It can be challenging to maintain your healthy eating habits while travelling. Having easy travel foods or road trip food to keep on hand will help you stay happy and satiated while away from home!
Local websites like Eat Your World are a great resource for finding the best food when travelling. They feature photos & blog posts from locals all over the world!
1. Ask for Recommendations
The best way to find the best food when travelling is to ask. Tour guides are great for this, as are Airbnb hosts and wait staff. However, you have to be picky about whom you ask. Some locals will only point you in the direction of restaurants that are popular with tourists, and this can be disappointing.
The front desk at a hotel can also be a good source of recommendations, but it’s often better to ask the doormen or cleaning staff. They have a vested interest in recommending restaurants that are affordable and provide great service.
Many travelers depend on the recommendations of family and friends, but there are plenty of apps that can help you find great restaurants as well. These apps can help you narrow down the choices based on ratings from magazines and newspapers, suggestions from locals, top travel bloggers and their own dining experiences.
2. Check Out Local Websites
Several online resources and mobile apps are dedicated to finding good food when travelling. Some of the most popular include Zomato, Yelp, and LocalEats. These sites offer restaurant reviews and recommendations, menus, photos and forums.
It is also a good idea to check out local blogs and websites that specialize in travel and food. This way, you can get a feel for the food culture in your destination before you arrive.
Another great resource is Google Maps, which can be used to find eateries in your area. Just type a cuisine into the search bar and it will show you restaurants nearby with that dish. It can also give you the distance to the restaurant. This can save you time walking around looking for restaurants.
3. Look for Blackboard Menus
Many people travel to experience the culture of a place, and food is one way that can be done. There are now entire trips that revolve around culinary adventures such as visiting local markets and cooking classes with a local chef.
Look for blackboard menus – these are often signs that the food is fresh and made on site. You can also check out local food blogs and websites to see recommendations. If a restaurant is busy, this is usually a good sign that the food is great.
If you really want to get immersed in the local cuisine, try EatWith, which allows you to book unique food tours run by local guides. They can range from a street food tour and lunch in New York to a market tour and cooking class with a professional chef.
4. Check Out Yelp
One of the most popular food apps, Yelp features user reviews to help you find great restaurants. It’s useful for navigating unfamiliar neighborhoods, and can be used on the go with GPS to find restaurants near you.
When looking at Yelp, try to rely on user reviews rather than professional reviews. They can be more helpful since they’re written by people who have eaten there.
Another great tool for finding restaurants is Zomato. It can be used in many countries, and allows you to see menus and restaurant ratings on a map. It also lets you make reservations at restaurants. It is a good option for those who want to avoid restaurants with poor ratings or long waits. It also helps you support local businesses.
5. Look at TripAdvisor
For businesses that don’t have their own blogs, a quick search online can often give you hot tips about where to find the best coffee, sandwich or cocktails. Travel bloggers and foodie influencers are a great source of recommendations, and they usually post comprehensive reviews.
TripAdvisor is an important resource for many travelers, and the company’s recent stock rebounds reflect the value that it brings to both consumers and businesses. It has struggled to keep review fraud under control, though, and in the process has been ensnared in debates about free speech that are difficult to resolve. In fact, as the site tries to eliminate fraudulent posts, it may end up taking down some truthful ones along with them. That’s a dangerous proposition. Fortunately, it’s something that can be avoided with a little effort and some good business practices.
