Food is a gateway to a country’s culture, and memorable meals can make a trip. If you are like most people, finding the best place to eat can be difficult, especially with a sea of options in a foreign city. When hunger strikes, it is often easy to cave and eat at the first place in sight.
I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to start traveling when I was very young. Growing up in a family of foodies, each time I traveled abroad, I ate the most authentic meals each city had to offer. I have dined with locals, eaten seafood caught earlier in the same day and watched traditional cuisines made by professional chefs. Each time I travel, I follow these easy 7 steps to ensure that I am eating the best food possible without denting my bank account. If you are wandering the streets of a new city looking for a meal, here are some tips to keep in mind to make sure you’re getting the most authentic experiences!
- Follow the locals…
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My best piece of advice when selecting a place to eat is to ask a local. They know the ins and outs of their city and the best places to eat. They will usually recommend something you would never have seen online! The best restaurants are the ones filled with locals late at night in residential neighborhoods. In Barcelona, I ate tapas at a restaurant located on a side street off a main road. The owner sat us at a table by the kitchen. We didn’t order anything. Instead, he brought us local dishes to try while telling us about the neighborhood. This was one of the best meals of our trip!
- NO pictures on the menu
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One of the first things I always look for is pictures of the restaurant’s dishes on the menu. When a restaurant has to show what their food looks like, it probably is not very good. Most of the time, the pictures are not even of their food! I made this mistake once in Paris. My cousins and I were very hungry and decided to eat at a restaurant with images of burgers and pasta on the menus. Needless to say, I’m not making that same mistake again!
- A single menu
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This is the #1 sign of a tourist trap! A touristy restaurant will have menus in every possible language. These restaurants attract hungry, stressed and tired tourists who only decide to ask for a table because they can easily read the menu. Try to find restaurants that only have menus in the native language, and ask your server for recommendations if you can’t read the language!
- Eat away from the tourist attractions
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Try to eat away from tourist attractions! You will find the most authentic food if you walk a few blocks away from the attractions, even if you lose the view! Walk down side streets, listen for conversation and follow the locals.
- No food displayed out front
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Touristy restaurants typically have their dishes displayed by the entrance to try to entice visitors. Similar to pictures on the menu, this is usually a bad sign. A good restaurant will keep all their food in the kitchen. Restaurants that rely on locals for their business will not have food displayed out front.
- Traditional meals on the menu
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Before I travel, I will look up traditional meals of the country I am visiting. I like to try at least one authentic dish. Usually, restaurants with dishes from multiple cuisines are not the best option for a good meal. If you want to learn about Japan’s culture, I don’t recommend eating a cheeseburger! Try sushi or sashimi instead!
- The staff speaks little or no English
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Some of the best restaurants I have ever been to are the ones where the staff does not speak English and I have to use Google Translate to communicate. This is the first sign of a local favorite. In Lisbon, I stumbled upon a restaurant filled with locals who just left church. Unable to communicate with the staff or decipher the menu, I had to use Google Translate to try to figure out what to order. I ended up ordering a bunch of small dishes and just trying it all! It was not only a great meal but also provided a fantastic sense of the community.
In a sea of unfamiliarity, finding a good place to eat can be a very hectic, time consuming and stressful process. Do not leave a trip without eating delicious, authentic food! Follow these steps instead!