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.

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Etymology

Origin of street food

First recorded in 1860–65

Example Sentences

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

From the 17th to 19th centuries, spaghetti was a popular street food in Naples, typically enjoyed with one’s bare hands in large fistfuls.

From Salon • Feb. 14, 2026

Yet Japanese chef Satoru Hasuike, who runs a ramen stand in the city, hopes to operate officially in the Azteca "with a street food vibe."

From Barron's • Nov. 5, 2025

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