Finding lists of restaurants and bars is simple, but figuring out which ones are truly worth your time takes a bit more effort.
You don’t need to track every meal in a spreadsheet. Usually, a few smart search methods, some cross-checking, and a shortlist of places that genuinely interest you are enough.
Start with a few different kinds of research
Google is a good starting point, but try not to settle for the first “best restaurants” list you see.
Check out local publications, food and travel blogs, Google Maps, Reddit, restaurant guides, and tips from people who have actually eaten there. If the same place comes up often for reasons that matter to you, it’s worth looking into.
Notice the details people share as well. Recommendations are more helpful when you know what someone ordered, what the place was like, and why they thought it was worth visiting. Cross-checking is especially helpful when a spot is getting lots of attention on social media.
- How to Find Restaurants When Traveling: My Exact Process [Wendy Plummer]
- How to Find the Best Food While Traveling, According to Phil Rosenthal [Food & Wine]
Look beyond the places with the most obvious location
Just because a restaurant is near a big attraction doesn’t mean it’s bad, and being hidden on a side street doesn’t always mean it’s great.
If a place gets most of its customers from heavy foot traffic, it’s worth taking a closer look. Check the menu, recent reviews, photos, and what people actually say about the food, not just the view or location.
Walking just a few streets away from the busiest tourist spots can give you a whole new set of options. Aim for places people would visit even if the landmark nearby wasn’t there.
- How to Avoid Tourist Trap Restaurants [Nomad Travel]
- Rick Steves Gave Us His Best Tips on How to Find a Great Restaurant on Vacation [Travel + Leisure]
Check whether the place actually works for your day
Once a place catches your eye, check the practical details before adding it to your plan.
Where is it located? What are its opening hours? Does it serve the meal you want when you’ll be there? Is it close to where you’ll already be, or will you need to travel far for lunch?
Next, check if you need a reservation. Some places are easy to walk into, while others release tables weeks in advance or are hard to book during busy times. If there’s a spot you really want to try, find out how their reservations work before planning your day around it.
For other meals, give yourself some flexibility. You don’t need to reserve a table for every meal.
- Five Tips for Choosing a Restaurant on Vacation [My Bella Vita]
- Travel Hack: How to Get a Table at Any Restaurant [Lonely Planet]
Don’t limit the search to restaurants
Sometimes you want a full meal, but other times you might be after coffee in a unique spot, drinks with a view, a market lunch, a bakery, a wine bar, or just a place to relax for an hour at the end of the day.
Look for these experiences separately instead of relying on general restaurant lists. For example, if you want a rooftop spot, a dedicated rooftop directory will help more than just searching for “best bars.” The Rooftop Guide, for instance, lists thousands of rooftop venues in over 200 cities, including bars, restaurants, and other rooftop spaces.
Food can also be a great reason to explore parts of a destination you might not visit otherwise. You don’t have to plan your whole trip around eating to let a market, bakery, wine bar, or special meal lead you somewhere new.
- Why I Plan Every Vacation Around Food—and the 9 Tricks That Make Every Trip More Delicious (and Memorable) [Real Simple]
- Your guide to the world's best rooftop bars, pools, restaurants & hotels [The Rooftop Guide]
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