In this article, we shall discuss the 30 high-quality street foods in the world. To skip our detailed analysis of the global food industry in 2024, go directly and see 10 High-Quality Street Foods in the World.
Food Industry in 2024: Emerging Trends
In 2024, the global food and beverages industry is undergoing a massive transformation, marked by certain emerging trends which are likely to drive consumer demand in the coming decade, owing to increasing prevalence of alternative food sources, sustainable practices, hyperlocal sourcing, and integration of new technologies like AI and machine-learning. In 2023, consumer interest in plant-based alternatives peaked especially with regards to high-quality street foods in the world, with skyrocketing innovation and expansion in plant-based meats and seafood, dairy alternatives, and protein-rich substitutes.
In 2024, the sustainability trend is likely to persist with an increased focus on circular economy and local sourcing. Top players in the food and beverage industry like Nestlé S.A. (OTC:NSRGY), The Kraft Heinz Company (NASDAQ:KHC) and PepsiCo Inc. (NYSE:PEP) are diverting greater investments into the immediate reduction of food waste, advancements in eco-friendly packaging, and optimization of energy-efficient operations. Certifications like organic and fair trade, and transparent supply chains are to remain integral in curating a sustainable and ethical food landscape in the years to come. Another trend driving the food and beverage industry in 2024 is the increasing focus on personalized nutrition, clean labels, and ethical sourcing. Companies are looking to increase their footprint in areas like on-the-go food alternatives like some high-quality street foods in the world, global culinary exploration, and health-centric product portfolios, catalyzing further growth in e-commerce and D2C consumer models. Furthermore, rampant blockchain adoption for traceable supply chain lines are consolidating across the industry, ensuring that consumers have complete confidence in the safety and integrity of their food purchase decisions, especially when it comes to having some high-quality street foods in the world.
Lastly, companies in the food industry are renewing focus on personalized nutrition by way of integrating advanced technology, resulting in cutting-edge formulations which place greater emphasis on efficacy and safety. The integration of AI with popular nutrition applications is widely projected to revolutionize the way consumers engage with food options and create dietary schedules. The new landscape will shed light on innovative ingredients and technologies which are molding the future of the food and beverage industry in 2024. To read more on trends affecting the food industry in 2024, check out our coverage of the Healthiest Food in the World: Top 20 Countries with the Healthiest Diets.
Sustainability in the Food Industry: An Analysis
Throughout the late-twentieth and the twenty-first centuries, rising rates of population growth have resulted in an increased global demand for nutrition. In the last two decades however, worsening weather conditions have also raised concerns with regards to the effects of climate change, which has markedly complicated food production even in countries with some high-quality street foods in the world. According to a report by McKinsey, major food players like Nestlé S.A. (OTC:NSRGY), The Kraft Heinz Company (NASDAQ:KHC), and PepsiCo Inc. (NYSE:PEP) have not overcome environmental challenges to any satisfactory degree. In fact, as of 2021, the global agri-food systems industry accounted for more than thirty percent of human-caused global greenhouse-gas emissions, making them an important focal point in addressing climate-related issues. The report then goes on to identify multiple avenues the food industry can opt for to meet climate targets whilst generating new revenue. One of these avenues is to minimize carbon via regenerative agricultural practices such as investing in cover crops. This could potentially make up for more than 1.2 metric gigatons of carbon dioxide out of the 6.0 to 10.0 GtCO2 of annual sequestration needed by 2050. This can also play a fundamental role in engaging with other serious sustainability concerns like biodiversity loss, nutrient pollution, and freshwater consumption.
According to the report however, one thing most companies and stakeholders are overlooking is the fact that efficiently producing sustainable food is meaningless unless diets shift towards more sustainable sources of energy and protein globally, especially when it comes to high-quality street foods in the world. However, the report does note that such shifts are currently underway in most countries across the world. For instance, consumers across the world are capitalizing on the alternative-protein revolution whilst it is in its early phases as companies develop and scale plant-based proteins. This can be supplemented by integrating cultivated meats, plant-based meats, and other innovative practices to aid in meeting consumer demands sustainably. However, it is true that not all consumers will be open to plant-based proteins. Thus, major players in the industry will need to divert greater investments towards alternative-protein sources like cultured (lab-grown) meat. The cultured meat segment of the industry could make up more than $25 billion in value in the next five years. However, companies must understand that consumers tend to have extremely strong preferences as to what meat should look, taste, and feel like, which creates an uphill battle for lab-grown meat providers in meeting consumer expectations. To read more on companies focusing on sustainability in the food industry, check out our coverage of 12 Healthy and Sustainable Food Stocks to Buy.
Emerging Battlegrounds in Food Delivery: An Overview
The food delivery landscape has never been quite so competitive, with an entire ecosystem of players, each commanding significant urban markets. The United States boasts one of the most complex food-delivery markets in the world. As these markets continue to expand, a report by McKinsey highlights certain critical factors which will aid in determining the levels of success for different players in the space, one of them being geographic competition among platforms. According to the report, different platforms will continue to vie for customers, restaurants, and drivers in each individual market, potentially paving the way for further consolidation over the course of time. This competition may extend to newer verticals beyond restaurants like to some high-quality street foods in the world, and platforms continue to build upon their portfolios and broaden the scope of services they provide.
Another primary point of contention for most players is commission rates for restaurants. Food delivery platforms like DoorDash, Grubhub, Postmates, and Uber Eats tend to derive revenue from five key streams: restaurant commissions (about 30 percent of the price of a meal), customer delivery fees, customer-service fees (up to 15 percent on top of delivery fees), in-app advertising, and tips, with commission fees being one of the most competitive. During the COVID-19 pandemic, several local governments in the United States imposed caps on these commissions. As these caps have slowly been lifted, restaurants are feeling increasingly constrained, especially since many food delivery platforms are now much more influential and important than they were pre-pandemic. The proliferation of dark kitchens and other delivery-only models are likely to put further pressure on the restaurants.
Highest Quality Street Food in the World
Our Methodology
To compile our list of the 30 high-quality street foods in the world, we decided to undertake a consensus-based approach using a diverse variety of credible sources (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6). We then shortlisted more than 50 foods which appeared most frequently during our research. Since the quality of food is an incredibly multifaceted and complex phenomenon, we established a three-pronged criteria to measure quality of each street food; the criteria is premised on taste (20 points), popularity amongst locals (15 points), and hygiene (10 points). We then proceeded to award each food a cumulative score according to the aforementioned criteria and selected 30 street foods which scored the highest points. Subsequently, we ranked each entry based on the total points scored, from lowest to highest. Where there was a tie, we broke it based on the taste of each street food and popularity amongst locals.
To sum it up, we ranked the 30 high-quality street foods in the world using a consensus methodology. By the way, Insider Monkey is an investing website that tracks the movements of corporate insiders and hedge funds. By using a similar consensus approach, we identify the best stock picks of more than 900 hedge funds investing in US stocks. The top 10 consensus stock picks of hedge funds outperformed the S&P 500 Index by more than 140 percentage points over the last 10 years (see the details here). Whether you are a beginner investor or professional one looking for the best stocks to buy, you can benefit from the wisdom of hedge funds and corporate insiders.
An extremely popular dish among street cart vendors throughout the Middle East, the shawarma is made of thinly sliced meat filled in a slice of pita bread and topped with tahini, cucumbers, or tomatoes, making it one of the high-quality street foods in the world.
29. Pommes Frites - Belgium
Total Score: 20
Pommes frites, typically known as french fries, are highly admired by the people in Belgium. In Belgium, pommes frites are served with a variety of sauces, including various Belgium sauces and mayonnaise.
28. Guotie - China
Total Score: 21
Goutie is a type of dumpling made in China and available at many street carts. The dumplings are mostly filled with minced pork, sesame seed oil, and cabbage. Goutie are known to be crunchy and soft.
27. Karaage - Japan
Total Score: 21
In Japan, karaage are made up of different types of meat, including chicken, beef, or fish that are marinated in flour and deep fried. Oft times, the dish is served with lemon and mayonnaise, making it one of the high-quality street foods in the world.
26. Roti Canai - Malaysia
Total Score: 23
Roti canai is a common staple in Malaysia, which was brought to the country in the 1800s. The dish is made up of extremely thin dough that is folded multiple times to give roti canai a crispy texture.
25. Simit Bread - Turkey
Total Score: 23
Simit bread can be found on many street carts all across Turkey. They are especially consumed for breakfast. Simit bread is a ring-shaped bread, usually served with cheese, tomatoes, cucumbers, or Turkish tea, making it one of the high-quality street foods in the world.
24. Bhel Puri - India
Total Score: 25
Street food is an important part of Indian culture and bhelpuri is an essential street food dish in the country. The dish is made up of puffed rice, fried noodles, vegetables, chutney, and spices. It offers a mix of flavors and textures.
23. Ta’amiya - Egypt
Total Score: 26
Ta’amiya is a kind of falafel that is well-liked in Egypt. This dish is made up of fava beans, formed into a patty, deep-fried, and served with pickled vegetables, tomatoes, salad, and tahini sauce.
22. Gimbap - South Korea
Total Score: 26
Gimbap is one of the most common street foods across South Korea. The dish consists of various fillings like crab sticks, eggs, and beef rolled in steamed rice and a seaweed sheet, called gim, and is one of the high-quality street foods in the world.
21. Bakso - Indonesia
Total Score: 27
Found at various stalls across Indonesia, Bakso is a meatball soup that is cooked in clear broth and contains noodles, eggs, and shallots. The ingredients used in the soup are known to be of high quality, including finely ground beef.
20. Kunafeh - Jordan
Total Score: 28
Kunafeh is, primarily, a Middle-Eastern dish and is extremely popular in Jordan because of its quality. The dish is made up of shredded dough, which is stuffed with cheese, baked, and then drizzled with sweet syrup.
19. Falafel - Israel
Total Score: 28
Even though falafel originated in Egypt, it is known to be extremely popular as street food in Israel. However, Israelis have a unique way of serving falafel, which is in the form of balls. This makes it convenient for consumers to eat the dish, making falafel one of the high-quality street foods in the world.
18. Jerk Chicken - Jamaica
Total Score: 29
Jamaica is known for its jerk chicken, which is one of the best street food dishes in the country. The chicken is marinated in spice, ginger, thyme, and spring onions. It is mostly available at stalls near the beach.
17. Pupusas - El Savador
Total Score: 31
Well-liked throughout El Salvador, Pupasas are made up of corn tortillas and filled with savory fillings like pork. The tortillas are then topped with seasonings like cheese, honey, or pickled vegetables.
16. Halo Halo - Philippines
Total Score: 31
Halo-halo is a favorable sweet dish that is consumed especially during the summers in the Philippines. The dish is made up of red beans, coconut, syrup, and fruit. Halo-halo is then topped with ice cream and evaporated milk, and is one of the high-quality street foods in the world.
15. Vada Pav - India
Total Score: 33
Vada pav is one of the most consumed street foods in India. Mashed potato is mixed with spices, fried in oil, and put in a bun to make vada pav. Originated in Mumbai, the dish is served with green chutney.
14. Takoyaki - Japan
Total Score: 34
Made up of wheat flour, Takoyaki are small round fritters that are filled with minced octopus, green onions, and pickled ginger. This is one of the most well-liked street food dishes in Japan because they are convenient to eat and are one of the high-quality street foods in the world.
13. Tacos - Mexico
Total Score: 34
Popular throughout the world, tacos are made up of corn tortillas that are folded and filled with various types of meat, including beef, chicken, pork, or seafood. Tacos are then seasoned with cheese, salsa, guacamole, and other sauces.
12. Poutine - Canada
Total Score: 35
Poutine is a dish that started off as street food but is now also found in the menus of many restaurants in Canada. The dish is made up of fries topped with cheese and brown gravy.
11. Khachapuri - Georgia
Total Score: 36
Khachapuri, the national dish of Georgia, is a bread that may be shaped in different ways and is filled with either cheese or eggs. Khachapuri is popular in many places outside of Georgia including Russia and Armenia. Khachapuri is number 11 on our list of the high-quality street foods in the world.