Istanbul has been ranked among the world’s top ten cities for street foods by travel website VirtualTourist.com.
Istanbul came in 7th place in the “Top Ten Best Street Food Cities” list, voted for by the members and editors of travel website VirtualTourist.com. Editors of the website particularly note the tastiness of Istanbul’s Simit and Kebabs.
Referring to Istanbul, the website said: “It’s not hard to imagine why a city that straddles two continents is a must-see stop for street food. From the visually-striking stalls selling döner (lamb, chicken, or beef on a vertical skewer) to the balık ekmek (fish sandwiches) sold off of boats, one of the greatest attributes of Istanbul’s street food is the variety of options. Mornings can start with Simit, a ring-shaped bread topped with toasted sesame seeds and akin to a crisper bagel, afternoons begin with a kebab, and a snack of midye dolma (stuffed mussels) is a great break from site-seeing. Two locations noted for their street food are the beginning of İstikal Caddesi in Taksim, and near the Galata Bridge in the Eminönü area if you’re hankering for a fresh fish sandwich.”
The first place on the list went to Thai capital Bangkok. “Few places in the world, if any, are as synonymous with street food as Thailand.
The second place went to Singapore with food, with the website saying: “Singapore’s cuisine is reflective of its interesting position in Southeast Asia and the multi-cultured mix of Chinese, Malay, Indian, and Peranakan (Straits-born Chinese that intermarried with Malays) citizens who call the island home.
Penang, Malaysia is one of the surprising inclusions in the list. Penang is a small state and island on the northwestern coast of Peninsular Malaysia and is considered one of the top gastronomic spots in Asia.
Marrakech placed fourth in the list and is particularly famous for fresh squeezed orange juice, followed by eggplant, kebabs, and brochettes in the afternoon.
Perhaps surprisingly, Palermo in Sicily is world-renowned for its cuisine, but the country’s culture appreciates sitting and relaxing over a meal, so although Sicilian pizza and gelato have a serious corner on the “To Go” food market. However, one VirtualTourist member was extremely passionate that her best street food experience was in Palermo, Sicily. Sixth place in the list was taken by Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam.
Eighth place went to Mexico City. “While Mexican cuisine in other countries has sadly been oversimplified to the taco and quesadilla, a quick stroll around the Mercado San Juan, the La Merced, or Centro Histórico in Mexico City will open your eyes to a variety of antojitos (street snacks) available,” VirtualTourist.com said. Brussels, Belgium took ninth place and Beachside Ceviche in Ambergris Caye, Belize took tenth place in the list.
