Reading a restaurant from the street
The warning signs are consistent from city to city: a host on the sidewalk recruiting passersby, a laminated menu in five languages with photographs, and a terrace facing the monument. The good signs are the reverse. Look for a short menu in the local language, handwritten or changed daily, a room full of residents at the local mealtime, and a kitchen known for one thing. Hours matter. In Spain lunch starts at two and dinner after nine, so a dining room that is full at half past six is full of visitors.
The midday fixed menu
Much of the world sells its best value at lunch. Spain has the menu del dia, France the formule and Japan the teishoku set, and versions exist across Latin America. It is two or three courses, often with a drink, for roughly 12 to 25 dollars in a restaurant that charges double at night. Make lunch the main meal and keep dinner light with a market, a bakery or street food.
Food that will not make you sick
The old rule is to boil it, cook it, peel it or forget it. The risk sits in food held at room temperature, raw produce washed in unsafe water, and ice. Street food is not inherently riskier than a restaurant, provided you choose the stall with a line, where the food is cooked to order and handed over steaming hot. Check the CDC page for your destination on tap water. Where it is unsafe, use sealed bottled water for drinking and for brushing your teeth, and pass on ice, salads and cut fruit. Washing or sanitizing your hands before you eat is the most effective single habit.
Surprises on the bill
Bread, olives or water placed on the table unasked may be charged, and you can send them back untouched. Italy's coperto is a legal per-person cover charge that is listed on the menu. Seafood sold by weight should be priced in full before it is cooked. In many countries the check does not arrive until you ask for it.
Allergies and restrictions
Carry a printed card in the local language that states the allergy plainly and lists the forms it hides in, such as fish sauce, peanut oil, lard or meat broth. Hand the card to the server rather than attempting the sentence yourself.
Tip Take a market tour or a cooking class on the first day rather than the last. You spend the rest of the trip knowing what to order.
