Culinary travel: discover local and authentic food

Food is one of the finest ways to really get to know a destination. Behind every dish is a story about the country, the season and the people who live there. Those who look beyond the tourist menu discover flavours they'd never have tasted at home. In this guide you'll read how to eat local and authentic on the road, without the hassle.

Culinary travel starts with the local kitchen

The real food of a place is rarely found on the central square. Walk a few streets further, away from the terraces with menus in four languages. There you often cook closer to the way locals eat themselves. Notice where it's busy with locals, because a full place on a weeknight says more than any star.

Feel free to ask the people you meet on the road where they like to eat. A landlady, a taxi driver or the baker round the corner often give the best tips. That's how you end up in places that aren't in any guide.

Markets and street food

Markets are a treasure trove for anyone who loves food. You taste the season, you see what grows locally and you pay fair prices. Go early, because then everything is freshest and you have the calm to look around.

• Choose stalls where the food is prepared on the spot and turns over quickly.
• Watch for fresh ingredients and a clean work area.
• Start with small portions, so you can taste more different things.
• Bring cash in small notes.
• Ask what something is called and how to eat it, that often sparks a nice chat.

Small neighbourhood restaurants

The family places with a handful of tables regularly serve the tastiest food in town. The menu is short, changes with the season and revolves around dishes refined over generations. In doubt? Order what the neighbours are eating, or ask what the house recommends.

Allow for your own needs

Do you have an allergy or avoid certain things? Write this down beforehand in the local language, so you can always show it. That way you enjoy without worry and avoid misunderstandings. Also keep meal times in mind, because in some countries people eat late and kitchens close in between.

Save what you discover

On the road you come across so much good food that you soon forget it again. Take a photo of a dish, note the name of that one restaurant or the market stall. That way you slowly build your own culinary map of the destination and can easily find or share favourites later.

All those addresses, tasting tips and saved spots you keep neatly in one place with a travel planner like Zuvy, so on the road you easily find your way back to your next delicious discovery.