Where do the locals actually eat?

Every restaurant Seemor has analyzed carries a reading of the crowd it draws, from firmly local to firmly tourist. Pick up to five cities. Below, in turn: what the local-leaning places serve, what kind of places they are, what they charge and how they score, next to the mixed-appeal places and the tourist-leaning ones.

AthensLondonNew York

Cuisine

The most local places lean furthest into the home cuisine in 2 of 3 cities. Athens: Greek is 84% of local-leaning restaurants, 59% of mixed-appeal ones and 60% of tourist-leaning ones.

What this measures

What each restaurant serves, grouped into cuisines. Cuisines under 15 restaurants in a city are pooled as Other. Under each city: the home cuisine opened up by kind of place (pizzeria, trattoria, pub, diner and so on), read from how each restaurant describes itself.

Athens

3,254 restaurants · 1,020 local-leaning, 1,852 mixed appeal, 382 tourist-leaning

All restaurants

67%

Local-leaning1,020

Greek84%

Mixed appeal1,852

Greek59%

10%

Tourist-leaning382

Greek60%

Greek84% · 59% · 60%
Italian6% · 10% · 8%
American2% · 5% · 3%
Cafe2% · 5% · 3%
10 smaller ones in gray5% · 21% · 25%

Figures: local-leaning · mixed appeal · tourist-leaning

Inside the Greek places

67% of Athens · 2,176 restaurants · 861 local-leaning, 1,086 mixed appeal, 229 tourist-leaning

Souvlaki leads the local-leaning Greek places (27%); tourist-leaning ones lead with Modern (25%).

All Greek places

20%

12%

15%

13%

Local-leaning861

Souvlaki27%

Taverna16%

Meze / ouzeri16%

12%

Mixed appeal1,086

Souvlaki17%

10%

Meze / ouzeri16%

11%

10%

Other kinds15%

Tourist-leaning229

Modern25%

Other kinds21%

Unspecified28%

Souvlaki27% · 17% · 5%
Taverna16% · 10% · 4%
Meze / ouzeri16% · 16% · 3%
Magirio12% · 5% · 7%
Pies / bakery9% · 11% · 3%
Psistaria8% · 8% · 5%
Modern2% · 10% · 25%
Other kinds8% · 15% · 21%
Unspecified3% · 8% · 28%

Figures: local-leaning · mixed appeal · tourist-leaning

London

17,322 restaurants · 5,829 local-leaning, 9,960 mixed appeal, 1,533 tourist-leaning

All restaurants

25%

12%

20%

Local-leaning5,829

British29%

12%

Other18%

Mixed appeal9,960

British21%

12%

Other21%

Tourist-leaning1,533

British27%

Italian14%

Other21%

British29% · 21% · 27%
Italian12% · 12% · 14%
Indian9% · 8% · 5%
Chinese5% · 4% · 4%
Japanese3% · 5% · 7%
Turkish5% · 5% · 2%
American2% · 5% · 9%
Cafe5% · 4% · 1%
6 smaller ones in gray30% · 37% · 31%

Figures: local-leaning · mixed appeal · tourist-leaning

Inside the British places

25% of London · 4,238 restaurants · 1,704 local-leaning, 2,118 mixed appeal, 416 tourist-leaning

Pub leads every row of British places, 40% of local-leaning, 44% of mixed-appeal ones and 35% of tourist-leaning.

All British places

42%

19%

12%

Local-leaning1,704

Pub40%

Cafe24%

Fish & chips20%

Mixed appeal2,118

Pub44%

Cafe16%

Tourist-leaning416

Pub35%

Cafe18%

Modern British16%

Other kinds18%

Pub40% · 44% · 35%
Cafe24% · 16% · 18%
Fish & chips20% · 8% · 3%
Gastropub4% · 8% · 1%
Takeaway / chicken shop4% · 3% · 1%
Modern British3% · 6% · 16%
Bar / wine bar1% · 3% · 3%
Other kinds2% · 5% · 18%
Unspecified4% · 8% · 7%

Figures: local-leaning · mixed appeal · tourist-leaning

New York

13,966 restaurants · 4,732 local-leaning, 8,067 mixed appeal, 1,167 tourist-leaning

All restaurants

20%

17%

Local-leaning4,732

American17%

Italian19%

12%

10%

Other15%

Mixed appeal8,067

American20%

Italian15%

Other18%

Tourist-leaning1,167

American26%

Italian21%

Other16%

American17% · 20% · 26%
Italian19% · 15% · 21%
Chinese12% · 7% · 7%
Mexican9% · 8% · 6%
Japanese6% · 9% · 9%
Middle Eastern3% · 4% · 2%
8 smaller ones in gray34% · 38% · 30%

Figures: local-leaning · mixed appeal · tourist-leaning

Inside the American places

20% of New York · 2,743 restaurants · 797 local-leaning, 1,648 mixed appeal, 298 tourist-leaning

Bar / tavern leads every row of American places, 25% of local-leaning, 21% of mixed-appeal ones and 24% of tourist-leaning.

All American places

23%

10%

18%

13%

Local-leaning797

Bar / tavern25%

Diner18%

13%

10%

11%

Mixed appeal1,648

Bar / tavern21%

Burgers / chicken21%

13%

10%

Other kinds13%

Tourist-leaning298

Bar / tavern24%

Burgers / chicken16%

New American21%

Other kinds14%

Bar / tavern25% · 21% · 24%
Diner18% · 7% · 7%
Burgers / chicken13% · 21% · 16%
New American10% · 13% · 21%
Brunch / cafe9% · 10% · 6%
Salad bowls7% · 4% · 1%
Southern / BBQ5% · 8% · 4%
Other kinds11% · 13% · 14%
Unspecified2% · 4% · 7%

Figures: local-leaning · mixed appeal · tourist-leaning

Price

Tourist-leaning places are pricier than local-leaning ones in 3 of 3 cities. New York: 69% of tourist-leaning places are expensive or above, 45% of mixed-appeal ones and 23% of local-leaning ones.

What this measures

Price band read from menus and reviews, four bands from budget to very expensive. Places with no price reading are left out.

Athens

3,221 restaurants with a price reading

All restaurants

23%

53%

23%

Local-leaning1,007

Budget35%

Moderate55%

10%

Mixed appeal1,834

Budget20%

Moderate53%

Expensive26%

Tourist-leaning380

Moderate49%

Expensive41%

Budget35% · 20% · 8%
Moderate55% · 53% · 49%
Expensive10% · 26% · 41%
Very expensive0% · 1% · 2%

Figures: local-leaning · mixed appeal · tourist-leaning

London

17,260 restaurants with a price reading

All restaurants

14%

58%

26%

Local-leaning5,807

Budget23%

Moderate61%

Expensive15%

Mixed appeal9,926

10%

Moderate59%

Expensive29%

Tourist-leaning1,527

Moderate41%

Expensive50%

Budget23% · 10% · 4%
Moderate61% · 59% · 41%
Expensive15% · 29% · 50%
Very expensive1% · 2% · 5%

Figures: local-leaning · mixed appeal · tourist-leaning

New York

13,913 restaurants with a price reading

All restaurants

11%

49%

34%

Local-leaning4,706

Budget20%

Moderate57%

Expensive20%

Mixed appeal8,043

Moderate47%

Expensive39%

Tourist-leaning1,164

Moderate27%

Expensive58%

11%

Budget20% · 8% · 4%
Moderate57% · 47% · 27%
Expensive20% · 39% · 58%
Very expensive3% · 7% · 11%

Figures: local-leaning · mixed appeal · tourist-leaning

Food, value and setting

Local-leaning places score 8+ on food more often than tourist-leaning ones in 3 of 3 cities; tourist-leaning ones sit in better settings in 3 of 3. London: 67% of local-leaning places score 8+ on food, 52% of mixed-appeal ones, 25% of tourist-leaning ones; on setting it is 52%, 66% and 88%.

What this measures

Share of restaurants reading 8 or higher on food quality, and 7 or higher on value for money and on setting appeal, on Seemor's 1 to 10 scale. Bands, not averages.

Food quality 8+

Value for money 7+

Setting appeal 7+

Athens

3,254 restaurants · 1,020 local-leaning, 1,852 mixed appeal, 382 tourist-leaning

All restaurants

55%

79%

53%

Local-leaning1,020

67%

91%

38%

Mixed appeal1,852

51%

75%

55%

Tourist-leaning382

45%

63%

80%

London

17,322 restaurants · 5,829 local-leaning, 9,960 mixed appeal, 1,533 tourist-leaning

All restaurants

55%

84%

63%

Local-leaning5,829

67%

96%

52%

Mixed appeal9,960

52%

82%

66%

Tourist-leaning1,533

25%

49%

88%

New York

13,966 restaurants · 4,732 local-leaning, 8,067 mixed appeal, 1,167 tourist-leaning

All restaurants

55%

78%

62%

Local-leaning4,732

63%

90%

45%

Mixed appeal8,067

54%

75%

68%

Tourist-leaning1,167

35%

43%

89%

Neighborhoods

Athens: in Plaka, 69% of restaurants are tourist-leaning and 0% local-leaning; in Metaxourgeio it is 14% and 26%.

What this measures

Share of each neighborhood's restaurants in each crowd band. The whole city first, then the 5 neighborhoods with the most tourist-leaning restaurants and the 5 with the most local-leaning, each group ordered by tourist-leaning share. Neighborhoods are Seemor's own place hierarchy; only those with 25 or more restaurants carrying a crowd reading are drawn. Under it: every neighborhood of every city on one chart.

Athens

841 of the 3,254 restaurants sit inside a named neighborhood; 12 neighborhoods with 25+

The whole city

841 restaurants inside a named neighborhood

Tourist-leaning 27%

Mixed appeal 61%

12%

Where the tourist-leaning places are

the 5 neighborhoods with the most of them, ordered by share

Plaka84

Tourist-leaning 69%

Mixed appeal 31%

Monastiraki143

Tourist-leaning 46%

Mixed appeal 48%

Petralona59

Tourist-leaning 32%

Mixed appeal 51%

17%

Exarchia82

21%

Mixed appeal 65%

15%

Koukaki71

16%

Mixed appeal 72%

13%

Where the local-leaning places are

the 5 neighborhoods with the most of them, ordered by share

Petralona59

Tourist-leaning 32%

Mixed appeal 51%

17%

Exarchia82

21%

Mixed appeal 65%

15%

Koukaki71

16%

Mixed appeal 72%

13%

Metaxourgeio65

14%

Mixed appeal 60%

Local-leaning 26%

Pangrati96

Mixed appeal 75%

18%

The same ten on the map of every city

1,549 neighborhoods in 43 cities

If each city's restaurants were scattered across its neighborhoods at random, about 63 of these 1,549 neighborhoods would have a fifth of their restaurants in each crowd. 10 do.

London

9,643 of the 17,322 restaurants sit inside a named neighborhood; 177 neighborhoods with 25+

The whole city

9,643 restaurants inside a named neighborhood

13%

Mixed appeal 60%

Local-leaning 27%

Where the tourist-leaning places are

the 5 neighborhoods with the most of them, ordered by share

Leicester Square75

Tourist-leaning 75%

Mixed appeal 25%

St Giles99

Tourist-leaning 56%

Mixed appeal 43%

Chinatown155

Tourist-leaning 49%

Mixed appeal 48%

Mayfair142

Tourist-leaning 37%

Mixed appeal 51%

11%

Soho149

Tourist-leaning 36%

Mixed appeal 58%

Where the local-leaning places are

the 5 neighborhoods with the most of them, ordered by share

Clapham119

Mixed appeal 53%

Local-leaning 40%

Tooting141

Mixed appeal 58%

Local-leaning 39%

Battersea124

Mixed appeal 59%

Local-leaning 40%

Stoke Newington88

Mixed appeal 55%

Local-leaning 46%

East Dulwich52

23%

Local-leaning 77%

The same ten on the map of every city

1,549 neighborhoods in 43 cities

If each city's restaurants were scattered across its neighborhoods at random, about 63 of these 1,549 neighborhoods would have a fifth of their restaurants in each crowd. 10 do.

New York

10,131 of the 13,966 restaurants sit inside a named neighborhood; 99 neighborhoods with 25+

The whole city

10,131 restaurants inside a named neighborhood

10%

Mixed appeal 60%

Local-leaning 31%

Where the tourist-leaning places are

the 5 neighborhoods with the most of them, ordered by share

Theater District179

Tourist-leaning 62%

Mixed appeal 37%

Garment District183

Tourist-leaning 47%

Mixed appeal 53%

Hell's Kitchen204

Tourist-leaning 34%

Mixed appeal 63%

NoMad161

Tourist-leaning 30%

Mixed appeal 67%

Financial District201

Tourist-leaning 24%

Mixed appeal 69%

Where the local-leaning places are

the 5 neighborhoods with the most of them, ordered by share

Williamsburg359

Mixed appeal 74%

21%

Astoria305

Mixed appeal 57%

Local-leaning 39%

Flushing295

Mixed appeal 66%

Local-leaning 33%

Jackson Heights174

Mixed appeal 49%

Local-leaning 49%

Crown Heights145

Mixed appeal 46%

Local-leaning 53%

The same ten on the map of every city

1,549 neighborhoods in 43 cities

If each city's restaurants were scattered across its neighborhoods at random, about 63 of these 1,549 neighborhoods would have a fifth of their restaurants in each crowd. 10 do.

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Each question arrives with a post from Ryan Fuller. One email when it lands, with the chart and the link. Ask for a city while you are at it.

Cities shown: 34,542 restaurants with a crowd reading (12,083 from full analyses, 22,459 from lighter ones), data from October 2026. Each restaurant carries Seemor's reading of the crowd it draws. The most local places count as local-leaning, the most tourist-drawn as tourist-leaning, and the rest, where most of a city eats, as mixed appeal. Readings come from analysing public reviews and menus; they describe who a place tends to draw, not who is welcome. Shares of restaurants in a band, never individual scores.

Cities with fewer than 100 tourist-leaning restaurants are left out; the kind-of-place split of the home cuisine also needs 50 tourist-leaning places in that cuisine, which 3 of 44 cities do not have yet. Every city has its own page: see the list.