Google launches new search features for finding food near you

Today, Nov. 17, Google launched two new features to make finding food nearby easier. Now, you can search by dish instead of restaurant on Google Search, and you can use the multisearch tool to find delicious dishes near you.

Both features are currently available on the Google app on Android and iOS.

Search dish-first instead of restaurant-first. Credit: Google

Nearby dishes

If you're like me, you tend to search for food based on what you're craving. That often involves clicking every restaurant that comes up on your search results and scanning through each menu for what initially had in mind. According to Sophia Lin, general manager of food at Google, we're not alone in that line of thinking, which is why the team at Google developed a tool that shows you the specific dishes your craving and where to find them.

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Now, when you search for something like "al pastor tacos near me" you get nearby results of that exact dish. In this feature, the results will also show images, ratings, and other restaurant information, including pricing. You can also filter by dietary preferences and click for reviews.

Finally, you can search for nearby food by dish instead of restaurant. Credit: Google

Multisearch near me

Google's preexisting multisearch tool uses text and images to help you search in situations where text alone might not be descriptive enough. It uses Google Lens to scan an image and find results based on the specific details you're looking for.

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"Multisearch near me" takes that feature to the next level by giving you nearby search results of a specific food or dish. Let's say you drooled over a plate of lasagna you saw on Instagram and took a screenshot of it. Upload that image through Google Lens and type "near me." This will give results for where to find lasagna nearby. Even if you don't know the name of the dish, you can snap or upload a photo, and multisearch will do the work for you by using AI technology to compare similar images and identify it.

Google Lens is able to identify the image as Linzer cookies using multisearch Credit: Google Now that you've know they're Linzer cookies, you can find out where to get 'em. Credit: Google

It makes expanding your palate and discovering your new favorite dish a whole lot easier.