Street food refers to food sold by vendors, typically outdoors, on streets or other public places, such as markets, fairs or parks. Street food culture, with its diverse array of flavours, textures and aromas, is a simple yet soulful affair, which has snowballed in popularity over recent years.

Street food is most often cooked in front of your eyes, meaning you can see your chosen dish transform from fresh produce, to a ready to eat dish in minutes. The opportunity to sample dishes and delicacies from cuisines people may never have thought of trying before, draws punters in from far and wide. Events such as street food markets are popping up all over the UK, allowing vendors the chance to showcase local specialities from a range of cuisines, to foodies in need of a delicious snack or filling lunch on-the-go.

Street food markets and events foster a real sense of community, as locals and tourists alike are able to gather in their masses around bustling stalls lining the streets, bonded by a universal love of great, freshly cooked food. If you’re a lover of Thai recipes, moo ping (a grilled pork dish), or pad see ew (stir-fried noodles with chicken) are a must-try. Alternatively, if Greek cuisine is more your thing, a street food market serving classic Greek hummus, pita, gyros and tzatziki is certain to please.

There are no hard and fast rules for what you can and can’t offer as a street food seller. Sweet or savoury, breakfast, lunch, dessert or snack, street food has no limitations, which is all part of its charm. Due to the on-the-move nature of street food, it usually includes sweet and savoury foods which don’t require cutlery, which you can eat on the go. Street food is also synonymous with quality, and a higher price is typically paid due to the higher class of ingredients and cooking methods used.

Some popular street foods include:

Aloo tikki	Curries	Hot dogs	Paella	Sausage rolls
Arancini	Doughnuts	Huaraches	Paninis	Shawarma
Baklava	Empanadas	Ice cream	Pasta	Souvlaki
Brownies	Enchiladas	Jerk chicken	Pastel de nata	Spring rolls
Burgers	Fajitas	Kebabs	Pastries	Sushi
Burritos	Falafel	Mac ‘n’ cheese	Pies	Tacos
Cakes	Fish and chips	Milkshakes	Pizza	Tandoori chicken
Chicken wings	Grilled corn	Nachos	Poutine	Tapas
Churros	Gyros	Noodles	Quesadillas	Waffles
Crepes	Hog roast	Pad Thai	Sandwiches

No matter what your personal tastes are, you’re certain to find something you’ll love at a street food event. Who knows, you may even discover a new favourite in a dish you’ve never tried before. Additionally, if you follow a vegan or vegetarian diet, don’t worry, there’s plenty of choice for all dietary requirements in our street food recipes to try at home.