How to Find Great Food in a New Destination
Look at the Cocktails
Check for ingredients and/or drinks you don’t recognize or sound unfamiliar. If they know how to make good/unique cocktails, they probably know how to make good food. More so, if a restaurant takes the time to create interesting cocktails, they’ve likely already perfected the food portion of their menu, or at least given it a lot of thought and intention.
Check the Menu
Tapas/shared plate style menus tend to be my favorite because you get to try a little bit of everything. But that being said, don’t ignore more traditional looking menus. Traditional menus that change frequently may mean they likely use locally sourced, fresh, seasonal ingredients so the quality of the food is going to be great! In the end look at the menu because if the food sounds tasty to you, that is what matters most!
Variety isn’t Always the Spice of Life
Find a restaurant that focuses on one type of cuisine, not one that tries to cram in everything from Italian pasta to Thai Curry.
Look at Interior Photos
The internet almost always has photos of the interior, so take a look. If it looks like a cool place to hang out and eat a meal, it probably is.
Read the Reviews
Actually read the reviews, don’t just look at the stars and move on. Trust the ones who took the time to write out a thoughtful/thorough critique of the place not the salty ones who scribbled out a 1-sentence rant because they didn’t get served in a prompt manner one time and never came back. In general, 4.5+ stars means the restaurant is a winner, but use your own judgement.
Get Reservations
If it is tough to find an available table, that’s a very good thing. Busy/popular restaurants are usually that way for a reason.
Find Restaurant’s ‘About Me’ Section
Check the restaurant’s website for an ‘about’ section that eloquently describes why they love food and how they choose what they cook. A good restaurant cares about what they are serving and has a reason for doing so.
Remember these are suggestions/guidelines. Don’t pass up a restaurant just because it doesn’t meet every one of these items!
