It’s always a bummer to have an average meal in a new place. But when there are literally hundreds (or even thousands!) of restaurants to choose from, how can you possibly pick only the spots that guarantee delicious and memorable experiences? Well, there’s good news. I have plenty of tips and tricks for finding the best restaurants while traveling!
These tips will get you to both the trendy, Instagram-worthy hot spots and the lesser-known hole in the walls that make you so proud to find. Get ready to find your new favorite restaurant! Here is how to do it:
Pre-Trip Research (for my Planners)
I’m someone who likes to have a tentative vacation plan—a general idea of how to spend my time each day. That said, I don’t like to plan out meals/restaurants. I don’t need that commitment. What if I have 4 beers somewhere and the bar is playing the best music? No way I’m leaving for dinner reservations!
But I do want to know the best places before I arrive so when I’m there, I have a reference to make a quick decision. Here is what I do beforehand:
Read Blogs & Start a List
When finding the best restaurants, I like to start with a little online research. I’ll google “best places to eat in NYC blog” or “best brunch in New Orleans blog.”
TIP: I always write “blog” in my search.
If I leave off “blog,” I’m going to get a lot of Trip Advisor and Yelp results and while those can be helpful, a lot of that is paid content. And I’m not looking for which restaurants invest the most money in advertisements. I want local restaurants that have a focus on the food! Here are your next steps:
- Do your search and click on a blog to look through their recommendations.
- Start a “Note” in your iPhone and list any that sound up your alley or of similar taste.
- Go back to the search results and click on the next blog.
- The intention is to read 5-8 blog posts and write down restaurants that are both the perfect match and those that show up on multiple blog posts.
TIP: DON’t forget to Write the location.
Get specific and add the neighborhood and even the address to your list. This will make it even easier to pick from while you’re on your trip.
Tip: Spread it around.
Don’t put restaurants in only one specific area. Finding the best restaurants in different neighborhoods will give you a reliable place to go, no matter where you are. The only place there should be 3+ options is near where you are staying.
TIP: Save the links.
If you LOVE a blog post and there are a bunch of recommendations on it, copy/paste the link into your note as well. Then it’s easy to find once you’re there. No one wants to spend time browsing the web on vacation.
Note: This process is meant to be a helpful tool.
Are you going to hit every restaurant on your list? Maybe, but probably not. What it is, is a list of places that fit your vibe that you can quickly reference. Instead of walking into a random restaurant, you can make your way to a place you did your research on.
Search Instagram
After a Google search, I hit up the Gram. First, I’ll do a profile search of the places already on my list and make sure they’re the right vibes for me. Search for their accounts and each restaurant name #hashtag. All the photos are either going to make you more excited or help you realize eh, not really my style and you can remove it from the list.
From there, I see if I can find any more restaurants. I’ll search #hashtags like “#sedonafoodie,” “#bostonrestaurants,” or “eatchicago.” This will give you every post that includes that hashtag and is a big help in finding the best restaurants while traveling.
TIP: Don’t add TOO many Instagram recommendations.
I like a few of these, but remember, Instagram is for show. Restaurants can fake it on Instagram. And users only post their best photos to make everything look amazing—it’s okay, we’re all guilty.
It’s cool to hit up some hot spots and take cool photos, but you’re going to want to find off-the-beaten-path places as well. I will usually stick to 2-3 spots from my Instagram search.
Tip: You can follow #hashtags.
I don’t do this (for reasons mentioned), but if you’re really into it, follow the hashtag so you always get updates on the best places to eat!
Tip: Use the save + collections feature.
I like to add them to the list on my iPhone Note so it’s all in one place, but you can also save posts to come back to later in the app. Click the 3 lines in the top right of your profile page, hit Saved, and click the + to create a folder. As you browse, click the little flag and put it in a city named collection.
Get Recommendations from Friends
There’s no better restaurant recommendation than one from someone who knows you! Make sure you ask people who have been to your destination what their favorite places were and add any spots they recommend to your list. They know you, and hopefully send you to a great place! For my top recommendations from around the United States, read 9 Best Restaurants 9 from 9 Cities.
Now You Have a Pre-Trip List!
Your iPhone Note now has 10ish new places that are worth checking out. A few more tips:
- It depends on how long your trip is, but keep your list between 8-15 or else it gets to be too much.
- Inside my Note, I usually group them by location and then keep them in order of breakfast through dinner.
- Your Note is a GUIDE. Don’t get obsessed with checking them all off. Some things need to happen organically!
Real-Time Decisions (for the Spontaneous!)
You have your list of new restaurants and that’s great, but as I said, don’t get obsessed. There are ways for finding good restaurants in your current location in real-time. Here are the tricks.
Use Google Maps
You’re in a new city, not exactly sure where you are but the group is hungry. You could walk into the nearest restaurant but what are the odds of finding a memorable meal? Kind of small considering how many places there are to eat out there!
Here is my favorite way to find A Great resstaurant!
- Pull up Google Maps.
- Type restaurants into the Search bar—this will bring up a ton of places nearby.
- Zoom in on your location then click SHOW LIST at the bottom of the screen.
- Use the top navigation sorting tool to filter your search—cuisine and price are great options AND
- THIS IS IMPORTANT: Click Top Rated.
You just developed a list of the highest-ranked restaurants (according to their overall rating on Google) closest to where you are standing. It’s brilliant. So if I was looking for a fun sports bar, as I usually do, I’d plug “American” into the cuisine, hit top rated and I have a list to choose from. I’d click the first one on the list, read the description, check out the photos, read a couple of reviews, and determine if it’s a fit. If not, go to the next restaurant on the list until you find one.
Tip: if you want to get even more specific, you can.
If you know what you’re looking for right off the bat, you can narrow down from the get-go. Instead of typing restaurants into the search bar, type brunch, dive bar, Chinese food, whatever you want. Then you only need to click “Top rated” when you sort.
Find expensive Italian restaurants with fresh pasta for date night, a BBQ spot in your price range, the best brunch, vegan restaurants, anything you want, in as little as 2 minutes. Works every time.
Tip: Use Google Maps in tandem with your list.
If you choose a spot on your personal list, plug it into Google Maps for a quick check before you go. Read a couple of reviews and look at the photos to double-check it’s the type of place you want.
Ask the Concierge or Airbnb Host
Hotel concierges are not utilized enough. And they have all of the information! They have a hand on everything going on, and, not to mention, they have pull. So. Ask them for a gret restaurant recommendation. And get specific! Tell them exactly what type of places you like and mention you don’t just want the popular restaurants they mention to everyone; you want authentic restaurants. (Note: this goes for Airbnb hosts as well!)
TIP: Give them a small tip. A couple of bucks go a long way in getting what you need!
If they help you get a taxi, hand them a few bucks to say thank you. Then the next day when you’re looking for a restaurant, they’ll remember you and give you the best advice. Remember, you want the secrets. And a little bribe helps!
Ask ALL the Locals
This is the key to finding restaurants. And I mean the real goods. Locals know the in’s and out’s on the hottest restaurant in town and which spots should get more love. Don’t say “where should I eat,” say “where do you like to eat” to make sure they give you a few of their BEST tips. This is an easy way to get plenty of restaurants on your list.
Look for Busy Places + Lines Out the Door
Always keep your eyes peeled for a great restaurant, even when you’re not hungry. If you see a place with people standing outside the door…cha-ching you’ve hit a “top pick“. Add this restaurant to the Note in your phone so you don’t forget and come back when you’re ready to eat. Or better yet, make dinner reservations and you’re all set.
TIP: Go at non-peak times.
If there’s a line out the door, it’s a spot you want to avoid around 9:00 am, 12:00 pm, and 6:00 pm. Come back during off-hours or make a reservation.
What to Avoid When Eating on Vacation
Eating Near Tourist Traps
DO NOT EAT near tourist traps in major cities like Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, Las Vegas, and New York CIty. These are there for convenience and are always overpriced. Avoid these restaurants like the plague and walk 5 blocks in any direction before doing your Google search.
Door Greeter Ushering You In
The best restaurants don’t need someone standing outside trying to lure people in. Abort mission.
Empty Places
It seems self-explanatory, but if no one is in a restaurant, even during non-peak hours, there are better local businesses out there ready to give you creative takes on fresh ingredients!
Tips for Finding the Best Restaurants While Traveling
You now have all my tips and tricks to find the best restaurants ANYWHERE. Use these tools and you won’t be disappointed with your choices on vacation. Eat at all of the best pizza restaurants, inhale all the tastiest tacos, indulge in all the greatest sushi rolls, and trust yourself to find all of the best restaurants out there.
You are so smart. Wish I could get to all those places. Have fun.