25 of the best hidden gem restaurants in the world

One of the best parts about traveling is trying the local food. Sometimes, however, you can get sucked into tourist traps that make you pay a premium for less-than-stellar food. Your best bet is to ask a local for a restaurant recommendation or check out this list of the top 25 hidden gem restaurants in the world.

According to a survey conducted by Open Table and KAYAK, 1 in 4 people have flown somewhere just to try the food. And nearly 44 percent of Americans said they'd book a flight or plan a road trip to try a specific restaurant on their wishlist.

So yes, eating on vacation is important! It's not only a social gathering, but it's an experience and can often give you a peek into the local culture. That's why Open Table compiled 25 of the world's best hidden gems in KAYAK'S most popular travel destinations, from Los Angeles to Madrid to Dubai.

“As travelers look for more authentic dining experiences, we teamed up with KAYAK to create a guide that helps food focused travelers find all of the best tips and recommendations in one place," Caroline Potter, OpenTable's chief dining officer, said in a statement. “From where to eat and what to order to when to book and how to get there, our goal is to make dining decisions in some of the world’s most popular cities even easier.”

You can check out their full report here and scroll through the top restaurants in the slideshow above to see if your favorite made the list.