Fresh food, cooked in the open and served from hip-looking food trucks and street food stalls
The street food revolution is in full swing and is now a big part of our food culture.
But many may be thinking, “What is Street Food?” Well, street food is simply the practice of cooking and serving any type of fresh food, drink, or dessert from a converted food truck, food cart, or food stall for immediate consumption.
However, there is a bit more to it so in this article I will give you a rundown of what is street food, some fun facts, different types of street food, and why it has become so popular.
History of street food
The practice of cooking food on the street has gone back thousands of years and pretty much all cultures have done it at one time or another. From the ancient Greeks and Romans, where you could buy chickpea soup to Cairo and Turkey in the 1500s where people ate kebabs brought from food vendors at the side of the road.
Fast forward to the nineteenth-century street food vendors can be found in Transylvania selling fried meats and french fries in Paris. However, in modern history, it is South-East Asian, partially Thailand, that most people associate street food with and it is easy to see why.
Street food in Thailand is embedded in the culture and is absolutely everywhere. Whole generations of family members from small children to grandparents can be seen on food stalls cooking fresh prawn pad thai, seafood omelette, or mango sticky rice. And that are just a few dishes among the hundreds you can find from food vendors all across Thailand.
What is street food today?
It is this street food culture in South-East Asia that arguably had the biggest influence on the street food scene we now see today in the West, in countries like the US & UK especially.
Street food has been gaining popularity over recent years and street eating can now be found at food markets, food and music festivals, warehouses, office complexes, and food halls within retail outlets – basically anywhere you can think of that is a large open area.
But like many practices, we take from other cultures with tend to take it to the next level in the West. Yes sure it is still about the tasty and interesting foods on offer, but it is also about the presentation and how it’s sold.
Street food is now a very hip affair with food vendors serving their food from all sorts of creative mediums. You will see anything from grilled cheese sandwiches being sold from a converted horse box; gourmet burgers served from an old Citroen H van; to very large food trucks selling tacos that have been kitted out with all the mods and cons, you would expect from a restaurant (and sometimes just as expensive).
Councils and local authorities are also realizing that street food is a cheap way to regenerate local communities. High streets and retail, in general, is seeing a marked decline and many bricks and mortar shops are struggling to keep their head above water. Food markets are therefore a viable alternative.
Related article:
“There are 20,000 food vendors in Bangkok alone”
Facts about street food
- There are 20,000 street food vendors in Bangkok alone
- 2.5 billion people around the world eat street food every day
- Street food is so cheap in Bangkok that property developers are now building smaller kitchens because most people eat out
- Eating on the street is considered rude in some cultures such as in Japan
- In some regions, women make up 70-90% of food vendors
Popular types of street food
Pretty much any type of food or drink you can think of that can be prepared in a kitchen or at home is sold on the streets by food vendors from all around the world. In Southeast Asia, you tend to get mainly local and regional dishes like pad Thai or mango sticky rice. However, in the UK and the US, the story is very different and there is much more variety on offer.
Some popular street foods include:
- Jerk chicken
- Curries
- Burgers & hot dogs
- Ice cream rolls
- Sushi
- Tacos
- Ice cream rolls
- Wood-fired pizza
- Juice bar
- Crepes
- Pad Thai
- Wraps
- Bao buns
- Coffee
- Kebabs
- Paella
- Cocktails
- Churros
- Donuts
- Falafels
- Ice cream
- Pies & pasties
Related article:
Why is street food so popular?
Street food has been growing in popularity in recent years and there is probably now a least a couple in your local area. Some of you may be asking, therefore, why is street food now so popular? Well aside from the great taste and awesome variety street food offers, there are also a few other reasons why it is now so popular.
It’s cheaper than restaurant food
It is significantly cheaper to eat from a food truck, stall, or vendor than it is from a restaurant or sometimes even at home. For example, new properties are now being built with smaller kitchens in Bangkok because most people eat out as the street food is so cheap.
It’s convenient
It is pretty much fast food (without the negative connotations) and the perfect grab and good product. If you are in a rush you can get your food cooked and ready to take away in minutes.
Street food was made for outdoor events
In the summer think of the number of music festivals, sporting events, and summer fayres that go on (the list goes on). Street food comes hand in hand with these outdoor events (Have you ever been to one of these events and not seen food trucks?)
It’s Mobile
Need to feed a workforce in an area with poor infrastructure? Want to feed the thousands of revelers at a festival? Or even add something a bit different to the local high street? Street food is designed to be mobile and can move from a curbside one day and a field the next.
The food is cooked in front of you
There is nothing more satisfying than seeing your food cooked in front of you. You know it’s fresh and exactly what has gone into it. No hidden nasty’s.
Street food is social
Food brings people together and there is probably nothing more social than groups of people eating food on the street at a food market or in a field from a food truck at a music festival.
The sheer variety
As mentioned street food especially in the US and UK is very diverse and you can get pretty much any type of food from around the world. And because the food from food trucks and vendors is relatively cheap you can get to try a few different options, in some places for under £15/$13.
Related article:
“Street food is so cheap in Bangkok that property developers are now building smaller kitchens because most people eat out”
Just a trend or here to stay?
Food is something that never goes out of fashion and well, we all need to eat right? Street food, food trucks, food stalls, whatever you want to call it has been growing in popularity in the US and UK year on year for over the last decade now and does not seem to be slowing down anytime soon.
Google Trends results – Street Food
In the US the increase in the search term for “street food” began further back than in the UK, in 2004, and has been steadily rising ever since.
Google Trends results – Street Food
Sure food trends do change over time, but they do take a while to shift and are often embedded in the local or regional culture. The street food revolution in the UK and US has only started to take off and I predict the trend with are seeing will increase or stay fairly constant at the very least over the short to medium term.
Conclusion
Street food is nothing new and has been practiced by different cultures for thousands of years. It is the simple practice of cooking and serving food or drinks in the street from a mobile structure.
Despite the basic principle of street cooking still being the same, we are now, however, in an era of street food 2.0. Food vendors are serving their delicacies from all sorts of creative-looking food trucks, food carts, and stalls making a bit more than just about the food.
The driver of this rise in the popularity of street food is partly due to its cost, variety, convenience, and the social aspect of outdoor street eating in general. And this popularity doesn’t seem to be subsiding anytime soon.
As long as people need to eat and love the outdoors there will be a continual demand for street food.
And as brick-and-mortar businesses struggle with high rent rates and local governments seek to regenerate areas more people are likely to start these types of businesses.
Will street food or food halls become the new norm?
