Tourism expert issues restaurant 'red flags' warning to travellers going abroad this summer

A tourism expert has issued a list of restaurant 'red flags' to travellers going abroad this summer. UK tourists have been warned over visiting 'tourist trap' restaurants while holidaying in the likes of Spain, Italy, Greece, Portugal and Turkey.

Constantina Demos, travel editor of Delicious, which has over 300k followers, shared some of the key ways Brits can weed out the overpriced hotspots and find something a little more genuine.

She shared an important list of 'red flags' to look out for, including empty venues at peak times and staff standing outside restaurants trying to entice customers in with cheap deals.

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Writing for the publication she said: "When I travel I have a dining bucket list. I’m a woman on a mission... to ensure each meal I eat is authentic and delicious.

"I’ve fallen victim to choosing convenience (and a hungry stomach) over effort and stumbled into the first restaurant I came across without doing due diligence.

"I’m left unsatisfied by an average meal that I’ve paid way too much for. But throughout my travels, I’ve curated a mental list of red flags that indicate a restaurant is a tourist trap."

She warned of a number of tell-tale signs to look out for. These included a host or manager standing outside trying to usher customers inside, because 'if a restaurant is good, people will know about it'.

A menu in English that is 'predictable' is also a warning sign, said Demos. She wrote: "If the only menu they have is in English and you're in a foreign speaking country, then you know the restaurant's only clientele are tourists."

Swathes of empty tables - especially at peak times - is also a warning sign, as well