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by tchalla·2y ago·view on hn ↗
Those reviews are mostly tourists trying “local” dishes. I tried your method for Zanzibar and found reviews from “local” guides who were anywhere but from Zanzibar. And having visited Zanzibar before, those dishes aren’t really local either
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Ah, I had trusted when Google said "local" guide, but maybe I should not have!
I think, at least 10 years ago, it was some algorithm based on number of reviews you leave vs average number of reviews for the area.

For example, on a motorcycle trip across Vietnam in 2015, I left a review for a super isolated pho stand that for whatever reason had a google maps profile. I got an email a few hours later that I was a "Local Guide" for Đồng Hới. Cool! Only once I got home to Houston did I realize, I wasn't a "Local Guide" for Đồng Hới, I was just now and forever a "local guide" for everywhere on earth! All my reviews had "local guide" next to it and would get lots of little thumbs up things, all my images I submit to restaurants now get TONS of views, it's really quite silly!

Very helpful once I started my own restaurant and left a review for it though ;) or my friend's restaurants