Here are the apps I actually use on food-focused trips, ranked by how often I rely on them:
🏆 Essential apps:
- Google Maps — Still the king. Tip: filter reviews by “Locals’ choice” and sort by review count, not star rating. Translate the local-language reviews for the real story.
- Yelp — Excellent in USA, Canada, and parts of Europe. Not great in Asia.
- Grab Food / Foodpanda — In Southeast Asia, these delivery apps reveal which local restaurants are popular — not just tourist-facing ones.
🌟 Hidden gems apps:
- Beli — A newer food app focused on personal recommendations. Much more curated than Yelp.
- OpenRice — The go-to food guide for Hong Kong, Singapore, and East Asia. In Chinese but has English version.
- TabeLog — Japan’s premier restaurant app. An essential tool for eating in Japan. The scoring system is notoriously strict (3.5 is excellent).
- Zomato — Best for India and South Asia.
Beyond apps: The most underrated tool is simply asking on Facebook Groups. Search for “Expats in [City]” or “[City] Food Lovers” — locals and expats will give you the most current recommendations you won’t find anywhere else.