Andrew Zimmern's Pro Tip For Finding The Best Restaurants In Any City

It goes without saying that travel is the time for new experiences. For some, this can mean extreme acts like skydiving, or informational jaunts like a trip to the local museum. While those activities certainly have their merits, for foodies, the most exciting thing about visiting a new place is indulging in the cuisine. Whether you want to chow down on a local delicacy at a cozy hole in the wall or try something innovative at a Michelin-starred eatery, the plethora of restaurants available to the traveling food-lover is truly remarkable. Of course, all that choice can become overwhelming, especially if you're visiting a bustling city like New York or San Francisco. Too many options can make it hard to find the best place to dine, but with one tip from celebrity chef Andrew Zimmern, you'll be able to feel confident in your final decision: Trust the professionals.

When Zimmern isn't cooking up something like his no-skill poached chicken, he loves to visit a wide array of restaurants. As the chef, television host, and author told the BBC, his favorite way to find a worthwhile restaurant is to look up "four or five food critics in a given city and see what they're doing, where they're going." Once you "triangulate those, you can come up with a really awesome list." In other words, look out for restaurants that multiple critics fawn about, and you're bound for a good meal.

Practically any major city you go to (and even many mid-sized cities) will have a community of food reviewers that you can follow. Internet searches and social media sites like Instagram will help you find what you're looking for. A good critic should be honest and objective, no matter how big their following is. Be they a famous critic from a major newspaper or a small creator just starting out on TikTok, keep an eye out for critics whose tastes are similar to your own. For example, if you're trying to stick to a budget, a critic who only goes to expensive, exclusive restaurants might not be helpful to you. Andrew Zimmern isn't the only chef who supports listening to local foodies – when eating abroad, Anthony Bourdain also believed in the power of food writers and bloggers.

After gathering a list of food critics you like, look through their reviews for places that get a good rating across the board. A robust roster of critics, along with this guide for finding hidden gem eateries, can take a lot of stress out of deciding where to eat, especially after a long day spent exploring a new city.