It’s easy to fall into the same pattern when you eat out - you know what you like, you know what you’re comfortable with, and there’s definitely a certain satisfaction in sticking to your favourites. But remember, part of the fun of dining out is letting your tastebuds try something more than your usual go-to dish, and if you’ve been ordering the same thing for years, perhaps it’s time to make some changes and go on a tasting adventure next time you’re out. With that in mind, keep reading to find out more about why you should explore different flavours when dining out. 

It Makes You More Adventurous 

There’s something really great about trying something new, especially when it comes to food - you might even feel empowered, as strange as it might seem. And yes, it might sound like a small thing to do, but swapping your usual pasta dish for something totally unfamiliar can be surprisingly liberating. Plus, the more often you do it, the more confident you’re going to get about experimenting in general, and not just with food. 

The thing with trying new food is that it’s pretty low stakes - you might hate it, that’s true, but it’s not going to hurt you, and at the very least you’ll need to order something else (or get a bigger dessert or some side dishes to make up for it), and at least you tried. But if you love it, you’ve just found something that might become your new favourite, and either way, it’s a positive thing to do. 

It Can Change The Way You Experience Other Cultures 

One of the best ways to explore the world is through food - after all, everyone needs to eat. And if you do things this way, you don’t have to book a flight to go halfway around the world because you’ll probably be able to find wonderful cuisine on your doorstep. It’s always worth trying a cuisine that you might not have had the chance to, and it’ll be a wonderful window into a completely different culture - it might even leave you curious enough to want to go travelling, you just never know. 

Dining out in a restaurant that services food from a different culture doesn’t just mean trying a new dish, of course - it means you’ll get to (usually) interact with people from that country, so if you’re keen, go armed with questions and you’ll end up learning so much more than you thought possible. 

You’ll Understand Your Own Preferences Better

The big question to ask yourself is how do you know what you really like if you’ve only ever tried five things? The fact is that dining out gives you an easy way to explore your own tastes without committing to buying loads of ingredients and spending hours cooking only to find you don’t enjoy what you created. If you pay attention to the things you like better than others, you’ll find you’re gravitating towards certain things, so the more different dishes you try, the more you’ll discover about what those things are. 

You might also learn more about what you don’t like, and that’s helpful too. Finding your preferences is about a lot more than just narrowing things down because it means you’ll be able to make good choices that you’re confident in, and you’ll be able to understand more about the things that bring you joy. 

Some Dishes Taste Better Made By Experts 

Although you might be a fantastic home cook, the truth is that there are certain flavours that only truly shine when someone who really knows what they’re doing is creating the dishes - eating lobster is a perfect example of that; it really does have to be cooked by experts in the right way to ensure it’s as delicious as possible. Or it could be a slow-cooked stew that needs just the right balance of spice, or perhaps a delicate pastry that’s made with a really difficult technique, and so on. They’re basically impossible to recreate at home, but when you order them out, you get to experience them exactly how they’re meant to be. 

That fits in nicely with the idea that you should try food from different cultures as well because when you’re eating something made by someone who’s grown up with a dish that’s exotic to you, you’re going to be able to try it exactly the way it’s meant to be. 

Flavour Variety Can Boost Health

Trying different flavours usually also means trying different ingredients, and that’s a good thing for your overall health. When you stick to the same few foods, you miss out on all the nutrients from a more varied diet, but when you try something different and get to eat new spices, herbs, fruit, vegetables, and even meat, then you’ll get all sorts of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants you might have been missing out on before. So you can look at the idea of trying new foods as eating healthily in a more exciting way. 

Plus, trying something new can help to reset your palate - for example, if you’ve only been eating salty snacks or very sweet desserts, a fresh dish with herbs or citrus can be just what’s needed to make things interesting again. 

It Makes Dining Out Feel More Like An Experience 

When you order something you’ve never tried before, it essentially turns the whole meal into an event because you’re not just eating - you’re experiencing a dish. Yes, it’s true that you’re taking a risk, but you’re also creating a memory and opening yourself up to a surprise (good or bad), and that’s got to be far more exciting than settling into the same old starter, main, and dessert routine you usually stick with. 

You’ll Get Better At Cooking 

When you start to explore new flavours in restaurants, the chances are that you’ll eventually want to bring some of those ideas home into your own kitchen and diet, which is brilliant. And even if you’re not the more confident cook, just knowing what certain flavours go well together can help you become more creative in the kitchen. 

You might start using different spices, for example, or trying new combinations, or perhaps looking into ingredients you hadn’t heard of before. Dining out can be a great way to gather a load of inspiration, and once you’ve tried something once, you’ll have a useful reference point to create your own version of it. It doesn’t have to be an exact recreation, and half the fun is in working it all out anyway. 

It’s A Great Way To Connect With Others

There’s something uniquely bonding about sharing a new experience, especially when it comes to food. Whether you’re on a date, out with friends, or grabbing dinner with your family, trying a new flavour together gives you something fun to talk about. You can laugh if it’s awful, enjoy it if it’s amazing, and either way you’ll always remember the moment because it was different and bonded you all together. 

Trying something new is also a good way to break the ice - if you’re in a new group or on a first date, for example, ordering a dish you’ve never had before can make the evening a lot more fun and memorable. It’s an easy way to inject a bit of joy into the evening, and even if you never see those people again, it’ll still have been a good time. 

It Supports Local Businesses And Food Trends 

Being open to new flavours also means you’re more likely to support smaller businesses, pop-ups, or restaurants that are trying something different, and maybe evening pushing some boundaries when it comes to what they have to offer. You’re basically helping chefs experiment, and you’re able to show appreciation for the effort they’ve put into creating something unique. 

And you never know - you might even get ahead of the curve when it comes to food trends. What’s unfamiliar now might be the next big thing in a few month’s time, and you’ll already have tried it first, so you’ll have some impressive bragging rights. 

Even One Change Can Make A Difference 

Trying new flavours doesn’t have to mean completely changing your usual meal, which might sound overwhelming - so much so that you decide not to change anything at all. So instead, you can start small, maybe with a different sauce, or perhaps you’ll order a side dish you’ve never had before, or a dessert with a new (to you) ingredient in it… The point is, that one choice can kick off a whole new appreciation for food you’ve overlooked until now. 

It’s also a good excuse to look beyond your regular places you like to eat. What about trying that tucked away bistro you’ve often walked past? Or maybe there’s a place your friends have recommended but because you always stick to what you know, you’ve still not tried it. If you can be a bit more curious and step outside of your comfort zone now and then (we’re not saying you have to abandon your favourite foods altogether), then who knows what other adventures you’ll go on? It’s a very exciting idea.