Finding great restaurants is a fun and rewarding part of traveling.

Along with shopping and sightseeing, eating out in new restaurants is one of the best parts of any vacation. Whether it's in a famous gourmet eatery or an out-of the way cafe, there's nothing like a great meal to make the most of a day or night in a new city. To make sure you'll be choosing places where the food and atmosphere will be just what you're looking for, follow some tips from a restaurant expert.

Pooja Bhatia is a staff writer for the Wall Street Journal. Here she offers a guide to finding great places to dine while traveling:

• Search the web. Surfing the web is a great way to find a new restaurant in a foreign place. "Foodie" websites abound, and many are filled with reviews of places that are off the beaten track.

• Ask the concierge. If you'll be staying at a hotel, it's a good idea to ask the concierge for dining recommendations. Concierges not only know the good places to eat, but can often help you reserve a table, as many restaurants will allot ten to twenty percent of their tables to concierge recommendations.

• Check city magazines. Another good option is city magazines, which are available at any decent newsstand and generally offer comprehensive restaurant listings.

• Don't settle for franchises. Traveling can make anyone tired and hungry, and there's often a temptation to head to a recognizable chain restaurant just to get some sustenance. But Bhatia thinks it's a shame to pass on the opportunity for culinary adventure, and believes that finding somewhere special to eat is well worth the effort.

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