The best food in Latin America isn't in restaurants — it's on the street. Street vendors who've perfected one dish over decades. Carts that only appear at certain hours. Markets where a full meal costs $2.
Mexico City#
- Tacos al pastor from any trompo vendor — $0.50 each
- Tlacoyos — blue corn masa boats at street markets
- Elotes — grilled corn with mayo, cheese, lime, chili
Medellín#
- Empanadas — crispy corn dough with meat, $0.25 each
- Arepa de choclo — sweet corn arepa with cheese
- Buñuelos — fried cheese dough balls
Santo Domingo#
- Quipes — fried bulgur wheat with seasoned meat
- Chimichurris — Dominican street burgers, best after midnight
- Mangú — mashed plantains, street carts serve it for breakfast
Buenos Aires#
- Choripán — grilled chorizo in bread with chimichurri
- Empanadas — every province has its own style, $0.30-0.50 each
- Bondiola — slow-roasted pork sandwiches at street fairs
Cali#
- Cholado — shaved ice mountain with fresh fruit, cream, condensed milk
- Aborrajados — fried plantain stuffed with cheese
- Lulada — refreshing lulo fruit drink
Cartagena#
- Arepa de huevo — fried corn arepa with an egg inside
- Ceviche — fresh seafood with lime, served in plastic cups on the beach
- Cocadas — coconut candy from palenqueras
The Rule#
If a street food vendor has a long line of locals and no English menu, you're in the right place.
Browse Local Friends on Roavi. Find a local who takes you to the street food spots that tourists walk right past.
Keep reading#
Also worth reading: The Best Nightlife in Latin America: City by City Ranking.
Also worth reading: Best Coffee Cities in Latin America: Where to Drink the World's Best.
Also worth reading: Best Food Cities in the World 2026: Ranked by People Who Actually Eat There.
This article was written with the help of AI and reviewed by the Roavi team.