A food gremlin. i will eat my body weight in street meat and call it “research.” Local Food Tours vs DIY Food Crawls. but every trip i stand in the hotel mirror having the same existential crisis: pay for a tour or just run into the night market like a feral raccoon? here’s the real answer after too many regrets.
The Time DIY Almost Ended Me
taipei 2022. i made a google doc titled “shilin night market master plan.” spent three hours eating mediocre stinky tofu while the best oyster omelette stall was literally 30 feet away behind a wall of people. i found it at 1 a.m. when it was closing. cried into my bubble tea.
Local Food Tours – When They Win Hard
- first 48 hours in a new country (you’re jet-lagged and dumb)
- language barrier thicker than peanut sauce
- you want the story behind the food, not just the food
- tiny stalls with zero english menus and a line of locals
- you’re scared of getting the tourist price (or tourist diarrhea)
my favorite wins Local Food Tours vs DIY Food Crawls:
- bangkok tuk-tuk tour → boat noodles i never would’ve found
- hanoi walking tour → egg coffee in a hidden café that looked like someone’s living room
- mexico city taco tour → pastor that made me speak in tongues
DIY Food Crawls – When They’re Actually Better
- you’ve been to the city before
- you speak the language (or at least “thank you” and “one more”)
- you’re broke and proud
- you want to eat at 2 a.m. with zero schedule
- you love the chaos (hi, it’s me)
best diy moments Local Food Tours vs DIY Food Crawls:
- seoul 3 a.m. → found a pojangmacha tent serving soju and sizzling pork belly with a grandma who adopted me
- lisbon → followed drunk locals to a secret bifana stand at 4 a.m.
- tokyo → got lost in golden gai and accidentally had the best yakitori of my life
The Verdict (No Spoilers, But Yes Spoilers)
first trip to a city? book the damn tour. you’ll thank me when you’re eating something life-changing instead of sad fried rice from the place with the english sign. second trip (or you’re a chaos goblin)? diy all the way. get lost. make mistakes. eat the weird thing.
My Personal Rule Now Local Food Tours vs DIY Food Crawls
day 1-2: pay a local to show me the hits day 3-death: armed with knowledge, i go rogue and eat everything twice
which camp are you?? team “i need a guide so i don’t die” or team “hold my map i’m going in”? tell me below because i’m currently planning seoul round 3 and my google doc is already 17 tabs deep.
now excuse me while i argue with myself about whether to book a georgetown penang tour or just show up and cry when i miss the good cendol. send help and antacids.
