Other top street food cities
1. Bangkok, Thailand
Few places in the world, if any, are as synonymous with street food as
Thailand. For the variety of locations and abundance of options, we selected
Bangkok, Thailand, as our number one spot for street food.
1. Bangkok, Thailand
Bangkok is notable for both its variety of offerings and the city's abundance
of street hawkers. VirtualTourist members recommended Soi Rambuttri, a U-shaped
lane off of Khao San Road and near Wat Chana Songkhram, as a great spot in the
old district of Bangkok. One member lovingly described his last meal there:
after getting an enormous Pad Thai from a street vendor against the wall, he
turned 180 degrees to find an open air beer garden.
Another highly recommended spot is Soi 38 near Sukhumvit, which is almost like
an evening food market, running until about 3 am, and very close to much of the
city's best nightlife. Green Papaya salad bruised on a stone pestle, mango
sticky rice, pad thai (stir-fried noodles with egg, fish sauce, tamarind juice,
red chilli pepper, and a combination of meat, garnished with crushed peanuts
and lime), and chicken with green curry are all some of the Thai specialties
our members mentioned finding in Bangkok.
2. Singapore
The undisputed up-and-coming spot for street food in Southeast Asia is
Singapore, though street food already has a long history in the city.
2. Singapore
In the 1950s and 60s, "street hawking" was an incredibly popular trade,
however, the abundance of street hawkers eventually created sanitation and
public health issues. In 1968 and 1969, all street hawkers were forced to
register, and for the next fifteen years, the government relocated hawkers to
"hawker centres." These centres can be described as a hybrid of a food court
and an organized market with street food stalls. While this structure lacks the
spontaneity and theatrics of say, Mexico City, it has led Singapore to gain the
reputation as having one of the safest and most reliable street food cultures
in the world.
Singapore's cuisine is reflective of its interesting position in Southeast
Asia and the multi-cultured mix of Chinese, Malay, Indian, and Peranakan
(Straits-born Chinese that intermarried with Malays) citizens who call the
island home. The city's specialties include Hainanese Chicken Rice, comprised
of steamed chicken with a jelly-like layer with rice, cucumbers, chillies, and
pounded ginger; chilli crabs, which come slathered in a garlicky and fiery
paste; laksa, a spicy Peranakan (Chinese & Malaysian) noodle soup; and satay,
skewers of marinated and grilled meats served with a peanut sauce.
3. Penang, Malaysia
One of the surprising aspects in researching this article was our member's
overwhelming enthusiasm for Penang, a small state and island on the northwest
coast of Peninsular Malaysia, as one of the best street food spots in Asia.
Members credited the three large ethnic groups in Penang (Malay, Chinese, and
Indian) as creating both a great variety in the street food, but also a
multicultural influence on the cuisine as a whole.
One member even stated he had better Indian food in Malaysia than he had in
India! The Little India and Chinatown areas of Georgetown, on Penang Island,
are noted for their hawkers and cuisine.
3. Penang, Malaysia
Char koay teow (stir-fried rice noodles), assam laksa (a tart, hot and sour
fish soup), roti (Indian-influenced flatbread), and satays of beef, chicken, or
even pork are all suggested.
4. Marrakech, Morocco
Morocco attracts tourists with its many beaches, but its hidden gems are
located in the old city.
4. Marrakech, Morocco
Multiple VirtualTourist members recommended Marrakech's main square, Djemaa
el Fna, as THE spot to find your street food snack while in Morocco. Located in
the city's medina quarter, the square contains close to a hundred food stalls
serving a variety of Moroccan cuisine that can be eaten at nearby wooden tables
on the square. The options range from the standard Moroccan fare of roasted
lamb and couscous, to more exotic fare like sheep's testicle and escargots, and
they change as the day goes on.
In the morning, stalls serve fresh squeezed orange juice, followed by
eggplant, kebabs, and brochettes in the afternoon. As evening rolls around,
enjoy some snails or harira soup (tomato-based spiced chickpea soup) to start,
followed by tangine chicken, shwarma, or lamb.
5. Palermo, Sicily
Italy is world-renowned as a tourist destination and its cuisine is famous,
but the country's culture appreciates sitting and lounging over a meal, so
though their pizza and gelato have a serious corner on the "To Go" food market,
the Italian street food scene is surprisingly lacking.
5. Palermo, Sicily
However, one VirtualTourist member was extremely passionate that her best
street food experience was in Palermo, Sicily. Of the city's fried delicacies,
our member recommended arancini (fried rice balls stuffed with meat sauce and
cheese), crocche (Fried potato balls), panelle (friend chick peas pancake), and
cardoni (fried cardoon), with panelle and cardoni as her favourites for their
sour aftertaste.
A typical Palermitano snack is "panino con la milza," or spleen sandwiches,
available plain or "maritata," meaning with cheese. In addition to these
specialties, it's still a great spot to get classic quick Italian foods like
coffee granita, Sicilian pizza, gelato, and cannolis.
