Guide to the best street food in London

Get your fill of fluffy bao buns at Yum Bun, where they serve squishy, soft, steamed buns filled with an assortment of tasty fillings. Opt for the slow-roasted pork belly with cucumber, spring onion and hoi sin sauce or keep it veggie with the crispy aromatic tofu with black bean mayonnaise, garlic choy sum and chilli pickles. Both venues are bright and lively, with plenty of seating to chill and enjoy your choice of buns.

This gourmet street food stall specialises in tasty duck-based dishes, like triple-cooked duck fat chips with raclette, confit duck wraps, duck arancini, duck cassoulet and more. You'll find them at the bustling Maltby Street Market, a weekend street food market nestled inside 19th century railway arches.

Bill and Beak are one of London's most-loved street food vendors, serving mouthwatering smashed patty cheeseburgers out of their street food truck in Camden. The menu is fairly short but certainly packs a punch; expect options like the buttermilk-honey fried chicken burger with homemade jalapeño mayonnaise, coriander slaw and pickles.

Truffle lovers will be in their element at Truffle Burger, where everything on the menu comes injected with a dose of truffle. Though the menu is short and simple, it features a strong selection of cheeseburgers and sides, like the twice-coated buttermilk chicken thigh burger with bacon ketchup, truffle honey and whipped goat's cheese and even a veggie version made with a Beyond Meat Patty.

If cheese, carbs and pasta sounds like your idea of heaven, get yourself down to The Cheese Wheel at Camden's Kerb market. This street food vendor is serving hefty portions of fresh pasta out of a gigantic, hollowed-out wheel of cheese. The pasta is rolled on-site and doused in generous helpings of white wine and Parmesan sauce, before being stirred into the 40kg cheese bowl.

Baba G's are known for their iconic Bhangra burgers, Indian-inspired takes on the classic burger. Enjoy everything from the crazy lamb jalfrezi burger and the cheeky tikka chicken to the paneer saag and more. They first arrived in the city as a pop-up but quickly gained a cult following and now have four permanent sites around the city.

Scottish street food is fairly hard to come by in the city, but you can get your fix at Deeney's in Leyton or any of their pop-up market sites, including a weekly slot at Broadway Market in Hackney. They're known for their iconic Macbeth haggis toastie, made with haggis, cheddar cheese, rocket, caramelised onions and mustard.

Fill up on vegan Mexican street food at Club Mexicana, where the menu is chock full of tasty plant-based dishes. Enjoy everything from nachos, tacos and burritos, all filled with an assortment of plant-based ingredients, like vegan chicken and BBQ jackfruit. Round your meal off nicely with a lagerita - a cold beer topped with a frozen margarita.

Enjoy delicious Roman-style pizza for a good cause with The Good Slice. These guys donate 20p from every pizza slice to Glassdoor Homeless Charity, which helps to provide food for homeless people. Their pizzas are made with organic stone-ground flour to create a fluffy, light and crunchy base which is then topped with an assortment of tasty toppings, like smoked mozzarella with roasted new potatoes, onion jam and rosemary.

Get a taste of authentic Venezuelan street food with a Mexican twist at any of Streat Arepas London's three market locations - Camden Market, Flat Iron Square and LaLaLand. Everything is made using healthy, gluten-free, organic ingredients to craft a menu of traditional dishes like tequeños, arepas and empanadas.

Chow down on juicy steak-based dishes at Beast & Field, a regenerative street food operator serving a meaty menu of grass-fed beef from native breeds. From April to October, you can find them at Southbank's old market every Saturday and permanently throughout the year on Sundays. Enjoy dishes like native-breed bavette steak with skin-on-chips, house mayo and chimichurri or keep it veggie with the halloumi option. 

South Bank meets Seoul with Nobiani's delicious Korean offerings, an Asian street food vendor opened by brother and sister duo Joo Lee and Sukho Lee in 2013. They serve a menu of fragrant Korean dishes at their market stall at the Southbank Food Market, like marinated meat and tofu which is then grilled on the BBQ and served with a side of tangy kimchi.

La Pepia is the pioneer of the legendary rainbow arepas, which are made by blending the ingredients to make gluten-free corn buns with spinach and beetroot. You'll find them serving their famous cheese blankets at the iconic Borough Market and Maltby Street Market, which is essentially an arepa of your choice topped with a blanket of cheddar.

Berwick Street is an excellent option for those in the Soho area who fancy a quick grab-and-go bite to eat. There are plenty of stalls to choose from, including Afghan Delights, who serve a budget-friendly menu of rice-based dishes, salads, halal curries and more.

Stuff your face with endless empanadas at La Criolla Empanadas at bustling Maltby Street Market. They make a wide range of the popular Latin American snack, from jalapeño beef and butternut squash to the classic ham and cheese and caprese. They also offer a service where you can text your postcode, and they'll deliver your choice of empanadas if they cover your area.

Lockdown born and bred 081 Pizzeria lives by the motto of 'authentic Neapolitan pizzeria with an urban twist'. You'll find hand-crafted Neapolitan pizzas and Napoli-inspired dishes made with seasonal ingredients and mindfully-sourced produce on the menu. Despite launching in May 2021 amidst the Covid-19 pandemic, they've still gained a cult following, serving their pizzas at the edgy Peckham Levels, The Smugglers Tavern in Fitzrovia and The Colonel Fawcett in Camden.

The Jerk Drum, or as they like to call themselves, the Jamaican BBQ Dons, cook delicious, fragrant jerk meats on the drum at Berwick Street Market in Soho. Enjoy dishes like jerk chicken, curry goat and vegan stew, best served with a side of plantain and rice 'n' peas.

Le Bab is the place to go for Michelin-starred kebabs jam-packed with delicious flavours. They have branches located around the city, where they serve a menu of mouth-watering posh kebabs, like the charcoal grilled free-range lamb glazed with herb labneh, sweet pickles, green chilli salsa and cassava chips with fresh coriander and mint.

Baozilnn serves authentic Northern Chinese street food, like dim sum, dumplings, noodles and rice dishes, at different locations around the city. The dumplings come filled with an assortment of meaty and vegetarian fillings like prawn, pork, chicken and vegetables, served with special chilli oil.

Enjoy modern, stylish Mexican food at DF Tacos, where they serve a menu of Mexican classics like burritos, tacos, rice and salad bowls. The tacos are the main draw here, though, served open so you can see the delicious ingredients piled on top, including things like refried beans, yoghurt, coriander and more. They're all casual spots, so it's easy to grab a few tacos to-go, or you can dine in with a frozen margarita.

Gopal's Corner is another venture by those responsible for the award-winning Roti King. They serve a menu of Malaysian Tamil cuisine, like spicy curries, homemade buttery flatbreads and crispy dosas. The casual spot is a homage to owner Chef Sugen's parents' restaurant that they opened in Malaysia nearly half a century ago.

Winglab specialises in chicken wings and offers an assortment of "lab-tested, flavour-approved" wings, burgers, waffles, and other mouth-watering street food. Together with chef Ben Harrington, the chicken shop has formulated a range of sauces, dry rubs, and sides to create the ultimate chicken wings while we were all stuck in lockdown. The menu includes options such as their famous Buffalo sauced wings topped with blue cheese drizzle and chives, and takeaway is available.

Sample unique British street food at Yorkshire Burrito. These informal spots serve classic roast dinners wrapped up in a Yorkshire pudding for a distinctive and portable meal. Choose from roast chicken, beef, or vegetarian cauliflower cheese. Roast dinner-inspired burgers are also on the menu. It's a unique take on classic cooking.

Bando Belly, known for its streetwise soul food, relocated to Pop Brixton after a fire destroyed its original Peckham location in 2022. The menu features a variety of fusion burgers and indulgent sides and bites such as fried Oreos, lobster mac and cheese balls, and tater tots. In addition to serving delicious food, the community space also hosts events such as local band performances.

Try out Nigerian street food for lunch with Naija High Street. This street food stall is close to Waterloo station and has a friendly and informal atmosphere. There's a simple menu and all of the sides are plant-based so vegan diners can easily create a satisfying meal. This low-key spot also offers events catering.

Located in Exmouth Market, The Street Easy is a lively spot specialising in street food dishes with global influences. Brunch, lunch, and dinner are served here, complete with coffee and cocktails. Whether you're craving a juicy burger, succulent chicken wings, or a wholesome bowl, you'll find something on the menu here. Outdoor tables are available. 

Bunsik's debut Soho location ignited a frenzy with its unique Korean-style corndogs, enhancing the classic with touches like potato cube-infused batter and generous portions of cheese. The visually tempting treats have made Bunsik a sensation both online and offline, and the group has grown fast since first launching.

A street food joint in Brick Lane, Indegno is the debut international branch of a popular Bolognese group. The Italian export specialises in all things deep-fried, headlined by thin, crispy crescentine breads, which come with fillings such as mortadella, parmesan cream, melted scamorza, potato croquettes, and more. Fried tortellini, cappellacci, and other pasta are available as well.

Enjoy ethical street food with Wicked Fish, which runs a couple of locations in trendy East London. Fish and chips are the focus of the menu, with gluten-free batter used as standard. The seafood itself is fresh and sustainable, with live lobsters used. The Hackney Wick site also dishes up burgers and hot dogs.

Award-winning Mexican street eats are on offer at Brorittos, crowned London's best Mexican restaurant in 2023. This South London eatery has a bold and modern style, serving burritos, tacos, nachos, rice boxes, and loaded fries. It's known for birria in particular but diners will also discover plant-based dishes and the option to create your ideal custom burrito.