Rick Steves' Simple Tip For Tourists Dining In Europe

Traveling around Europe for the first time can involve a lot of stress and logistics. You may need to arrive at a tour by a certain time, figure out the metro to get to a museum, or determine from which station your train is departing. That's why we appreciate Rick Steves' tip of ordering off the tourist menu — it eliminates the stress of finding the "authentic," out-of-the-way, hole-in-the-wall restaurant patronized only by locals and yourself.

There's no shame in keeping it simple and eating in the tourist district. It's a way to try local delicacies, such as chicken schnitzel in Germany, easily. Sure, you'll be eating with other tourists, but that's okay; we can't all change the food world the way Anthony Bourdain did in our travel style. These restaurants are filling; many places offer a three-course meal with bread and a drink — perfect after a long day of walking around, much more than you normally might back in the U.S. Plus, they will have a menu you can read and servers who are more likely to speak English if you're unfamiliar with the local language. Keep in mind that this will often be more expensive, and sometimes the seemingly free bread and water that's already on the table will actually cost you. That's the price for convenience.

If you do have the space for more logistics, Rick Steves has another big piece of advice that runs counter to eating off the tourist menu: avoid tourist restaurants. It may seem counterintuitive because back home it would be a positive, but if a restaurant has a sign that reads "No frozen food" in English, it might mean the establishment is catering to tourists rather than locals. It will cost more than the cafe three blocks away, tucked away in an alley, so if you have the headspace, find a place with a handwritten menu that requires you to use Google Translate. The food will be of a higher quality, in season, and won't have a tourist markup.

For those watching their budgets, a surprising tip is to eat at cafeterias. Universities, department stores, churches, clubs, and union halls may have one open to all. For example, one of the most affordable places to eat in pricey Edinburgh is at the cafeteria attached to the mosque, where you can find a delicious, filling curry at a fraction of the price. If you're in Italy, the Osterie d'Italia phone app comes well recommended for finding off-the-beaten-path trattorias. Or you can follow our tip on locating good food at a decent price and ask the local baristas where they like to eat. Not only are these places cheap, but they will be filled with locals to help you appease your inner Bourdain.