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A solo traveller’s top tips for dining alone to help you feel less awkward…
Eating alone, especially in restaurants, used to be my least favourite aspect of solo travel. I’d feel so self-conscious and awkward – and it often felt like the loneliest part of my day!
Thankfully, after travelling the world solo for almost a decade, I’ve not only mastered the art of solo dining – but I’ve also come to love it.
I still feel awkward sometimes, and I definitely get lonely every now and then – but I’ve found loads of ways to deal with that. These are some of my top tips for eating alone when you’re travelling solo…
11 Tips for Dining Alone as a Solo Traveller
1. Remember no one cares!
I used to feel extremely self-conscious about dining alone in restaurants! It felt like everyone was looking over and wondering why I was by myself. Over the years, I’ve learnt an important lesson: no one cares! This applies to most situations when I feel self-conscious!
Most people are too busy living their own lives to even notice you: they aren’t looking at you, they’re not judging you, and they don’t care about you!
Even if someone has noticed you’re dining alone, they almost definitely aren’t thinking “Oh how sad, that person has no friends”. If I ever see a solo diner in a restaurant, I assume they’re either A) in town on business, B) a restaurant critic, or C) work in the restaurant. Or that they’re a solo traveller, like me!
READ MORE: A Shy Girl’s Guide to Solo Travel
2. Bring a Book
If you are feeling self-conscious, bring something to distract you. A book/kindle, headphones to listen to a podcast, or a notepad and pen. Lose yourself in a good book and forget that you’re dining alone – or re-brand yourself as a “mysterious stranger writing in a notebook in the corner of the restaurant”.
3. Dine at quieter times
Sometimes, being surrounded by couples and groups dining together can make you feel extra lonely. If you’re worried about standing out as a solo diner or feeling lonely, try to take your meals at slightly quieter times – usually a little earlier than the normal dinner time (so around 4-5pm in Europe).
4. Make lunch your main meal
Speaking of quieter times, lunch is actually my preferred time to have a sit-down restaurant meal when I’m travelling. It’s usually quieter – and often cheaper – to dine at lunchtime. And solo diners stand out less at lunch because you’ll just look like you’re in town on business.
I like to make lunch my main meal and eat street food or takeaway for dinner. Added bonus: if there’s a fancy restaurant you want to try, the lunchtime menu is often cheaper and you’ll likely find it easier to get a table.
5. Sit at the Bar
If there’s an option to sit at the bar in a restaurant – do it. It feels less formal, and usually feels way less lonely – and you’ll probably get a seat straight away, even in the busiest restaurants.
5. Take a Food Tour or cooking class
Food tours are my favourite way to explore a new destination. I feel like the best way to discover a new culture is through food, and there’s no better way to do that than on a tour with a local expert or a cookery class with a local chef.
But the other great thing about a food tour is that you’ll be in a group, so you won’t be dining solo! It’s a great way to meet people if you’re missing the social side of dining out.
Top Tip: I recommend booking a food tour for your first day in a new city – then ask the guide for tips on where to eat while you’re in town. Take a look on GetYourGuide or Viator for food tours and cookery classes in your next destination.
6. Don’t be scared of street food
Street food is often the best way to discover local flavours. It’s also a much less formal dining situation, which can help if you’re feeling awkward about eating alone.
Street food snacks are usually hand-held and takeaway, so you can eat them as you walk or head to a bench/park/beach wall and people-watch while you eat!
If you’re not sure where to start, a food tour is a great intro (see above) or look for blog posts about the must-try local dishes.
7. Hit up markets, grocery stores and bakeries
I know I’m not alone in saying that I love visiting supermarkets when I visit other countries! It’s so fun seeing what kinds of food are available and getting a tiny insight into everyday life in a new culture.
Supermarkets, grocery stores, markets, and bakeries are also great places to pick up picnic supplies and on-the-go snacks. Again, head to a park bench, a local garden, or the beach (if you’re near one) for a solo picnic and a chance for some people-watching.
If you’re staying somewhere self-catering, you could even buy supplies to cook dinner every now and again.
8. Make friends with the waiters
Often, I’ve found that restaurants take extra care of me when I’m dining alone. Staff will often engage for a bit of a chat (if I want them to), which is a nice way of feeling less lonely at dinner.
Ask questions about the menu. I like to ask what their favourite dish is, which wines/beers are local, or what the must-try local foods are. People love talking about food so it’s a good conversation starter – but obviously, don’t pester the waiters if the restaurant is super busy and they’re rushed off their feet!
Side note: if you can attempt a bit of the local language, even better! “Delicious” is a good one to learn, people love that. I learnt the local Rajasthani word for thank you when I was travelling solo in India and people loved it so much (most travellers only learn the more universally-used Hindi word). One waiter thought it was so funny that he dragged the chefs out of the kitchen to hear the silly white girl fumbling her way through Rajasthani pronunciation!
9. Takeaway is ok
Often, I don’t feel like dining in a restaurant (alone or otherwise) after a long day of exploring! And that’s absolutely fine. Pick up a takeaway on your way home, or order one to be delivered to your hotel.
Try to hunt out independent restaurants on the likes of Uber Eats or Deliveroo – so you can still try local dishes without the need to get dressed up and go for dinner.
Hotel room service can also be a good way of getting a decent meal without going out – but it’s usually much more expensive and often caters to an international audience, so I prefer scouting the local takeaways instead!
10. International chains are also ok (sometimes)
Let’s face it, sometimes, you don’t want to navigate a foreign menu or eat unfamiliar food… And that’s ok! Every now and then, I just want to go to McDonald’s or Starbucks, order something that tastes the same as it does at home, and wolf it down mindlessly whilst looking at my phone. AND THAT’S OK! It doesn’t make you less of a “proper traveller”!
Irish pubs (almost every town seems to have one) and hostel diners (if they have one) are often a good place to find familiar comfort meals, too.
Eating the local cuisine is a great way to immerse yourself in a destination – especially if you stick to independent businesses and street food vendors. But once in a while, if you fancy a McDonald’s or a cheese toastie, you’ll get no judgement from me!
11. Don’t over-order
One last tip – try not to order too much. The biggest downside of dining solo is that you have no one to share food with, and it can be embarrassing sending back a plate that’s still full of food. Ask your waiter how big the portion is before ordering, consider skipping the starter, or order a few small dishes, tapas-style.
Final Thoughts
I hope my tips will help you feel a little less awkward or uncomfortable next time you find yourself dining alone!
My biggest takeaway (pun intended) would be to remind you that no one is paying any attention to you – so you really shouldn’t feel self-conscious about eating out solo.
Also, try to re-frame it in your mind. I now view solo dining as a treat! There’s something lovely about sitting alone in a restaurant with a good meal and a glass of wine, watching the other diners or reading a good book.
I recently found myself dining alone in a fancy steakhouse. There was a family squabbling on one side of me and a couple ignoring each other to stare at their phones on the other, and I found myself thinking how grateful I was to be indulging in a solo date night. Sometimes I’d much rather eat alone than put up with other people!
Are you a fan of dining alone when you travel or do you prefer to have someone else to eat out with? Share your thoughts (and tips) in the comments!
