Going to a city you’ve never been to before? One of the most exciting tidbits of traveling is to discover new restaurants, whether they serve local cuisine that’s new to your taste or common food but with new twists and turns. Unfortunately the main hazard of being new is that you won’t know which restaurants are good and which ones are bad. Here are five simple tips to give you a good idea of where to start searching for the best restaurant in your area.
Tip 1: Always Search with Specific Words
It’s true that you can simply type in the best restaurants of the city and funnel your way through the lists but it could take forever and you may not find the kind of establishment you’re craving for. Instead, use specific search words like “Best Italian Catering Restaurants” or “Top Mexican Catering Restaurants”. You’re guaranteed to get a more dedicated list of establishments.
Just make sure you also include the name of the place you are going to. If you’re visiting France then type it as “best fine dining restaurants in France”. It would be even more helpful if you can place specific areas like “best restaurants in Paris”.
Tip 2: Make It a Point to Read Customer Reviews
There are review sites like Trip Advisor that allows customers to write reviews on the hotels and restaurants that they’ve been to. Take some time to read reviews about some of the establishments you picked from the first step and see what the main pros and cons are. You’ll want to spend a good time looking at customer comments regarding the prices and service.
Tip 3: Compare Prices Over and Over Again
The first spot to check out is the official website of the restaurant you are planning to include in your itinerary. See if they post their menu items and prices online. If they don’t, look trough our website as we offer plenty of catering prices. You’ll want to keep these prices on hand for comparison.
To do this, look into other similar establishments located in the same general area. Do a price comparison to see if the one you’re going for is overpriced or not. Don’t get discouraged if the prices are higher though because sometimes this might be an indication of quality food and service.
Tip 4: Gallery Inspection
Restaurants tend to post pictures of their establishment on a regular basis. Even if they don’t their customers will. This is where social media really plays a big hand since you can browse other people’s photos through Facebook and Instagram.
Looking at photos will help you get a good idea of you can expect. You’ll know how large the servings are per meal, what the place looks like when the photos weren’t photo-edited for promotional/marketing purposes, and you’ll get an honest look at other customer’s experiences.
Tip 5: Health and Nutrition Background
Not everyone cares about the health and nutritional information regarding a restaurant’s meals but if you do then take some time to really study their menu. You’ll want to have a look at the kind of food and drinks they serve. If you’re not sure whether they serve meal items that aren’t healthy you can look into their “About Us” page because that’s where establishments tend to reveal their vision-mission goals, including whether or not they use healthy ingredients.
Give It a Taste
Of course the only real way to define whether or not the restaurant is any good is to go there and experience it firsthand. But with these five tips you’ll be much more prepared: you’ll know what kind of food they have, what services are offered, and how much you’ll need in your pockets. This can be very helpful when you are planning a travel itinerary for vacation.