Lunch is my favorite meal often bringing cascading memories of family,  place, and special events. I have remembrances of the unique colors, smells, and emotional context of each luncheon. I can recollect the laughter, the occasional tears, silly chatter or serious conversation. Each of my very favorite lunches is forever embedded in my heart and brings me joy.  

On Vaughan’s “9 year old trip” to visit his great-grandmother and the Bay Area we went to “Barney’s Gourmet Burgers” on College Avenue in Oakland. Couldn’t this image be used for a poster on National Hamburger Day?

I adore a simple lunch with lots of family like this one on our deck. “I should have been Italian!”

I take my grandkids to the Highland Park Pharmacy for lunch on every trip to Dallas.

Lunch at the iconic La Tour d’Argent in Paris is at the very top of our list of favorite places! The legendary 400 year old establishment has hosted presidents, despots, movie stars, and every sort of oligarch. Marla enjoyed their famous numbered duck and I had a sublime veal dish. Such a fun and tasty memory! We could see beautiful Notre-Dame on the Ile de la Cite through the windows.

La Tour d’Argent’s wine cellar of almost 450,000 bottles is one of the most glorious in the world! The wine list takes two hands to hold up! After perusing the incredible array of offerings I settled on a delicious wine from the Languedoc region. They had three sommeliers working just for lunch!

A very favorite lunch memory is with my Mom and Marla at  the Union Hotel in Occidental, California. This was a place my family would often go to and was always so much much fun! The place opened in 1879 and has been owned by the same family for 5 generations! My Mom would study the menu for a long time then ask me,…”What are you going to have?”

This image almost makes me cry and smile at the same time! Marla was given the OK by her doctors for foreign travel after a difficult illness so we traveled to Thailand and Bali. On this day we ventured away from the Amanpuri resort on Phuket and found a rustic beach cafe for lunch. Marla’s hair was growing back from her treatments. This was a special moment where she was radiant and so happy to be feeling like herself again! It was a super hot day so we both ordered a Singha beer. I’ll never forget this day even though it was 24 years ago!

Taqueria Patzcuaro in Denver’s Highlands neighborhood is very special for Marla and me. When we owned Wesco Fabrics we often went for lunch to escape the pressures of business even if only for an hour. Love this place!

Lunches at historic La Sablonnerie on the idyllic Island of Sark in the Channel Islands are right at the top of my fabulous luncheon memories! Enchanting in every way! The only way you can get here is by bicycle, horse-drawn carriage, or by foot. We are having lunch with my nephew Stephen and his wife Karen, and my brother-in-law Vic. We often took the ferry to Sark when visiting my sister Patty on the Island of Guernsey.

I always order the Sark lobster washed down with a delicious Chablis.

We’ve traveled to Cannes for year,s usually renting an apartment by the sea. My favorite luncheon memories begin with a visit to a great boulangerie and then a walk over to Marche Forville to pick out wonderfully fresh produce, cheese, fresh pasta, amazing mushrooms, and meat. Can’t wait to return!

I’ve been to Casper’s Hot Dogs in Pleasant Hill a least a 100+ times. There is nothing like the first bite of their famous hot dog on a steamed bun! 

We often picked up Casper’s hot dog to take to my Mom’s backyard to enjoy. She loved a good hot dog! I remember her specific order like it was yesterday!

A special lunch with our daughter Lisa!

I simply LOVE Da Ferdinando on Fornillo beach in Positano! 

My “go to” favorite thing to order is their Caprese salad, fresh and supremely delicious! Oh, I almost forgot,…their amazing bruschetta! Double yumm!

Marla and I made 23 trips to Chiang Mai Thailand sourcing unique furniture and antiques for our business. A great lunch memory is with our agent Bob and his assistant Nin at this little nondescript restaurant in Hang Dong. This brings back so many memories of hot days shopping. 

On a Tuscany bike tour I rode up the hill to beautiful Montepulciano. We stopped for lunch at the wonderful “Osteria Acquacheta.” They are famous for their  “bistecca alla fiorentina”, or char-grilled T-bone steak. I opted for the Satimbocca alla Romana. Can’t wait to show Marla this place!

Our friends Kathy and Philippe met us in Cannes often. We had a superb lunch at the historic Hotel du Cap-Eden-Rock.

Is there anything better than a long lunch outside? This is Chez Odile in Biot, a town famous for glass-blowing.

I had a very long day fighting strong headwinds and rain and was famished! I came upon the ancient village of Saint Guilhem-le-Desert. I walked up an ancient lane and found restaurant “Isaluc.”

A simple meal but delicious!

Marla shows off her bruschetta in a small cafe in Arezzo, Italy.

I could have lunch here EVERYDAY if I could have a view like this in Bellagio, on Lake Como!

We hosted a trip to Positano with interior designer clients a few years ago. We took the jet ferry over to Capri and walked down to “La Fontelina Beach Club” opposite the Faraglioni rocks. After an amazing lunch we all swam and sunbathed on the rocks by the deep azure sea. This was an amazing day!

I’ll post “Favorite Lunches Part 2” in the months ahead.

Photos: Dick Gentry