ASK YOUR SERVER

When you’re at a restaurant, ask your server where you should eat next. “Once I was in New Orleans, and I asked the waiter what his favorite spot to eat authentic local food was,” says chef Mandy Dixon, owner-manager of Tutka Bay Lodge and La Baleine Café in Homer, Alaska. “He didn’t say much at first but then came by later and slipped me a folded-up piece of paper.” Written on it was his favorite ribs joint.

HIT A FARMERS MARKET

Across dozens of stalls, markets give you a sense of a community’s food scene. As you browse, talk to the vendors. They often supply restaurants and are likely to know which are best, says Richard Crespin, executive chef of the Kimpton Rowan Palm Springs hotel in California.

CHECK RESERVATION SITES

Skip Tripadvisor and Yelp. You’ll likely find better restaurant recommendations on reservation sites such as OpenTable and Resy, says chef Janos Wilder, owner of Studio Janos in Tucson, Arizona. “From a chef ’s perspective, more serious diners leave reviews on reservation sites,” he says.

FOLLOW THE LOCALS

Dixon visits TikTok or Instagram and searches for keywords such as “best brunch New Orleans” or “best soup Seattle” for short videos with recommendations. Thomas Melvin, executive chef at Vida in Indianapolis, says: “Word of mouth is, in my opinion, still the best recommendation.” —Erin Gifford