7 Incredible Street Foods Every World Traveler Must Try

How many items from The Daily Meal's savory and sweet street foods bucket list have you tried?
How many items from The Daily Meal's savory and sweet street foods bucket list have you tried?

While many travelers make it a priority to book a table at Michelin-starred restaurants around the world, some of the best food - street food - can be had for a fraction of the cost, in the most unlikely of places.

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From stainless steel push carts and dubious-looking night market stalls to kiosks and the backs of bicycles, street food is ubiquitous around the world.

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From the familiar New York City hot dog and Belgian pomme frites to the venerated Vietnamese bánh mì and lesser-known Taiwanese stinky tofu, street food comes in a palette of palate-pleasing dishes, from savory, deep-fried munchies like Amsterdam's kroket to sweet treats like a Breton crêpe.

The Daily Meal has canvassed the globe, eating everything from crowd-pleasing gelato to a fear-inducing but oh-so-amazing spleen sandwich, to curate its list of 10 favorite street foods sure to provide any traveler, from the novice to the pro, with a memorable moveable feast.

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Hot Dog (New York City)

No doubt Americans like their hot dogs. The "Hot Dog Nation" has dozens of regional varieties but the capital of Hot Dog Nation is arguably New York City, which serves its "dirty water dog" on almost every street corner in popular tourist areas around Manhattan. Given their nickname due to the warm water bath that the all-beef hot dogs in natural casings are kept in, NYC hot dogs are boiled or griddle-cooked and served on a steamed bun with condiments such as ketchup, mustard, relish, sauerkraut, and sweet chopped onions. You don't have to walk far to find one, but if you want to pass on the cart, Gray's Papaya and Papaya King takeout joints are perennially popular.

Sausage (Vienna)

No trip to Vienna is complete without trying a Vienna sausage, a long, thin frankfurter served on a bun and topped with condiments like mustard and sauerkraut. Locals flock to Schwedenplatz square where Viennese sausage carts populate the bustling square, including one from a famous opera singer whose cart serves gourmet sausages.

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Shawarma (Istanbul)

A staple of street-side vendors and small shop owners, shawarma is an inexpensive fast-food meal found throughout the Middle East. Lamb, chicken, or other meats are stacked with layers of fat and placed on a vertical spit and grilled for hours. Once ready, vendors shave slices of the tender meat onto pita and pile on a variety of toppings like cucumbers, tomato, onion, pickled turnip, toum, tabbouleh, fattoush, tahini, or hummus. Some vendors also stuff french fries into the shawarma. Some of the best places to try shawarma are markets like stiklâl Caddesi and Baliki Pazari.

Fish and Chips (London)

While fish and chips has become synonymous with the U.K., the origin of this mainstay of more than 150 years is not so "British." The chips, or french fries, originated in France or Belgium, and fried fish was introduced to Britain by Portugal and Spain, according to the BBC. Enterprising Brits decided to serve battered cod or haddock and chips together in the mid-1800s. Traditional fish and chips were wrapped in old newspaper to save money, but nowadays grease-proof paper is put between the greasy snack and the newspaper, or specially designed paper with faux newspaper print is used. Fish and chips is such a treasured treat in Britain that it was one of the few foods that was not rationed during World War II. Fish and chips is served with salt and vinegar, tartar sauce, or ketchup, and sometimes a side of mushy peas.

Tacos (Los Cabos, Mexico)

The popular utensil-free Mexican dish comes in many varieties including fish, carne asada, tacos al pastor (marinated pork that is cooked on a vertical spit and often served with pineapple), and even tacos de lengua (beef tongue) and tacos cabezas (beef head cheek). Though you can find tacos on any corner in Los Cabos, take The Daily Meal's Los Cabos Taco Tour, featuring 10 tacos to try.

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Vada Pav (Mumbai, India)

Vada pav, a spicy, deep-fried potato patty sandwiched between a bread roll, is a street food staple from Maharashtra in Western India. One of the best places to try vada pav is the vada pav chain Jumbo King, a chain with more than 30 restaurants in India open by husband and wife Dheeraj and Reeta Gupta.

Belgian Waffle (Brussels)

Waffles are the signature dessert of Belgium, originating with a recipe from the Middle Ages when waffles were sold as unleavened crisp cakes made of barley and oats baked in a wafer iron. The Brussels waffle (one of two types of waffles in Belgium) is what is universally known as the Belgian waffle.

Located near Grand Place Square, Maison Dandoy has been in business since 1829. The shop serves an array of Belgian treats, including Belgian waffles topped with chocolate, whipped cream, or sugar.

Click here to see other Iconic Street Foods Every World Traveler Must Try

-Nikki Maniscalco, The Daily Meal