World's best cities for street food

Wang Junhao, Singapore

Considered the street-food capital of Malaysia, Penang has dozens of the culinary megaplexes known as hawker centers.

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By Carly Fisher, Food & Wine

With traffic jams of trendy food trucks piling up in American cities, it?s easy to overlook the rich global history of street food. Dating back to the food hawkers of ancient Rome (with some centuries-old outdoor markets, like the Djemaa el Fna in Marrakech, still standing today), street food has long played an exciting role in cuisines throughout the world. Through emigration these dishes have been carried around the globe ? like Turkish doner kebabs (sliced-to-order, slow-roasted meats), which are now available across Europe, and ever-popular Mexican tacos.?

Slideshow: The world's best cities for street food

But even in cities renowned for their street food, the culture is changing. Singapore?s controversial nanny-state laws have yielded at least some benefits for its famous food megaplexes, known as hawker centers, which have been overhauled to near-pristine sanitation levels. Here in the U.S., the renewed interest in street food has been a boon to budding restaurateurs unable to risk the costs, liability and regulations of a brick-and-mortar establishment. Food trucks are easy start-ups for hopefuls filled with dreams of opening yet another cupcake shop or an oddball fried chicken?waffle?taco stand (see Lucky J?s in Austin). Naturally, convenience plays a huge role in the appeal ? particularly for anyone who has encountered the divine intervention of a tamale vendor arriving outside a bar during last call.

Besides offering a quick and cheap way to eat, food trucks are begetting real restaurants. The Kogi Truck in Los Angeles, which spawned Chego, and New York?s Mexicue are among the established concepts that led to brick-and-mortar operations. And experienced chefs continue to take inspiration from street food ? witness Jean-Georges Vongerichten?s Spice Market and Rick Bayless?s Xoco, which serves Mexican torta sandwiches in Chicago.

Those with any lingering questions about the direction of street food in the U.S., however, can rest assured: Tyler Florence?s reality show "The Great Food Truck Race" is already filming its third season.

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Source: http://itineraries.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/10/25/8482276-worlds-best-cities-for-street-food

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