Rick Steves Says This Is How To Have Authentic Restaurant Experiences While Traveling
From art to history, music to festivities, there are myriad ways to get to know a different culture. For some, it means touring endless museums to view fragments of the heritage through an artistic lens. For others, it looks like poking around ancient ruins to piece together the past through the present. But to thoroughly engage all senses at once, look no further than the local cuisine. As a European travel expert and co-author of "Italy For Food Lovers," Rick Steves has a few tips on how to pick the best eateries for an unforgettable travel experience.
Yes, you can always take the well-trodden tourist path and eat the same meals as everyone else. Your meal will likely be delicious and you'll go home happy. But if you really want to dine like the locals and appreciate the culture in a whole new way, you'll have to learn to step outside of your comfort zone — and it usually starts with changing the time you eat.
In America, the average dinner time is between 5 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. If you bring this habit overseas, you'll be dining with all the other travelers. However, if you're willing to push back your reservation by a few hours — say, 9 p.m. in the Greek islands, 10 p.m. in Italy, or 11 p.m. in Spain — that's when you'll get to dine with the locals and experience the restaurant as it really is, according to Steves via an interview with Eater. Before visiting any new destination, research what time the locals like to eat and join the crowd for the best atmosphere.
How to find the most authentic restaurants
Before you settle for any old place, explore neighborhoods away from the main tourist attractions, Rick Steves told Travel + Leisure. The ideal places for food lovers are streets filled with locals, particularly areas with low rent, where you're more likely to find family-owned and operated shops that cook recipes passed down from generation to generation, says Steves on his blog Rick Steves' Europe. You'll know you've struck gold when you come across a limited, handwritten menu in the local language, as it's a sign that the specials change with the seasons and the creative whims of the chef.
In these smaller eateries, you're more likely to interact with the genius in the kitchen, Steves explains on his blog, so be sure to practice some basic phrases of appreciation in the local language. After all, the more of a hidden gem the place is, the less likely you'll find people who speak your language, which, in this case, is a good thing. Once you're there, do your best to ask the locals what they are eating or ask the chef to surprise you with whatever they want, according to Steves via his blog. Just be sure to set a budget.
More tips for exploring the food scene
In the United States, efficiency and convenience is king. But in other parts of the world, cultures have a more relaxed attitude toward eating, says Steves on his blog. In France, you'll find people sitting in cafes for hours. In Italy, it's normal for friends to gather for dinners that last three hours. Unlike America, the servers don't mind if you stick around and they will only drop off the check when you specifically request it. Along with trying new foods, a mindset shift is a great way to gain an authentic experience. Try to ease your expectations around time and just go with the flow in a new place.
Another one of his tips is to honor regional borders, not just national ones, explains Steves in his Eater interview. While you may have your heart set on trying a specific dish, it's worth asking the servers what the regional delicacies are. The ingredients for your go-to meal may be out of season, or perhaps there's another town that does it better, but you'll never know what you're missing out on if you don't open yourself up to trying something new. There could be nuance with each dish as well. Maybe you were planning to dig into a pasta dish with a red you discovered while wine tasting, but it would actually go better with white. Don't be afraid to ask, "What is the best way to eat this dish?" Let the locals guide you, and your meals will go from great to downright exceptional.