An integral part of any holiday is sampling the local dishes and flavours. Whether you head to Italy for the pizza or Mexico for the tacos, a holiday is an excellent opportunity to experience truly authentic versions of your favourite dishes alongside new flavours.
However, knowing where the best restaurants are can be tricky when you’re in an unfamiliar area, especially if you follow a vegan diet. Each destination is bound to have both incredible and poor-quality eateries, and you want to make sure that you get to try the best they have to offer.
So, keep reading to discover our top tips to hunt down the most delicious and
authentic food spots wherever you are in the world.
Check reviews online
A great way to discover the public’s true thoughts on a restaurant or cafe is to look at the reviews online. There are many different services that collect reviews, and several should appear if you search for the restaurant's name. This way, you can find out what other diners have rated the eatery in the past and decide if it’s right for you.
Not only that, but online review services also make it easy to narrow down the search for somewhere to eat when you don’t have a specific place in mind. Perhaps you’ve just arrived at your destination and haven’t spotted any restaurants yet, or you just want to make sure you try the best of the best. By looking at review sites online, you can easily sorted by the most highly reviewed places and start your search there.
This can also be particularly useful for vegan travellers, allowing for the search to be
narrowed down according to dietary requirements, removing the need to aimlessly search for a restaurant that can cater to your needs.
Don’t be afraid to venture off the beaten path
The eateries surrounding popular tourist attractions in any area are typically aimed at non-locals, meaning they may rely on their central location to attract customers, rather than the outstanding quality of their food. They may even charge more for their dishes, taking advantage of tourists who may be unfamiliar with typical pricing or simply too tired to venture any further. Whilst this isn’t true in every case, if you can, it’s always good to search for a true ‘local’ spot for the best experience.
For example, if you’re visiting Melbourne, it’s usually a good idea to avoid the restaurants in the immediate vicinity of popular attractions such as the Royal Botanic Gardens or the National Gallery of Victoria if you’re looking for something authentic rather than a quick and easy meal. You’re usually much more likely to discover hidden gems serving delicious food down quieter streets. So, if you find yourself out and looking for somewhere to grab a quick bite, try taking a turn down a side street and see what you can find.
Ask locals
A surefire way to discover some of the best restaurants an area has to offer is to ask the locals. Most locals will have a small number of places that they regularly eat at, and these are the ones you’ll want to visit. This way, you know you can expect a certain standard of quality and they’ll often be more affordable than the tourism-focused spots.
As a vegan, it can be harder to find places with a lot of options. Fortunately, in a city such as Melbourne, you’re likely to run into locals that either also eat a plant-based diet or have a friend that does. Having been voted the fourth most vegan-friendly city, there’s an abundance of restaurant options and most people will be familiar with catering to the diet.Â
Planning your culinary tour
Although you’re still bound to enjoy your holiday regardless of the food quality, we’d be lying if we said sampling tasty dishes wasn’t a key highlight. Discovering those lesser-known local restaurants can truly lead to some of the best meals you’ve ever eaten, feasting on what the locals regularly return to enjoy over and over again.
As a vegan in a city like Melbourne, you’re on track to experience fantastic food throughout your trip. Particularly if you live somewhere where there are fewer vegan-friendly restaurants and cafes, exploring somewhere like Melbourne can feel like discovering a whole new world of plant-based culinary delights.
Please check our sister brand https://homeveganbar.square.site/ located in the heart of Melbourne CBD and book your next breakfast or lunch. For latest updates follow and like our Instagram page @homeveganbar
With Love and Gratitude
