THE 17 BEST STREET FOODS IN THE WORLD—AND WHERE TO FIND THEM

As much as we love to sightsee, one of the greatest parts of traveling is experiencing new cuisines. And the best way to taste regional food is by enjoying it on the street. Street food exists in every corner of the world and comes with its own long-standing traditions. It captures the energy of a city better than most restaurants can.

There is so much street food to love that it's hard to narrow down what you should try on your next trip. To make things a bit easier, we asked chefs and travel experts to share their favorite street foods from every part of the world. This list is by no means exhaustive, but every dish mentioned here is absolutely worth the plane ticket.

Tteokbokki - South Korea

South Korea is a street food heaven, which makes it nearly impossible to pick a favorite dish. But, according to Soo Ahn, Top Chef Season 21 contestant and Executive Chef of Adalina in Chicago, you can never go wrong with tteokbokki. "It’s really simple and no-frills: just rice cakes simmered in gochujang sauce, found on practically every street corner," he says.

"I love that every vendor has their own spin on it, whether it’s super spicy or topped with something totally random. It’s a major comfort food, and is especially delicious when you’ve been drinking," he adds. "Bonus points if the vendor next door sells something fried to dip in the spicy ttteokbokki sauce!"

Tanghulu - China

Tanghulu has already taken over the world with almost every fruit under the sun, but I'd argue that the best is the original in China. The traditional fruit of choice is hawthorn—a fruit with the texture of a crabapple and a tart-sweet flavor. It's the ideal foil to the crunchy sugar coating and makes for the perfect sweet snack. And unlike many American versions of Tanghulu, vendors in China often use maltose syrup for a more nuanced flavor than plain granulated sugar.

Takoyaki - Japan

There's no shortage of great street food in Japan, but one that's particularly special is takoyaki. These circular fritters are filled with octopus, ginger, and tempura scraps and then fried until they're golden and crispy on the outside and creamy in the center. And if that wasn't enough, they're traditionally topped with Kewpie mayonnaise, takoyaki sauce, bonito flakes, seaweed flakes, and pickled ginger. It's one of the best savory snacks you can find anywhere in the world.

Pla Pao - Thailand

For Catherine Heald, CEO and founder of Remote Lands, one of her favorite dishes can be found at both sit-down restaurants and street-side stalls. "Pla Pao is a grilled fish that is coated in salt, stuffed with lemongrass, and then cooked over hot coals," she says. "Once the fish is cooked, you then peel back the skin, pulling out chunks of soft, fragrant flesh, wrapping them in a lettuce leaf, and dipping the whole thing in a spicy lime & chili sauce. Truly delish!"

Arayes - Lebanon

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You may be used to roasted or grilled meat stuffed inside a pita, but have you ever tried meat that's cooked inside a pita? If you ever find yourself traveling in Lebanon or the greater Levant, you'll find vendors selling arayes: pitas that are stuffed with seasoned ground meat and either grilled or baked until the meat is cooked. All of the natural fat helps toast the bread until it's crispy and decadent. Add in tahini or yogurt sauce for dipping, and you have the handheld street food of your dreams.

Pizza a Portafoglio - Italy

Veteran travel journalist David Yeskel—a.k.a. The Cruise Guru—has visited plenty of port cities over the past 25 years. And the dish that tops his list of favorites hails from the pizza capital of the world. "Nothing beats Pizza a Portafoglio—literally: wallet pizza—in Naples, Italy," he says.

"Essentially a smaller version of the classic Pizza Margherita, the pie is folded like a wallet, then slipped into a paper cone that's easy to carry while eating, thus also qualifying as a practical street food. Often prepared to order and priced at about only two euros, it's delicious and also easy on the actual wallet!"

Arancini - Italy

There's a good chance you've already tried arancini at an Italian-American restaurant, but it comes nowhere close to the original version in Sicily. The rice is often scented with saffron and stuffed with a ragú of meat, peas, and tomato—but there are countless varieties to try. From squid ink to cured meat to mushrooms, there's no shortage of great street food throughout the Italian island.

Tlayuda - Mexico

Every region of Mexico brings its own unique culinary traditions, and one of the hallmarks of the southern state of Oaxaca is tlayuda. Iliana de la Vega, Chef and owner of El Naranjo and founder of Culinary Traditions, describes tlayuda as "a type of large format corn tortilla that is sort of leathery in texture—both crunchy and chewy."

"Most traditionally, it is topped with beans, cabbage, and Oaxacan cheese, then folded in half like a quesadilla and cooked over coals. There are different meats and salsas that you can pick to go alongside it," she says. And as Oaxaca continues to grow as a tourist destination, de la Vega has a helpful tip for finding the best vendors: "An important note for travelers is to avoid the touristy tlayudas, which you can spot because they are what people would refer to as a 'Mexican pizza' because they aren't folded in half and are usually topped with avocado, tomatoes, and lettuce."

Torta de Lechón - Mexico

If you look further east, you'll reach Mexico's Yucatán Peninsula. And between hanging out on the beautiful beaches and exploring Mayan ruins, you'll want to grab some of the state's incredible street food. For Dario Wolos, Founder of Tacombi, his favorite dish is torta de lechón from a vendor in the central city of Valladolid.

"Taqueria Dzul is my all-time favorite. Hard to beat the flavors of the Yucatán," he says. "This family-run puesto has the perfect habanero salsa, tender lechón, pickled onion, a little crunch of chicharron and classic Yucatecan hospitality, all snug in fresh, locally baked bread."

Coxinha - Brazil

These chicken croquettes, beloved across all of Brazil, originated out of São Paolo in the 19th century. Legend has it that coxinha was first invented to resemble chicken drumsticks in order please a picky young prince. The filling of shredded chicken, cheese, and aromatics is stuffed inside a piece of dough, breaded, and fried. We guarantee you won't be able to stop at just one.

Ta'ameya - Egypt

Falafel lovers everywhere should travel to Egypt to try ta'ameya. Some historians argue that these North African fritters are what inspired the invention of falafel. They do have a lot in common, except ta'ameya uses fava beans in lieu of chickpeas. The flavor is slightly earthier, the inside is a vibrant green, and the texture tends to be crispier and lighter than its chickpea-based counterparts. Street vendors in Egypt often serve ta'ameya with tahini and pita.

Chicken & Rice - New York, USA

You may associate New York City with hot dogs and pretzels, but if you ask any New Yorker for street food recommendations, they'll tell you to beeline to a Halal cart. Abishek Sharma, Chef and owner of Madam Ji Ki Shaadi, is no exception.

"Without a doubt, my favorite street food is chicken and rice from Sammy’s Halal Cart in Jackson Heights, Queens. This iconic NYC street food features spiced grilled chicken over fragrant rice, topped with Sammy’s signature white sauce and fiery red hot sauce," he says. "It's usually served with a simple salad and warm pita on the side. The chicken is marinated to perfection and grilled fresh to order—juicy, charred, and packed with bold flavor."

Roti Canai - Malaysia

You can find many South Asian influence in the culinary traditions of Malaysia, including roti canai. The tender, laminated flatbread is full of flaky and buttery layers and shares many of the same qualities as parotta from southern India. It's the perfect canvas for basically any sauce, stew, or topping. Traditionally, you can find it served with dal and various types of curry.

Suya - Nigeria

If you thought it was impossible for steak to get any better, then you need to try suya. These spicy grilled skewers are a hallmark of Nigerian street food culture. You can often find vendors using thinly sliced beef, but other animals or cuts of meat are also used. An order of suya is often accompanied by fresh tomatoes and onions, but what makes it extra special is a hearty sprinkle of yaji. This blend of chiles, spices, aromatics, and peanuts strikes the perfect balance of spicy, sweet, and savory—you'll want to put it on everything.

Fushka - Bangladesh

This crispy street-side snack goes by many names, but at Luthun in New York City, Executive Chef Nahid Ahmed refers to them as Fushka (as they're called in Bangladesh). These crispy, hollow fried dough balls are the perfect vehicle for virtually any type of filling. "Fushka is loved worldwide, but especially all over South East Asia, and has many names and iterations—Pani Puri in western and southern India; Golgappa in the north and Pakistan," Ahmed says. "And while these variations can differ in size, filling, and accompaniment, they all have one thing in common—they taste amazing!"

Khachapuri - Georgia

Can you really ever go wrong with bread and cheese? Khachapuri is the national dish of Georgia, and it's easy to see why. This boat-shaped bread can be found at restaurants, bakeries, and street carts in countless different varieties (like with an egg cracked on top). But you can always expect to find it stuffed with plenty of cheese—typically a blend of two Georgian varieties.

Trdelník - Czech Republic

If you ever find yourself walking across the Charles bridge in Prague, you should do it with a trdelník in hand. These cylindrical pastries are made with a yeasted dough that's wrapped around a stick and baked over hot coals. It's often dusted in cinnamon sugar or walnuts, but some modern vendors also fill the center with ice cream.

2025-05-13T16:10:26Z