Finding a few restaurants is good, but if you really want to eat like a local, you need to know what they eat. If you know some of the dishes that make up the regular diet of the locals, you’ll have an easier time finding the places that serve the best local food. This can help you out when you are asking your cab driver or maybe talking to a person on the train. If you know what to ask for, the people will have an easier time making the right recommendation.
Don’t take the advice of your accommodation
If you are desperate to get anything to eat, asking the hotel concierge serves the purpose, but this is not the best way to find good local food. The hotel or the concierge might have a deal with a few of the local restaurants, in fact, it is actually a well-established business practice for many. Often they will be recommending the place that serves their purpose best, rather than directing you to the best place to get local food.
A long line is a good sign
If you see a place where locals are waiting in line to get served, that is a good indication that is one of the best places to buy local food. They live there, and they are not waiting in line for mediocre food. If the line is too long or you are too busy to wait in the line, it might be a deterrent, but you could keep it in mind for later. You could also ask an employee if there is a slower time when it will be easier to get in.
Try a food tour
Look into any local food tours there might be at your destination. You can plan one for the beginning of your trip, and this can act as a sort of crash course in the local eating culture. You’ll learn about some of the best dishes to try, you could find a few restaurants that you might want to come back to, and you’ll learn about the local dining etiquette.
Beware the touts
A tout also called a barker, is a restaurant employee that stands out in the front and tries to convince you to come inside when you walk past
It is a common practice that baffles me to this day, but I’m sure there is a certain type of dinner it is effective. Good food sells itself. If a restaurant has a sort of wrangler out front trying to steer people toward the dining room, this is not a good sign. These guys can be persuasive, but if the restaurant needs to pull people in the door, it means that people are not coming in on their own. If the locals are not showing up on their own, there is probably a good reason for it.
Embrace the difference
Try some dishes that you have never heard of before. You might find some things that are just a little too far, but it is a good idea to push your comfort zone a bit. Look for some dishes that are unique to the place, and give them a try. These are the dishes that can really make your local dining experience.
How do the locals find a good place to eat?
You might have your favorite food websites and apps for finding a new place to eat back home, but there is a good chance that these resources might not serve you well when you travel. When you get a chance to talk to some locals, ask them how they find an exciting new place to eat. Ask them about the websites that they look at for reviews and find out if there are any apps that can be good for recommendations and reviews.
Again, this is another great reason to be connected to a network while traveling.
