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Do you have a go-to resource for learning about hidden restaurant gems or “best-ofs” in areas new to you? —Greg W., San Diego, California
The questioner reports that he travels frequently and “finds it annoying that internet searches for local restaurants are so wildly inaccurate.” Consequently, he sometimes ends up at places that he otherwise would not patronize, an experience that many other people have experienced. He says he doesn’t trust crowdsourced sites and the same goes for “influencers,” whose amateurish commentary he finds “vapid.” Here are the barometers that I use personally, in order of accuracy:
1. If given the time, I seek out professionals whose business is food (restaurant critics, food writers, etc.) and solicit their advice, asking them about the sources they would recommend in their respective cities, as there may be publications or apps (such as The Infatuation) that may or may not be apparent to the average person doing a Google search. Better yet, provide the professionals with specific parameters regarding the food/experience that you're seeking, and chances are good that you'll get some very spot-on recommendations. (I answer several such queries every day.)
2. Research food-based magazines and periodicals in the area you’re visiting. Metro St. Louis has roughly eight publications that opine on the local restaurant scene (far more than any most other cities of its size), which is an (often unrealized) boon to local diners.
3. If you have a trusted friend in the area you’re visiting (or even a friend of a friend), hit them up for recs. Again, the more specific the inquiry, the more accurate the outcome.
4. Hotel concierges can be valuable resources, again if given targeted parameters. Asking for a blanket restaurant recommendation is the worst question you can ask.
5. See if the area has any printed or online guides (such as Fodor’s or the now-defunct Zagat Guide), and make sure the content is editorial rather than advertorial.
6. Open Table: The company that originally cornered the market on securing reliable restaurant reservations is valuable in other ways. In my opinion, comments on Open Table tend to come from frequent, experienced dining patrons, which ups the reliability factor. Here, reviewers use four parameters—food, service, ambience, and value—but also get to weigh in on noise level. (Restaurateurs, take note.)
7. TripAdvisor: I tend to use this guide more for hotels in unfamiliar cities, but the restaurant info is accurate as well. If I consult nothing else, I look at the quick reference graph (showing ratings from excellent to terrible) and ranking (Paul Manno's is ranked "No. 1 of 120 restaurants in Chesterfield," for example).
8. Yelp: Although a popular and valuable resource, it's my least favorite of the crowd-sourced platforms for a variety of reasons and most effective if viewed through a wide-angle lens, sifting and sorting the wheat from the chaff. Despite my objections, I’ve found the aggregate Yelp score to be accurate in most cases.
9. Regarding local bloggers and influencers, while there’s no question that both are effective in influencing where customers dine and what they eat and drink, in many cases their agenda can be self-serving, promoting a product or place and being compensated for their efforts.
Like most dining patrons, once given a recommendation, I’ll peruse the restaurant’s website for the basics (mentally noting any red flags). More importantly, I’ll check its social media platforms for the nuances—vibe, personality, tone, and general activity—because most savvy operators now know the value of social media and use it to their advantage.
Follow dining editor George Mahe on Twitter and Instagram, subscribe to his weekly newsletter, or send him an "Ask George" email at gmahe@stlmag.com. For more from St. Louis Magazine, subscribe or follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
