7 Tips on How to Eat Where the Locals Eat

Bryan Richards | October 27, 2015

What foodie or seasoned traveler doesn’t admire Anthony Bourdain’s culinary conquests on the road? He seems to have a pulse on the best local food. Not only does he know what foods to eat, he also knows where to eat them, miles away from tourists, alongside locals who have been frequenting the joint for generations. Then he ruins the place.

Seriously.

On many occasions, I’ve YouTubed No Reservations or Parts Unknown before traveling to find out where Bourdain’s been. Those are the places I want to eat at. Every time, I find a restaurant that’s overrun with tourists and serving mediocre food at best. The restaurant owners just can’t keep up with the notoriety Bourdain brings them. Thus, it seems impossible to emulate Bourdain and eat like a local.

It isn’t though. Here are 7 tips to help you eat where the locals eat.

Ditch the Guidebooks!

For the most part, these have been read more than Bourdain’s shows have been watched. What’s worse, it’s not just the savvy traveler like yourself who’s read them. Everybody reads them! Not only will you be eating at restaurants geared to tourists, but you’ll also be amongst everyone from smelly backpackers to snail-paced grannies. Bad idea.

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