This Is Exactly How I Decide Where to Eat and Drink When I Visit a New City
Put Google away
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When I watch friends try to find a restaurant or bar using only Google and a prayer, I cry a little inside.
Too many times I’ve watched this go sideways.
I get it. It’s hard to know how to find good places, especially in new cities when the only information at your disposal is Google, social media, and SEO-driven drivel.
I recently invited you all to go fantasy wine shopping with me and thousands of you turned up.
This week, we’re going out eating and drinking together using some tricks of the wine trade that I use to find the best places in any given town.
The hacks that all us hospitality pros use every time we land somewhere new.
Because Google is not your friend in this situation.
Rule no. 1 — There is no bad food in good wine places. Go to them first.
You and I have landed in a new city. We’re sat in our Airbnb wondering where to eat and drink tonight.
I would start by finding a good wine bar.
There’s an oft-repeated truism in the wine world that whilst almost all wine pros are obsessive about food, not all food pros are obsessive about wine.
Which is why if you’re stuck, you follow the wine first. Because you’ll hardly ever find bad food in a good wine joint.
The one practical piece of advice I have here is to download an app called Raisin which is a comprehensive directory of natural wine bars and restaurants across the world.
Whether you think natural wine is a fad — or question if it’s any good or not — the fact is that there are very few good wine joints in the world that do not offer at least some natural wine. And thus will probably be on Raisin.
It’s a very good, trusted place to start.
Like I say. Follow the wine and good food will follow.
Rule no. 2 — Follow the chain of recommendations
You and I have found somewhere on the app that sounds great for an aperitif. When we get there, we sit at the bar. Why? Because bar staff are a goldmine for good recommendations.