5 of the Best Apps for Foodies and Hungry Travelers

Here at TPG, we're all self-proclaimed foodies and, of course, avid travelers. After all, cuisine is a huge part of travel and an active (and delicious) way to participating in the local culture. Plus, we're all about using credit cards that offer bonus points on dining purchases — an excuse to eat more and spend more, right? Here are five apps that will help you conquer the local food scene when traveling or even in your home city too.

Foodspotting

If you're traveling (or even if you're not) and you get a craving for that specific dish — Panang curry, a juicy burger or salted caramel ice cream, Foodspotting can help. Search by the exact food you're in the mood for and you can see what restaurants nearby you offer that special order. You can also chat with other foodies about their favorite dishes and share yours. Peruse food photos, find out what's good at new or nearby restaurants and make sure you get to sample the best donuts, dumplings or ahi tuna in whatever city you happen to be in. Download for free on Apple or Google Play.

Happy Cow

Vegans can now search for food in more than 180 countries thanks to this app. Happy Cow lets you find vegan-friendly eateries, rate and share your favorites and even get recipe inspiration all from the app. You can also find spots that are vegetarian-friendly or offer raw food. With over 65,000 restaurants and cafes listed, you can view photos, maps and read reviews, making sure you can find food almost anywhere, no matter how restrictive your diet is. Download for $3.99 on Apple or Google Play.

The Infatuation

Who isn't intrigued by an app that describes itself as "sneaky" and "unbiased?" The Infatuation is all about finding the right restaurant for your desired eating plans. Whether it's a date, dinner with parents, ladies night, a big birthday celebration, brunch with co-workers, or you're trying keeping it healthy, this app has got you covered with the ideal eatery for your needs. The focus is on curated, honest reviews so the expansion to multiple cities hasn't been quick — but quality over quantity, right? Currently, the app covers New York, London, Los Angeles, Chicago, San Francisco, Washington DC, Austin, Denver, Paris, Mexico City, Melbourne, Rome and Tokyo — and expect more cities soon. Download for free on Apple or Google Play.

Local Eats

Located in all 50 states and and many cities around the world — including Bangkok, Istanbul, Jerusalem, Johannesburg, Mumbai, Quebec City, Tokyo and more — Local Eats helps to find the perfect restaurant, recommending only local businesses, and never chain restaurants. With filters like price range, cuisine style and meal style (dinner, brunch, late-night, etc.) you'll discover the perfect Mexican spot in Tucson, Arizona, or the best tapas bar in Madrid. You can see Top 10 lists for each region, save your favorites places and recommend them to friends.

Local Eats also suggests spots near your current location — so you can make a quick pit stop for gelato while touring Florence, for example You may not see every restaurant on these lists; the app prefers to curate only the best restaurants in each city and not bother with mediocre spots. Download for free on Apple or Google Play.

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ChefsFeed

If you're going to trust anyone when it comes to food, why not a chef? That was the inspiration behind ChefsFeed, an app that provides information about dining — like articles, videos, guides and more from your favorite chefs. The photos alone are enough to make you swoon and don't get us started on the videos. Warning: Do not watch when hungry.

Foodies who are looking to learn about the art of cooking, eating and dining will love the Chefs Column, featuring all sorts of info related to the aforementioned food-related topics. The recommendations section will help you find restaurants based on your location and you can research and read about new menu items/restaurant openings in the Guides and Stories sections. Download for free on Apple or Google Play.

Photo by Toa Heftiba via Unsplash