America’s West Coast is known for its great weather, beautiful landscapes, and friendly people. However, an element of the West Coast that’s sadly overlooked is its culinary scene. When you think about it, the West Coast should in theory have the best food in the entire country, since it is one of the most diverse places. And, in practice, it does.
If you are somebody who considers themselves a foodie, then you need to visit America’s West Coast. There, you can sample delicious Korean, Japanese, Mexican, European, and even Indian food.
Here’s how to find the best food on the West Coast.
Reading Guides
One of the most effective ways of finding a good meal is to read guides, written by expert foodies. You can find an unlimited number of guides online, ranging from ones covering restaurants offering the best breakfasts in downtown Seattle, to guides that explore the best taco stands in Los Angeles. Before reading a guide, however, make sure that you research the website or author offering it. A website or author’s reviews will help you to get an idea of how experienced they are and whether or not you can trust their recommendation.
Asking Around
Sometimes, the best way to find a good café, restaurant, or food stall is to ask the locals. Thanks to the internet, you do not need to physically visit a city to ask the locals anymore though. If you are planning on travelling somewhere, then you can head over to a forum, like Reddit for example, and ask that city’s Reddit community for advice. Most American cities, especially those on the West Coast, have their own dedicated Reddit communities. The people that are part of that city’s community will probably be more than happy to help you find a good restaurant.
Checking Reviews
When you do find a restaurant that you want to go to (or that you have been recommended) make sure that you read its reviews. A restaurant’s reviews will give you a glimpse into what it’s like eating there. It should be noted, an absence of positive reviews is not a bad sign. Very few people leave reviews unless they have had an extremely good (or bad) time. An absence of reviews generally indicates that the restaurant you’re researching is good and is enjoyed by its customers. If it wasn’t, it would have negative reviews.
Urban Exploration
On your visit to the West Coast, why not do a little bit of urban exploration? If there is a specific cuisine you are interested in, then find an enclave in the city that you are visiting that specialises in it, i.e., if you like Korean food, then visit Los Angeles’ Koreatown. When you are doing urban exploration, you can use your phone to quickly check out the restaurants that you come across (and read their reviews, for reasons mentioned in the previous section).
The West Coast is a great place to go if you enjoy eating out. However, you do need to spend some time researching and finding good restaurants in the city that you are visiting first. You can do that by using the guidance given here.
