How we choose
Credible sources recommend every place; each card names them.
No place pays to be listed. Status last checked .
The merit bar
One of: an award, a real vote, a credible rave, or strong ratings on two sites.
The criteria: The merit bar
A mention isn't merit. A place goes in when it clears one of these:
- Institutional authority: a Michelin distinction, a James Beard win or semifinalist nod, a national-park or UNESCO designation.
- A real award or vote: a "Best of" category win, a bylined critic's pick, an official landmark designation.
- A named rave from a credible creator or outlet: real following, real track record, a piece you can find.
- Measured popularity with quality: a high rating with real volume, cross-checked on at least two platforms.
Then we keep the standouts. Four near-identical places is padding, a reason to drop.
Food starts from the dishes and drinks unique to each city.
Sources
Two credible sources, or one Michelin or James Beard nod.
Ratings only measure popularity.
Source rules: Sources
Anonymous listicles and content farms are rejected.
Every card names its sources under Recommended by; follow any one to everything else it recommends.
Tiers, graded within each area
Tier order: Tiers, graded within each area
Within each area, places are ordered by tier, then by number of named sources, never by popularity.
These are our own marks, not ratings. A closed place never carries one.
Pins, checked to the door
Checked against a real source; unverifiable pins stay off the map.
Pin checks: Pins, checked to the door
Sources: the place's official site, a map provider's place pin, OpenStreetMap or Wikipedia. Each pin keeps its source, confidence grade and date.
Pins are re-audited after every change: one read from a map's viewport, not the place, can land a street away.
Closed places
Closed places stay, flagged. Report a closure
Closure checks: Closed places
71 today.
Sources: the place's own site or socials, a map listing marked closed, a news story or a municipal page, with the date.
Stated gaps
If nothing clears the bar, we say so.
Gap notes: Stated gaps
A weaker pick never fills the slot. Those notes sit on each city page, under "How this guide was made".
Added by the guide
Places with no named source yet say so.
What we don't show
No ratings, prices or hours of our own. Check hours before you go.
In numbers
8,537 of 8,538 places carry a recorded status check.
58 places have no named source yet. They're labelled "Added by the guide (general knowledge)".
| Country | Guides | Places | Pins at high confidence | Closed, kept |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | 21 | 4,355 | 3,190 (73 %) | 43 |
| Singapore | 9 | 517 | 294 (57 %) | 12 |
| Japan | 5 | 2,092 | 1,384 (66 %) | 4 |
| Germany | 3 | 743 | 589 (79 %) | 8 |
| Vietnam | 1 | 180 | 103 (57 %) | 0 |
| Belgium | 5 | 651 | 509 (78 %) | 4 |