Local Eats — $.99

A “TOP FIVE APPS” selection, this app is based on the national book series “Where the Locals Eat,” (www.localeats.com) and it really rocks the restaurant-finder space. It offers up the “best 100 restaurants” (which doesn’t necessarily mean the fanciest/most expensive) in the largest U.S. cities as reported by local foodies, uses the GPS feature to show you which places are nearby/give driving or walking directions, lets you see restaurants and descriptions near a particular address, and can group listings by alphabet, category, winning ranking, and even local neighborhoods. And better than the other restaurant/food apps out there, this one DOES NOT include chain restaurants (you don’t usually need a GPS or restaurant recs if you’re only looking for McDonald’s now, do you?). It took us only a few taps to find exactly what we wanted in the DC area – and at $1, this app more than pays for itself with one great meal at a new favorite restaurant you would never find on your own.