By day, Tiffany Lopinsky works in strategy for a downtown advertising agency; by night (and weekend), she’s a dining maven, eager to explore the best of Boston’s culinary offerings. Known as Boston Foodies online, she’s one of the most-followed local food influencers, and her account is filled with beautiful photography of her restaurant experiences, all of which are also neatly categorized in her Instagram story highlights — how convenient! Lopinsky has created quite the name for herself through the past four years, and here, she talks about her process for keeping track of new spots to try, which brunch dish she can’t get enough of and why she always asks for a seat by the window.

Tell us a little about yourself. How’d you end up in Boston, and what inspired you to create your Instagram account?

I grew up in the Boston area and went to college here. I’ve loved it so much that I’ve never wanted to leave! During college when I was living closer to the city and I began going out to eat more, I was searching for a Boston-based Instagram account that I could use as a way to discover new restaurants. To my surprise, there weren’t any active accounts, so I decided to make one myself. Since I love going out to eat, and I’ve been taking pictures of my food since I had a flip phone, I thought it’d be fun. I’ve been documenting my dining adventures ever since!

Name the top five dishes on your Boston food bucket list.

I’m sure this is an unconventional list, but I’ll give you some of my favorite things that I often rave about to others:
1. Corn pancakes from Alden & Harlow
2. Uni Spoon from UNI
3. A big scoop of B3 from Toscanini’s
4. Cookie dough for dessert at Little Donkey
5. Soup Dumplings at Dumpling House

What do you think the next big trend is for restaurants?

Honestly, I have no idea, but I hope it involves more fermenting.

Which chefs are your favorite to follow on Instagram and why?

That’s a tough one because there are so many great Boston chefs to follow! I love seeing the behind- the-scenes action of a chef’s restaurant and glimpses into what life is like being a chef. A few of my favorites have to be:

1. Chef Tiffani Faison of Sweet Cheeks Q & Tiger Mama (@tiffanifaison) because she’s incredibly talented and a total badass.
2. Pastry Chef Robert Gonzalez most recently of Cultivar (@pastrychefrobert) because I love his desserts, and his photos are beautiful.
3. Pastry Chef Brian Mercury of Oak + Rowan (@mercurybrian) for more stunning photography.
4. Chef Will Gilson of Puritan & Company (@wdgilson) for his honesty and humor about being a chef and owning a restaurant.

Beyond chefs, what are your top three favorite food Instagram accounts to follow?

There are so many awesome food Instagram accounts in Boston! A few of my favorites are @bostonfoodgram, @nomnom_boston, and @wanderingbostoneater. Also, I love Brian Samuels’ page (@myfoodthoughts). He’s an incredibly talented Boston-based food photographer.

Describe Boston’s food scene in three words.

Welcoming, community-driven, charming

Which restaurants haven’t you been to but you’re eager to try?

So many! I have a really long list on my phone of restaurants I want to try. It includes both newer restaurants as well as spots that have been around for a while that I somehow haven’t managed to get to. It’s organized by neighborhood, so whenever I know I’m going to be in a certain area, I can trying checking a few off my list. As for newer spots, there are a few restaurants that I really want to try including Blossom Bar, Café du Pays, and Highland Fried.

In terms of places that have been around for a while, my top three are probably O Ya, Ten Tables in JP, and Erbaluce.

What’s your food photography philosophy, and can you share your top tips for taking awesome food photos?

As many Instagrammers will tell you, natural light is key. And if you have great daytime light, chances are you’ll get a good pictures regardless of what you’re shooting on. That’s why I always end up going out to dinner on the early side — usually 5:00pm or 5:30pm, and I always ask for a seat by the window.

A Few Of Your Favorite Things:

Favorite brunch spot: Waypoint. Can’t get enough of their brown butter pancakes!
Favorite place for outdoor dining: Cultivar.
Favorite BBQ joint: Smoke Shop BBQ.
Favorite late-night: Momi Nonmi in Inman Square. Get the Mochiko chicken!
Favorite neighborhood for food: Inman Square in Cambridge
Favorite new restaurant: Celeste in Union Square or Pammy’s in Harvard Square