Ho Chi Minh City beats Bangkok, Singapore to claim world's best street food city

Overview & Key Highlights

Ho Chi Minh City has overtaken renowned culinary hubs in Southeast Asia such as Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur and Singapore to claim the top spot in Time Out's global ranking of street food cities for the first time.

Detailed Story & Culinary Insights

According to the British magazine, the promise of sizzling woks and freshly prepared street food is a major draw for travelers seeking culinary experiences abroad.

Ho Chi Minh City topped the ranking after receiving 63% approval rating.

The achievement is particularly notable for a megacity with six Michelin-starred restaurants, including Anan Saigon, which transforms Vietnamese street food into fine dining, Time Out wrote.

But rather than reserving a table at a fine-dining restaurant, the magazine recommends visitors wander through the bustling alleyways around Ben Thanh Market in the city center to enjoy its vibrant tastes, from a steaming bowl of pho on a plastic stool to a crispy banh mi eaten on the go.

Kuala Lumpur came second in Time Out ranking with 62% approval rating, followed by Jakarta and Taipei that shared the third place.

Readers of VnExpress International earlier ranked Ho Chi Minh City as Vietnam's top street food destination, while Hanoi comes in second, based on a survey of nearly 1,600 responses.

The best cities for street food in 2026 as voted by Time Out:

1. Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam – 63% 2. Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – 62% 3. Jakarta, Indonesia – 59% 4. Taipei, Taiwan – 59% 5. Mexico City, Mexico – 58% 6. Manila, Philippines – 58% 7. Hanoi, Vietnam – 57% 8. Johannesburg, South Africa – 56% 9. Bangkok, Thailand – 56% 10. Mumbai, India – 55%