The reason street food is so popular is because it reminds one of “home.” Well, of someone’s home, even if that person is Asian, Italian, or Mexican. Street food is simplistic cooking and its won the appeal of New Yorkers and Americans because it’s cheap and fast. The foodies’ fast food.

People across the ponds in Asia and Europe have been eating elegant street food for years. It probably goes hand-in-hand with owners using local ingredients and people actually being aware of what they’re putting in their mouths. My first experiences with street food probably concurred the same time it grew popular in the states, but I was abroad.

Carrying a backpack weighing more than myself, and having not showered in way too many days than I care to admit, we weren’t exactly dining at fine restaurants during my circumnavigation of the globe. On top of that, I traveled with ALL boys, so the appeal towards street food for any testosterone filled male outweighs wine and cheese (generally speaking).

Suffice to say, I ate a lot of it. I could kiss my food-snobbiness out the window. In fact, one of the best pieces of advice I got while abroad was from my boyfriend at the time (ex now, thank you very much), that said, “You have to eat when you can, because generally you don’t know where your next meal is going to come” and more importantly, “Don’t ask what it is.” And since I couldn’t speak any of the native languages, he ordered, and I ate. It has to be said, that I NEVER let anyone order for me, but what I ate was phenomenal … about 90% of the time. I think there was one experience in Thailand when I ate a fried animal something, and let me tell you NOT everything tastes better fried.

When I got back home, New York was in full-swing street food mania. Artisanal ice cream trucks selling homemade baked goods and brewing free trade coffee, mexican stands selling authentic tacos, and mini-cupcakes coming out of store front windows at a dollar a pop [link]. Shock, New Yorkers had taken something that was supposed to be simple and elevated and CHARGED delicacy height prices. But no one complained, because it most cases it’s fabulous.

Restauranteurs took it even further with the creation of places such as Shake Shack or Num Pang that give more a sit-down feel WITH the street food feel. Most of these vendors are using natural and local ingredients, with little over head, and making a bundle. Recession successes? I’d say so.

So I’ve complied a list of my favorite street food vendors that hopefully will inspire you to go out in search of new types of cuisines and experiences. After all this food is about culture, experience, home cooking, and convenience. The easy convenience of being able to make its buyer smile the instance they take a bite.

[In no particular order]

Alan’s Falafel (Cedar St. nr. Broadway)

I love this place, it opens right up to Liberty Plaza in my old hood and reminds you why people who live and work in New York keep living and coming back. Alan’s rival is Sam’s that serves exactly the same fare and price with the same delicious. Both of these carts were taken down with the World Trade Centers, and they’re back, loved, and continue to produce excellently textured (not overly oily) falafel balls and fried eggplants strips.

Calexico (Wooster St. nr. Prince St.)

This is a cheap Soho spot for great Mexican. The team of brothers that run the stand are from Southern California and KNOW Mexican food. One has to get there early in the lunch hours to get the hottest item on the menu, chipotle pulled pork with salsa verde. Marinade and guacamole recipes have even the best chefs in the city puzzled about ingredients.

Dogmatic Dogs (Bleecker St. Park, Bleecker St at Hudson St.)

A hot dog cart HAS to be part of a street food list in New York. But since I only do dirty water dogs when I’m walking home from bars late at night or at baseball games, he’s a “haute hot-dog cart.” The Employees Only chef is the co-creator of this gourmet sausage cart that includes beef, turkey, and pork franks for a mere $5 with all the fancy trimmings. Stick near the cart after your dog for dessert, homemade ginger and strawberry sodas.

Van Leeuwen Ice Cream (changes locations, can be accessed via Twitter)

This ice cream truck not only makes the freshest most delicious ice cream in the city with local sources but also specializes in baked goods that change daily and seasonally. Everything is simple, homegrown, and traveling … moves around the city in several trucks and keeps customers updated with Twitter.

Daisy May’s BBQ (50th St. bt. 6th and 7th)

I have to include one bbq place, and I have to include one midtown spot. So here is goes, Daisy May’s the restaurant has created a line of carts that are variously scattered around midtown. One of the side dishes that I find an incredibly gross sounding but good combination is there sweet potatoes mixed with vanilla ice cream. Get pig, why not right?

This is a VERY SHORT list as you can see of what the best places might be to stop, there are many many more. Everyday more and more jump on the trendy train, so try a new one out and let me know!