How to Find Good Restaurants

For lunch today in Arequipa I found a restaurant on Google maps with stellar reviews. On my way to the restaurant, I found this hole in a wall place packed with locals enjoying their food. I ditched my plans and took a seat in this restaurant instead.

There was no menu at this restaurant, only a meal of the day that everyone in the restaurant was eating. For the appetizer, I was served ceviche. For the main course, fried chicken with rice and beets. For dessert, a Peruvian pudding with quinoa and pineapple. The meal was accompanied with a bottomless fruit drink. This three course meal only cost me 10 solace or 3CAD.

Whether in Colombia or Peru, every time I visited a restaurant that was packed with locals I was never disappointed. I find that this strategy works especially well in non-western, non-first world countries. Many of these places aren’t found on Google Maps or Yelp. Many of them also accept cash only. Yet, the food was always authentic, delicious, and cheap.