Street Foods – A Culinary Journey Through Night Markets Around The Globe

Night markets are amazing places to try authentic local street foods and lead you on an exciting food adventure. Without further ado, let’s explore some of the world’s authentic snacks at night markets.

Thailand

Many tourists consider a visit to Thailand incomplete without sampling its ubiquitous street food.

It doesn’t matter if it’s pad thai prepared from a cart filled with the aromas of sizzling garlic, chili, and basil, and then served to you as a delicious bowl of sweet and tangy tamarind-flavored noodles, with added crunchy peanuts, egg, and lime.

Or khao pad, fried rice with heaps of chicken, shrimp, garlic, egg, and veggies, aromatic and spicy, in a balance of flavors and textures so exquisite you’d be begging for seconds and thirds.

Vietnam

The best way to get to know the complexity of this cuisine is to slide onto a small, plastic stool at a street cart in Vietnam and eat a steaming bowl of pho—the beefy national noodle dish, sold around the clock.

Savor the warm cinnamon, star anise, and clove notes in the broth, topped with fresh mint, basil, bean sprouts, and beef or chicken.

Add as much chili sauce and lime juice as you want—every spoonful of pho is a new surprise for your tastebuds.

Don’t forget banh mi, the iconic Vietnamese sandwich of street food lore: the snap of the crispy baguette, the swirl of greens, pickled carrot, radish, cucumber, and chili, with meat of your choice. Sweet, sour, savory, and spicy flavors.

India

You might never engage so many of your five senses at the same time as when you eat street food in India. As well as with your tongue and mouth, your nose is filled with the aroma of frying dough and heady wafts of spices and chai (tea). So start with pani puri, small fried dough balls that you lance open and fill with a little pile of potato, chickpeas, onion, and chili, then throw this whole parcel into your mouth. When you bite down, your taste buds get a carnival of sweet, spicy, and tart highs all at once.

Or a vada pav—Mumbai’s signature snack—a soft bun layered with chutney and filled with a spicy-fried potato patty. Every mouthful marries crunchy, flaky, sweet, and creamy textures, restoring your energy.

Mexico

Mexico’s big bold flavors are at their best in its iconic street foods: elote (charred corn, slathered with creamy mayonnaise, flaked cheese, chili powder, and a squeeze of lime) is a sweet, spicy starter to any market feast, along with the crispy, cinnamon-sprinkled, sugar-coated churros, served with a cup of dark, thick, rich Mexican hot chocolate for dipping.

No trip to Mexico is complete without tacos: these masters assemble a couple of tacos de carne asada in mere minutes with generous slices of aromatic grilled beef and sweet caramelized onions, rolled into a tortilla, and drizzled with lime and salsa.

Brazil

The Portuguese influence is also present in Brazilian food. Try the coxinha, a filling of shredded chicken that has been seasoned with parsley, garlic, and salt, wrapped into an elliptical shape, crumb-coated with flour, and then dipped into a deep-fryer until it’s golden-brown. The half-moon-shaped snack gets poked with a finger to test its crispy exterior and soft, moist interior.

Or pão de queijo—you will never be the same after trying these Brazilian cheese breads. Warm, melty, fluffy biscuits made with cassava flour and milk, eggs, and cheese. Break through that crispy outer shell to find the molten, cheesy core. Heaven on earth.

Egypt

If the enticing aroma of meat wafts through the street, then the savvy diner’s nose will lead the way. Take, for example, the delectable shawarma—the thinly sliced chicken or lamb shaved straight into a hot pita with hummus and tahini sauce, strewn with tomato and onion and spicy za’atar.

Mix meaty richness with bright, crunchy, fresh ingredients all bound inside puffy airy dough, and a hearty street-food snack is complete.

Try a hot bowl of ful medames, a ubiquitous Egyptian breakfast of slow-cooked fava beans spiked with olive oil, garlic, and spices, then topped with fresh tomato, parsley, and a squeeze of lemon. Dive into those velvety, hearty beans punctuated by bursts of flavor and texture. It’s creamy, comforting, totally addictive.