When I go on trips, I tend to consult Lonely Planet and the Luxe Guides to get a sense of both the high and the low culture of a place. I also try to find a local English-language magazine (I know I can trust our sister publications BK in Bangkok and I-S in Singapore!) that has its finger on the pulse of the city. I always enjoy browsing Wallpaper guides, too, but they tend to be heavy on the aesthetics and light on the practical info. But I just came across The Hunt Guides and can’t wait to give them a try.

Formerly known as the Eat.Shop guides, which then morphed into a brand called Rather, it’s only this year that they’ve taken on the new moniker. These books put an emphasis on indie shops and locally owned restaurants.

The design is careful but not fussy, choosing to eschew unnecessarily long write-ups in favor of pithy descriptions accompanied by big pictures. There is a brand-new Singapore guide, as well as soon-to-be-released editions about Sydney and our own Hong Kong.

Covered destinations outside of Asia-Pac include the likes of New York and London as well as more hip, off-the-radar cities like Portland, Oregon.

Buy the books, or keep track of the authors' new finds on Facebook and Twitter (@TheHuntGuides).

For more travel news read Escape Routes with Hana R. Alberts.