Travelogue: How do you choose where to dine?
Hi, this is features editor Kathy Lu, filling in for Lindsey while she’s away.
I thought of this post while I was on a business trip to St. Petersburg, Fla., last week.
When a group of us were trying to decide where to dine one night, I realized that though this one restaurant many in the group wanted to try had gotten rave reviews, I was totally turned off by its looks. It was a very nice restaurant inside and the menu looked great, but it had almost no outdoor seating and was housed in a corner of what looked like a bank building.
And on that beautiful Floridian night, I wanted to eat al fresco.
So the group split up, and a small contingent ended up at The Garden. We were attracted by the cozy outdoor patio shaded by a large banyan tree and — bonus! — a jazz trio that was starting to set up.
In truth, while the dinner was fine and affordable, it played second fiddle to the setting (I can’t remember the name of the fish of the day that I had, but I learned that the jazz trombonist was Buster Cooper!). Also, it turns out, the restaurant is the oldest in St. Petersburg.
We found it not by getting on our smartphones and using UrbanSpoon nor by following the recommendations in our program guide. We were simply walking by the place and were drawn in by its mojo.
It made me realize that a restaurant’s presence can be just as important as its food — at least for this traveler who prefers to let her eyes lead her stomach.
October 12, 2010 - 9:00 AM
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For us, we have to be super picky on dining out and find places that offer gluten-free dishes and can do their best to make sure they are prepared in a fashion to prevent cross-contamination. That’s our first and foremost concern.
But, beyond that, we’ve found some of the best restaurants when we’ve been on the road by just walking around and finding the ones that were packed with people. Found some wonderful places down in Wilmington, NC and St. Augustine, FL that way. They were busy, which is always a good omen, but they also offered up unique atmospheres in historical buildings that made them different from the chains. When we travel, we try to avoid national chains if at all possible. Some of the places we ate were home to bars that pirates ate and drank in hundreds of year earlier; others were in old buildings that used to serve as stores, warehouses, and other uses that kept much of the original character to make them special.
Looks can definitely be deceiving. Some of the best food I ever had was in a place that looks like a dive. There is a Mexican restaurant in Glenside PA that is so non-conspicuous and has a bar vibe inside but GREAT Mexican food and in Roanoke, the Village Grill is very unassuming and also a bar at night and has FANTASTIC food!
I use yelp.com to read reviews. Personally, I love little hole-in-the-wall restaurants that don’t look all that special from the outside but have AMAZING food inside and wouldn’t normally be found by tourists – yelp is great for finding those!
I like to ask the locals. Usually they won’t steer you in the wrong direction and they know “inside” information on certain establishments that can make the experience better. Things such as what to order (or not), what time is the best to go, etc. I think Lindsey also uses Chowhound and she has found some gems on that site.
I always like to ask people who live in a city where they like to dine, and after that I agree with you, Kathy, I need to feel the pull of the mojo.
I never go on looks while traveling. Some of the best places we’ve been to have been a little iffy looking on the outside but fantastic on the inside. And I try to stay away from chains while traveling. Always want to try something new I couldn’t have elsewhere.
I stumbled onto some great places in Williamsburg over the summer – The Cheese Shop and Uno’s ( I know Uno’s is a chain). We read good reviews on Cheese Shop and just stumbled onto Uno’s which was near the hotel.
When at the beach, I find that if a place looks busy, it probably isn’t that great. Most of the really good food we have had comes from places that aren’t frequented by tourists!
I like trying a “chain” when on the road if it is one we do not have here. “Baja Fresh” was fabulous! I wish we did have one here.
If I’m traveling, I always try to avoid franchise restaurants. The rare exception is if it is a franchise restaurant that is not located anywhere near my home. That is how I discovered Five Guys back in the day. I look for hidden gems, using the internet a lot. I’ve gone to places based on local recommendations and on the recommendations of hotels, too. If I’m lucky I just happen by a place, and I’ll stop. Those are almost always the best.
I find yelp.com is very useful when I’m traveling. The reviews tend to be honest and from locals.
We always stay away from chain food, its just to bland. If we’re planning on being in Williamsburg we plan ahead and get reservations at Fat Canary’s on DOG street. It has surpassed the Trellis in our opinion. In Va Beach, if you like seafood I woul go where the locals go, Chicks in Lynnhaven inlet but, be advised you have to let them valet your car. Great place right on the water where boaters pull up and eat as well!
Smell helps. Mama Maria’s greatest advertisement is that you can smell the garlic for a block in every direction.
@Dave: HA! You got that right! I can’t be anywhere near Mama Maria’s and not start drooling.