For those with a sense of culinary adventure, one of the most exciting things about travelling to big cities like London, New York, or Paris is trying the hottest street food and market trends. London alone is home to over 160 markets, including traditional, takeaway, and specialist food establishments. If you happen to be in London and you’re centrally located, must-visit venues include Seven Dials Market, Borough Market, and The Real Food Market Kings Cross. While you’re there, try out these new street food trends while they’re hot!
Words Marisa Cutillas
For those with a sense of culinary adventure, one of the most exciting things about travelling to big cities like London, New York, or Paris is trying the hottest street food and market trends. London alone is home to over 160 markets, including traditional, takeaway, and specialist food establishments. If you happen to be in London and you’re centrally located, must-visit venues include Seven Dials Market, Borough Market, and The Real Food Market Kings Cross. While you’re there, try out these new street food trends while they’re hot!
Words Marisa Cutillas
1 – Sushi Doughnuts
This hot food craze is currently taking over New York but it won’t be long before it will be holding sway in European cities as well. The ‘doughnuts’ are essentially variations of your favourite sushi dishes, served in an attractive circular shape. They feature ingredients such as salmon, avocado, tuna, egg, and cucumber.
2 – Southern Indian Food
Food from Mumbai is all the rage in London at the moment, and your go-to place is Curry On Naanstop at the Seven Dials Market. At this spice-laden haven, you can expect to find treats like jini dosa (a super-fine, crisp ‘pancake’ filled with vegetables and melted cheese) and vada pav (a Maharashtra-born vegan dish comprising a deep-fried potato dumpling placed inside a soft bread bun).
3 – Jamaican Empanadas
Jamaican empanadas are an ideal food to enjoy alongside a cold beer, as they are flaky, juicy, and packed with rich spices. They are typically filled with beef, though markets often serve chicken and pork varieties as well. The empanadas are made of a shortcrust-style pastry with added spices such as cumin, curry, and cayenne. Some cater to diners with a penchant for hot foods with ingredients such as Scotch bonnet pepper. Empanadas are often served with coconut bread, which is made with coconut milk.
4 – Cheese Conveyor Belts
One of the hottest gourmet foods to tuck into this year is gourmet cheese. In London, The Cheese Bar has created the world’s first cheese conveyor belt, featuring 40m of rotating cheese pairings. Two establishments where you can try this concept are Pick & Cheese at the Seven Dials Market and The Cheese Bar at the Camden Stables Market. They champion British cheese and prepare all dishes with locally sourced ingredients and at least one British cheese.
5 – Bao Buns
Baos are warm, fluffy buns made of a slightly sweet white dough. Open baos, also known as gua baos, are a staple at food markets. You can choose from a host of fillings, including pulled pork, fish, beef, glazed mushrooms pickled vegetables and even chocolate. For a taste of this treat at its finest, try Yum Bun at the Spitalfields and Seven Dials Markets. This company uses seasonal produce for ingredients such as plum punch in October and sprout slaw in December. Their creations are inspired by Japanese izakaya-style cooking.
6 – Wheelcakes
Wheelcakes are soft, moist, fluffy Taiwanese pancakes with creamy fillings in a wide array of flavours – including azuki bean, chocolate, matcha, and vanilla custard. They smell like pancakes, look like a thick, biscuit and taste like heaven. You can try this dessert at Wheelcake Island, located at two London markets: Spitalfields and Seven Dials, as well as at the Westfield London Shopping Centre.
7 – Korean Corn Dogs
If you’re into mukbangs, then you’ve undoubtedly seen your favourite influencers tuck into a food with one of the best ‘cheese pulls’ in the world: Korean corn dogs! This hot comfort snack comes in an impressive range of varieties, including squid, plain cheese, and wrapped in French fry cubes.
8 – Tteokbokki
NBC News recently described tteokbokki – the famous Korean pillowy rice cakes doused in a sticky red pepper sauce – as one of the hottest trends on the current street food scene. There are a variety of cakes to choose from, as they are made with different ingredients (including sweet potato and corn). You can also select from a host of sauces, ranging from traditional piquant varieties to fusion-inspired sauces like carbonara.
9 – Eastern European Staples
The 2024 Food & Drink Trends report by Bidfood UK indicates that one of the hottest trends of the year will be Eastern European dishes like goulash, paprikash, bigos, meatballs, and dumplings. In particular, look out for ingredients like smoked sausage and meat.
10 – Dango
Dango are chewy, sweet, flavoured rice balls that come in different variations – including plain, matcha, and strawberry, coated in a sweet soy glaze. Served on a stick, they are easy to carry around and are a light way to end a meal, alongside a cup of hot green tea. Unlike mochi, which is made by steaming glutinous rice, dango is made with rice flour.
11 – Truffle Burger
If you’re a burger fan then you’ve probably seen a host of gourmet burger establishments pop up along the Coast. If you’re in the mood for something extra special, splurge on a truffle burger. The warm umami aroma and grilled beef make for a unique flavour extravaganza that pleases the palate, every time.
12 – Zunda Mochi
This tempting mouthful comprises mochi covered in sweetened, mashed edamame. The dish originated in Sendai, in the region of Tohoku. The edamame topping is made by boiling this green superfood, then shelling and blending it alongside soy milk and sugar.
13 – Kakigori
A gorgeous Japanese shaved ice dessert with a myriad of toppings. If you are into this cool dessert, you might also enjoy bingsu – a similar dish made with milk to lend it a creamier texture. Popular kakigori and bingsu flavours include strawberry, cherry, lemon, green tea, grape, and melon, though many shops provide a blend of syrups and their very own flavour concoctions.
14 – Takoyaki
A must for seafood lovers, this dish is made up of tiny, piping hot balls of batter filled with octopus, tempura bits, ginger, and green onion. Both crisp and gooey, it is often described as fresh, sweet, and sour all at once. Takoyaki balls typically come with skewers so you can easily pick them up and taste their steamy goodness.