5 of the Best Cities in the World for Street Food
Thanks in part to social media posts highlighting unique culinary experiences and the ever-growing popularity of coo him king/eating series and documentaries, people are increasingly making their travel plans around the foods they’d like to try. Tourism businesses are taking notice of this trend. According to Technavio, the global food tourism market expected to grow by $126 billion from 2022 to 2027.
While some people plan their food-focused trips with an emphasis on fine dining, others find that there’s no better way to experience the food culture of a specific city and sample popular dishes than by ordering from street vendors. Generally, these vendors serve up cost-efficient dishes that incorporate regional or national culinary traditions and include locally grown ingredients.
These five cities are among the best in the world for delicious street food.
1. Mexico City
Mexican street vendors take tacos seriously, especially in the capital of Mexico City. It’s nearly impossible to walk throughout the city’s downtown core without encountering food stalls. Many are found in Centro Histórico, by the corner of Aranda and Ayuntamiento, and on the south side of Plaza de Insurgentes. Vendors here serve delicious tacos, burritos, and flautas with grilled meat in fresh tortillas. Salsa and other toppings are usually prepared fresh with local ingredients.
Tacos, depending on the vendor, are usually less than $1, while burritos are sold for around $2. Churros, enchiladas, and tamales (corn dough with beef and vegetables) are also popular street foods in Mexico City. Tamales, along with tortas de chilaquiles (triangular deep-fried tortillas sometimes served with grilled steak or egg), pastries, and fresh fruit are ubiquitous breakfast options. Many vendors also sell fresh orange or grapefruit juice for as little as 10 pesos a cup.
2. Hong Kong
One of many places in Asia known for its street food, Hong Kong blends quick comfort with haute cuisine. Hong Kong’s skilled street vendors serve noodle and other dishes that are so revered that Michelin, the company that awards Michelin Stars to the best restaurants in various categories, chose the destination for its first-ever street food guide. Residents on the Kowloon side and Hong Kong Island routinely spend weekend afternoons visiting shops and eating street foods. This is known locally as sou gaai, or street sweeping.
Cantonese egg waffle, braised turkey kidneys and pig intestines, cheong fun (steamed rice rolls), and curry fish balls are among the non-noodle or dim sum dishes that attract long lines of customers in Hong Kong streets. It costs about $2.60 for a vegetable noodle dish and $1.30 for four dumplings. Most street vendors only offer take-out, although many that serve noodles have seating areas.
3. Mumbai
Mumbai is another must-visit destination for foodies. The Indian city has thousands of street vendors, known as vada pavwala. Most of these vendors sell sweet snacks or authentic Indian vegetarian dishes, including vada pav (potato fritter in a garlic bun), aloo tikki (spiced potato croquettes), and bhel puri (fried vermicelli noodles, puffed rice, and vegetables topped with tamarind sauce. Malpua pancakes, sweet mango lassis, and firni (caramel custard) are among the sweet snack options at Mumbai street stalls.
Many of the vendors are stationed around major landmarks or in the Fort area during the day, while Chowpatty Beach is a great place to find delicious Indian street food in the evenings.
4. Marrakech
There’s arguably no place in the world more aromatic or with a greater diversity of food options than Jemaa el Fna. The outdoor space is a main city square during the day, but it transforms into an open-air market at night with an abundance of street vendors, musicians, and tarot card readers. Visitors can expect to find cheap yet delicious snacks and dishes from all over the world along with signature Moroccan foods like sheep’s head, fried aubergine, couscous, and meloui (similar to a pancake, sometimes with a savory filling).
“Moroccans have a serious sweet tooth, and you find a lot of cookies and pastries sold in the stalls in the souks,” notes food travel blogger Anna Koblanck. “It’s a pretty, colorful and very tempting spread of sugar and calories — mountains of delicately shaped and beautifully decorated creations.”
5. Singapore
In the city-state of Singapore, what typically qualifies as street food isn’t sold in the street, but instead in food markets and malls regulated by the government. These markets are usually in shopping centers or apartment buildings, but the food, a blend of Chinese, Indian, and Malaysian cuisine, is worth venturing from the street. There are hundreds of food stalls in the Chinatown Food Center, while other popular locations include the Hill Street Food Center and Lau Pa Sat Food Center. Some of the markets, known as hawker centers, resemble American food courts, but the difference is in quality — there are vendors in these centers who have earned Michelin stars.
Chili crab is one of the must-try street dishes in Singapore. This dish features whole crabs stir-fried in a tomato, egg, and chili sauce mixture.
