On your next adventure abroad, forget tourist traps. Real foodies know that the real magic happens on street corners, where tiny stalls and carts serve hot and fresh local food. These 12 street foods are some of the best in the world, offering bold flavors and a taste of tradition.
12. Curry Fish Balls (Hong Kong)
Let’s spice up your journey with curry fish balls. While in many Asian countries, fish balls are often served plain in a noodle soup, it’s a different story in Hong Kong. The curry fish balls here are iconic for their rich, spicy coating. They’re served on wooden skewers and dunked in hot, aromatic curry sauce. Unlike Indian curries, this sauce is milder and slightly sweet.
11. Pad Thai (Thailand)
Pad Thai is one of the most iconic eats in Thailand, made with stir-fried rice noodles, tofu or shrimp, bean sprouts, eggs, peanuts, and a tangy-sweet tamarind sauce. What makes this street food shine is the fact that it’s customizable; every vendor adds their own twist. At it’s core, though, Pad Thai delivers a combination of sweet, sour, salty, and a little bit spicy flavors.
10. Samosas (India)
Samosas are sold everywhere from train stations to roadside stands in India. These are fried triangular pastries loaded with peas, spiced potatoes, and sometimes meat. This street food combines the crispy shell with warm, savory filling, made even better with the addition of spices like turmeric and cumin.
9. Tacos (Mexico)
Tacos in Mexico are nothing like the versions you’ll find elsewhere. They’re more flavorful, fresher, and deeply tied to Mexico’s culture. The ingredients are often slow-cooked or grilled right in front of you, and the tacos are made with fresh, handmade corn tortillas. Juicy meat fillings are topped with onions, lime, cilantro, and homemade salsas. That’s a true fiesta of flavors!
8. Crêpes (France)
Crêpes are humble street foods, known for being versatile, light, and satisfying. These thin pancakes can be filled with anything from savory options like ham and cheese to sweet treats like strawberries and Nutella. In France, they’re often made to order on a hot griddle, so you can enjoy the crispy edge and soft center.
7. Xiao Long Bao (China)
Xiao long bao, also called soup dumplings, are like tiny bowls of soup wrapped in a dumpling. Each dumpling is filled with seasoned pork or crab mixture and a flavorful broth that turns into liquid when steamed. That said, carefully bite into one, sip the hot broth, and enjoy the tender meat and thin wrapper for the full, satisfying experience!
6. Tteokbokki (South Korea)
Tteokbokki offers the perfect mix of spicy, chewy, and comforting. This South Korean street food features rice cakes drenched in a red sauce made from gochujang (Korean chili paste) and other ingredients like soy sauce, garlic, and sugar. It’s the perfect snack to warm you up on cold days. You can even turn it into a meal by pairing it with boiled eggs or fish cakes.
5. Currywurst (Germany)
Currywurst is a popular, no-fuss comfort food made with sliced bratwurst sausage, topped off with tangy-sweet curry ketchup and a dash of curry powder. It’s simple, satisfying, and often served with fries for dipping. The dish became popular after World War II, when a woman named Herta Heuwer mixed ketchup with curry powder from British soldiers and poured it over sausage.
4. Halo-Halo (Philippines)
Halo-halo is the Philippines’ most famous summer dessert, made with shaved ice and a variety of sweetened ingredients like tropical fruits, gelatin-based candies, ice cream, and so much more. The word “halo” means “mix,” and before you eat this dessert, you have to mix everything up. The textural contrasts make this treat so much fun to eat!
3. Souvlaki (Greece)
Souvlaki is basically marinated and grilled meat on a skewer. Pork is traditionally used for this dish, but lamb, chicken, and beef are common too. You can eat it straight from the skewer (kebab-style) or wrap them in pita bread with tomatoes, onions, and tzatziki sauce. The herby meat pairs well with the cool yogurt sauce and veggies, leaving a vibrant, fresh taste.
2. Takoyaki (Japan)
Takoyaki are balls of batter filled with tender octopus and cooked in a special cast-iron pan until crisp on the outside and gooey on the inside. For added flavor, they’re topped with takoyaki sauce, dried seaweed flakes, mayo, and bonito flakes. Even though bite-sized, takoyaki is bursting with rich umami flavor.
1. Pizza Fritta (Italy)
Pizza lovers, this one’s for you! Pizza Fritta offers a crunchy twist on classic Italian pizza. How, you ask? By frying the dough! That’s right, this street food pizza is filled with tomato sauce, ham, and cheese, and then fried until golden and puffy. Pizza Fritta was a wartime food that became popular when people didn’t have ovens and frying dough was a practical solution.