The Five Best Locations to Get Great Street Food

The 20^th Century playwright George Bernard Shaw once said, “There is no sincerer love than the love of food.” We couldn’t agree more. Food is often the centerpiece of our holidays, celebrations and social gatherings. Even our communities take pride in cultivating their own local flavor. And there’s no better way to sample the taste of the town than dining on street eats.

That’s why we’ve gathered the five best locations to get great street food from some of the most popular cities in America.

Off the Grid: San Francisco, California

If you want to indulge in some of the best flavors the Bay Area has to offer, look no further than Off the Grid. This traveling caravan of food trucks hosts more than 50 publicly available events every week. Local favorites include plant-based food vendor Hella Vegan Eats or Indian soul food truck Dum.

Whether you are craving a BBQ lunch in the Presidio or sweet desert in Oakland, Off the Grid has you covered. On the weekends, you can often find these food vendors near the Bay Area’s best flea markets, such as Treasure Island Flea or Alameda Point Antiques Faire.

Brooklyn Flea: New York City, New York

Brooklyn Flea is one of the best flea markets in New York hosting 100 shops and more over 30 food vendors. Established in 2008, Brooklyn Flea has caught national attention for providing a delightful urban experience.

Of course all that walking and shopping will make anyone super hungry, especially if you have the delta munchies, so stop by any of the food trucks to refuel. Our top recommendation: The award-winning Solber Pupusas, which serves traditional El Salvadorian patties stuffed with filling. This humble food truck has received critical acclaim from culinary hotshots Martha Stewart and Bobby Flay.

Other options include Dough gourmet doughnuts, Oaxaca Taqueria and Brooklyn-favorite Asia Dogs.

Sixth Street: Austin, Texas

Austinites have always prided themselves on their ability to “Keep Austin Weird.” And there is no better place to do that than on Sixth Street.

Sixth Street, divided by East, West and the Dirty, is typically recognized as the epicenter of live music and cheap booze. Luckily, there are plenty of food trailers around to help you overcome the drunk munchies.

Baton Creole, for example, is a hot-pink food trailer doling out hearty gumbos, casseroles and more. If you are looking a creative twist on Asian cuisine, be sure to check out East Side King, an ultra-hip trailer serving bite-sized delights late into the night.

Cartlandia: Portland, Oregon

As you can tell, each city likes to do things their own way. While some towns have mobile food trucks, Portland prefers stationary food carts. These carts are grouped by pods and each pod has its own personality and flair.

Cartlandia, a favorite pod for cyclists due to its proximity to the Springwater Corridor bike path, offers a family-and-dog-friendly beer garden. The Blue Room Bar & Restaurant hosts live music, 18 beers on tap and full bar. If you have a sweet tooth, you’ll definitely want to drop by the Voodoo Doughnuts food cart for a tasty treat. 

Food Truck Bazaar: Orlando, Florida

According to Business Insider, Orlando is America’s food truck capital, with more food trucks per resident that anywhere else in the country.

Orlando’s Food Truck Bazaar is a traveling event offering some of the most delicious, mouthwatering cuisine the area has to offer. And since the Bazaar regularly rotates its vendors, you’ll always be able to try something new.

Area favorites include Smoke in The City BBQ and Treehouse Truck, which serves gourmet burgers, cheesecakes and more.

Hungry Yet?

Of course, these are just a few suggestions. If you are looking for street eats in your area, you may want to do your own sampling at county fairs or flea markets. So get out there are start eating. After all the world is full of attractions for taste tourists.

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