I’ve just got into an argument with my friend David who claims he is a gastronome. He’s off to Singapore, where I’ve just come back from a business trip, so was asking for recommendations on which restaurants to visit for some culinary delights.

I told him to skip the restaurants and go straight for the Hawkers Centers (or food courts) to sample some of the finest food the country has to offer including spicy Malaysian pork-ribs and fish head soup. Sedap!

David looked at me like I was utterly mad and began to rant about these markets being potential trip-wreckers as eating food from a street vendor was likely to end in illness.

I told him for someone that thought of himself as a ‘foodie’ he was very narrow-minded and not all meals are served on linen table cloths. I explained that Hawkers not only produce delicious snacks but capture the very essence of the country.

So David (and anyone else who has been avoiding street food), here is my definitive list of some of the lip-smacking and finger-licking street food destinations for gourmet snacks.

Singapore

Many food courts in Singapore are a very civilised affair and are more akin to restaurants – complete with table service. Head to Chinatown’s Maxwell Food Centre for a refined eating experience. Browse the huge selection of food, give them your table number at the counter and then chow down on some amazing cuisine. The Har Mee (prawn noodle soup) is a must.

Mexico

Mexico is renowned for its street food but nowhere does it better than Ensenada, Baja California.  As the town is a commercial and fishing port, it’ll come as no surprise that the market specialises in fish and lots of it. The speciality is tacos de pescado – a two-bite corn tortilla stuffed with large pieces of battered halibut and served with traditional accompaniments such as shredded cabbage and jalapeños peppers, then slathered with a tangy mayonnaise. Incrível!

Vietnam

Ho Chi Minh City’s street food offerings are overwhelming. The stalls are a treasure trove of unusual ingredients as well as Vietnamese staple foods – such as Pho (noodle soup). Be tempted by the sweet green rice parcels and be sure to pull up a chair and join the locals for a drink of ca phe sua da – their version of an iced coffee - equal parts strong coffee and condensed milk, thirst-quenching is an understatement.

Italy

You certainly can’t deny that the Italians know how to cook and their street food offering is no different. The markets in the Sicilian city of Palermo are world renowned for their cuisine – a rich mixture of Greek, Arab and Spanish influences. Famous Sicilian recipes include caponata (similar to ratatouille), meat-stuffed fried rice balls known as arancini, and Pasta alla Norma. If you are a seafood lover ask for fresh octopus – it’s cooked on the spot in a vat of boiling water and just served with a squeeze of lemon and be sure to try sardines with fennel too.  

Morocco

Every evening in Marrakech the Djemma al Fna, the capital city’s main square is turned into a street food mecca. Locals prefer to eat in their homes, where food is always prepared by women. But on the street, it’s men who do the cooking. Be prepared to have your senses overloaded with smells, sights and venders shouting at you to try and entice you. Grilled-meat hawkers will cook to order any cut you bring from one of the many nearby butchers and if you are feeling daring stews of boiled and herb-infused snails are a local favourite.

If that doesn’t get stomachs rumbling then I don’t know what will! So go on, don't be afraid to try something new. But pack a little medication for an upset stomach - just in case…