Many people plan trips to new locales in order to take in the sights and learn about different ways of life. Others view traveling as a way of sampling the cuisines offered by different cities around the world. No matter what your purpose is for world travel, you’ve always gotta eat!
Vacations often include packed itineraries, which leave little time for a full sit-down dining experience. This means that you’ll have to explore local cuisines via take out orders. How do you find the best places to get take out, though?
Read on to find out!
Plan Ahead
Long before you step foot on the plane, it’s important for you to do some research on your destination. We’re not just talking about finding out which sights to see, you’ll want to do your research on the local restaurant scene, too.
Food is an essential part of cultural identity, and that means that every city around the world will have its own spin on food. For example, Central Texas is famous for its delicious BBQ, and Chicago is famous for its deep-dish pizza and hot dogs. Doing research on the favored cuisines ahead of time will help you understand what a particular city does well.
With this knowledge in mind, you’ll be ready to narrow down your restaurant search when you arrive. You can even check out menus online to get a feel for what you’d want to order. For example, if you were heading to Idaho, you could check out the Wiseguy Pizza Pie Hailey-Ketchum menu to see what they offer.
Check Local Newspapers
New restaurants are opening all of the time, and what better place to cover new restaurants than the local newspaper? Almost all big-city newspapers have a section dedicated to exploring the local restaurant scene. Since these restaurants are new, you might not be able to find a lot of reviews about them on your standard review sites.
If you can’t get your hands on a physical copy of the paper, check their website to see if they’ve published restaurant reviews online.
Ask for Recommendations
No matter the reason for your trip, you’re bound to be busy. Sometimes you just don’t have enough time to do a ton of research yourself. Thankfully, that’s what locals are for.
If you’re staying at a hotel, call down to the reception desk to ask the staff for recommendations nearby. If you have a concierge, they’re well-prepared to answer all of your culinary questions. They can even book your reservations if you want to dine in.
Take Note of Lines
These days, when a restaurant gets popular, it really gets popular, thanks to social media. Hot restaurants will frequently have a line out the door. Those lines are hard to miss, especially when you’re out exploring the city.
If you happen to notice a restaurant with a long line, that’s a good indicator that the food is awesome. Write their name down for consideration later in your trip.
Skip the Chains
There’s no greater sin when you’re traveling than eating at a generic chain restaurant. Would you dare eat a Big Mac when you’re on vacation in Venice, Italy? Of course not!
When you’re short on time during your trip, it can be tempting to go for a known entity when it comes to food. If you do this, then you’ll be missing out on an opportunity to learn more about your destination. Instead, pick a random restaurant that you’ve never heard of when you’re traveling.
It might be a dud, but it might also rock your world.
Nix Tourist Traps
Any city that brings in a lot of tourists is going to have a certain amount of restaurants that cater to those tourists. The food is alright, but they’re overpriced and not necessarily a reflection of the local culinary scene.
For example, Midtown Manhattan features a number of restaurant chains that are available throughout the country. Unless you don’t have one of those restaurants near you, it’s a good idea to skip them.
Instead, look for restaurants that are off the beaten path. You’re far more likely to enjoy the food you get there!
Download Apps
The most powerful tool to have in your culinary arsenal is a smartphone loaded with all of the right apps. When you’re traveling, you definitely want to be sure to have the Yelp! app on your phone so you can scroll through local restaurants and their reviews. Yelp! can also give you critical information about a restaurant, like if they offer take out or operate on a cash-only basis.
One of the best ways to get take out while traveling is to download a food delivery app like DoorDash or GrubHub. They partner with local restaurants to enable people to get food delivered directly to their door. You won’t even have to go outside to enjoy take out this way.
Call Ahead
One thing to keep in mind when you’ve got take out on the brain is that many restaurants don’t offer take out. This is especially true of restaurants that offer a dining experience like Chicago’s Alinea. Avoid surprises by calling ahead to the restaurant to verify that they offer take out.
There are Tons of Great Take Out Restaurants Around the World!
There’s nothing better than ordering a fabulous take out meal from a local restaurant at the end of a busy travel day. Don’t be tempted by the familiarity of chain restaurants you can order from at home! Use your trip as an opportunity to expand your palate learn about local cultures through their cuisines!
If food is your life, then you’re probably looking for more great ways to explore all of the culinary delights this world offers. We can help you with that! Check out the rest of our blog for tons of tips and secrets about the world of food!
