Street food has seen an exponential growth in popularity over the last 10 years, with food stalls moving from the periphery of the culinary world to becoming one of the industry’s premier attractions and rightly so. Across the world there is now millions of brilliant street food stalls, halls and events that showcase some of the best in the business and England is at the forefront of this culinary revolution. With the current situation of the pandemic, street food is the perfect alternative to the conventional sit-down restaurant, whilst still offering the same levels of flavour and attention to detail that you would expect. England has vast amounts of vendors that offer street food of all types from Chinese to Paraguayan; and to help navigate you through this untapped reserve of culinary talent, we have put together a list of the best street food venues across England to try in 2021.
Grub, Manchester
An abandoned railway station became the home to a new street food hub in the cultural city of Manchester. Conceptualised in 2017, Grub has an assortment of stalls supplying a real range of food treats, with Sundays also bringing Vegan dishes to the forefront. The funky venue makes for a great experience to try the flavours on offer. Highlights include the Ottoman Mezze serving various tapas style dishes, What’s Your Beef which chefs up phenomenal burgers, all of which are ethically sourced, and finally Yes Doughnut, for a sweet treat.
St Nicholas Market, Bristol
Located within the picturesque Georgian Arcades in Bristol, the St Nicholas Market has a number of well-established eateries all offering high class street food. When there are events on the number of stalls vastly increases, however you can rest assured that any trip to St Nicholas will always provide a great selection of culinary options. Make sure to try Caribbean Wrap serving up brilliant Caribbean cuisine that is full of spice. Eat a Pitta is a great place to go for a quick bite to eat and its dishes revolve around packed pittas that have a variety of fillings. If you fancy Asian, then be sure to visit Eatchu for their mouth-watering gyozas.
Streetfood Warehouse, South West
The concept behind Street food Warehouse is smart, however you will have to plan in advance where you will catch them! The company is a travelling street food festival, which houses some of the best talent in the industry and moves up and down the South West coastline. With an ever-changing number of stalls, the Streetfood Warehouse always has something for everyone, whilst also having the opportunity to try Michelin Starred Food from some of the top chefs in the country. The 3 Little Pigs delivers sensational Greek food, whilst Steel Smoking’s offers amazing burgers and brisket buns, and Choccy Churros reportedly serve the best Churros in the country, although we will leave that debate up to you!
Bustler, Derby
Located right in the middle of England, Bustler is the Midlands home of street food. Occurring monthly and showcasing high calibre cooking from across the country, Bustler is a fail-safe place to visit for indulging. Set in a trendy warehouse, there is always an assortment of different cuisines available. This includes Manzoku providing aromatic and spicy Thai food, that helps whisk your sense away to Phuket, and the menu incorporates dishes like ramen and katsu.
Flat Iron Square, Central London
This list would be not complete without including the culinary capital of the UK, that is London. With the wealth of dining options in London, it is no wonder that the city plays host to many excellent street food markets and events. Flat Iron Square found in London Bridge has a plethora of stalls and outlets. Mother Clucker’s chicken, despite the ambiguous name, is seriously good and definitely would be a guilty pleasure for any foodie. Bittenclub has overloaded bahn mi, and the Vietnamese cuisine can be eaten at any time of the day.
Photos from Instagram.