We travel not only for personal experiences but for sensory stimulation. The sight of some architectural marvel, or the beautiful colours of a new landscape, or just the heavy warmth you feel on your body in the tropics – where your clothes never really dry. But above all else, one of the greatest aspects of travel for Kylee and I, are the tastes and smells of the local cuisine in a foreign land; and while there are plenty of restaurants who often do a fairly good job, it’s the street food that truly speaks to us.
Street food, I believe, is the salvation of the human race.Anthony Bourdain
In Culinary school, they typically teach a base level of international cooking, but rarely touch on street food; and while I would love for future generations of cooks to have this seemingly simple understanding, it really isn’t so simple at all.
Our first ever street food experience, from way back in Japan, Takoyaki – Fried Octopus
Street Food is about More than the Dish Itself
Whether you’re waking at sunrise in Saigon for a steaming bowl of Pho, grabbing a quick roadside chaat in Mumbai, or enjoying a charcoal-grilled Oaxacan tlayuda for a late-evening dinner, it’s so much more than just putting together a few ingredients. Street cart food hawkers usually serve a very minimal menu, maybe three or four choices, with one of those being their specialty. More often than not, a street cart will only sell one item, using a mastered family recipe, perfected for decades – generations even.
On top of all that, it’s the ambiance that no restaurant can ever replicate. The smells of the propane burners warming the broth and smoke from the meat grilling over charcoal engulf you. Exhaust fumes and honking horns of cars whizzing directly behind you while you balance not only the steaming bowl of soup in your lap but also your own ass on a tiny red plastic stool.
There’s even something a little adventurous about eating street food. Not in the Indiana Jones swinging from a whip while fighting Nazi’s sense; but there’s always a slight risk involved. But that risk shouldn’t scare you. The odds of you getting more than a slight upset stomach are in your favour. More often than not, you’ll walk away with nothing more than satisfaction from a meal that could never be replicated in some hotel kitchen.
Street food in Vietnam is a religious experience
Incredible Photo byFrida Aguilar Estrada – Unsplash
Get Over your Fear. It’s Safe!
In over ten years of travel, Kylee and I can count on one hand the number of times we’ve actually gotten sick from eating street food. Of the hundreds of meals we’ve enjoyed from street vendors, the rare times we’ve gotten sick were usually due to our own negligence. Sometimes we wait too long to eat and hunger catches us off guard. We need to eat something quick to avoid anger and grab a snack from the first cart we find.
Perhaps it’s just some bite of meat or fresh juice from a lonely stall on some quiet street. Either the juice has been contaminated with unwashed fruit peel or the cooked meat has been sitting in the hot tropical sun for just a little too long.
Even under-cooked food needs to be contaminated in the first place before causing any serious issues. Case-in-point, we unintentionally devoured partially-cooked chicken on a dark street in India. It was a small city that rarely sees foreigners, we happened to be stuck overnight between trains and needed food. We came across a cart selling tandoori chicken that smelled so absolutely divine that we couldn’t turn away.
Our Only Real Close Call…
The staff was so excited to be serving foreigners, that they rushed the food in order to please us. They stood beside us with proud smiles as we dug into our meal. It was amazing, probably the best roast chicken we’ve ever had. Unfortunately, due to the relatively dark surroundings, it wasn’t until we’d eaten a pretty significant portion of the bird that we noticed only the outer parts were actually cooked. The entire inside was just barely warm enough to trick us. The texture eventually gave it away, but by that point, it was too late. Horrified, but not wanting to disappoint the beaming cooks, we said we were full and that the food was fantastic.
We spent the night terrified of what might come, with a twelve-hour train the following morning, we expected the worst. However, nothing happened. While the thought of under-cooked chicken still chills me, the bird we ate that night caused no harm. Though the meat hadn’t been cooked enough to kill any contaminants, they simply weren’t there to begin with.
Now by no means am I suggesting eating raw chicken is a good idea. In this case, we were extremely lucky. The example was just to point out that even in one of the worst food-related situations imaginable, we walked away unscathed.
So simple, so Perfect. Street tacos in Oaxaca, Mexico
Know What to Look For
Overall, the number one way to make sure the cart your eating from is trustworthy is the clientele. As mentioned above, the times we have gotten ill were carts with no turnaround. The food had likely been sitting out for hours, not moving. Maybe even reheated several days over. Scope out the scene, if a cart is busy – especially with locals – it says two important things. First, the food isn’t sitting for long. If people are continuously ordering food, it’s constantly being cooked. Second, it’s probably popular for good reason.
So next time you’re fortunate enough to be visiting one of the many great countries with a strong street food scene, please indulge. Not only will you be helping the locals directly, but you’ll be treating yourself to one of the greatest experiences in both food and travel. Everything comes with some level of uncertainty. However, while the chances of getting a little ill exist, they’re extremely rare if you’re careful. The reward far outweighs the risk.
A Final Thought
Think of it this way, who do you think is going to produce a better meal: the Thai teenager throwing together a cheeseburger in some faux-Irish pub in Bangkok, or the old lady up the street stirring the same pot of broth she’s been perfecting for twenty years?
Eating Dakkochi (grilled chicken skewers) on the streets of Seoul, Korea
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Comments 63
That picture of you two in Seoul! Babies! I love it.
Author
Haha, yeah that was a few years back for sure!
have you gone to Mexico City? You would love it.
Author
Not yet! We want to so badly, we almost started this recent trip there, but decided on Oaxaca instead due the Dia de los Muertos festivities. Next time through we’ll definitely hit up Mexico City though!
Great piece. I totally agree with you. In all my time in India I never had a problem with street food and really loved the samosas, chai and potato curry with dhal. On the other hand my initial paranoia sent me to an expensive restaurant in Delhi for eggs and toast which I was told were fool proof. Later saw expose on same restaurant showing filthy kitchen with toilet stuck right in the middle. I didn’t get sick there though so I’m thinking we’re tougher then we think
Author
Thanks! That’s such an important thing for people to realize, just because it’s a “proper restaurant”, doesn’t mean it’s safe. Sure, the street food kitchen might not be the most sanitary looking spot in town but if it’s reputable for locals, it’s for good reason.
GG,
You have got an iron clad tummy & escaped delhi belly!
I love this! I’ve always been attracted to street food vendors and food markets, they portray so much culture and uniqueness. I am indeed afraid of certain foods but I’ll try to be more adventurous next time 🙂
Author
You’re totally right, markets and small vendors are the best place to really find a sense of the culture on the simplest level. As for the fear of some foods, it’s completely understandable, but it always gets easier!
Wow! I loved this post! Street food is my thing! I plan city breaks around yummy street food 😂 There’s this place in Rome, called Trappizini. I could go back and back again just for that.
Author
Thanks! Street food is one of the greatest things. Also, I just added that place to our ongoing list. Not sure when we’ll get back to Rome, but when we do we’ll be sure to check it out!
I love street food, though my tummy can not always handle it so I am somewhat cautious about what/where I’m eating. I share your sentiments about street food vs restaurant bought – support local!
Author
I understand that, we’ve both had our share of stomach problems as a result of the wrong street food. However, at least to this point, temporary discomfort has been more than worth it!
And yes, it’s such a great way to support the locals!
omg i LOVE street food! The one you posted from Colombia looks super yums btw! Now that I’m living in Spain, there is no street food for me to indulge in!
Author
Colombia was very unexpected, it’s not a place we’d ever really heard of when discussing street food. As for Spain, it might not have a great street food scene, but all those tapas bars probably more than make up for it!
I am a total street food junkie and the first lesson I learned was the one you teach – if the stall is crazy busy with locals it’s a sure fire best bet. The first place I hit in any town, village or spot is to find the street food, be it a market for farmers or a place like Georgetown in Malaysia I’m in. lol
Author
Great to hear! We didn’t make it up to Georgetown on our visit to the country, but Malaysia has some of the best street food around! Let us know some of your favourite picks so we know what to look for in the future!
How kind and gracious of you to not complain even when served undercooked chicken and you were very lucky. I have eaten street food throughout my life in India and have never once gotten sick from it.
Author
It was a tricky situation for sure, I think if we would have noticed much sooner, we would have probably asked for it to be cooked a little more. Unfortunately, due to the dim light, by the time we realized the issue, we’d already eaten too much!
I am thinking if starting a food blog but I could rly use some help in food photography
Author
I find that the photography aspect is by far the most difficult part. Sometimes I get lucky, most of the time I don’t! I feel the best way to improve is to just continuously shoot as often as possible and try to find what makes your good ones good, and what to avoid with your not so great pictures.
Best of luck!
Like your fabulous pics with great content on street food. In fact local cuisine tastes best as street food with local ingredients and all the authentic flavors
Author
Thanks! The immersive, direct contact with locals is one of our favourite aspects of street food!
Just randomly stumbled upon this! and I liked the way you’re describing it, although I’m Jordanian and street food here is so good but not something I fancy, maybe if you come you’ll really like it, most people do.
I tried street food in every city I visited, sometimes it’s good sometimes it’s OK but I noticed two things, first: specially in europian cities. there’s no inbetweens, it’s either an expensive restaurant (~$30 for a meal) or street food. that’s why street food is more convinient I wanna grab a sandwich and continue exploring. the second thing is that europian food lacking for spices and aromatic herbes makes it exotic for them to eat real asian or mexican food. on the other hand the thing you’ll find in Jordan that 90% of restaurant are so clean so delecious and so cheap ($5-7 in average for a good meal)
I just wanted to share my experience and my point of view (also inviting you to visit Jordan :D), all the best.
Author
Cost! Exactly one of the reasons we love it so much. Although we like to splurge a little from time to time on a fancier meal, usually we’re on a fairly tight budget – so street food works perfectly for us!
Also, thanks for the heads up on Jordan! It’s very high on our list of countries to visit, we’ve been wanting to go for many years! Hopefully we’ll be able to stop by soon!
Whenever I travel, I like to eat local street food. There is a Thai street food place near me in London that does wonderfully delicious stuff. Your final thought is 100% on point.
Author
Thanks!
What is this place called? We’re actually just outside London at the moment, wouldn’t mind checking it out!
Steet food, truly, is a religious experience! We’ve lived in Calcutta, India our entire lives and we cannot survive without street food. When I arrived in the US, I was so disappointed by the lack of options. Some cities have food carts but not all cities do. When we travel in India, we pretty much survive on street food. Delicious chaat, kulcha, jhaal muri…yes!
Author
So many western countries have too many rules in regards to food safety. I understand the concern, but I think it should be a personal choice on what they can eat.
And yes, India is truly one of the all-time great street food countries. I remember the first time I was given Bhel Puri at a train station. So much incredible flavour in every tiny bite!
Reading your post and looking at those fabulous pictures got me hungry! Seriously! Cannot wait to get back to the streets in Vietnam or have that aloo tikki in India. Jalan Alor in KL and Khaosan Road in Bangkok could be added to your list for the next one! 🙂
Author
Ahh, the pad thai on Khao San Road is hard to beat, and those little deep-fried sausages covered in sweet chili sauce…. Now you’ve got me hungry as well!
Street food is just unbeatable! I really LOVE that you lead this article with emphasising that street food is safe to eat. So many people miss out because of misinformed preconceptions! We ate street food for four months all the way through south-east Asia this year and didn’t have any problems at all!
Author
Exactly. Though I’m always cautious about saying there is no risk, because though unlikely, it happens enough.
Four months in Southeast Asia though, possibly the greatest street food on earth!
I loved the title itself. I am more fan of the street food than of a fancy restaurant. And as your blog suggest, you get to eat more of local and better stuff on streets. This, in particular, stands true for most Asian countries. The real taste lies in the street food.
Author
Personally, I wouldn’t go as far as to say I prefer one or the other, they both have their place. A very high-end restaurant is just in an entirely different category. My comparison between street food and restaurant food was more directed at the regular, cheaper chain restaurants.
I love street food and we make sure we try some whenever we are travelling to a new city. Even Delhi is famous for its street food and I’ve seen many tourists going for the food tour here. Street food carries the authentic flavours of a place and as you mentioned, the old lady with her time tested perfection is to be trusted over the Thai teenager with little experience with food. Love this post! 🙂
Author
Thank you for the kind words! Delhi had some crazy delicious chicken, right near the train station!
This is such a great post! Eating street food is one of the best ways to get truly authentic, local cuisine. NYC isn’t exactly exotic, but can you really find a better bagel anywhere than from a New York street vendor?!
Author
Thanks! It’s true that NYC might not have the most exotic street food around, but that shouldn’t take away from some of the hot dogs and pizza stands! I haven’t tried a NY bagel yet, however I am a fan of the Montreal style. I guess I’ll have to compare one day!
Yeah I totally agree w you that street food is safe, cheap and the most amazing:) Especially in Thailand and India!
Author
Asia in general has some of the best in the world. We can’t wait to get back there!
The beauty of your culinary experience is that you understand what the hosts were thinking and that the intention and the food was harmless. However, I came back from a domestic tour in India, I ate chicken and it affected my metabolism. So one should avoid eating chicken in lesser known destinations.
Author
We definitely understand the risks that come from such issues, we were very lucky. However, I wouldn’t go as far as avoiding completely in the future. We’ll just be sure to check how cooked it is before eating!
Damn, that is so tasty. I love street food, everything tastes better outside for some reason. And good in Northern Europe is incomparable to what people have in Asia.
Author
Yeah, the atmosphere is often what makes the experience.
There is something so special about street food! There’s such a homely vibe to it which brings together communities!
Love your blog Mark
Author
Thank’s very much, Max!
Street food is my favourite! There is nothing I like more than discovering new flavour standing at a little makeshift table surrounded by locals!
Author
Exactly! Such a great atmosphere!
Such a great post! I never considered turnaround when it comes to street food but I will definitely keep this in mind in the future. Also those street tacos from Mexico look so yummy! Thanks for sharing 😊
Street food is my favourite type of food! In India, you can indulge in delicious chaats, phuchka, bhelpuri, kulfi…
Author
Loved the street food scene in India! Bhelpuri is one of my all-time favourite snacks. I’ve attempted to make it myself back in Canada several time, but it’s never as good!
Street food is one of my guilty pleasure! Lucky me we are spoiled with options in London, you’ll have to check these out! 🙂
Author
Ahhh if only we could afford to spend more time in that great city!
Everything on this page looks great! I’ve seen those takoyaki guys in action (only in videos, not IRL) and it’s quite a spectacle to see how they form the balls and turn them with such skill and deftness. What I hate about street food these days is that now that people have realised that it’s a trend, they’ve started to market like gourmet street food with a high price tag just because it’s popular and serve it to the yuppies who work in offices and can’t go out and taste real street food for themselves, but have read about it or seen it on TV or whatever. Last year I saw a swanky looking cafe called ‘Sicilian Street Food’ in London. I walked in… and there was literally nothing remotely Sicilian in there. I said, guys WTH? and the Egyptian owner said that it was just a name.
Author
Yeah, that’s a really good point. Like anything that becomes trendy, people will always capitalize on it. Thankfully, street food has been around for centuries and will continue to exist long after the trend dies off. Street food is immortal! 😛
Oh, that is so cool. I love street food, everything tastes better outside. In the place I live, the street food culture is not big. I wanna go some other location to experience it.
Author
I find it strange that street food doesn’t exist everywhere. It’s almost non-existent in Canada as well. I understand the health code regulations, but sometimes we should be allowed to make our own decisions!
Totally agree street food is the best! We reckon it’s very rarely, if ever the food that gives us tummy troubles when we travel…more likely touching unhygienic surfaces and money and then touching our faces! Great article guys, makes me even more excited about our impending return to Vietnam!
Author
Totally agree! Enjoy Vietnam!
There is truly some epic food at markets.. Its one of my fave places to go on a trip. Looks like you tries some great things.
Author
Yeah, we always try to dig into the street food scene as much as possible!