its subscription service, which allows you to receive a softcover, hardcover or mini photo book each month. If you and your family love taking photographs of walks in the park, weekend road trips or vacations, this service is ideal for getting your photos in your hands ASAP. One thing to note about the subscription option is that there are only two sizes available (5" x 7" and the monthly mini).

How we choose the best photo book makers

At the Good Housekeeping Institute , our pros in the Media & Tech Lab have been testing photo book makers for more than a decade . For this article, we referenced a robust test of photo book makers completed in 2009, examined updates to apps and ordered new products to test in 2023.

When choosing the best photo book makers, our Lab experts consider ease of use, performance and appearance . That means our pros take an in-depth look at a wide range of features, such as how easy it is to navigate the interface and add photos and text to the book; upload and delivery time; the number of styles, covers and templates offered; and the photo, paper and binding quality.

What to look for when shopping for the best custom photo book maker

Keep the following features in mind when choosing the right photo book maker website for your needs:

✔️ Size: Whether you're looking for a small photo book for kids or a much larger album to house snapshots from a long family vacation, there are regular, large and miniature photo book sizes available. It's best to think about how many photos you want to include and where you plan to store the album (i.e., will the book be too tall for your bookshelf or just right on top of your coffee table?).

✔️ Shape: Most photo books are rectangular or square in shape, but some companies also offer photo puzzles, calendars and tabletops to choose from too. The shape is really about aesthetic preference and the orientation you prefer for your photos.

✔️ Page count: Are you compiling 20 photos from your daughter's first-birthday party? Or are you putting together an anniversary album of pictures of you and your partner throughout the years? The number of pages determines the number of photos you can include in an album, so you have enough space to include everything.

✔️ Paper quality: This is probably a no-brainer, as the quality of material your photos are printed on is as important as the quality of the photos themselves. Although companies with higher-quality paper, like Artifact Uprising , may have a higher price tag, the extra money goes toward paper that won't lead to photos bleeding into the crease. But there are still services that are affordable and offer good-quality products, like our best value pick, Walmart Photo .

✔️ Binding quality: Some companies, like Google Photos , will add a binding to your photo album. This feature is especially important when considering the durability and longevity of your photo album. Whether it's a softcover, hardcover or lay-flat book, make sure the binding can withstand accidental drops and the wear and tear of passing the family album around at holiday parties.

✔️ Templates: If your photo album will have a certain theme or be centered around a specific occasion — or it's your first time using a photo book maker — choosing a service that has a variety of templates to choose from will let your creativity flow and also help you warm up to the design process.

✔️ Editing capabilities: When looking at beginner-level or more advanced designer tools, consider how robust or simple they are to use. Having lots of control over the interface is fun, but if you're looking for a more straightforward experience, opt for a service that does the majority of the decision-making for you or offers designer help, like Shutterfly .

What is the easiest way to make a custom photo book?

" It really depends upon the service and your preference ," Rothman says. Although some online custom photo book makers also have an app, it can have limited functionality, be buggy or not as easy to use as the desktop equivalent. "Often, an app makes it super simple to upload pictures from your phone (a major plus!) but doesn't allow as much flexibility for product assortment or editing once you've selected." That said, designing a photo book on your smartphone or tablet versus a desktop may come down to how many edits you intend to make .

"If you plan to do a lot of editing, the non-app version on a larger screen would likely be your best choice. If you want to quickly make a book with limited changes, an app on your mobile device may be the way to go," Rothman explains.

Why trust Good Housekeeping?

Elizabeth Berry is the updates editor at the Good Housekeeping Institute , where she ensures product reviews reflect accurate information. Prior to this role, she was an editorial assistant at Woman's Day , where she covered everything from gift guides to recipes.

To update this article, Elizabeth collaborated with former Good Housekeeping Institute Chief Technologist & Executive Technical Director Rachel Rothman to gather testing notes regarding current picks. Rachel, who has tested several of the best photo book makers on this list, has more than 15 years of experience evaluating thousands of products, including toys and cars for Good Housekeeping’s annual Best Toy Awards and Best New Family Cars programs.

Amina Lake Abdelrahman is a product review writer and editor who worked as an editorial assistant at the Good Housekeeping Institute from 2018 to 2020, writing original content based on GH Institute Lab experts' product testing and analysis.

Amina is a product review writer and editor who worked as an editorial assistant in the Good Housekeeping Institute from 2018 to 2020, writing original content based on GH Lab experts' product testing and analysis. Amina graduated from Montclair State University with a B.A. in communication studies and journalism.

Elizabeth Berry (she/her) is the Updates Editor at the Good Housekeeping Institute where she optimizes lifestyle content across verticals. Prior to this role, she was an Editorial Assistant for Woman’s Day where she covered everything from gift guides to recipes. She also has experience fact checking commerce articles and holds a B.A. in English and Italian Studies from Connecticut College.

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2018 Primetime Emmy & James Beard Award Winner

Reviving classic Russian cuisine

Oct 19 2018.

Roads & Kingdoms talks to Russian chef Vladimir Mukhin of Moscow’s super-restaurant, White Rabbit.

Still in his mid-30’s, Vladimir Mukhin is already one of Russia’s best known chefs and the leading culinary light of the White Rabbit Group, which has 16 restaurants around the country. The most well-known of these, Moscow’s  White Rabbit , was named one of the 50 best restaurants in the world last year. Roads & Kingdoms’ Nathan Thornburgh talked to Mukhin in Moscow about being a fifth-generation chef, reviving classic Russian cuisine, and finding good product in the age of embargoes.

Nathan Thornburgh: Tell me about White Rabbit, what is the food? What are you trying to accomplish there?

Vladimir Mukhin: The White Rabbit is a big restaurant. We’re trying to revive Russian cuisine. I’m a fifth-generation chef, so I’m passionate about the food we create. During the Soviet Union period, we killed Russian food. Classic Russian recipes became too simplified. For example, usually you drink tea, but if you want to be, just to be creative, want to make the tea with milk, you can’t. It would be like stealing milk from the government. People went to jail.

When I was growing up, I remember my grandfather coming to the kitchen and crying because he couldn’t experiment with his food.

Thornburgh: Wow. I remember this famous photo session with Che Guevara which came up with some of his best pictures, maybe two incredible iconic portraits came from an entire roll of film, and the photographer went to him and showed him this roll of film and Che said, What the hell are you doing? You wasted all of these images. You took 30 pictures to get one? That’s the government’s film. It’s a similar mentality.   So you’re telling the story of a kind of cuisine that was lost on the Soviet history and now you’re playing with this idea of finding it again. What does your process look like? Do you get as many grandmothers as you can round up and just kind of shake recipes out of them? How were you doing this?

Mukhin: I just try to work with as many local farmers and producers as I can, so we can use as many Russian ingredients as we can.

Thornburgh: So this is a close relationship.

Mukhin: Yes. I traveled throughout Russia—not just the big cities, but also the villages to talk with older people.

Thornburgh: You know I think people don’t understand the vastness of Russia, and how big it’s collection of cultures and languages and cuisines is. What parts of the country influences your food?

Mukhin: I’m inspired by the whole country. It’s a big territory, and sometimes it feels like it’s too big. I try and use different techniques and ingredients from all over the country, which I think makes my menus distinct.

We have an a la carte menu with about 50 dishes of classical Russian food. Everything looks modern because I’m a young chef. But if you close your eyes and try these dishes, you’ll taste 100% classic Russian flavors.

I want to highlight all aspects of Russian cuisine. Before the Olympic Games in Sochi, we opened a restaurant there, not just to make money, but to expose people visiting for the Olympics to Russian food. That’s why we opened The Red Fox restaurant. It’s all about Russian ingredients.

Thornburgh: Sochi, at least when I’ve been there, is like a Miami Beach. It’s like a place to get pizza and sushi, and go to the nightclubs.

Mukhin: You been?

Thornburgh: Yeah.

Mukhin: It’s crazy.

Thornburgh: It’s a little crazy, but it’s interesting to bring in Red Fox and sort of say okay, because people are coming out, let’s bring Russia to Sochi.

Mukhin: It was incredible. We had thousands of visitors at the restaurant.  

Thornburgh: So you really looked internally for inspiration. Did working outside of Russia motivate you to focus on Russian cuisine?

Mukhin: Yes. I spent time working in Avignon, France. I worked with Christian Etienne, and he would make a special Russian meal once a year.  It was crazy.

Thornburgh: How was the food?

Mukhin: It was shit. I told him that I would cook real Russian food for him, and I did. I cooked borscht, blinis, and other classics. He liked it and said that once a year we should use my recipes, but with his influence. I agreed, and we went on to make amazing food. Eventually, I wanted to come back to my motherland. So I left and I started working on making White Rabbit a reality.

Thornburgh: When people go to White Rabbit, what are they going to find?

Mukhin: Someone once told me that there is a new Russian cuisine and an old Russian cuisine. I think Russian cuisine is going through an evolution. So I hope people will come and see evolution at White Rabbit.

Thornburgh: Great. Always good to end on an invite. Thank you.

Mukhin: Thank you so much.

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21 Things to Know Before You Go to Moscow

Featured city guides.

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20 PHOTOS of Moscow at night

1. a moscow kremlin star.

2. The Moscow Kremlin and St. Basil Cathedral

3. The Andreevsky Bridge over Moskva River, part of the Third Ring Road in Moscow

4. Traffic doesn’t stop on the   Moscow Automobile Ring Road (MKAD) - even at night.

5. Retro cinema night in Moscow

6. Moon over a residential district

7. ‘Champagne glasses’ decoration

8. A ‘Stalin sister’ skyscraper

9. Novy Arbat Street

10. The Bolshoi Theater during New Year festivities

11. The ‘Walruses of the Capital’ winter swimming club

12. The Big Circus

13. Christ the Savior Cathedral

14. The Triumph Palace residential complex in Moscow

15. The Arch of Triumph on Victory Square a.k.a. The Moscow Gates

16. A city of contrasts: St. Nicholas Church in front of the ‘White Square’ business center

17. The Spartak soccer stadium

18. The Moscow City business district

19. The State Duma building

20. The neverending spectacle of lights in windows

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