Ten Street Foods Worth Crossing a City For

Steam rising from a bamboo basket, oil crackling in a roadside pan. Street food belongs to every culture, giving you the local flavours and a look at how the people there spend their days. Here are ten street foods from around the world worth going a long way to eat.

1. Baozi (China): These steamed buns are a favourite street food in China, filled with savoury things like pork, chicken, or vegetables. They often come with chilli sauce or soy sauce for dipping.
2. Takoyaki (Japan): These octopus balls are a much-loved snack in Japan, made by grilling diced octopus, tempura bits, and green onion in a special takoyaki pan. They are finished with sauces, more green onion, and bonito flakes.
3. Shawarma (Middle East): Shaved meat, usually lamb or chicken, is stuffed into a pita or flatbread and topped with vegetables and sauces like tahini or garlic sauce.
4. Churros (Spain): These fried-dough pastries are a fixture of Spanish street food, served hot and dusted with sugar or cinnamon sugar. They are traditionally eaten with a cup of thick, dark hot chocolate for dipping.
5. Kebabs (Turkey): Kebabs are a favourite street food in Turkey, skewers of meat, usually lamb or chicken, and vegetables grilled over an open flame. They often come with rice or flatbread and a range of sauces and spices.
6. Poutine (Canada): This hearty Canadian street food is french fries topped with cheese curds and gravy. It is the right food for a cold winter day.
7. Japchae (South Korea): This traditional Korean dish is sweet potato noodles stir-fried with vegetables and meat, usually beef. It is often sold on the street and is a favourite at festive times.
8. Pupusas (El Salvador): These thick, handmade corn tortillas are filled with beans, cheese, pork, and other savoury things, then grilled until they are just right. They often come with slaw and a spicy salsa for dipping.
9. Samosas (India): These triangle pastries are a favourite street food in India, filled with spiced vegetables or meat and deep-fried until crisp. They often come with chutney or a sauce for dipping.
10. Falafel (Israel): These deep-fried balls of ground chickpeas and spices are a fixture of Israeli street food, often tucked into a pita with vegetables and sauces like tahini or yogurt.

Whether you are walking the crowded streets of Beijing or the loud markets of Istanbul, street food is the tastiest way into a place. Buy one of these ten from a stranger’s cart, eat it standing up, and the city starts to feel like yours.