But no more. The most exciting food in New York, San Francisco and London isn’t happening in restaurants with Michelin stars, but on the streets. Independent producers fueled by both the economic recession and rise of local, artisan foods  have started producing exciting morsels to sell on the streets and at festivals.

Whether inspired by the food of their childhood – like Urvesh Parvais, who, with his mother Lalita Patel, developed Gujarati Rasoi to sell ‘traditional wholesome Indian food’ at three London street markets – or a love of a particular cuisine, you now can find everything from Vietnamese bánh mì to Mexican burritos during a stroll through your neighbourhood.

The young, educated and out-of-work seem to be the majority of vendors at Greenpoint Food Market, which is held on monthly Saturday mornings in Brooklyn’s Church of the Messiah. Each vendor pays $25 to $50 for a table, which goes to the church and the organiser. Any profit made on Korean dumplings or cupcakes is the vendor’s to keep.

Some products have already been snapped up by large retailers like Whole Foods. For dedicated food producers on a limited budget, this means they can develop a viable business without having to partner with a commercial food company which may not share their food values.

Petra Barran of Choc Star, which sells chocolate treats from a converted Scottish ice cream van, set up the website Eat.St as an online hub for those who already run, or want to start up their own mobile food business.

And while the movement is still in it’s early days, London is already about to host its second annual street food awards (10 – 12 September) judged by prominent British chefs like Mark Hix, Thomasina Miers and Marco Pierre White. New York’s ‘Vendy Awards’ have been going strong since 2005.

With street food enabling young entrepreneurs to start a profitable, ethical venture and provide consumers diverse, delicious and affordable food, the movement is one where everyone wins. Except the greasy hot dog vendors.

Useful websites:

Gujarati Rasoi – www.gujarotirasoi.com

Choc Star – www.chocstar.co.uk

Eat.St – www.eat.st

Gourmet magazine’s street food guide – www.gourmet.com/food/street-food-guide

Image courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Foods of New York has been offering unique ‘on foot’ tours through New York City’s most delicious and historic neighborhoods since 1999. They provide a non-touristy experience and show you the specialty food shops and ethnic eateries that usually only a native New Yorker will know about.

If you love your Asian cuisine then a tour through China Townis an absolute must. You will not only explore the neighbourhood and its history as the largest concentration of Chinese people in the West, but during this three hour tour you will also stop by in two of Chinatown’s finest restaurants and enjoy regional Chinese cuisine while observing the traditional etiquette that is partnered with these fine foods. Back on the streets you will then venture to one-of-a-kind specialty food shops for additional tastings and cultural insight.

Another area you can tour is the uber-hip Chelsea Market & Meatpacking Districtwhere you will stop by Amy’s Breads, an artisan French-American bakery, Buon Italia, an Italian specialty food shop and Macelleria, an Italian Steak House.

If you are after something a bit more traditional head to Greenwich and walk along the winding, tree-lined streets of the historic West Village. Murray’s Cheese Shop, one of the best cheese shops in NYC since the 1940s will be one of the shops you will visit, as well as an authentic 1950′s style bakery called Milk & Cookies.

Whatever tour you will choose, you are guaranteed to see NYC in a new light, away from the tourists and hectic buzz, while you discover the city the slow way, with all your senses.

To buy a ticket (from $44.00) click here.

image: jaunted