FoodieBytes Helps You Fill Your Cravings
By Adam Ostrow 2007-12-03 07:48:31 UTC
Have you ever said to yourself "I'm in the mood for a chicken souvlaki sandwich but not sure where I can get one"? That's the problem FoodieBytes tries to solve through a new restaurant search engine launching a public beta today in 5 different metro areas.
The site has indexed more than 16,000 menus, allowing you to search on very specific dishes and see the restaurants in your area that serve them. Menus for a given restaurant include price information, and allow users to provide a rating (1-5 stars) on each dish. Additionally, integration with Google Maps allows you to get directions to the restaurant that serves your current craving.
One other feature of FoodieBytes' search tool worth noting is support for dietary restrictions, such as "low carb" or "gluten free."
There are plenty of sites geared towards helping you find information about local restaurants, but I like the approach FoodieBytes is taking here – it actually works in the way people think about deciding where to eat. As the company expands to more cities (currently in Boston, Chicago, New York, San Francisco, Washington DC) it could also become very useful for travelers. FoodieBytes also has a mobile version in the works.