Busy and smart, yet relaxed, the open kitchen churns out seafood, meat and vegetable dishes made with local ingredients, the majority of which come straight from chef Caracol's farm.

CNN: Live large, pay small in Panama City

Not long after, it became obvious that my bag, a freebie from the National Book Festival, was a mini-compost pile, with a pretty obvious lining of various meat and vegetable sleazes.

FORBES: In D.C., 'Skip The Bag, Save The River' Is Making Us All Sick

Chablis has similar characteristics but in a more refined and less aggressively crisp way, which is why they pair so well with the wildly mixed but predominantly non-spicy, white meat, bread and vegetable-based cuisine that is Thanksgiving dinner.

FORBES: The Perfect White Wine for Thanksgiving - Or Any Time

Themes range from Middle Eastern classics such as mezze, featuring spreads of hummus, olives and falafel, to Balkan dishes such as Macedonian vegetable and mayonnaise salads or a tasty cevapcici sandwich (composed of minced meat with garlic yogurt and grilled vegetables).

BBC: Business trip: Montreal

With their first branch having opened in Brooklyn last September, MOB serves meat-free (and guilt-free) fast food such as flavourful vegetable and herb tarts, soups and even faux-chicken nuggets.

BBC: Eating vegetarian food in Paris