30 street food worth the trip across United States, editor-ranked by TableJourney. All United States guides.
Franklin Barbecue ★ 4.9 · Austin
900 E 11th St, Austin, TX 78702
Franklin Barbecue in Austin is Aaron Franklin's 2009 East 11th brisket pilgrimage, the James Beard-winning shop that codified central Texas barbecue.
Tip: Queue from 09:30am or pre-order online for pickup; the brisket sells out by 14:00 on most days.
Saltbox Seafood Joint ★ 4.9 · Durham
south-durham · 2637 Durham-Chapel Hill Blvd, Durham, NC 27707
Ricky Moore's counter-service seafood shack on Durham-Chapel Hill Blvd. NC fish, no reservations and the Hush-Honeys, the most celebrated snack in the city.
The Frontier Takeout Window ★ 4.8 · Albuquerque
university · 2400 Central Ave SE, Albuquerque, NM 87106
The Frontier on Central Avenue in Albuquerque has a takeout side window for the green chile breakfast burrito to go
Saw's BBQ counter ★ 4.8 · Birmingham
homewood · 1008 Oxmoor Road, Homewood, AL 35209
Saw's BBQ counter in Homewood near Birmingham serves the Mike Wilson pulled-pork sandwich with Alabama white sauce slaw out of a residential barbecue shack.
La Michoacana Premium ★ 4.8 · Chicago
1855 S Blue Island Ave, Chicago, IL 60608
La Michoacana Premium in Chicago is the Pilsen paleteria on 18th Street with fresh-fruit paletas, elote in a cup, raspados and mangonadas at a painted.
Tip: Order the elote in a cup with Tajin and butter; pair it with a tamarind paleta for the after-walk down 18th.
Eli's BBQ Counter ★ 4.8 · Cincinnati
walnut-hills · 3313 Riverside Dr, Cincinnati, OH 45226
Eli's BBQ on Riverside Drive in Cincinnati's East End is the picnic-table smokehouse counter, with pulled pork and cheddar grits from one pit.
Steve's Gyros ★ 4.8 · Cleveland
ohio-city · 1979 W 25th St, Cleveland, OH 44113
Steve's Gyros inside the West Side Market on West 25th Street, the Steve Bistolarides counter since 1989, runs Cleveland's definitive gyro with daily early.
Supino Pizzeria (counter slices) ★ 4.8 · Detroit
eastern-market · 2457 Russell St, Detroit, MI 48207
Supino Pizzeria on Russell Street in Eastern Market sells walk-up slices in Detroit, alongside its full pizza menu. Open tue-fri 11:00-21:00, sat 10:00-22:00.
Tip: Lunch slices on weekdays come out fastest; the bismarck cheats a little for breakfast.
Maguro Brothers Hawaii Chinatown ★ 4.8 · Honolulu
1120 Maunakea Street, Honolulu, HI 96817
Maguro Brothers Hawaii in Kekaulike Market in Chinatown Honolulu is the lunch poke counter brothers Junichiro and Ryojiro Tsuchiya stock from the Honolulu.
Tip: Lunch-only counter inside the market; sells out by 13:00. Closed Sunday.
Tacos Tierra Caliente ★ 4.8 · Houston
2003 W Alabama St, Houston, TX 77098
Tacos Tierra Caliente in Houston is the West Alabama taco truck in Montrose, with al pastor from the trompo, carne asada and the West Alabama Ice House next.
Tip: Three al pastor with pineapple and a side of consomme is the canonical order. Bring tacos into the ice house for beers.
Mariscos Jalisco ★ 4.8 · Los Angeles
3040 E Olympic Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90023
Raul Ortega's Mariscos Jalisco in Boyle Heights, Los Angeles has fried the LA shrimp taco dorado from the same Olympic Boulevard truck since 2001.
Carnitas El Momo ★ 4.8 · Los Angeles
2411 Fairmount St, Los Angeles, CA 90033
Romulo Acosta's Carnitas El Momo in Boyle Heights, Los Angeles cooks Michoacan-style carnitas in a copper pot. Weekend lunch only, sells out by 14:00.
Sweet Martha's Cookie Jar ★ 4.8 · Minneapolis
saint-paul · Minnesota State Fairgrounds, 1265 Snelling Ave N, Falcon Heights, MN 55108
Sweet Martha's Cookie Jar at the Minnesota State Fair has scooped warm chocolate-chip cookies in the Twin Cities since 1979. Buckets overflowing.
Tacos Sinaloa ★ 4.8 · Oakland
fruitvale · 2138 International Boulevard, Oakland, CA 94606
Tacos Sinaloa runs the food truck dynasty Guadalupe Bueno started in 1999. International Boulevard at 22nd, suadero and adobada tacos to a 1 a.m. close.
John's Roast Pork ★ 4.8 · Philadelphia
14 E Snyder Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19148
John's Roast Pork in Philadelphia is the 1930 South Philly counter at Snyder and Weccacoe, James Beard America's Classic 2006 with the city's defining roast.
Matt's BBQ ★ 4.8 · Portland
mississippi-williams · 4233 N Mississippi Ave, Portland, OR 97217
Matt Vicedomini's pit-smoker on N Mississippi at Prost Marketplace in Portland, central Texas-style brisket sold from a cart since 2015. Booking recommended.
Tip: Arrive by 11:30 or risk a sellout. Cash and card. Sides are sized smaller than the brisket.
The Holy Donut Commercial Street ★ 4.8 · Portland
old-port · 177 Commercial Street, Portland, ME 04101
The Holy Donut on Commercial Street is the Portland waterfront takeout counter for Leigh Kellis's Maine potato donuts in rotating seasonal flavours.
Tip: Sells out by mid-afternoon. Take to the wharves for an Old Port walk.
Olneyville New York System ★ 4.8 · Providence
olneyville · 18 Plainfield Street, Providence, RI 02909
The 1946 hot wiener counter in Olneyville Square, founded by Greek immigrant Anthony Stevens and his son Nicholas. James Beard America's Classics winner 2014.
Midtown Farmers Market Saturday Vendors ★ 4.8 · Sacramento
midtown · 1050 20th Street, Sacramento, CA 95811
Midtown Farmers Market on 20th Street, midtown Sacramento, runs Saturday year-round with 30 to 50 prepared-food stalls turning out walk-and-eat plates.
El Chile Toreado ★ 4.8 · Santa Fe
cerrillos · 807 Early Street, Santa Fe, NM 87501
El Chile Toreado is Santa Fe's popular Mexican food truck, run by the Medina family since 2005; breakfast burritos and Polish-sausage hot dogs are the order.
El Guero Canelo ★ 4.8 · Tucson
south-tucson · 5201 S 12th Ave, Tucson, AZ 85706
El Guero Canelo on South 12th Avenue in Tucson is Daniel Contreras's James Beard America's Classic 2018 Sonoran hot dog flagship, started as a cart in 1993.
El Modelo Mexican Foods ★ 4.7 · Albuquerque
south-valley · 1715 2nd St SW, Albuquerque, NM 87102
El Modelo on Second Street SW in Albuquerque is the heritage Barelas takeaway counter since 1929, wrapping carne adovada burritos in butcher paper.
Good Hot Fish ★ 4.7 · Asheville
south-slope · 10 Buxton Ave, Asheville, NC 28801
Ashleigh Shanti's Good Hot Fish upstairs at Burial Beer's South Slope campus runs counter-style as a Black Appalachian fish fry. Catfish, hush puppies, slaw.
Tip: Order at the counter upstairs, take the basket to Burial's beer garden below. Closed Mondays and Tuesdays.
La Barbecue ★ 4.7 · Austin
2401 E Cesar Chavez St, Austin, TX 78702
La Barbecue in Austin is Ali Clem's Cesar Chavez post-oak barbecue, a Michelin-recognised shop with a James Beard-recognised owner, sliced brisket.
Tip: The kitchen runs Wednesday through Sunday only; order online ahead to skip the queue at 11am open.
Veracruz All Natural ★ 4.7 · Austin
2505 Webberville Rd, Austin, TX 78702
Veracruz All Natural in Austin is Reyna and Maritza Vazquez's Webberville Road taco truck, a Food Network Top 5 tacos pick and the Austin migas.
Tip: Order the migas taco on a homemade corn tortilla; arrive before 09:30am to dodge the office-worker rush.
InterStellar BBQ ★ 4.7 · Austin
12233 Ranch Rd 620 N, Ste 105, Austin, TX 78750
InterStellar BBQ in Austin is John Bates and Brandon Martinez's North-side smokehouse on RR 620, a Michelin Star 2024-25 BBQ shop in the former Noble Pig.
Tip: The smoked-prime-rib special on Sundays sells out by 13:00; pre-order online for pickup.
Distant Relatives ★ 4.7 · Austin
3901 Promontory Point Dr, Austin, TX 78744
Distant Relatives in Austin is Damien Brockway's modern African American BBQ trailer at Meanwhile Brewing's South Austin yard, a James Beard semifinalist.
Tip: Sit at Meanwhile Brewing's beer garden and order the BBQ to the table; the kitchen runs to 17:00.
Mum Foods Smokehouse & Delicatessen ★ 4.7 · Austin
5811 Manor Rd, Austin, TX 78723
Mum Foods in Austin is Geoffrey Ellis and Travis Crawford's pastrami smokehouse on Manor Road, a Michelin-recognised deli serving the city's award-winning.
Tip: The Rachel sandwich made The Infatuation's 18 Best Sandwiches in America list 2024; order it as the entry point.
Faidley's Seafood ★ 4.7 · Baltimore
downtown · 119 North Paca Street, Baltimore, MD 21201
Faidley's stand inside Lexington Market serves the city's benchmark crab cake since 1886, almost all jumbo lump, eaten standing at a counter off brown paper.
Tip: Order the all-lump grade and eat it at the stand-up rail; it also fries a classic lake trout.
167 Raw Oyster Bar ★ 4.7 · Charleston
downtown · 193 King St, Charleston, SC 29401
167 Raw on King Street runs a counter raw bar with New England DNA. Located in Downtown. Open mon-sat 11:00-23:00, closed sunday. At 193 King St.
Tip: First come, first serve. Wait list opens around 17:00 nightly. Lunch is the easier sit.