How to choose a restaurant while travelling

This can be a scary decision, especially when abroad.  There is the fear of picking poorly, of find a place where they may not speak English, of paying too much.  These fears and apprehensions are what leads people to eating at McDonalds or in their hotel restaurant way more often than is justified for the comparatively low quality of food that is available in these places.

Food is one of the main reasons I travel, but even after traveling to almost 50 countries, there is still worry that goes along with picking a restaurant.

Five tips to help when choosing a restaurant when travelling

1.) Ask a local.  If language is an issue then find a place that is crowded with non-tourists.  These are the places to eat since they are usually crowded for a reason.

2.) Avoid restaurants in major tourist areas.  You might find a good meal, but you will almost always pay more for it in a very touristy area.  Sometime going even a street or two over will get you a much better deal and often better food.

3.) Do a bit of research.  Places like chow.com and food bloggers are where I tend to search, but even trip advisor can give you some guidance.

4.) Utilize the concierge at your hotel.  While they often just suggest the most popular places or perhaps even those restaurants that advertise or compensate the restaurant, this is a less daunting strategy than just randomly picking, that said…

5.) just choose.  It might not be the best meal you have in your life, but randomly selecting a place gets the job done.  There is nothing to be worried about