I love solo traveling: the freedom in your decisions, customized days, and of course, doing whatever you want (whenever you want!).
One of the most common questions I see solo travelers ask themselves is: How do I eat alone? For many of us, eating alone while solo traveling is intimidating.
Honestly, that’s something I often find myself lacking during a solo trip: the ability to sit across the dinner table from someone and recount your day.
But as a solo traveler, you don’t HAVE to go sit at a restaurant by yourself. There are a lot more ways to enjoy a great meal alone than just sitting alone at a table.
That said, you shouldn’t miss out on a great restaurant experience because you’re traveling alone.
Here are my top tips for dining alone while solo traveling.
Sit at the Bar
This is the easiest way to avoid sitting awkwardly at a table meant for four. At the bar, you’ll find other solo travelers eating by themselves, I promise.
Sitting at the bar also tends to be a social experience. You’ll likely strike up a conversation with another solo traveler, a couple or the bartender.
No matter where you go, sitting at the bar by yourself is normalized. So if your biggest fear is standing out, you’ll blend in at the bar.
Join a Food Tour
I absolutely love joining a food tour. It’s the perfect way to learn some history of the city, get background on the food you’re trying and have the chance to meet other travelers.
The best part? You get to try lots of different specialty foods!
From my personal experience, I’ve made friends on food tours whom I’ve made plans to hang out with on future days.
The con, on the other hand, is that joining a food tour can eat into your budget (see what I did there?). A tour runs a higher cost than going to a restaurant, but it’s usually worth it to do it once. Especially if you’re only in a city for a few days.
Look for Local Food Events or Markets
Holiday markets, night markets, food halls – oh, my!
One of my favorite parts about eating my way through Southeast Asia was all the night markets. It’s so much easier to try a variety of foods without feeling awkward about being alone.
Markets also help ease one challenge of dining alone while solo traveling – large portions of a single meal. At markets, you can visit multiple vendors and order a few items.
Another market that’s out of the box is a Farmer’s Market. They often have prepared food, plus local crafts.
Practice in Your Hometown
If you’re nervous about dining solo while traveling, practice dining solo in your hometown!
Whether you want to use this as an excuse to try a new restaurant or revisit your favorite spot (no judgments here), practicing dining alone will come in handy when you’re in a foreign environment.
It can be scary to eat alone, so starting in a familiar city will help ease the nerves.
Buy Dinner at a Supermarket
This tip is also aligned with one of my top tips for saving money while traveling: eat at supermarkets and grocery stores.
Many cities have supermarkets with freshly prepared food as well as different meal deals you can participate in.
Before you buy dinner there, check if there are any nearby spots to enjoy your meal. For example, a park, amphitheater, even a picnic table on the street.
Researching this in advance will prevent you from buying the food and rushing back to your hotel room to eat. Don’t get me wrong – sometimes we need to eat in our rooms and decompress, but it’s pleasant to enjoy a meal with a view, too.
Don’t Worry About What Others Think
I know, I know…easier said than done.
Many people will look at someone eating alone and think: “that’s sad”. However, we solo travelers know it’s not sad at all!
I’d rather be eating alone in a brand new city than be eating alone in my living room back home.
There’s not a cure to stop caring what others’ think, but try not to overly concern yourself with it. The truth is, many people don’t understand solo traveling.
Avoid Rush Hours
High-end and local-favorite restaurants draw crowds during typical lunch and dinner times.
If you can, plan to arrive before or after rush hours, especially during dinner. This will help ensure you don’t have to wait to be seated.
Some restaurants have limited small tables and limited bar seating, so avoiding rush hours makes for a more efficient experience.
Check Google Reviews
If you’re reading this blog, chances are you may be a little anxious.
It’s okay, because I am too.
Something I do to ease this anxiety is check Google reviews for a few restaurants I have my eye on. This will give you the vibe check of a place, as well as pictures of the food.
I have also searched reviews for “solo” before to see if anyone has recounted a positive or negative solo dining experience.
Bring Entertainment
Sometimes, there’s no one to talk to while you’re dining solo while traveling. And sometimes, that’s exactly what you want.
In these instances, I find it helpful to carry around some form of entertainment. For me, I always store my Kindle in my bag.
Reading is such a great way to pass the time while you’re eating alone.
Alternatively, I recommend bringing a journal to recap your day and your thoughts. Time spent alone at a meal can also be used for planning out your next day.
Treat Yourself
If you’ve made it this far, you deserve to treat yourself.
You’ve overcome your nerves and society’s expectations. You’ve picked a great place to try new food in a new city.
You deserve a nice treat – whether that’s a delicious meal, ordering dessert, etc.
Eating at a nice restaurant alone is a form of self care. That said, you don’t have to go to a fancy restaurant to treat yourself to something good.
Just remember: Dining solo is not weird – actually, it’s an activity that takes a lot of confidence.
There’s a South Korean term for people who willingly undertake activities alone: Honjok. I think this accurately describes those of us who understand the art of being (and eating) alone.
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