Yelp, who? 4 ways Google Maps can help you find your next meal – and order it

ZDNET’s key takeaways

• Google reveals its first fan-favorite dining list.
• The list compiles trends among Maps in 10 cities.
• Google also highlights deeper Gemini integration with Maps.

Google continues to update Google Maps for uses beyond simple navigation, with AI-powered features that help you find places to eat and even order food. It’s basically been giving you more reasons to not use other apps such as Yelp and instead make Maps your first stop when deciding what’s for dinner.

Also: Apple Maps vs. Google Maps: One is much better

Now, Google is revealing more ways Maps can help you find a new favorite dining spot, satisfy a late-night craving, or get a better sense of a restaurant before you book a table or head out to eat.

1. Conversational ordering out

In August, Google announced that Ask Maps, its Gemini-powered chat tool, could understand conversational prompts to help you find restaurants with the food you want and place an order via Toast.

At the time of the announcement, Toast was the only official named Google partner, but now users can also place orders via Square and Uber Eats.

Also: Use Gemini for free? You’ll soon be limited to its weakest AI model

2. Explore trending spots

Google Maps’ Explore tab can help you find restaurants near you that are trending with other Maps users. I find that the restaurants on the trending tab in and around Atlanta are the ones I’ve seen in recent viral videos on Instagram or TikTok.

3. Know Before You Go highlights

Once you pull up a restaurant in Maps, the Know Before You Go tab highlights important information other users have contributed in their Google reviews. I usually find information about a dress code or menu restrictions here.

Most importantly, when I’m looking for a new spot in Atlanta, I check this section to see what other users say about a restaurant’s parking situation (or lack thereof), which is highly useful.

4. Fan-favorite dining list

With so many users giving reviews, tips, and insider knowledge about local restaurants, Google compiled its first fan-favorite dining list, complete with the dining trends of Maps users in 10 global cities: Atlanta, Chicago, London, Melbourne, Montreal, New York, San Francisco, Santiago, Seattle, and Tokyo.

Google

The list exemplifies how social media influences global food trends, inspiring people to try cuisines, snacks, and drinks from around the world when they show up in their city. I’m sure you or someone you know has wanted to go somewhere specific because it was on TikTok. For example, Google’s list shows that cheeseburgers, an American culinary staple, had a 216% increase in trending interest in Tokyo, Japan, during the past year.

Also: 10 Google Maps settings I change to improve its usability

On the flip side, Michelada, a Mexican beer cocktail, experienced a 78% increase in trending interest in Santiago, Chile. From the other side of the world, Ube, a purple yam native to Southeast Asia used in desserts and dessert drinks, saw a 75% spike in trending interest in Melbourne, Australia.

Google’s list also categorizes the top spots Maps users search for directions within a specific city, divided by meals, beverages, and sweet treats. In my home city of Atlanta, restaurants in Midtown that line the city’s tree-lined Beltline trail or that are situated in buzzy city centers dominate the top spots to grab a meal.

Every city on Google’s list shows the most popular places users go to celebrate an occasion, catch a great vibe, and get the most bang for their buck. 

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I’ve visited some of the restaurants and cafes that made Google’s list in New York and Chicago, and most of the listings in Atlanta. Though locals may consider some places tourist traps, they have stellar reviews and are popular with everyday people.

From my perspective, these restaurants capture the culture and vibe of the cities they’re in, promising great food, a good experience, and a way to try the flavors of immigrant communities that settle in major metropolitan areas.

Jada Jones is a journalist based outside of Atlanta, Georgia. She graduated from Georgia State University with a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism. Jada is ZDNET's audio editor and regularly reviews the latest flagship headphones, earbuds, speakers, soundbars, and more. See full bio