Eating Local

I love to eat local. Local places almost always deliver awesome food and good service. It's also a good place to observe the local people, to see their culture. This is why I love Memphis.

Memphis has an awesome culture of local restaurants. They have just about anything and everything at a local level. Yes, some places have mutated into chains, but they are still local. This is especially true of BBQ.

I'm not going to get into the debate of which place has the best BBQ, but Memphians have an enormous amount of pride in their BBQ. And it is rightfully deserved. I love Memphis BBQ and I love the fact that there are several different restaurants all with their own take on BBQ in town. When someone new comes into town, I always take them to one of the famous local places. I really like the fact that in my city the BBQ is real and unique to that specific restaurant.

When I eat out I almost always avoid going to the big chains. It can be an annoyance to some, but I feel it is better to help those of my community first, and then national interests. I mainly feel that there is no need to dine at a national chain, everything I could want is offered at the local level and it's usually better than what I would get at it's national chain counterpart. Also, helping the locals makes me feel good. I like dropping into a mom and pop place and know that the money I give them is helping them out and most likely, the town.

One of my pet peeves while traveling is when my companion(s) want to eat at a Wendy's or McDonald's. While I don't mind the occasional global chain, I really don't want to waste my time eating there while in a new city. I have those in my hometown and can eat it whenever I want. I'm not always in a new place. I want to try their unique food. I remember a couple times having to argue my way into a local diner or place famous for a local delicacy. I feel bad for those who are indifferent about trying new things.

When I travel I hunt out the local places. Either I ask a local or I explore. Asking locals has given mixed results. Sometimes they steer me to an awesome place. Other times the food I get is on par with crap. That brings me to something else; just because it's local doesn't make it better. I have been to many a local establishments and have left disappointed. I still advocate the local eateries, but do know that you may get the short end of the stick from time to time.

Basically I say go and find out. Don't just listen to me, go see for yourself. Sometimes you may think that the local place is dull or not worth it, but I be 9 times out or 10 you'll be pleasantly surprised with what you find.

A good resource is Mark's Menus. It gives nice details about local places all over the US.