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.

TokyoLisbonIstanbul

Cuisine

The most local places lean furthest into the home cuisine in 2 of 3 cities. Lisbon: Portuguese is 89% of local-leaning restaurants, 40% of mixed-appeal ones and 44% 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.

Tokyo

10,588 restaurants · 2,013 local-leaning, 6,295 mixed appeal, 2,280 tourist-leaning

All restaurants

68%

Local-leaning2,013

Japanese72%

11%

Mixed appeal6,295

Japanese65%

Tourist-leaning2,280

Japanese71%

Japanese72% · 65% · 71%
Italian6% · 8% · 5%
Chinese11% · 5% · 2%
11 smaller ones in gray11% · 21% · 22%

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

Inside the Japanese places

68% of Tokyo · 7,174 restaurants · 1,442 local-leaning, 4,118 mixed appeal, 1,614 tourist-leaning

Izakaya leads every row of Japanese places, 34% of local-leaning, 30% of mixed-appeal ones and 17% of tourist-leaning.

All Japanese places

28%

12%

11%

26%

Local-leaning1,442

Izakaya34%

13%

Other kinds25%

Mixed appeal4,118

Izakaya30%

12%

11%

Other kinds25%

Tourist-leaning1,614

Izakaya17%

11%

Yakiniku14%

12%

Other kinds30%

Izakaya34% · 30% · 17%
Ramen13% · 12% · 11%
Yakiniku8% · 11% · 14%
Sushi6% · 6% · 12%
Tonkatsu6% · 4% · 4%
Curry3% · 4% · 2%
Okonomiyaki2% · 3% · 5%
Other kinds25% · 25% · 30%
Unspecified3% · 5% · 5%

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

Lisbon

3,332 restaurants · 757 local-leaning, 1,755 mixed appeal, 820 tourist-leaning

All restaurants

52%

Local-leaning757

Portuguese89%

Mixed appeal1,755

Portuguese40%

11%

10%

Tourist-leaning820

Portuguese44%

13%

10%

Portuguese89% · 40% · 44%
Italian1% · 11% · 13%
Japanese1% · 10% · 6%
Brazilian2% · 5% · 3%
American1% · 5% · 3%
9 smaller ones in gray5% · 29% · 31%

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

Inside the Portuguese places

52% of Lisbon · 1,744 restaurants · 676 local-leaning, 706 mixed appeal, 362 tourist-leaning

Tasca leads the local-leaning Portuguese places (59%); tourist-leaning ones lead with Marisqueira (26%).

All Portuguese places

35%

13%

19%

Local-leaning676

Tasca59%

Churrasqueira14%

Mixed appeal706

Tasca24%

Marisqueira13%

10%

Unspecified23%

Tourist-leaning362

Marisqueira26%

10%

11%

Unspecified30%

Tasca59% · 24% · 9%
Churrasqueira14% · 8% · 1%
Marisqueira6% · 13% · 26%
Pastelaria4% · 6% · 4%
Petiscos3% · 10% · 10%
Bar / wine bar2% · 4% · 5%
Modern1% · 8% · 11%
Other kinds3% · 4% · 5%
Unspecified9% · 23% · 30%

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

Istanbul

5,201 restaurants · 1,103 local-leaning, 2,790 mixed appeal, 1,308 tourist-leaning

All restaurants

75%

Local-leaning1,103

Turkish92%

Mixed appeal2,790

Turkish69%

Tourist-leaning1,308

Turkish73%

Turkish92% · 69% · 73%
American2% · 8% · 5%
Italian3% · 7% · 5%
11 smaller ones in gray3% · 16% · 18%

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

Inside the Turkish places

75% of Istanbul · 3,873 restaurants · 1,011 local-leaning, 1,912 mixed appeal, 950 tourist-leaning

Kebab leads every row of Turkish places, 31% of local-leaning, 30% of mixed-appeal ones and 22% of tourist-leaning.

All Turkish places

28%

10%

17%

10%

Local-leaning1,011

Kebab31%

Esnaf lokantası16%

11%

Other kinds21%

Mixed appeal1,912

Kebab30%

11%

10%

Other kinds17%

Tourist-leaning950

Kebab22%

12%

Seafood14%

Other kinds14%

Unspecified20%

Kebab31% · 30% · 22%
Esnaf lokantası16% · 5% · 2%
Tantuni / börek11% · 11% · 5%
Cafe / bakery6% · 10% · 12%
Seafood5% · 5% · 14%
Meyhane5% · 5% · 4%
Kahvaltı3% · 9% · 8%
Other kinds21% · 17% · 14%
Unspecified3% · 9% · 20%

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

Price

Tourist-leaning places are pricier than local-leaning ones in 3 of 3 cities. Istanbul: 72% of tourist-leaning places are expensive or above, 49% of mixed-appeal ones and 21% 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.

Tokyo

10,521 restaurants with a price reading

All restaurants

17%

54%

27%

Local-leaning2,003

Budget37%

Moderate54%

Mixed appeal6,257

Budget15%

Moderate59%

Expensive25%

Tourist-leaning2,261

Moderate41%

Expensive48%

Budget37% · 15% · 6%
Moderate54% · 59% · 41%
Expensive9% · 25% · 48%
Very expensive0% · 1% · 5%

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

Lisbon

3,312 restaurants with a price reading

All restaurants

27%

48%

24%

Local-leaning753

Budget58%

Moderate36%

Mixed appeal1,739

Budget22%

Moderate54%

Expensive23%

Tourist-leaning820

Moderate47%

Expensive43%

Budget58% · 22% · 8%
Moderate36% · 54% · 47%
Expensive6% · 23% · 43%
Very expensive0% · 1% · 2%

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

Istanbul

5,164 restaurants with a price reading

All restaurants

13%

38%

45%

Local-leaning1,092

Budget29%

Moderate50%

Expensive21%

Mixed appeal2,769

12%

Moderate39%

Expensive47%

Tourist-leaning1,303

Moderate25%

Expensive63%

Budget29% · 12% · 3%
Moderate50% · 39% · 25%
Expensive21% · 47% · 63%
Very expensive1% · 2% · 9%

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. Lisbon: 82% of local-leaning places score 8+ on food, 63% of mixed-appeal ones, 41% of tourist-leaning ones; on setting it is 38%, 56% and 82%.

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+

Tokyo

10,588 restaurants · 2,013 local-leaning, 6,295 mixed appeal, 2,280 tourist-leaning

All restaurants

77%

89%

86%

Local-leaning2,013

90%

99%

79%

Mixed appeal6,295

79%

92%

87%

Tourist-leaning2,280

59%

71%

92%

Lisbon

3,332 restaurants · 757 local-leaning, 1,755 mixed appeal, 820 tourist-leaning

All restaurants

62%

83%

58%

Local-leaning757

82%

97%

38%

Mixed appeal1,755

63%

86%

56%

Tourist-leaning820

41%

65%

82%

Istanbul

5,201 restaurants · 1,103 local-leaning, 2,790 mixed appeal, 1,308 tourist-leaning

All restaurants

47%

57%

60%

Local-leaning1,103

70%

85%

34%

Mixed appeal2,790

46%

60%

Tourist-leaning1,308

32%

30%

84%

Neighborhoods

Tokyo: in Asakusa, 62% of restaurants are tourist-leaning and 5% local-leaning; in Kameari it is 0% and 53%.

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.

Tokyo

7,067 of the 10,588 restaurants sit inside a named neighborhood; 96 neighborhoods with 25+

The whole city

7,067 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

Asakusa127

Tourist-leaning 62%

Mixed appeal 33%

Kabukicho277

Tourist-leaning 59%

Mixed appeal 37%

Dogenzaka170

Tourist-leaning 45%

Mixed appeal 51%

Ueno179

Tourist-leaning 45%

Mixed appeal 51%

Ginza274

Tourist-leaning 44%

Mixed appeal 52%

Where the local-leaning places are

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

Yushima106

16%

Mixed appeal 65%

19%

Kameido92

Mixed appeal 62%

Local-leaning 35%

Senjuasahicho100

Mixed appeal 72%

Local-leaning 26%

Nishikamata83

Mixed appeal 75%

Local-leaning 24%

Kameari40

Mixed appeal 48%

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.

Lisbon

2,195 of the 3,332 restaurants sit inside a named neighborhood; 23 neighborhoods with 25+

The whole city

2,195 restaurants inside a named neighborhood

Tourist-leaning 34%

Mixed appeal 52%

15%

Where the tourist-leaning places are

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

Baixa108

Tourist-leaning 70%

Mixed appeal 25%

Chiado209

Tourist-leaning 64%

Mixed appeal 34%

Alfama126

Tourist-leaning 64%

Mixed appeal 34%

Santo António114

Tourist-leaning 40%

Mixed appeal 51%

10%

Parque das Nações141

Tourist-leaning 38%

Mixed appeal 54%

Where the local-leaning places are

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

Avenidas Novas146

21%

Mixed appeal 64%

15%

Lapa110

Mixed appeal 56%

Local-leaning 35%

São Domingos de Benfica79

Mixed appeal 56%

Local-leaning 35%

Lumiar143

Mixed appeal 62%

Local-leaning 37%

Benfica43

Mixed appeal 40%

Local-leaning 61%

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.

Istanbul

2,196 of the 5,201 restaurants sit inside a named neighborhood; 26 neighborhoods with 25+

The whole city

2,196 restaurants inside a named neighborhood

Tourist-leaning 42%

Mixed appeal 49%

Where the tourist-leaning places are

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

Sultanahmet164

Tourist-leaning 92%

Eminönü147

Tourist-leaning 78%

16%

Galata113

Tourist-leaning 77%

21%

Cihangir154

Tourist-leaning 57%

Mixed appeal 40%

Grand Bazaar239

Tourist-leaning 49%

Mixed appeal 41%

11%

Where the local-leaning places are

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

Grand Bazaar239

Tourist-leaning 49%

Mixed appeal 41%

11%

Yeldeğirmeni124

14%

Mixed appeal 73%

14%

Bostancı73

Mixed appeal 64%

Local-leaning 27%

Moda151

Mixed appeal 83%

11%

Goztepe32

Mixed appeal 53%

Local-leaning 47%

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: 19,121 restaurants with a crowd reading (1,623 from full analyses, 17,498 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.