street food

American  

[street food] / ˈstrit ˌfud /

noun

1. ready-to-eat food sold on the street or in a park, open-air market, or other outdoor public place.

2. a particular food sold in an outdoor public place.

---

Etymology

Origin of street food

First recorded in 1860–65

Example Sentences

Standouts include the carnitas tacos and tamarind agua fresca at El Taco Torro, creative pies at Pizza Luna, house-smoked barbecue from Rollin Nolen’s BBQ, and Indian and Nepalese street food from Momo Dosa.

From Salon • Jun. 11, 2026

One night, Mr. Irani announced he wanted to open a restaurant that served the street food he craved from his childhood in India.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 10, 2026

For dessert, try the taiyaki, a popular fish-shaped Japanese street food, which is served with a delicious passion fruit cream that I wanted to take to go because I liked it so much.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 27, 2026

He has a taste for street food, and appears on social media wearing a T-shirt and shorts while stir-frying with a wok, or performing 1980s Thai pop on the saxophone or piano.

From Barron's • Feb. 8, 2026

I fill her in on Mama’s rules about tap water and street food, and how we managed to avoid getting sick the whole time.

From "Amina's Song" by Hena Khan