Travel Advice - Finding the right restaurant for you

Eating is a subject of varying importance to travelers. Some consider food only as fuel and take little notice of what or where they eat. (If the quality of dining is not important to you, skip this article.) To other travelers, meals are an integral part of their lifestyle and the choice of a meal is meaningful, especially when they are vacationing outside of the U.S.

If you will be traveling internationally, don’t expect  menus to be in English (though many will be).

• Before you depart, use your favorite Internet search engine to find the words to describe food and eating choices in the language of the country that you will visit (for example, search with the following phrase “German language menu guide” or, perhaps, “French food terms”).
• Print out the information provided and take it with you on the trip. 

If you are serious about restaurants and good eating, we recommend that you purchase a country specific phrasebook dedicated to food.

• Regardless of brand, make sure the  phrasebook  is focused on food terms, ordering food, and  phrases you are likely to need  to order your meal the way you like it prepared.

Strategies for finding good restaurants

• One of the best strategies to find good places to eat is to ask the staff or guests where you are lodging for recommendations.
  • If you want to eat cheap, be sure to provide your budgetary considerations when you ask for recommendations.
  • In addition, if you have a food preference, describe it.

• Just as at home, the locals know the best restaurants. While shopping or stopping for a snack, strike up a conversation and find out recommended places to eat.

• If you are in a major city, in most hotel lobbies, you will usually be able to find a “giveaway guide”  that describes  attractions and activities  in the city you are visiting.
  • The dining section of these publications  feature restaurants that have paid for placement but you will find a wide variety of cuisines and costs.

• Most restaurants display their menus outside the entrance, allowing you to decide if they are the place for you before you take the time to enter and be shown menus.
  • Restaurants that do not post their menus and prices are, often, very expensive.
  • If there is a menu placed outside the door, take a look at the type of meals described and their expense before entering.
  • You may need the language list we described above to wade through some menus, so be sure to have it handy while you are touring.
  • If the food choices do not sound good when you read the menu, we can assure you that it will not be any better inside, so move on to another location.
   
• In good weather, outdoor seating and eating is common in restaurants worldwide.
  • Cruise by, review the menu, look at the presentation of the meals being served to the outdoor customers, and decide if the restaurant looks like a winner.

• If you must plan everything, use the Internet to find an online or print restaurant guide for the towns that you will be visiting.

• If you enjoy fine cuisine and want to sample four-star restaurants,  buy a Michelin Guide and do the research before you leave home.
  • Most of these gems must be booked weeks in advance.
  • Be forewarned, the cost of a meal for two with wine in a world-class restaurant may  equal the cost of  your discount air ticket to the destination.

 Top of page           Touring Home

Custom Search