What are the 10 best street food cities in Asia? When it comes to street food few would argue that the best comes from Asia, where many feel the modern scene was invented. From Bangkok’s midnight markets to Korean alleys lit in neon, this is the continent where food doesn’t just feed you, it tells a story.
With that in mind I have put together my top 10 street food cities in Asia, with the main caveat being that I have to have at least been there. Luckily I have been pretty much everywhere, although this list will concentrate on East and Southeast Asia, rather than the Middle-East, or Indian Subcontinent.
To add a bit more piazza I have also included a couple of must try dishes should you make it out to one of them. The list is very much in order, and as always I am counting down from 10 to 1.
10) Vientiane
I know what you’re thinking, I must be mad, but this is so underrated. Vientiane does not scream chaotic Asia, but instead gives you lazy boulevards, riverfront sunsets and the kind of chill you only find in Laos. But when the sun sets that same sleepy capital turns into a carnival of grilled meats, spicy dips, and sticky rice that’ll glue your fingers together. The night market near the Mekong is where most action goes down. You grab a plastic chair, they bring you a bucket of ice and beer, and the street BBQ does the rest.
Must try dish: Vientiane street BBQ — grilled pork on sticks served with jeow mak len (Lao tomato dip)
9) Tokyo
This place is mad for food, as well as nightlife. People always think of high-end sushi or Michelin ramen, but street food in Tokyo is real and alive. From the food alleys of Shinjuku to the takoyaki vendors in Harajuku, it’s a weird and wonderful journey of Japanese flavour. You can get everything from octopus balls to chocolate-covered bananas to beer in a vending machine. Street food here might be a bit more polite than elsewhere, but it still punches hard.
Must try dish: Takoyaki (たこ焼き) — fried octopus balls with sauce and bonito flakes
8) Dandong
This might surprise you being the only Chinese entry, but Chinese street food is quickly dying out. Dandong though holds strong and is a proper border town with grit, neon and a hunger for BBQ. It’s one of the few places where you can get Chinese and North Korean food in the same alley. You’ll find endless stalls selling chuanr (skewers), cold noodles, and street mala tang that burns the lips just right. Dandong food isn’t Instagram friendly, but it’s legit.
Must try dish: Dandong BBQ — lamb skewers (羊肉串) soaked in cumin and chilli
7) Seoul
Despite being so industrialised Seoul still kicks it for street food, as does nearby Incheon which I’m including here too. Korea does cold, Korea does hot, and Korea does street food with the flair of a late-night K-pop dance battle. The streets near Hongdae or Myeongdong are a mess of smells, neon and sound. Fried everything, spicy everything and somehow people still look beautiful while eating it. And lest we not forget, they have the second best Soju.
Must try dish: Tteokbokki (떡볶이) — chewy rice cakes in sweet spicy gochujang sauce
6) Hong Kong
Should be higher, but no longer is sadly. Yet while it has gone downhill a bit, this is still some of the best in Asia, particularly the Michelin starred hawkers off Wan Chai and the madness of Temple Street. It’s a place where you can eat standing next to a rat and still think this is the best thing you’ve ever tasted. Sadly gentrification and rent hikes are killing it, but it’s not dead yet.
Must try dish: Cheung fun (腸粉) — steamed rice noodle rolls with soy, sesame and hoisin
5) Bangkok
Bangkok below Phnom Penh? Yep I’m afraid so. That though does not mean it is not great here, because it absolutely is, from Khao San to the Chinatown alleys. Bangkok is pure madness. You’ll find grilled everything, fried everything, and more flavours than your tongue is ready for. Thai street food is built for both locals and tourists, so there’s something for every level of spice tolerance.
Must try dish: Pla muek yang (ปลาหมึกย่าง) — Thai grilled squid with seafood dipping sauce
4) Phnom Penh
Cambodian street food is drastically underrated. Essentially they have taken the best from the region, such as Vietnam and Thailand, and added their own brutal, salty and spicy Khmer twists. Phnom Penh is where street food is still raw and real. It’s cooked over coal, not gas, and served by aunties who have done this for decades. Without doubt the best value in the region.
Must try dish: Pong tia koun (ពងទាកូន) — Khmer balut, fertilised duck egg with herbs and chilli
3) Osaka
Japan has some of the best food in the world and Osaka is the best part of Japan for eating, ergo this was always going to score high. Food and drinks are experimented with here and it can get weird. This is where you try raw chicken, octopus donuts and probably wash it down with a glass of sake you didn’t order. Dotonbori is street food heaven. Osaka does chaos with precision.
Must try dish: Tori sashimi (鶏刺し) — raw chicken served with soy and ginger
2) Macao
Another one that might seem controversial in that I rate it above Hong Kong, but hey I do. This is because it is not only much more organised and central, but has what Hong Kong has and then adds Portuguese flavour, gambling addiction and more squid than a wet market. From fusion buns to pork chop sandwiches this is a street food capital. And if you want weird, how about curry-stuffed cheese balls?
Must try dish: Curry fish balls with mozzarella sauce (咖喱芝士魚蛋)
1) Da Lat
I’ve said it before but Vietnam has by far the best street food in the world and the best of the best is in Da Lat. Not Saigon or Hanoi? Nah, because the street food is so good in the country that all are great, but Da Lat wins. The cool climate means it gets the best of the rest and has its own great dishes too. The night market is legendary and you can eat all night without going over a tenner. Also some of the most inventive snacks in Vietnam come from here, like strawberries with chilli salt.
Must try dish: Dâu tây chấm muối ớt — strawberries dipped in salt and chilli
And that marks The Street Food Guys top 10 street food cities in Asia, all from firsthand experience. Do you agree, or did I miss anything out?
Click to see my list of best street food countries in South-East Asia.
