When I was a child, I used to occasionally vacation with my grandparents on Cape Cod. One of my grandmother’s favorite things to do was to look for what she called a “hole in the wall” restaurant; that is, a restaurant that didn’t look like much from the outside, but which was filled with local flavors and interesting people. With television shows like Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives pointing out small restaurants with a big following in their own areas, many of us are now interested in doing what Grandma was doing a couple of decades ago. What’s the best way to find all of those little “dives” that don’t make it into the travel guides? Here are a few hints:
- Ask the locals. This is the best and most obvious way to find out where to eat good food at a relatively cheap price. Ask around! Where do you find locals, though? It can be difficult to determine who’s who when you’re visiting popular tourist locations, as many of the other visitors are tourists, just like you. In a small town, look for a convenience store or small mom-and-pop grocery store; the people there probably live locally. Certainly the clerk does! You could also wander into the library, the post office, or a nearby park or playground. Introduce yourself and let them know that you’re looking for a local eatery; chances are, you won’t be disappointed!
- Pick up the local Entertainment Book. These are chock-full of coupons, so you’ll probably be able to save enough money to pay for the book, which runs between $30 and $40, depending on the location. In the back of the book, you’ll find coupons for fast food restaurants, gas stations and more (which can only be used locally in most cases, so you’ll need to use them before you go home). In the front of the book, though, there will be pages of local restaurants! Some of these will be elegant and others will be rather rugged. Take your pick and save money using the card and coupon.
- Check out Restaurant.com. This is another budget-friendly way to enjoy dining while traveling. The point of the website is to sell you “gift certificates” for the restaurants in question. You need to read the fine print on the coupon before purchasing; for most restaurants, for example, a $25 gift certificate (which might cost $10 or $15) will require a $35 or $50 purchase. The restaurants that participate are usually smaller establishments, not chains or franchises.
Patronizing local restaurants allows you to get a true look at what a particular area is like in terms of culture and local flavor. It also puts some of your vacation dollars in the pockets of local business owners and allows you to contribute to the local economy. The owners and servers will probably have more time and interest in talking to you about the area than those of large chain restaurants, and you might be able to get recommendations from them for other fun and interesting things to do in the area.
Have you found a “hole in the wall” restaurant while on your travels? Tell us about it!
