Food is a hotline to a new culture, but it’s hard to know where to grab a good meal in a new city. Things are getting easier, thanks to a surge of food-travel apps and sites that curate meals with home chefs, organise food walks with local foodies, or simply offer recommendations for bars with great brews.
EatWith
Sometimes when you’re traveling, all you want is the comfort of a home-cooked meal. Not only does it make a nice change from eating in restaurants all the time, it’s also a great way of getting an insight into local life and food culture.
It’s not always easy to make the personal connections that allow for this type of experience, though, especially for introverted travellers or if you’re only in town for a few days. That’s where EatWith comes in.
The app lets you make reservations for culinary events around the world, hosted by locals. The experiences vary, but often involve dinners, tasting menus, market tours, and wine tastings, among other things.
You can check out pictures and menus as you browse, and read reviews from past guests. Once you’ve selected an experience, you book and pay directly within the app. You can even choose to become a host in your hometown when you’re not traveling!
EatWith is currently available in 130+ cities around the world. eatwith.com
TheFork
TheFork is the leading online restaurant booking and discovery platform in Europe, Latin America and Australia. Discover more than 60,000 of the best dining spots across London, Paris, Barcelona, Sydney, Buenos Aires and many more with our unrivalled selection of restaurants for whatever you want. Search for restaurant availability at any time and at the best price. With over 20 million verified reviews to guide you, you can discover the perfect restaurant on TheFork.
From exclusive fine dining, casual cheap eats, to local hidden gems, diners looking for inspiration can use TheFork to easily discover the right restaurant at the right time. Plus when you book with TheFork, you can also enjoy discounts of up to 50% off the food bill at participating restaurants and earn reward points with our Yums loyalty program. thefork.co.uk
Eatigo
For restaurant reservations in Southeast Asia, Eatigo is a great option. It’s one of the most popular food apps in the region, and currently serves users in Thailand, South Korea, Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong, India, the Philippines, and Indonesia.
You can book a table at 4500+ restaurants, ranging from high-end establishments to local food joints. This app has loads of categories such as “Date Night,” “Hotel Buffets,” “Sushi Mania,” and “Wine Bars,” and you can check out menus and user reviews before booking.
Eatigo is known for its timed discounts, which let you get up to 50% off at select establishments. You’ll often find the best deals by searching the “Trending” category — as an example, I found a 50% discount on a Korean buffet in Bangkok in under a minute by checking that section of the app. eatigo.com
Zomato
Like other similar services, Zomato lets you book meals at restaurants. The app’s real value comes from its sheer size, often covering places poorly served by other apps. With Zomato, you can make reservations in 24 countries, from Australia and New Zealand to Chile, India, Poland, and more.
You can check out menus and ratings as you browse, and see restaurant locations on a map. In certain countries, you can also order food for home delivery. zomato.com