What It Actually Means to Have Good Taste

Good taste isn’t about price point or prestige. It’s about knowing what you actually like and being able to find it.

The word “taste” gets used to describe two different things. There’s taste as in preference — what you enjoy. And there’s taste as in discernment — the ability to identify quality. Good taste, in the sense that actually matters, is when those two things are aligned.

Taste is specific, not expensive

Someone with good taste knows exactly what they want. They can tell you what they liked about the last three restaurants they went to and why. They have opinions that go deeper than “it was good” or “it was fine.” That specificity is the thing. It has nothing to do with how much they spent.

Taste is earned, not assigned

You develop taste by eating a lot and paying attention. By trying things outside your comfort zone and being honest about what you think. By being willing to say “I don’t like this” even when it’s the thing you’re supposed to like.