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Bihar, India: baked wheat balls hide a spiced filling of sattu, or roasted gram flour, with mashed aubergine, potato or tomato alongside. The contrast between a firm shell, earthy filling and soft chokha makes this a substantial street meal. Choose it when you want something more filling than a quick fried snack.
Ninh Thuận on Vietnam's south-central coast is a rewarding place to try these small rice-flour cakes, baked in terracotta moulds over charcoal. Egg or seafood versions bring richness to the gently crisp edges. Eat them freshly made with their dipping sauce, while the middle is still soft.
İzmir, Türkiye: the sesame-covered bread gives this sandwich its character. The traditional cold version holds tulum cheese, tomato and green pepper; hot versions bring sausage and melting cheese. Ask which style a stall serves. The cold one makes a lighter lunch, while the hot version suits a bigger appetite.
Palermo, Sicily: chickpea flour becomes thin fritters with crisp edges and a soft centre. Their modest ingredients produce a deeply savoury snack, best eaten straight from the fryer. Seek out panelle when you want to explore the city's street food through something simpler than its meat-filled specialities.
Guadalajara, Mexico: a sturdy birote roll filled with pork is drenched in tomato sauce, with chile de árbol sauce supplying the fire. Bread that keeps some bite beneath the soaking is part of the appeal. Start with a little chilli sauce and add more, so the pork and tangy tomato remain part of the experience.
Cartagena and Colombia's Caribbean coast: cooked cassava forms a plump fritter around stewed meat or cheese. Its crisp shell gives way to a soft, substantial interior. Try one freshly fried as part of a small selection of fritos, with ají alongside if you want a sharper, hotter finish.
Lagos, Nigeria: hot bean fritters tucked into soft Agege bread make a satisfying street breakfast. The bread cushions the crisp exterior and airy middle, so the sandwich has more texture than its plain appearance suggests. Akara is enjoyed across West Africa; this bread-and-fritter combination is a useful Lagos starting point.
Goa, India: an omelette is covered with spicy chicken or mutton gravy and eaten with local bread. The sauce makes this a proper meal, with onion and lime bringing freshness to the richness. Look for it at a gaddo, or street cart, and use the bread to mop up the gravy. It usually contains meat even when no pieces are visible.
Đà Lạt, Vietnam: rice paper goes over charcoal with egg, spring onion and toppings such as pork floss. The attraction is the thin, crackly base against the richer topping. Order one during an evening wander and eat it promptly, while the rice paper still snaps rather than turning chewy.
Jakarta, Indonesia: this Betawi snack cooks grated coconut and sago flour in a mould until the outside crisps, then takes a thick palm-sugar topping. The coconut gives the sweetness a savoury counterweight. Choose it for a small dessert with toasted edges and a tender centre, rather than a large bakery-style cake.
