With its GPS capabilities and built-in camera, the iPhone is any discerning foodie’s ideal companion, making it easy to locate the finest dining and capture the moment of the ideal meal. Any foodie worth his expansive knowledge of salt will have a plethora of iPhone apps. Here are my picks for the top ten apps every foodie should download.
OpenTable
I can’t function without my free OpenTable app for making dinner reservations. Not only does OpenTable give you access to the best tables across the country, but you also earn points that translate into dollars for you to spend on your favorite dishes in the nation’s hottest restaurants.
GrubHub
The free GrubHub Food Delivery app is for lazy foodies who like to eat gourmet without getting dressed up and leaving the house. If you live in a big city, this iPhone app is your hub for gourmet grub delivered to your home from more than 13,000 amazing restaurants, bakeries and more.
Download the free Appolicious iPhone app
Tasting Table To-Go
If you are a foodie overwhelmed by your city’s dining choices, look for tips from the free Tasting Table To-Go app. This app provides tips on the trendiest drinks and dishes in town. Save tips to a built in to-do list so you aren’t always asking yourself, “Now what was the name of that restaurant I wanted to try?”
The Show Foodie
With so many food exploring shows on TV, it can be hard to remember all those nifty places with the out-of-this-world food choices in cities near and far. With The Show Foodie app (free) you can access information and maps for all those outstanding establishments you catch on your favorite food-centric TV shows. This app is stellar for planning a foodie weekend getaway or road trip.
Foodspotting
If you do manage to take a foodie-loving trip, don’t leave home without downloading the free Foodspotting app. This app allows you to share and view photos of dishes across the country. Foodspotting is just the right thing for satisfying a particular food craving and viewing a dish before you commit.
LocalEats
Do you cower when a fellow traveling companion suggests Olive Garden or Hooter’s for dinner? Then check out the LocalEats app ($0.99), which is filled with only the finest non-chain restaurants across the country. No more all-you-can-eat breadsticks for you!
Gilt City
Looking for exclusive menus and one-of-a-kind dining experiences? The free Gilt City app offers special occasion dinners at restaurants in big cities with varying price tags. The focus here is on luxury and distinctiveness, and far less on convenience and savings.
Foodstream
The free Foodstream app focuses on bringing you location-based user reviews with a focus on food. Instead of featuring a person’s photo à la Yelp, this app features photos of dishes with information on the actual food, and less on people’s bad or good experiences. While experiences do count, I’m more worried about what I’m putting in my mouth than what the waitress says to me. Did my salad have a bad day? Who cares?
The New Food Lover’s Companion
If you are a foodie who cooks, check out The New Food Lover’s Companion, 4th Edition ($11.99). This food-lover’s bible is filled with information from exotic foods to special ingredients. It is the reference guide for the cook who wants to know it all, like any serious foodie should.
Paprika Recipe Manager
And finally, a must-have app for every cooking foodie is the Paprika Recipe Manager for iPhone app ($4.99). Manage your own beloved recipes, and those you’ve collected from foodie websites, and organize them with this one savvy recipe app.
