A big part of traveling around the world is getting to experience different cuisines in the cities or towns that you visit. In order to do that well, you have to find the best restaurants that represent the regional food. There are many ways to check out which restaurants are better than others but read below to discover the secrets to finding good restaurants while traveling.
Read Reviews
The first thing you should do when you find a potentially good restaurant is to go on their website or Google Maps page and read customer reviews. Each review will have a star rating from one to five and the overall rating of the restaurant will result in the average of all of the reviews combined. A restaurant with at least four stars is probably pretty good, but you should also look at what past customers have said in their reviews and look at any photos of the food that have been uploaded. This will give you a good idea of not only the quality of the food but the vibes of the restaurant as well.
Check Their Health Rating
At the front of restaurants in most developed countries, there should be a health rating based on the restaurant’s most current inspection. Some of these signs show the rating by color, (red meaning poor and green meaning excellent), while others may be rated on a number scale. In order to get a good health rating, restaurants have to go through a thorough inspection where the inspector checks if the establishment is clean, has employed a system of pest control for restaurants, isn’t selling expired food, and follows the local health regulations. If all of these things check out, then the restaurant is probably safe to dine in.
Ask Locals
One of the greatest resources you have when you are discovering a new place is the people who inhabit it. Do not be afraid to ask locals like your hotel receptionists, tour guides, or even people on the street where to find the best food in the town or city. Chances are, you will be recommended a fantastic local spot with great food and a welcoming atmosphere.
If you are too afraid to walk up to a stranger and ask about restaurant recommendations, or if you are not familiar with the local language and don’t know how to ask, you can find local recommendations on travel blogs, tourism websites, and even on platforms like Pinterest that have posts that highlight top spots in any given area.
Avoid Tourist Traps
If you are hungry and you are wandering around a new place in the hopes of finding a good meal, do not follow the tourists or sit down anywhere in a popular square or city center. It is likely that those places have mediocre food for higher prices than good local restaurants. Try taking a small stroll past the busy streets and off the beaten path and you may stumble upon a few culinary gems.
There is no one good way to find great restaurants when traveling, but by combining the advice above and trusting your gut, you will be able to find lovely local places that you will remember for a long time and hopefully recommend to others in the future.
