Great Little Place app lets users share their favourite local joints

If you love telling other people about that awesome ramen joint you found, or you’re after some local insight into decent bars or cultural experiences, then Great Little Place (iOS) is a solid download for your iPhone.

The idea is simple enough and has been done before to some extent by the likes of Yelp, but Great Little Place has such a simple interface and plenty of charm that we couldn’t help but love it. 

After giving Great Little Place access to your location via your phone’s GPS, the app presents you with a deck of virtual recommendation cards. Each card is a service in your local area, be it bar, food joint, cultural highlight or whatever. You can choose to browse through every kind of service, or limit yourself to something specific like booze holes depending on your needs.

Each card has been created by a Great Little Place user, complete with a photo, address, price guide and a brief blurb/review. There’s also a quick call function and link to the business’ website where appropriate.

If a place catches your eye, you swipe right to add it to your shortlist. If it looks crappy, just swipe left to dismiss it and check out the next joint. In this way you quickly compile a list of places to choose from – and you can also stick them into your ‘Black Book’, which stores them permanently for future trips out.

Adding your own Great Little Place to the database is refreshingly easy too. Just type the name and chances are the information will pop right up, leaving you free to simply type in your review and be done.

Of course, Great Little Place is going to live or die on the strength of its community. And while I managed to find a fair few recommendations for bars, restaurants and activities around central London, chances are good that users in smaller towns and cities will find a sparse selection of services to choose from. Here’s hoping that the world embraces the app and makes it a success.

Great Little Place is free to download right now for iOS devices, and soon will hit Google Play for Android phones too.