street food

noun

plural street foods

: prepared food of a kind that is typically sold to customers on a street or sidewalk and that is often designed to be carried and eaten while walking

Pizza is quintessentially a street food: a quick lunch or a quick snack often eaten standing up or on the go.

—Don Lesser

Traditionally eaten as street food, empanadas are ideal for snacking on the go but are just as satisfying to sit down to for a simple dinner.

—Melissa Roberts and Maggie Ruggiero

Satays, which are skewered and grilled morsels of beef, fish, chicken, pork, or vegetables, are street food in Southeast Asia, devoured day and night with gusto.

—Karen MacNeil

Examples of street food in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The show’s protagonists were able to launch their own street food businesses with the support of Mercato Metropolitano. —Nick Vivarelli, Variety, 31 Jan. 2025

The brothers also own Palette Tea House in San Francisco’s Ghirardelli Square and Stick & Steam, a concept adapted from Hong Kong-style street food, in Millbrae. —Benjy Egel, Sacramento Bee, 23 Jan. 2025

The patio is a tranquil haven that feels miles away from the traditional street food stalls, noisy cafes, and always-busy Mercado de Medellín just below it. —Erika Owen, Architectural Digest, 23 Jan. 2025

Fort-de-France, the island’s captivating capital, is a treasure trove of busy markets, charming eateries and authentic street food stalls that marry the island’s French influence and Caribbean flair to create unique dishes that will delight your taste buds. —Sandra MacGregor, Forbes, 17 Jan. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1860, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

street food

noun

: prepared food of a kind that is typically sold to customers on a street or sidewalk and that is often designed to be carried and eaten while walking