Ho Chi Minh City tops global street food ranking

Travel and culture magazine Time Out has unveiled its ranking of the world's best cities for street food.

The magazine says the promise of sizzling woks and fresh street food is what draws many travelers to food destinations abroad.

Ho Chi Minh City topped the list with 63 percent of the vote.

Despite being home to six Michelin-starred restaurants, it was the city's vibrant street food scene that secured its top spot.

Instead of booking a table, the magazine suggests visitors explore the bustling alleys around Ben Thanh Market in the downtown area.

Whether it is a steaming bowl of pho enjoyed from a tiny plastic stool or a crispy banh mi eaten on the go, both capture the essence of Ho Chi Minh City's street food scene.

Kuala Lumpur came second with 62 percent of the vote.

Its well-known Jalan Alor street food district draws crowds after dark with satay skewers, grilled fish, and char kway teow with prawns.

Jakarta and Taipei tied for third with 59 percent each.

Jakarta is known for roadside eateries serving nasi goreng (fried rice) and gado-gado, an Indonesian salad of boiled vegetables, tofu, eggs, and peanut sauce, while Taipei is known for night markets such as Shilin Night Market.

Hanoi was the only other Vietnamese city in the top 10. The capital was previously recognized in the same category by Radical Storage.

Time Out's top street food cities in the world are:

Ho Chi Minh City (Vietnam) in first place; Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia) in second; Jakarta (Indonesia) and Taipei (Taiwan) tied for third; Mexico City (Mexico) and Manila (the Philippines) tied for fourth; Hanoi (Vietnam) in fifth; Johannesburg (South Africa) and Bangkok (Thailand) tied for sixth; and Mumbai (India) and Marrakesh (Morocco) tied for seventh.