Finding Good Local Food in a New City
Like anyone visiting a new city or country for the first time, one may ask 'where should I go to eat and try the local food?' Now, many visitors and tourists will fall into the trap of simply heading into the main town square and aiming for the restaurant that labels itself as a traditional food venue.
So what is traditional food? Is it historically accurate food? Is it what the Grandmas of the region cook? Or is it a tourist trap, aimed at taking as much money from your pocket as possible? The probability is if you as a tourist are being targeted with a label such as 'Traditional Food' then it most likely the later.
If we take any city around the world the same rule applies in order to find good, local, well priced food and the answer is really simple, look where the locals eat.
Sure, online guides and tourist guides will give you a good idea of listings but often they are paid advertisements and also target at what the guide thinks tourists would like.
I mean, what better guide or information can you get than from a local.
Do not get me wrong, I understand that many tourists, will in fact never come close to local eateries, cafes or restaurants, simply because they do not frequent the same places.
It is also true that many tourists simply do not want to or are not willing to try local foods subsequently you will find McDonalds being used by many tourists as the 'Safe' option.
This is understandable in some respects as many people are fearful of falling ill from local foods.
Just use your common sense, busy venues, frequented by many locals are often the cleanest.
A quiet restaurant, just for tourists may be reheating food it has been waiting to sell for days.
So where are some of the hidden gems of local food?
Question hygiene but don't be too fussy, you may after all miss the best dish of your life.
Happy eating and happy travels.
So what is traditional food? Is it historically accurate food? Is it what the Grandmas of the region cook? Or is it a tourist trap, aimed at taking as much money from your pocket as possible? The probability is if you as a tourist are being targeted with a label such as 'Traditional Food' then it most likely the later.
If we take any city around the world the same rule applies in order to find good, local, well priced food and the answer is really simple, look where the locals eat.
Sure, online guides and tourist guides will give you a good idea of listings but often they are paid advertisements and also target at what the guide thinks tourists would like.
I mean, what better guide or information can you get than from a local.
Do not get me wrong, I understand that many tourists, will in fact never come close to local eateries, cafes or restaurants, simply because they do not frequent the same places.
It is also true that many tourists simply do not want to or are not willing to try local foods subsequently you will find McDonalds being used by many tourists as the 'Safe' option.
This is understandable in some respects as many people are fearful of falling ill from local foods.
Just use your common sense, busy venues, frequented by many locals are often the cleanest.
A quiet restaurant, just for tourists may be reheating food it has been waiting to sell for days.
So where are some of the hidden gems of local food?
- Markets, fresh, diverse and typically targeted at local consumers, great to see food cooked before your eyes.
- Train stations are a good source of local quick to go types of vendors, look for the busiest as this is usually a sign of high quality, respected by locals.
- Watch where construction site workers go to eat their lunch, wholesome, well priced food usually is at the end of it.
- Street food, often frowned upon but again look for the busy vendor, it's a sure sign of regular trade.
Question hygiene but don't be too fussy, you may after all miss the best dish of your life.
Happy eating and happy travels.
