The visit of a country cannot be complete without discovering the local cuisine. However, enjoying truly typical dishes abroad is not so easy... Here are all our tips and good plans to help you avoid disappointments.
Avoid places that are too touristy
It's a great classic: you visit a well-known site and then sit down to eat at one of the many restaurants nearby... Yet that's not where you'll eat best! Although these establishments generally offer attractive tourist menus, beware. The dishes are often of average quality because they have to be mass-produced and quickly... In your plate, you will therefore often find yourself with dishes that have just been reheated (after being defrosted) and products of rather poor quality, often imported. As for the chefs, they are rarely specialized in local gastronomy, and the service of these establishments is rather basic or even amateurish. Finally, prices are often much higher than the average, contrary to what people would have you believe... If, for example, you visit Piazza San Marco in Venice, you will eat there for more than the average price in the city, even if you order a simple pizza
Think outside the box
Lose yourself in the city, and instead go into the alleys, away from the busiest squares and streets. Then look at the clientele, if they are mostly locals rather than tourists, this is usually a good sign. Finding office employees who eat lunch on site also bodes well, as they probably come here often for lunch, which is a sign of quality. Finally, under the pretext of going off the beaten track, don't go to the opposite extreme by testing an establishment where you are the only customer: it's not necessarily a good idea for your stomach... Even if the boss is adorable and the decor is nice! Nothing guarantees the freshness of the products because when there is little traffic, all the restaurant owners of the planet have the unfortunate tendency to recycle...
Let yourself be surprised
Escape also passes through the senses! So rather than eating the usual standard dishes, let your curiosity guide you and accept to taste new products. Spices and delicious specialities with unsuspected flavours are reaching out to you all over the world and you may well become addicted to certain dishes!
Ask the locals for advice
Take note of the advice of the inhabitants of your holiday resort to help you find the pearl of the restaurants. Ask the receptionist or your coffee shop neighbour after talking to him for a few minutes. If you are told repeatedly about the same address, go ahead! Trust their good tips. They live here all year round and know what they're talking about.
Dinner at a private home
The ideal way to discover the culinary traditions of the country of your holiday is, of course, to eat at the home of the locals. There is nothing like an invitation to dinner in a local or a small guest house to really eat typical food. The VizEat website has thus had the idea of creating a system, in the same spirit as Airbnb, where you can be invited to a local house and taste local specialities whether for an aperitif, brunch, lunch or dinner. The prices are lower than at the restaurant and the atmosphere is much more friendly. You can even come with friends or family! VizEat offers a wide choice of menus from over 55 countries around the world, with reservations and prices set in advance, while you can discuss the meal, the setting, etc. with your hosts. All suggestions are welcome and your hosts are more than flexible, especially since you have a wide range of choices.
