How Do You Make a Safe Restaurant Selection? Where to Dine when You Are on the Road

One of the fun parts of traveling around the country is having the opportunity to try out different local restaurants. While you may be tempted to pull into a drive thru off a freeway exit simply because it is convenient and predictable, you will shortchange your travel experience by doing so.

The difficulty in exploring food options is the unpredictability of what you may end up with. How do you know where to dine when you are in a strange city? Here are four restaurant selections that are usually a good safe, affordable bet.

Local Bakeries

A local bakery is often a great affordable choice for a quick bite to eat. Most of the local bakeries these days offer more than fresh bread, pastries and cakes. Many will have full breakfast menus that include things like quiches, breakfast burritos, and croissant breakfast sandwiches. For lunch, bakeries are known to serve hot paninis, pocket sandwiches, po-boy sandwiches, and cheese and fruit platters with fresh crostini. And as an added bonus, the dessert counter is right in front of you.

Local Delicatessen

A fresh delicatessen sandwich makes a perfect fast food option. While maybe not as convenient as a drive-thru, the quality of the food is usually superior while at the same time costs about the same. Many delicatessen sandwich shops will use fresh local produce too. These days organic produce is also more common, especially in coastal areas and large cities. Along with sandwiches, you can often order salads, soups, cheese platters, and fresh homemade desserts. Many local delicatessens will use fresh local fruit to make fruit pies and cobblers. Top these off with some vanilla ice cream and you will never look for a clown to order lunch from again, no matter what city you travel to.

Local Barbecue Grill

Where there is smoke, there is affordable barbeque! All over the country you will find outdoor BBQ pits in front of restaurants, stores, and take out joints. Local barbeque grills are a sure bet if you love meat. You will usually be able to score some sides like corn on the cob, grilled garlic bread, and baked beans. Each region of the country has its own version of what is considered the best barbeque grill sauce too. Some localities offer tangy and hot, or sweet and spicy, while others stick with sweet and smoky. No mater what the selection, local BBQ pits take pride in serving up the best.

Local Grocery Stores

Gone are the days when grocery stores just offered groceries. Now local grocery stores have all kinds of items. Some have deli counters where you can order up freshly made salads, soups, and sandwiches. Others have elaborate salad bars that can rival any local restaurant. If the grocery store nods to the organic crowd, you will likely find a great selection of cheese, fruit, and pre-packaged tofu items too.

The next time you are on the road, skip the exit chow and drive into town for some local fare. You will get a chance to see more sights, have a good taste of local cuisine, and save yourself a potential stomachache from eating too much fast food. These four restaurant selections answer the question, "where to dine?" no matter what city you may travel to.