Restaurants on tourist strips charge 2-3x more for noticeably worse food than restaurants 2-3 streets away serving the same locals. Three minutes of research finds the difference. Most travellers default to the tourist strip; the small change radically improves food experiences.
How to find local places
Google Maps with 'restaurants' filter, look for places with 4.5+ stars and reviews mostly in the local language. Local food blogs and Instagram accounts (search by destination + 'restaurants' or 'food'). Ask hotel staff for personal recommendations (not concierge — they often recommend kickback spots).
What to expect
Smaller, less polished spaces. Menus in local language (Google Translate camera works fine). Lower prices. Better food. More authentic experience.
Build this into trip planning. One excellent local meal beats three average tourist-strip meals at higher cost.