The 14 Best Food Cities In The World
The earliest recorded mention of street food dates back over ten thousand years, lining it up with the very dawn of civilization. The ancient Greeks served small portions of fried fish on the street; whilst the Romans of antiquity were know for their Thermopolis – street-facing kitchens that served fast food to the hungry masses.
Today, there are few cities in the world that don't play host to a plethora of street foods. In some cases, the items on display are seasonal — gelato is an obvious example of this. In others, quick bites are provided year-round. The izakaya of Japan, for instance, offers limited shelter from the elements via their toes to the street ramshackle ubiquity.
There are few fixed rules. Street food has to be something that can be cooked quickly using limited facilities or items that can prepared ahead of schedule. It also needs to be kept fresh, warm, or cold, depending on how it is served. There is often a focus on affordability, and menu items lean toward the unpretentious and delicious. It's also generally quick and easy to consume, and it's common for street food to be a utensil-free experience.
Mixed in with all that is the sheer variety of food on offer in any given city. There are local specialties for sure, but also surprises that have bled in from elsewhere; you can absolutely get a decent hotdog in Tokyo, oh, yes. Still, for those interested in trying something new or a variation on the familiar while traveling, here are some of the best street food cities in the world.
Tokyo
Tokyo has a well-deserved reputation when it comes to food. The city still boasts more Michelin-star restaurants than any other place on earth — despite a recent downtick -– and it's also the cheapest place to enjoy such prestigious dining. Still, it's a busy city by anyone's standards, and street vendors across the metropolis have taken advantage of this hectic pace to create a vibrant street food scene like no other.
The spectacle shifts from district to district. Harajuku, for example, specializes in sweet crepes that are generally sold from permanent outlets that line the streets. Meanwhile, Shinjuku sports a food hub of its own; Omoide Yokocho (Memory Lane), is crammed full of ramshackle huts serving just about everything you'd expect from the Japanese capital. Both Soba and Ramen noodle dishes proliferate here, but so too does that most eponymous Japanese street food, Yakitori.
Meanwhile, the bustling shopping district of Togoshi Ginza is known to locals as something of a go-to pit stop when in search of a quick bite. Yakitori skewers are popular here, but so too are korokke — mashed potatoes and meat dipped in breadcrumbs — fried gyoza, and oden, a kind of fish cakes and vegetables stewed in a soy sauce broth called dashi.
Shanghai
Fangbang Road in Shanghai sits close to the ever-popular Yu Yuan Gardens and is the site of one of the city's most popular street food markets. To say that the offerings are eclectic would do little justice to the vast array of options available to hungry commuters and curious tourists alike.
Shanghai has long been known for its place in the history of sweet and sour sauces, and perhaps the best example of this is found in the not-for-the-faint-hearted Stinky Tofu. Known locally as chòu dòufu, in Fangbang, this dish of fermented tofu is deep-fried and smothered in a sweet spicy sauce. Popular with the locals, the dish is well deserving of its name, and although it's delicious, it's a pungent beast — consider yourself warned. Of course, other less challenging dishes proliferate with wontons, fried noodles, and a kind of deep-fried potato covered in shāokǎo — a spice mix applied to a whole raft of traditional Chinese street foods.
Dehli
It would be hard to walk down a street in old-town Delhi without encountering some kind of vendor selling street food. The Paranthe Wali Gali is perhaps the most famous locale in the whole city and the most popular dish here by far is the paratha, a stuffed flatbread deep fried in pure ghee.
Fillings vary, although cheese, spiced lentils, and meats served with spicy dipping sauces are definite mainstays. Still, flitting from store to store to try individual takes on the classic recipe is well-advised.
Elsewhere, you'll find some of the best chaat in all of India. Originally devised in the 17th-century as a medicinal ward against illness today's chaat consists of fried potatoes and crackers mixed with chutney and fresh herbs. Such a description does little justice to the variations on display in regions of the city such as Yashwant Place — famous for its steamed momos — or Chandni Chowk, the world's biggest spice market, and a fantastic place to enjoy samosas, sweet treats, and East/West fusion Tikki burgers.
Saigon
Saigon is a city of nine million people, so it's little wonder that street food takes up as much practical and cultural space as it does. Unlike Delhi, specialties aren't as restricted to specific wards, streets, and districts.
The Ben Thanh Market is an excellent place to begin your culinary exploration of Saigon. Bowls of steaming hot Pho are eaten for breakfast here, and steamed rice cakes topped with shrimp, known locally as Banh Beo, are consumed in large quantities. The Bahn Mi — a light and airy filled baguette — exists in some form or another on seemingly every street corner. Fillings differ from stall to stall, but the basic conceptualization of pate, meats, cheese, and vegetables betrays its French colonial origins. Meanwhile, one of the oldest markets in the city — Tan Dinh –- is filled with a colourful array of delicacies to choose from. These include fusion items, such as the Banh Mi döner kebab, freshly made spring rolls, and the tastes-better-than-it-sounds egg coffee.
Mexico City
Mexico is home to some of the most well-loved cuisine in the world and the street food scene in its capital city stands in testament to its popularity. Everything you would expect from a Mexican feast is on offer here: tacos, burritos, enchilada, and so on. But the city also plays host to a variety of speciality dishes.
First up on the list is the Tacos al Pastor, meat cut directly from a spit, mixed with pineapple, salsa, onion, and cilantro and served on a fresh corn tortilla. The dish is served pretty much everywhere but the best of the best are found in Lorenzo Boturini — or Taco Corridor as it is otherwise known.
Meanwhile, the market in Coyoacán has been around since the 1920s and is another foodie hub that really draws in the crowds. Dazzling technicolor stalls sell all manner of delights and is home to some of the best Tostadas in the city. You can order a variety of toppings to go with your deep-fried tortillas with shrimp and avocado and chicken mole proving firm favourites among tourists and locals alike.
Istanbul
Istanbul's millennia-old position as the fulcrum upon which European and Asian ambitions have turned has led to the creation of a truly cosmopolitan city. Indeed, the tides of history and the ebb and flow of conflict have had a profound effect on almost every aspect of the city, and nowhere is that more truly expressed than in its street food scene.
Food tours should begin in Taksim Square — the beating heart of the city — where you can take a stroll down some of the many side streets that are littered with street vendors. You can find fantastic Balik Ekmek here — a sandwich filled with vegetables, pomegranate molasses, and grilled mackerel — or sample the most traditional Döner you're ever likely to experience.
Elsewhere, a hot, cheese-filled pastry known as Peynirli Su Böreği is popular in both restaurants and as a street snack and pairs well with Közde Mısır, a dish consisting of charred corn on the cob sprinkled with salt, pepper, and a squeeze of lime. The culinary delights don't stop there. From the simplicity of a chicken or beef Tantuni, stuffed mussels, and the frankly moreish wet burgers, there is so much happening on the streets of Istanbul that any attempt to list them all would prove futile.
Bangkok
Wandering around the streets of Bangkok is something of an assault on the senses. Flashes of neon dazzle the eyes, the hum of a thousand Tuk Tuk sidling by drowns out conversation — and, of course, the aroma of sizzling street food sets stomachs rumbling. Rattanakosin is both the city's old town and Bangkok's former name. It's also home to what is arguably the best street food in the whole country: Pad Thai. As the nation's national cuisine, versions of the dish appear on almost every restaurant's menu, but street food variants — made with fresh tamarind pulp — are just as delicious.
Less complex dishes are just as prolific, such as Som Tam, a green papaya salad, and Gai/Moo Bing, which are grilled chicken/pork skewers. For those willing to try new things, the Sai Krok Isan are spherical, fermented sausages often served with rice, vegetables, and ginger.
Elsewhere in the city, Kao Moo Dang reigns supreme. This combination of steamed rice and BBQ pork hails from China, but the sesame seed-infused sweet red sauce poured over it is very much of Thai design.
Rio de Janeiro
Rio is most assuredly a city of fine food. The booths and food huts that line plazas and streets in Brazil's second most populous city stand in testament to the city's celebration of life, individuality, and sensory indulgence. Breakfast in Rio often starts with a Mineiro, a simple meal of a sausage in a bun with cheese, aioli, lettuce, and chili sauce. Street vendors serving them often branch out into selling empadinha, a small, flaky pie filled with shredded chicken, cheese, palm hearts or beef. A larger and more substantial version known as empada are also very popular in Rio and can be bought from dedicated vendors up and down the city.
Other popular eats include coxinha, a tear-shaped chicken croquette; pão de queijo, a moreish cheese bread; and bolinho de bacalhau, a fish cake made from cod, laced with chives and served hot. Churros are well-loved here, although they are served Portugues-style with dulce de leche standing in for chocolate more often than not.
Paris
When people think of Paris, street food is not usually the first thing that springs to mind. Paris has a reputation for its café culture, and some call it the gastronomic capital of the world — although Lyon takes that actual crown. Of course, Paris is as much a working town as any other capital. The desire both commuters and tourists have for quick, simple bites is just as persuasive.
A Parisian street food journey often begins and ends with crepes. They are dissimilar enough from American pancakes to come in both sweet and savory varieties. The classic ham and cheese compete for attention with ones laden with Bavarian cream, cherry compote, or dollops of Nutella and freshly whipped cream. Galettes are also popular; similar to crepes, they use buckwheat flour instead and are rarely served sweet.
Paris is also a cosmopolitan place, and that reality is certainly reflected in the street food you'll encounter. Empanadas (the Argentinian crescent variety is more common here), kebabs, gelato stands, and even New York-style slices of pizza are easy to find Meanwhile, in Marais — the very definition of Parisian chic — the falafel in all its regional variations reigns supreme.
Then, there are the dessert-laden patisseries. These are generally permanent structures, but with a queue-and-eat setup that drags them, perhaps unwillingly, into the street food milieu.
Buenos Aires
As we have seen, Parisian empanadas pay homage to their Argentinian heritage when it comes to their shape, but they cannot compete when it comes to variety. In Buenos Aires, empanadas are usually baked, although fried versions are available.
Traditional fillings include ground beef, ham, and cheese or caprese — yes, like the salad, but hot. Ham and eggs show up for breakfast, as do sweet apple pie-like versions. You can also select from any one of dozens of savory and vegetarian fillings, such as humita, which is reminiscent of a thick, savory corn chowder.
Difficult though it is to overstate the importance of the empanada, it's not the only delicacy you're likely to encounter. The choripán is reminiscent of a hotdog, although the bun is crusty, and the sausage is chorizo, hence the portmanteau. Vendors known as garrapiñeros serve peanuts coated in a hard sugar and vanilla shell, while panchuker — a specialty of the Tucumán province — is also popular in the capital. Consisting of a sausage covered in batter, it's not dissimilar to a corn dog.
Manila
The street food scene in Manilla is an integral part of any visit to the city. Often found clustered around traditional markets, such as Quinta — a bustling central plaza close to the river — food stalls known as carinderias are found on almost every corner.
There is an emphasis on affordability here, and nowhere is that better expressed than in isaw, a skewer of chicken intestines dipped in spicy vinegar. If that doesn't appeal — and the deep-fried one-day-old chicks are too unsightly — then the burnt orange hue of spicy deep fried quail eggs called Kwek Kewk might catch your eye instead.
Cooked meats are also very popular. Bowls of adobo — braised chicken with vinegar and soy sauce and garlic — brush shoulders with lechon manok, a whole chicken roasted over charcoal and often served with lime or papaya. Lastly, there is the much-loved halo halo. Translating as "mix mix," this dessert combines candied fruit with a type of Jello made from coconut milk, ice cream, and a half dozen other ingredients — some familiar, some bordering on the exotic. As the name suggests, it's an eclectic blend but one that is both refreshing and delicious.
Los Angeles
The U.S. has long been a melting pot of culture, tradition, and cuisine and nowhere is this better represented than in the LA street food scene. The usual suspects are on display here: traditional Mexican and its Tex-Mex cousin, pizza by the slice, hot dogs — served LA style with caramelized onion and bacon – and, of course, burgers. Dig a little deeper, though, and you'll discover so much more. Koreatown – a three-square-mile block of Los Angeles — offers the chance to sample such culinary delights, as Pinay BBQ, spicy noodles, oversized pork cutlets, and so much more.
Meanwhile, the nearby El Salvador corridor has some of the best pupusas in tow. You can also find a shellfish cocktail called coctél de conchas, split blood clams, and antojitos -– cheese-filled baked tortillas. All of this barely scratches the surface of what the city has to offer. LA excels when it comes to Thai food, has one of the largest Chinatowns in the country, and embraces food from all over the world as readily as it welcomes visitors.
Johannesburg
South Africa is most assuredly a must-visit food destination, although it still lags behind Egypt and Morocco when it comes to tourism. Its largest city, Johannesburg, is known as the city of gold, and while the skeletons of industry dot the surrounding landscape, it's still a veritable mine of world-class street food.
The gold industry brought in workers from all over Africa and beyond, and their influence is reflected in the food on display in the city's bustling streets and markets. Bobotie, for example, might well be the national dish, but it was brought to South Africa by migrants. It's a cross between a curry and a lasagne with curried mince below and a savory custard on top.
Of equal importance to the street food scene are Amagwinya. These deep-fried dumplings are served with butter, mince, or curry, and they are devilishly moreish.
Bunny chow is another spicy treat, this one consisting of hollowed out bread filled with all manner of curries. As with most street food, ease of eating is a function of its popularity, although it takes some practice to eat these one-handed, as many locals do.
Kuala Lumpur
The Malaysian demographic is split into three constituent parts. Ethnic Chinese join the majority Malay population, making up close to one-quarter of the total, while the ethnic the Indian contingent sits at around 6.5%. The natural corollary of this melding is some of the best street food in the world, and nowhere is more obvious than in the capital city itself.
Makeshift stalls serve up steaming piles of the national dish, nasi lemak. Served on top of a banana leaf-come-plate, this dish begins with a base of aromatic, coconut rice and more toppings and sides than seems fair for the price. Favorites include curry, squid, anchovies, and chicken, and it usually arrives with a spicy sauce called sambal, a scattering of peanuts and slices of cucumber.
Elsewhere, Laksa — a truly divine coconut-infused rice noodle soup — is often slurped down at breakfast time and best enjoyed in the city's bustling Chinatown. At the nearby Petaling Street, vendors serving skewers of meat with satay dipping sauce proliferate and often compete for attention with Murtabak — a flatbread filled with spiced meat, vegetables, and cilantro.
All of this is merely a sampling of what's on offer in this lively metropolis. Rotti Canai celebrates Indian heritage, a delicious coconut porridge called Bubur is sold city-wide, and a fried noodle dish called Hokkien Mee is a genuine culinary wonder.