What’s a trip to Ho Chi Minh City without a steaming bowl of pho eaten curbside, while perched on a tiny plastic stool? Or a stroll through Mexico City without a stop for tacos al pastor?
For connoisseurs of local cuisine, street side dining is a way to explore delicious foods, many of which are unavailable in restaurants, prepared by dedicated specialists.
But it has its risks and that’s why it’s as important as ever to be armed with some street-food savvy when you’re on the road.
Tip Sheet
Follow the locals. In a busy marketplace, you can often tell if a stall is reputable based on the line. But pay attention: Mexico City street-food guide Lesley Téllez avoids stalls that draw a primarily young—and less cautious—clientele. Instead, she looks for “a mix of workers, policemen, and older customers.” And knowing local mealtimes means you can beat the crowds to get the freshest foods.
Cleanliness counts. “Keep an eye out for signs of cross-contamination,” says Douglas Powell, professor of food safety at Kansas State University. Check that prep surfaces look clean, cold foods are kept on ice, and raw foods are stored separately from cooked. Téllez prefers stands where vendors who handle food don’t touch money.
Bring your own utensils. There’s no way to tell if chopsticks or forks have been given more than a quick rinse.
If possible, watch your food being cooked. And avoid precooked seafood in particular, advises Jeff Koehler, author of the forthcoming cookbook Morocco. Dishes containing raw meat, and ice-based drinks or desserts such as ice cream that may have been made with unfiltered water, are off-limits. Reheated rice is also a breeding ground for bacteria.
Look for cooking methods that reduce microbes. Pickling vegetables and using citrus juices can reduce the levels of dangerous microorganisms, Powell points out, but they won’t remove your risk entirely. Some spices, such as chillies, turmeric, and epazote, a pungent Mexican herb, also have antibacterial properties.
Safety Check
What to look for in a street-food stall before you place that order.
- Kitchens should have separate areas for cooked and raw foods to avoid contamination.
- Semi-permanent stalls, and carts that are clustered together, indicate shared access to clean water and utilities.
- Ingredients are stored in closed containers; cooked food isn’t piled into one big heap.
- Vendors should be neatly dressed and handle food and money separately.
- A long line signals quality and cleanliness, but arrive before the crowds for the freshest fare.
World’s Most Delicious Street Food
Singapore:(very low risk)
Where to go: Chinatown has some of the best hawker centers, including Maxwell Market. Old Airport Road, in the suburb of Geylang, has a high concentration of popular stalls.
What to order: Hainanese chicken rice; chai tow kway (radish cake); Hokkien mee (stir-fried noodles); roti prata (flaky bread with curry sauce); min chiang kueh (peanut pancake).
London: (very low risk)
Where to go: Borough Market
What to order: Borough Market has plenty of great street fare, but we favor the roast duck sandwiches with spicy greens and whole-grain mustard sold at the Southwark Street entrance.
Mexico: (high risk)
Where to go: Carts in the Centro Histórico’s Zócalo (the city’s main square), and those in the central Colonia Roma neighborhood.
What to order: Tlacoyos (corn patties filled with fava or bayo beans and topped with queso blanco); quesadillas with squash flowers; rajas (charred poblano peppers and onions); quelites (wild greens); tacos al pastor with spit-roasted pork.
What to avoid: Carne apache, ground beef “cooked” in lime juice; sliced, raw fruit or vegetables; shaved ice (where the water source is unknown).
Hong Kong: (medium risk)
Where to go: Jardine’s Crescent market, in Causeway Bay, and Yiu Tung Street, in Kowloon, which has the highest concentration of dai pai dongs.
What to order: Wonton noodles; roast goose; barbecued pork; gai dan jai (egg-shaped waffles); beef-brisket noodles.
What to avoid: Steer clear of shellfish dishes if you want to play it safe.
Marrakesh: (very low risk)
Where to go: Djemaa el-Fna, in the medina; Rue El Kassabin, off the Djemaa, known for mechoui (slow-roasted lamb or mutton).
What to order: Brochettes (kebabs of lamb, beef, or offal); harira (a hearty bean soup); stewed escargot; merguez (sausage) sandwiches; thin, Moroccan-style macarons filled with vanilla or coconut.
What to avoid: Fish and seafood, which must be transported across the desert into land-locked Marrakesh.
Istanbul: (very low risk)
Where to go: Aynen Dürüm (Sok No. 33, Muhafazacilar), a stall in the city’s Grand Bazaar.
What to order: Dürüm, Turkey’s warm flatbread sandwiches filled with grilled lamb, parsley, and chopped tomatoes, are at their best at Aynen Dürüm.
Istanbul: (low risk)
Where to go: Ipanema Beach for juice vendors; the Santa Teresa neighborhood; Downtown’s Praça Mauá and Pedra do Sal; the Saturday farmers’ market in the Zona Sul.
What to order: Espetinho (barbecued beef); pastel (turnovers with beef or cheese); sucos (juices).
What to avoid: Shrimp skewers and grilled cheese on the beach—the ingredients are hard to store safely.
San Francisco: (very low risk)
Where to go: Liba Falafel
What to order: “Gail Lillian fries greaseless orbs of crushed chickpeas into falafel. Her olive, orange, and thyme relish tastes like it was airmailed from a Mediterranean clime.” —John T. Edge, author of the Truck Food Cookbook
Article sourced from Travel + Leisure, written by Roshni Bajaj Sanghvi