Google is now rolling out new features, announced last month, which make it easier for users to find local restaurants and bars that match their tastes.
The majority of these new features exist in the redesigned “Explore” tab.
New “Explore” Tab
When viewing a location in Google Maps, users can tap on the “Explore” tab to get recommendations for restaurants, bars, and cafes within the area.
Top Hot Spots
A new section, called “The Foodie List,” will rank the top spots in a city based on trending lists from local experts as well as Google’s own algorithms.
“Your Match” Scores
When viewing the listing for a restaurant or bar, a new feature called “Your Match” will provide a numeric rating that tells a user how likely they are to enjoy a place based on their own preferences. This is determined based on previous reviews and browsing history.
In addition, users can tell Google Maps about their food and drink preferences so the app can surface better recommendations. This can be done from the “Settings” tab, where users can select the types of cuisines and restaurants they like.
Personalized Recommendation Hub
A brand new new “For You” tab will keep users informed about everything happening in areas they care about. This could include areas near their home, work, or a city they visit frequently.
Users can also follow a particular neighborhood to instantly see if there’s a hot new restaurant in the area, a new cafe that’s a perfect match, or if a favorite dining spot is in the news.
Android Exclusive Features
A feature exclusive to Android will let users automatically keep track of how many of the top ranked spots they’ve visited.
Also exclusive to Android is a feature that will surface the top events and activities happening within a particular area. Users can see photos, descriptions, and filter by categories like “good for kids,” “cheap” or “indoor or outdoor.”
To start using these new features, just update the Google Maps app from the App Store or Play Store.
