Our Methodology
The Inside Scoop is a dining intelligence platform. We help you figure out what to order at any restaurant, and we curate directories of the best restaurants around the world.
Restaurant reports
Reports are the core of what we do. For any restaurant in the world, we analyze the latest 50 Google reviews from the past year and generate a detailed dining intelligence report in real time. Each report has three sections:
Summary
A quick snapshot of the restaurant: the cuisine, location, standout features, and what kind of dining experience to expect. Everything you need to know at a glance before you walk in.
What to Order
The best dishes that people keep coming back for. Each recommendation includes what makes the dish special and a direct quote from a reviewer.
Inside Scoop
Insider tips a first-timer wouldn't know: ordering strategy, the best seats, reservation advice, hidden menu items, and atmosphere notes. The kind of things you'd hear from a friend who's been there before.
You can generate a report for any restaurant. Just search for it on our homepage.
Best-of lists
We also curate directories of the best restaurants around the world. To build these, we pull from a wide range of trusted sources, including international and national guides, regional publications, and community discussion forums.
International & national guides
- ●Michelin Guide
- ●The World's 50 Best Restaurants
- ●Canada's 100 Best Restaurants
- ●Air Canada enRoute Best New Restaurants
- ●The Infatuation
- ●Eater
Regional & local publications
- ●Toronto Life
- ●Vancouver Magazine
- ●Avenue Calgary
- ●BlogTO, Narcity, NOW Magazine, CBC
- ●Reddit and other food and restaurant discussion forums
- ●And 50+ other regional food publications and blogs
A restaurant can qualify for the directory through a major recognition (such as a Michelin star, a spot on the Canada's 100 Best list, Toronto Life Best New Restaurants, or the Vancouver Magazine Restaurant Awards) or through appearing across multiple independent editorial best-of lists. We're looking for places that multiple independent sources agree are worth visiting.
Our commitment to independence
No paid placements. Restaurants cannot pay to appear on The Inside Scoop. Every listing is earned through real reviews and editorial recognition.
No sponsored content. Our reports are generated from real diner reviews, not marketing copy. We don't accept payment to feature, rank, or promote any restaurant.
Transparent methodology. We believe you should know exactly how our reports are created and how we select restaurants for our best-of lists.
Questions or feedback?
If you have questions about our methodology, want to suggest a restaurant, or think we got something wrong, we'd love to hear from you. Get in touch.