Finding local restaurants abroad is one of the best parts of travel.
No more expensive hotel dining rooms or tourist traps. It’s the mom-and-pop bakery on the cobblestone street and the local trattoria your neighbors have kept secret for decades that make the experience truly magical.
The problem is…
Finding these places takes a little strategy. But once you know how to find them, travel transforms.
Here’s what you’ll learn:
- Top 6 Ways to Find Hidden Gem Restaurants Abroad
- Why Local Restaurants Are Always Better Than Tourist Spots
- 3 Secret Tools Every Savvy Traveler Uses
Why Local Restaurants Are Always Better Than Tourist Spots
Why is this so important? Let’s look at the data.
Recent Hotelbeds research found that when traveling, 81% of visitors are most excited about local foods and cuisines when visiting a new destination. That’s a staggering number of travelers searching for an authentic experience.
The culinary tourism market is projected to be a booming industry. And it’s easy to see why. Local restaurants offer better food, lower prices, and a more authentic experience. Tourist restaurants know you won’t be back. Local spots depend on repeat business – so the quality is held to a higher standard.
Nice, huh?
OK. Enough chit-chat. Let’s get to the strategies…
Top 6 Ways to Find Hidden Gem Restaurants Abroad
Here are the exact methods experienced travelers use to discover the best restaurants and bakeries abroad. Grab a couple that resonate with you and use them on your next trip.
1. Stubborn Seed – Study Excellence Before You Go
You can’t recognize a diamond in the rough until you know what excellence looks like.
Before traveling, study excellent restaurants to train your palate and set expectations. For example, Miami’s Stubborn Seed is a popular Michelin star restaurant in Miami that represents what creative and high-quality food can look like.
Benchmarking the good stuff first gives you a framework. As a result, you’ll notice the little details that signal quality later. The kind of fresh ingredients, presentation, and care taken in the kitchen that the best hidden gems share with five-star establishments.
2. Ask Hotel Staff (But Not the Concierge)
Pro tip…
Skip the concierge desk. Instead, ask housekeeping staff, bellhops, or kitchen employees where they like to eat on their days off. These individuals live locally and have insider knowledge of authentic spots hidden off tourist trails.
The concierge usually has affiliations with specific restaurants. The cleaning staff? They just want good food at a fair price – the exact things you’re looking for.
3. Wander the Residential Neighborhoods
Tourist traps are placed where they will charge you the most money.
The real gems hide in residential neighborhoods. You know, the places where local people actually live.
Here’s what to look for:
- Restaurants with menus only in the local language
- Restaurants packed with families during dinner service
- Bakeries with lines before 8am
- Waiters who seem surprised you found their restaurant
This is the secret sauce that the tourist books never capture.
4. Use Social Media Strategically
Instagram and TikTok aren’t just for influencers.
Search hashtags from the city you’re visiting. See which restaurants keep popping up from posts made by locals rather than tourists.
According to IMARC Group research, Generation Y (Millennials) represents approximately 40% of the culinary tourism market. This generation is driven by social media and plans their food experiences around it, making it a valuable discovery tool.
Pro tip: Search in the local language. Searching “beste bakkerij Amsterdam” rather than “best bakery Amsterdam” will yield very different results.
5. Follow the Delivery Drivers
I know it sounds crazy but trust me, this one works.
Delivery drivers work every restaurant in town. So just observe where they’re picking up most frequently. If a small restaurant has a constant flow of food delivery drivers, the food must be good enough for people to order from repeatedly.
You can also strike up small conversations with the drivers while you wait. They’ll tell you their personal favorites – the hidden gems they could never find through research.
6. Visit Local Markets Early Morning
Farmers markets and local food halls reveal the destination’s culinary soul.
Arrive early while vendors are still setting up. This is when the locals shop, and it’s your opportunity to take notes on what ingredients are prized in that culture. Vendors often have stalls selling prepared foods that have been passed down for generations of recipes.
If you are traveling through the Northern United States or Canada, utilizing regional travel guides can narrow your search significantly. For instance, Exploring the North offers a curated look at local eateries and hidden dining spots that capture the rugged, authentic spirit of the region. Using these niche resources helps you bypass the chains and find the “mom-and-pop” kitchens that define local culture.
Ask the vendors where they eat. They work around food all day and are fierce in their opinions about who does it best. These recommendations are consistently on target.
The Secret Tools Savvy Travelers Use
Beyond these strategies, certain tools dramatically improve your chances of success.
Google Maps (Local Reviews): Change your filter to “Locals” instead of “Tourists” in the review section. The difference is staggering and so much more helpful.
Food-Focused Walking Tours: Don’t get me started on generic city tours. Seek out tours guided by local food writers or chefs who genuinely have insider knowledge.
University Areas: Students need cheap, good food. Restaurants surrounding universities consistently offer the best value missed by tourists.
Language Translation Apps: Being able to read a menu in the local language unlocks restaurants that don’t cater to English speakers – often the best in town.
Making the Most of Your Discoveries
Finding hidden gems is only half the battle. Knowing how to maximize the experience matters too.
Visit during off-peak hours when staff have time to make recommendations. Order what locals are ordering, not what seems familiar. Ask for recommendations for items not on the menu – many restaurants keep traditional specialties off the menu for regulars only.
Take photos of business cards or addresses. Hidden gems don’t always appear in mapping apps accurately. This makes them difficult to return to or find again in the future.
Wrapping Things Up
Finding hidden gem restaurants and bakeries abroad is the difference between a great trip and an unforgettable culinary adventure. These strategies work because they cut out the tourist infrastructure completely.
To summarize:
- Study excellent restaurants before traveling so you know what to look for
- Ask local employees, not concierges, for recommendations
- Wander residential neighborhoods and follow authentic signals
- Use social media strategically with local language searches
- Follow delivery drivers to popular spots
- Visit markets early morning and talk to vendors
The best meals you have abroad never happen at places you can book six months in advance. They happen at the tiny family-run spot around the corner that you almost walked past.
Give these strategies a try on your next trip. Hidden gems are waiting to be discovered.
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