3 Tips For Finding The Best Restaurants In A New Town
One of the greatest parts about traveling is finding new places to eat and experiencing the cuisine that an unknown area has to offer. However, if you’ve ever been to a new city and have had a negative dining experience, you know just how much this can affect your feelings about your entire trip. But when you don’t know anything about the city or town you’ll be traveling to, what can you do to ensure that you spend your time, money, and calories on some quality eats? To help with this, here are three tips for finding the best restaurants in a new town.
Get Recommendations From Those In The Local Restaurant Industry
While you might feel a little outside of your comfort zone doing this, arguably the best way to learn about the food culture of an area is to speak to the people who live and work there. According to Kaitlyn Wylde, a contributor to Oyster.com, some of the best people to ask about their food recommendations are those who work in the local restaurant industry. If you see a food delivery driver on the street, run over and ask where he likes to eat. When you sit down at a go-to restaurant in the area, chat up the server about places he suggests you visit. The more invested these people are in the food of their area, the better and more reliable their recommendations will be.
Check The Reviews
As with most things, it’s going to be a smart idea to check the reviews on a restaurant before you decide to eat there. According to Meg Jernigan, a contributor to USA Today, some of the best apps or websites to visit for restaurant reviews include Yelp, UrbanSpoon, and Zagat. By using these tools, you’ll be able to gather information about a restaurant’s menu, pricing, service, and overall atmosphere. If you find one that sounds good to you and has positive reviews, that could be the winner.
Don’t Be Afraid To Take A Chance On Something Cheap
While you might want to only go to a restaurant that you’re positive is a “sure thing”, Ed Hewitt, a contributor to Smarter Travel, shares that you shouldn’t be afraid to take a chance of something that you know nothing about, if it seems like a good idea to you. Most restaurants got to be on people’s must-visit list because others were willing to take a chance and try something new. And keep in mind that just because something is cheap doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s low-quality food. Reduced prices might just mean that this restaurant is a local favorite and doesn’t need to jack up its prices like other tourist traps.
If you’ll be visiting a new city and want to find some of the best places to eat, consider using the tips mentioned above to help you do just that.