Gastronomic Experience: Experts' Guide to Spot Tourist Trap Restaurants

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Travelers all around the world flock to restaurants and culinary spots in tourist destinations for a unique and authentic gastronomic experience. As most travelers only have limited days to try good food in their respective vacation spots, not a few are tempted to visit busy restaurants without proper research. Chefs warn of these restaurants as they tend to be a tourist trap.  

According to chef Hector Santiago, tourist trap restaurants usually serve what they think travelers would want. "Like pizza how they think an American would want it rather than making a delicious version of pizza that has their spin on it," he said, as reported by the Huffington Post.

Santiago added that one of the best parts of traveling is immersing yourself somewhere to live like a local. "I want people to try the authentic cuisine," said the “Top Chef” contestant.

Meanwhile, according to executive pastry chef Claudia Martinez, not locally owned restaurants don’t embody the culinary characteristics of the city as a whole. These restaurants focus on making a profit, not the best experience for visitors.

So, if you don't want your travel experience spoiled by a less-than-satisfactory restaurant, heed these following tourist trap signs.

1. Overeager welcome

Beware of a loud, overeager welcome, starting with the decor. Okan Kizilbayir, chef de cuisine at The Ritz-Carlton, says instead of shiny and loud entrances, there are hosts with a menu in their hand and they’ll constantly talk to you to get you in the restaurant. “And tell you that they’ll give you a big discount,” he says.

Jared Hucks, a seasoned chef in Atalanta, echoes Kizilbayir’s statement. He advises travelers to be wary of restaurants with menus in multiple languages displayed out front.

2. Location

Chef Claudia Martinez prefers to find restaurants off the beaten path. Downtown restaurants often have the marketing and budget to set up tourist traps.

“I want to make sure my money is being spent on people who work hard to put out their local cuisine — not mass-market corporations or tourist traps that purchase food that’s already made,” she said.

3. Bigger isn’t always better 

Too many items aren’t always better when it comes to menu size. If a restaurant is trying to be everything to everyone, it’s unlikely to be cooking seasonally or to the destination. Chef Piero Premoli warns against excessive fried appetizers. A menu rich with fried selections means the restaurant prioritizes frozen, cheap, quick, and easy-to-prepare food.

4. Predictable desserts and drinks

As a pastry chef, Martinez knows how to spot tourist trap restaurants by their sweet treat selections. “If there are desserts on display or on the menu with pictures, or outside signage of the desserts, especially in a restaurant that seats over 200 people, it usually means they’re supplied by commercial bakers,” she revealed.

5. Spectacle and superlatives 

Anything too flashy is suspicious, according to Santiago and Kizilbayir, who quickly flag spots where people are keen to take photos. Restaurants deemed as tourist spots also display more merchandise than they should be selling; good food. “Anyone can claim to have the best anything if they want to, so make sure you look into that achievement before just believing it,” she said.

6. Pay attention to your would-be fellow diners 

To avoid a tourist trap, Kizilbayir advises travelers to stay away from restaurants specializing in serving group tours. “You cannot deliver good quality food for that many people at the same time, so as a restaurateur, you have to cut corners,” he said.

HUFFINGTON POST | TEMPO.CO

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