How to Find Local Food Bloggers for Your Restaurant in 5 Steps

If you run a restaurant, you’ve probably thought about how to get more people through the door. One smart way is to work with local food bloggers.

These are people who love to eat out and share their food experiences online. They visit places like yours, take photos, write about the food, and post it all on their blogs or social media.

When someone is looking for a good place to eat, they often check Instagram, TikTok, or Google. And guess what they find? Posts from local food bloggers. That’s why it makes sense to work with them.

In this post, we’ll talk about why local food bloggers matter, how to find them, and how to work with them in a way that helps your restaurant grow. Let's start!

Who Are Local Food Bloggers And Food Influencers?

Local food bloggers are people in your area who enjoy eating out and sharing their experiences online. They visit local restaurants, take photos of the food, and write honest reviews. Some post on blogs. Others share everything on Instagram or TikTok. Many do both.

They don’t work for magazines or newspapers. They’re regular people who really care about food and their local community. Their followers trust them because they talk about real places they visit, not just fancy restaurants or paid ads.

When you find local food bloggers who talk about spots in your city or neighborhood, you find people who already have your target customers as followers. That means more of the right people are learning about your food. 

You don’t just want views, you want customers who can visit. This is why focusing on local food bloggers can be very beneficial, as their audience can easily visit your restaurant.

What's the Difference between Food Bloggers & Food Influencers?

Food influencers are a little different than food bloggers. They often have a larger audience. These creators post about food, but also about their lives, travel, and lifestyle.

You’ll usually find them on platforms like Instagram, TikTok, or YouTube. They may not always go deep into food reviews, but their content can reach thousands of people.

Influencers are great at getting attention fast. Their posts get shared, liked, and saved by many people. This can help your restaurant get noticed, especially if you’re trying to reach a younger or more active online crowd.

How Local Food Bloggers Help Promote Your Restaurant

Working with local food bloggers and influencers can help your restaurant grow without needing big marketing budgets. Here are the main benefits of building relationships with them:

More People Learn About Your Restaurant

When you find local food bloggers who post about your place, their audience pays attention. A photo of your dish or a video review can reach hundreds or even thousands of local followers. 

These people are already interested in food and often try new spots based on what they see online.

A post from a trusted local voice often has more value than a paid ad. Their followers see it as a personal tip, not a sales pitch.

You Get Better Content For Your Own Pages

Food bloggers often take great photos and write useful reviews. Many also make short videos or stories. With their permission, you can share this content on your own social media. This helps you build trust because the reviews come from real people.

It also saves you time since you don’t have to take every photo yourself. Plus, sharing their posts helps you stay active online. This kind of content usually looks better and feels more natural than a regular ad or flyer.

You Collect Helpful Feedback

Most food bloggers and influencers share their honest thoughts. If they liked the food, they’ll say so. If something didn’t feel right, they might mention it too, but usually in a kind and helpful way.

This feedback gives you a chance to see your restaurant through a customer’s eyes. You can use it to fix small problems, improve service, or even update your menu.

Your Restaurant Becomes Part Of The Local Food Scene

When people see local food bloggers visiting your restaurant often, they start to think of your place as part of the local food scene. Over time, this helps build strong word-of-mouth.

Restaurants that team up with local influencers usually get more Google reviews, better social media engagement, and more foot traffic, especially right after a post goes live.

Working with local creators is a smart and affordable way to grow. It costs less than paid ads, builds trust, and lets you connect with people who already love food and local spots.

How To Find Local Food Bloggers in 5 Easy Steps with Bulba

If you run a restaurant, café, or food spot and want to get content from local food bloggers, Bulba makes the process simple. 

You don’t need to search for creators, go back and forth on messages, or worry about pricing. Bulba helps you set up everything in one place, and the right influencers come to you.

All you have to do is sign up and set up your campaign. Here’s how it works, step by step:

Step 1: Set Your Location

The first step is setting your location. Go to the "Locations" tab and press "New location".

Next, write the address of your restaurant or cafe. Use the map pointer to get the spot right. You can also add more details, such as the neighborhood of your restaurant.

You can add a distinctive location name for your business. You also need to add at least 2 photos on this page.

The last part is setting your business's availability hours. Once done, you can click "Save Location".

And here it is: the location of your business is set! Let's move on.

Step 2: Choose Your Campaign Schedule

Next, go to the "Campaigns" page. Upon clicking "New Campaign", you can pick from three different ways to run your campaign:

Later on, in the "Campaigns" page, you can edit your schedule further. Please remember that the dates that show here depend on the availability hours you set earlier for your business on the "Locations" tab. Here's a quick look at each:

Regular Collaboration

This lets one food blogger book each time slot. It works well if you want steady visits spread across different days.

One-off Event

Perfect for special events like a grand opening or launch night. You can invite multiple bloggers to book the same time slot.

Recurring Event

This is best if you do something weekly, like “Taco Tuesday” or “Brunch Sundays.” You set it up once, and it repeats automatically.

Step 3: Choose How You Want to Collaborate

First, write the name of your campaign. Then, decide what type of collaboration you want to offer.

If you’re offering a free meal in exchange for content, choose “Gifted”. This is great for working with local micro-influencers.

If you want to pay for content and access the top 1% of influencers, choose “Paid”. You can still stay in control of your budget. Bulba doesn’t take a cut, and you use the same credits as gifted collaborations.

In the "Offer" box below, you can let food bloggers know exactly what they’ll receive. For example, you can write: “starter, main, dessert, and two drinks each.” Being clear helps avoid confusion and makes your offer more attractive.

Step 4: Choose the Content You Want and Set Filters

This is where you tell creators exactly what kind of content you’re looking for. You also set the filters that help the right influencers find your campaign.

You can choose from four content types:

• Instagram Reel
• Instagram Post
• Instagram Story
• TikTok Video

For each one, you set the number of posts you want. Usually, it’s just one piece of content. 

You also choose the minimum number of followers and average views the creator should have. For example, if you choose an Instagram Reel or TikTok video, you can set a minimum of 1,000 followers and 1,000 average views.

You can also decide how many guests the influencer can bring. Most creators prefer to bring at least one guest, especially for food and experience-based offers. For solo services like a beauty treatment or takeaway meal, guests may not be needed.

If you want to attract bigger influencers, Bulba gives you the option to highlight your campaign for top creators who meet your requirements.

You can also add special notes to guide the creator. For example, if you want a Reel or TikTok video, you might ask them to:

• Add you as a collaborator so the post shows on your profile
• Geotag your location
• Tag your business account
• Use hashtags like #italianrestaurant or #brixtonrestaurants
• Post three Instagram Stories tagging your account

This helps the creator know exactly what you want. You avoid miscommunication and get better content.

Bulba also makes it easy to target Food bloggers through the "Category" section. Simply select the “Food” category. That way, your campaign only shows up for creators who post food content. No need to sort through travel or fashion influencers.

If you run a walk-in venue like a casual restaurant or café, you can also turn on auto-confirm. This lets bloggers who meet your filters book right away without waiting for approval. It saves you time and keeps the process moving smoothly.

Step 5: Set Advanced Settings

This step gives you extra control over how your campaign works.

You can set a cooling period, which is the waiting time before a creator can apply again after completing a collaboration with you. For example, you might choose a gap of 1 week, 1 month, or even 1 year. 

If you want the same creator to be able to apply to other campaigns from your brand, you can turn on that option here, too.

You also get to control how far in advance influencers can book.

• Set a minimum booking notice if you don’t want last-minute requests. For example, you can say bookings must be made at least 2 days ahead.
• You can also limit how far into the future the event can be booked. This keeps your schedule from filling up too far in advance.

Lastly, you can upload assets like photos, menus, logos, or content guides. These files help creators understand your brand and create better content. They’ll be able to download everything they need directly from the campaign page.

This step gives you more control while keeping the process smooth for you and the creator.

Simple, Affordable Food Influencer Marketing That Works with Bulba

Working with food bloggers doesn’t have to be difficult or expensive. Bulba makes it easy to get the right bloggers, the right content, and more people through your doors. You stay in control, and you only give what you’re comfortable offering.

Start growing your restaurant’s online presence today — no ad budget needed.

Work With Food Bloggers Who Fit Your Brand

With Bulba, you can set rules like minimum follower count, average views, or even the blogger’s niche. That way, you only hear from food bloggers who match what you're looking for.

Get Photos And Videos You Can Reuse

Every blogger you approve will post content within three weeks. You get full rights to this content, so you can use it on your social media, Google profile, and website.

Let Bloggers Come To You

You don’t have to spend hours reaching out. With Bulba’s inbound-only model, food bloggers request to visit you. You just choose who to work with and when.

Set Offers That Work For You

You choose what to offer, whether it’s a lunch for two, a tasting menu, or a regular dinner. Bulba gives you full control over what you give and when you give it.

Start For Just £79 A Month

You can try Bulba with no lock-in period. It starts at £79 a month, and you can upgrade as you grow. It’s a smart way to market your restaurant without extra costs.

Sign up now and let food bloggers help spread the word about your business!

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FAQs About Finding Local Food Bloggers

How do I find food bloggers in my area?

Start by checking social media platforms like Instagram or TikTok and searching for relevant hashtags, such as #foodblogger, #asianfood, or #yourcityeats. 

You’ll often find people in the food niche who post restaurant visits, share recipes, or review spots nearby. Look for creators who tag local places or use location tags. If you’re a restaurant owner, this is an easy way to spot someone already engaged with your target audience. 

Bulba also makes it simple to connect with local food bloggers—no searching or cold outreach needed.

How do I find local food influencers?

Search by location on Instagram or TikTok and use food-related hashtags that match your area. Watch for accounts that regularly post about dining out, especially in your city. 

These influencers are often part of the local food blogging scene and may already be writing about the best food bloggers or reviewing new spots. 

You can also find local influencers on Bulba, where they apply directly for collaborations with restaurants like yours. It’s a simple way to meet creators who are already actively participating in your area.

How do I reach out to food bloggers?

When you find a food blog or blogger you like, check their bio or profile for contact info or a link to their blog post. 

Keep your message short, friendly, and clear. Let them know what you like about their content, what you’re offering (like free food), and what you’re hoping for—maybe an honest review or a feature on their social media accounts. 

If you don’t want to message people one by one, you can just post your offer on Bulba and let interested bloggers come to you.

How to connect with food bloggers?

The best way to connect with top food bloggers is by being genuine and clear about what you’re offering. Whether you’re a restaurant owner centering on Asian food or a pastry chef looking for honest feedback, talk about what makes your place special. Bloggers in the food industry love working with places that fit their style and appeal to their target audience. 

You don’t need to chase them down either—Bulba helps you find bloggers who are already looking to work with restaurants. They apply, you pick the ones you like, and you get content in return. Simple, no pressure, and a good way to get noticed in the food blogging space.