Dining out is great fun — until it isn’t. When you’re sipping mediocre cocktails and struggling to find something tasty on the menu, dining out can feel more like a chore than a pleasure. The tricky part of choosing restaurants today is limited options, tough competition, high prices, and confusing recommendations. It gets even harder when there are too many choices or too few trustworthy ones.
This guide will take you through some of the best ways to get a nice restaurant in your city.
Table of Contents
Tips To Get the Best Restaurants in A City Around You
If you’re looking for a new restaurant, there are several ways to find one. Here are some of the best ways to help you out:
Yelp
Yelp is an excellent resource for finding restaurants. You can search for restaurants in your area or simply type in a keyword like “dessert” and see what pops up. You’ll also find user-generated reviews more trustworthy than restaurant reviews. The reviews on Yelp can be helpful if you’re looking for a specific type of restaurant, but they can also be misleading if you’re not sure what you’re looking for.
Ask for people’s recommendations.
If you know someone who lives in your new city and likes eating out, ask them where they go when they’re hungry. They might be able to tell you about their favorite places or recommend some new spots that they’ve been meaning to try but haven’t gotten around to yet.
Search through social media
If you want to keep up with what’s happening in your city regarding restaurants, search through social media channels like Instagram and Facebook for mentions of local eateries. You might find photos from recent meals or posts about restaurants coming soon (or closing down).
Find the Instagram “foodie” accounts for the area.
If you’re looking for a quick reference on where to eat while visiting an unfamiliar city, look up its “foodie” Instagram account, usually found with a hashtag like #nycfoodie or #sffoodies, and see what it has to say about its local restaurant scene. Many of these accounts also include links to blogs and websites that review restaurants in that city, so it’s worth checking out even if you don’t want to follow them on social media (which is free).
Google it
You can find lists on the internet to help narrow your choices. Some websites list recommendations from local chefs or food writers; others compile rankings from professional critics. If you’re looking for something specific, say, a new place to eat near your office, try searching Google Maps for “best restaurants” and the name of your city.
The Best Restaurant Picker Apps to Help You Decide Where to Eat
Many restaurant picker apps can help you decide where to eat. The main ones include:
Bloc
Bloc is the events app that helps you find the best restaurants, bars, pubs, and nightclubs near you. With Bloc, you can search for events by location and time, so you can always find a place to eat or drink that fits your schedule. And because Bloc is social, you can connect with your friends and see what they’re doing and where they’re going. Whether you’re looking for a quick bite or a night on the town, Bloc is the most convenient way to find a restaurant that fits your needs.
Zomato
Zomato is a restaurant information and review platform. It has a user-friendly interface featuring restaurant menus, ratings, photos, and more. The app also allows you to find restaurants near your current location or anywhere else.
OpenTable
OpenTable is an online reservation service that offers users access to thousands of restaurants worldwide. The app allows users to search for restaurants by location or type of cuisine, make reservations via phone or email, share their favorite restaurants with friends via social media feeds, browse menus and visit websites directly from OpenTable’s platform. The service also provides information about the hours the restaurant works.
EatStreet
EatStreet allows users to search for restaurants based on location or cuisine type. It also has reviews from other users about the quality of the food at each restaurant and whether or not they have gluten-free options. This app also allows users to order meals directly from their phone, making it perfect for those who don’t want to wait around while waiting for someone else in their party to order food.
GrubHub
GrubHub is another excellent restaurant picker app that allows users to search for restaurants near them based on price, distance, and rating systems. Users can also leave reviews on each restaurant they visit to help others make informed decisions about where to eat next time they’re out with friends or family.
Delectable
If you’re looking for an app that’s free and easy to use, then Delectable may be right up your alley. It’s available on Apple and Android devices and allows users to browse restaurant menus by type or location. The app also allows users to create their own personal “Delectable” list based on their favorites, so they don’t have to scroll through every menu item constantly.
Starbucks
If you’re looking for something familiar and comforting when traveling, Starbucks has got your back (and stomach). The coffee chain has an app that allows users to find their nearest store, order ahead, and pay using their mobile devices.
Trip Advisor
Trip Advisor is one of the most popular restaurant pickers out there because it has more than several restaurants listed on its site. It also has an app that makes it easy to search through those listings while you’re traveling and need some ideas for dinner or lunch spots. Trip Advisor even has an app for iOS 8’s Spotlight feature so that when you search for restaurants in Spotlight, it will show you results from Trip Advisor first instead of just showing local businesses as other apps do.
UberEATS
UberEATS is one of the most popular food delivery services, but did you know that it also has its app? You can use this app to find restaurants near you that deliver meals through Uber Eats (and then order online). There are also menus for all kinds of cuisines, making it easy for anyone who wants to try new things without having to leave home!
Conclusion
There are many ways to find an amazing restaurant to visit next in one’s city, not just by using Yelp. Some of these options include asking friends and family which restaurants they enjoy, searching for specific food recommendations on social media, or even going to Yelp and doing some additional research. Even if you go to a restaurant that isn’t necessarily the best, you can usually still get a selection of quality food and have a decent dining experience!