World's Most Delicious Street Food

Risk Factor: very low

The Scene: Strictly enforced regulations and centralized hawker areas make Singapore one of the safest places to eat in Asia. Grades based on cleanliness and hygiene (“A” to “D”) are posted prominently at every stall. Inspections take place annually, and stalls with lower grades are checked even more frequently.

Where to Go: Chinatown has some of the best hawker centers, including Maxwell Market. Old Airport Road, in the suburb of Geylang, has a high concentration of popular stalls.

What to Order: Hainanese chicken rice; chai tow kway (radish cake); Hokkien mee (stir-fried noodles); roti prata (flaky bread with curry sauce); min chiang kueh (peanut pancake).Spotlight: Hainanese Chicken Rice

Street-food guide Tony Tan explains the secret to this deceptively simple-looking classic.

“The chicken in this dish, a staple of China’s Hainan Island, has a jelly-like layer of clear fat underneath the skin. This surprising texture is achieved by boiling the entire chicken in a stock and then plunging it into ice-cold water—a sharp change in temperature that turns the fat clear and gives the skin the right level of firmness. The aromatic rice is cooked with chicken fat, sesame oil, and the fragrant herb pandan. Dip the chicken into the accompanying dark soy and chili sauces, and you’ll be eating just like a local.”

Risk Factor: low

The Scene: This Malaysian island is a street-food paradise: authorities require the 7,000 licensed hawkers to attend a food-safety seminar and random health inspections are conducted daily. There’s even a municipal hotline for complaints about dodgy stalls.

Where to Go: Head for the ethnic enclaves of historic Georgetown, such as Little India (centered around Lebuh Pasar and the Kapitan Keling Mosque) and Chulia and Kimberley streets, in Chinatown.

What to Order: Assam laksa (sour fish curry); muar chee (sticky rice cakes with ground peanuts); cendol (pandan-scented rice noodles in coconut milk); mee rebus (egg noodles in thick gravy); murtarbak (crêpes with chicken or lamb); char kway teow (stir-fried wide rice noodles).

What to Avoid: Some stalls serve char kway teow made with cockles, whose freshness can be questionable.

Guide: Helen Ong organizes half-day street-food tours—on foot or by rickshaw or car.

Risk Factor: medium

The Scene: Though streetside eating is a way of life here, enforcement is rather lax and outbreaks of food poisoning occur from time to time. Be extra vigilant: choose popular, crowded stalls with high turnover.

Where to Go: Ben Thanh Market, in the central District 1, or less touristy Binh Tay Market, in Chinatown.

What to Order: Pho (beef-and–rice noodle soup); bánh mì (pâté-and-meat sandwiches); bánh bao (meat-stuffed buns); bun thit nuong (grilled pork with rice vermicelli); bo la lot (grilled beef in betel leaves).

What to Avoid: Nem chua, or fermented, pickled pork sausage, often served raw. Also be wary of foods made with ice.

Guide: Back of the Bike Tours arranges street-food tours by scooter.

T+L Pick: Head to Nguyen Thi Thanh, a.k.a. the Lunch Lady (near 23 Hoang Sa St., District 1), for hu tieu, noodles with sliced pork, prawns, and quail eggs.

Risk Factor: medium

The Scene: An estimated 12,000 vendors operate in the Thai capital. Of those, only 8,400 are licensed with the city, which does twice-a-year spot checks for E. coli and salmonella, banned pesticides, and additives. Look for stalls with a sticker of a smiling plate with the words clean food good taste!—a stamp of approval from health officials.

Where to Go:Yaowarat, Bangkok’s Chinatown; the Soi 38 night market off Sukhumvit Road; and near the Hua Lamphong MRT stop.

What to Order: Som tum gai yang (green papaya salad with chicken); khao mok gai (Thai-style chicken biryani); bamee ped (egg noodles with roast duck); khanom bueang (crispy sweet pancakes).

What to Avoid: Som tum made with small black crabs, often taken from filthy canals. Only eat hoy tod (mussel omelettes) if they’re from a reputable, busy stall. If you order laarb (minced pork or chicken salad), make sure it’s fully cooked.Thai Phrase Book

Six essential phrases for intrepid foodies, courtesy of Chinawut Chinaprayoon of Bangkok Food Tours.

I like it a little bit spicy.
Taahn ped dai neet-noi.

I’d like to order...
Saang ahaan noi...

May I see the menu, please?
Kaw menu noi ka/krup*.
* Women say “ka”; men, “krup.”

No ice, please.
Mai-ao naam- keng ka/krup*.

May I have bottled water, please?
Kaw naam-plao ka/krup*?

Check, please.
Gep-thang duay ka/krup*.

Risk Factor: medium

The Scene: Hong Kong’s classic dai pai dongs, or outdoor food stalls, are a dying breed: only 27 remain after regulators clamped down in the 1980’s. The tradition lives on at food centers, markets, noodle joints, and barbecue shops. While strict hygiene rules are enforced, food poisoning does occur, particularly in the sultry summer months.

Where to Go: Jardine’s Crescent market, in Causeway Bay, and Yiu Tung Street, in Kowloon, which has the highest concentration of dai pai dongs.

What to Order: Wonton noodles; roast goose; barbecued pork; gai dan jai (egg-shaped waffles); beef-brisket noodles.

What to Avoid: Steer clear of shellfish dishes if you want to play it safe.

Guide: Jason Wordie leads market tours in Kowloon’s Sham Shui Po neighborhood.

Risk Factor: low

The Scene: Food safety is a point of pride at the Djemaa el-Fna, Marrakesh’s iconic central square, where there are frequent inspections and leftover food is routinely disposed of nightly. In the surrounding streets of the mazelike medina, the rules are more difficult to enforce.

Where to Go: Djemaa el-Fna, in the medina; Rue El Kassabin, off the Djemaa, known for mechoui (slow-roasted lamb or mutton).

What to Order: Brochettes (kebabs of lamb, beef, or offal); harira (a hearty bean soup); stewed escargot; merguez (sausage) sandwiches; thin, Moroccan-style macarons filled with vanilla or coconut.

What to Avoid: Fish and seafood, which must be transported across the desert into land-locked Marrakesh.Spotlight: Rue El Kassabin

Fabrizio Ruspoli, owner of the culinary institute Hotel La Maison Arabe, offers his insider tips on a hidden street food haven.

This tiny street, right off Djemaa el-Fna, has some of the best vendors. There’s plenty of offal for sale here, but the draw is mechoui (the street is also known as Mechoui Alley). Mutton is baked underground for five hours and served from a tandoor-like pit. Order by weight: one serving is about 500 grams and comes with bread for sopping up the goods. The best stalls? Numbers 26 and 28.

Risk Factor: very high

The Scene: Street food is an institution in Mumbai, although a largely unregulated one, and food-borne illness poses a big risk for travelers here. You’re a lot less likely to get sick by sampling similar dishes at the city’s many fast-food joints.

Where to Go: Soam (Sadguru Sadan, ground fl., Chowpatty; 91-22/2369-8080); Swati (248 Karai Estate, Tardeo Rd.; 91-22/6580-8405); Elco Restaurant & Catering Services (46 Hill Rd.; 91-22/2645-7677).

What to Order: Bhel puri (puffed rice with vegetables and tamarind); sev puri (fried crackers with potatoes and onions); vada pav (a spicy potato-veggie patty on a toasted bun).

What to Avoid: Skip yogurt-based lassi drinks—you can’t always trust the milk—and avoid uncooked chutneys.

Guide: Rashida Anees leads eating tours throughout the city.

T+L Pick: Bademiya, a kebab stand behind the Taj Mahal Palace, in Colaba (nights only).

The Scene: By and large, it’s safe to eat street food in EU countries: vendors must comply with rigorous health regulations. In non-EU states, vendors tend to be less scrutinized, but they maintain similar standards. T+L highlights our favorite street foods across Europe, starting with Reykjavík.

Risk Factor: very low

Look for lamb hot dogs smothered in rémoulade, crunchy fried onions, and sweet mustard at Bæjarins Beztu Pylsur (corner of Tryggvagata and Póstustræti), a popular cart in the city center.

Risk Factor: very low

Borough Market has plenty of great street fare, but we favor the roast duck sandwiches with spicy greens and whole-grain mustard sold at the Southwark Street entrance.

Risk Factor: very low

Look for marinated octopus bruschetta at Lhardy, one of the Basque-style tapas bars that line the Mercado de San Miguel.

Risk Factor: very low

Expect lines for potato croquettes and deep-fried Neapolitan pizza fritta at the take-out window of Pizzeria Di Matteo (94 Via dei Tribunali; 39-081/455-262).

Risk Factor: very low

On the second floor of the Great Market Hall (1-3 Vamhaz Korut; 36-1/366-3300) you’ll find the city’s best lángos, fried flatbread topped with sour cream, cheese, and garlic.

Risk Factor: very low

Dürüm, Turkey’s warm flatbread sandwiches filled with grilled lamb, parsley, and chopped tomatoes, are at their best at Aynen Dürüm (Sok No. 33, Muhafazacilar), a stall in the city’s Grand Bazaar.

Risk Factor: low

The Scene: In the early 1990’s, the Colombian capital city pioneered regulations for mobile vendors, and still maintains an impressive ratio of inspectors to carts. Locals are skeptical about the enforcement of the rules, though outbreaks of illness are indeed rare.

Where to Go: The downtown neighborhood of La Candelaria; Avenida Chile, in the commercial center; La Séptima, on Sundays during the Ciclovía street festival.

What to Order: Empanadas; arepas (savory stuffed corn cakes); obleas (wafers layered with dulce de leche); raspados (shaved ice with condensed milk and tropical fruits).

What to Avoid: Limp-looking chorizo or morcilla (blood sausage).

The Guide: Bogotá Bike Tours offers a food-focused bike tour.

Risk Factor: very high

The Scene: Street-vendor permits do exist, but regulations are generally ignored and rarely enforced, so be advised: go with a guide or look for well-maintained carts with long lines around lunchtime (2 p.m.–4:30 p.m.)

Where to Go: Carts in the Centro Histórico’s Zócalo (the city’s main square), and those in the central Colonia Roma neighborhood.

What to Order: Tlacoyos (corn patties filled with fava or bayo beans and topped with queso blanco); quesadillas with squash flowers; rajas (charred poblano peppers and onions); quelites (wild greens); tacos al pastor with spit-roasted pork.

What to Avoid: Carne apache, ground beef “cooked” in lime juice; sliced, raw fruit or vegetables; shaved ice (where the water source is unknown).Spotlight: One Day, Three Meals

Must-try dishes from guide Lesley Téllez of Eat Mexico.

Breakfast: Begin your day with esquites, a hearty dish of corn kernels stewed in a spicy, herb-filled broth, at the tianguis, an outdoor market held Tuesdays in Condesa. Intersection of Carretera Pachuca and Avda. Veracruz.

Lunch: Head to the cart on the corner of Delicias and Aranda streets in the historic center for blue-corn tlacoyos: grilled corn-dough patties filled with beans and cheese and topped with cactus, cilantro, and a drizzle of salsa.

Dinner: El Vilsito—an auto shop by day and food stand by night—serves tacos al pastor, small corn tortillas with sliced and caramelized po

Risk Factor: low

The Scene: Vendors must register with the city but not all comply. It also isn’t clear how often the legal ones are inspected, but there are few reports of food-borne illnesses.

Where to Go: Ipanema Beach for juice vendors; the Santa Teresa neighborhood; Downtown’s Praça Mauá and Pedra do Sal; the Saturday farmers’ market in the Zona Sul.

What to Order: Espetinho (barbecued beef); pastel (turnovers with beef or cheese); sucos (juices).

What to Avoid: Shrimp skewers and grilled cheese on the beach—the ingredients are hard to store safely.

Guide: Dehouche gives day tours of the city’s best food stalls.

Risk Factor: very low

The Scene: Street food is booming across the country, and local officials generally enforce rigorous health and safety regulations. We asked John T. Edge, author of the Truck Food Cookbook (Workman Publishing Group; $19.95), to share five standout food trucks across the U.S., starting with Portland, Oregon.

Swamp Shack: “‘Crawfish’ Trey Corkern traffics in authenticity. His crawfish pies, goosed with Creole cream cheese, are better than 90 percent of those I’ve eaten in Louisiana. Seriously.”

Risk Factor: very low

Liba Falafel: “Gail Lillian fries greaseless orbs of crushed chickpeas into falafel. Her olive, orange, and thyme relish tastes like it was airmailed from a Mediterranean clime.” —John T. Edge, author of the Truck Food Cookbook

Risk Factor: very low

Chef Shack: “Lisa Carlson and Carrie Summer’s cardamom-cinnamon doughnuts astound. Imagine a cinnamon bun that took a detour through the Indian subcontinent on the way to the deep fryer.” —John T. Edge, author of the Truck Food Cookbook

Risk Factor: very low

Big Gay Ice Cream Truck: “Try the cool, white soft serve, flavored with vanilla, and topped with wasabi-spiked green peas, cracked into vegetable shrapnel. Dissonance never tasted so good.” —John T. Edge, author of the Truck Food Cookbook