Johannesburg has been named one of the world’s best cities for street food, placing eighth in Time Out’s global ranking of the 20 Best Cities in the World for Street Food in 2026.
The ranking puts Johannesburg – and South African street food – firmly on the global culinary map, alongside cities renowned for their street food cultures, including Ho Chi Minh City, Kuala Lumpur, Mexico City, Hanoi and Bangkok.
Based on Time Out’s global survey of city-dwellers, Johannesburg scored 56 percent overall. Ho Chi Minh City topped the ranking with 63 percent, followed by Kuala Lumpur at 62 percent and Jakarta and Taipei, both at 59 percent.
South African food is having a global moment
But Johannesburg’s inclusion is about much more than a global accolade or bragging rights. As travellers increasingly seek experiences that connect them to the culture and people of a destination, food has become one of the most immediate ways to understand a city.
And while South Africa has an established reputation for world-class restaurants, wine and fine dining, its street food tells an equally important story.
“At Time Out South Africa, our focus is on amplifying the people, places and food cultures that make our cities distinctive,” says Aisha Mohamed, General Manager of Time Out South Africa.
“Johannesburg’s street food scene has always been extraordinary. Pull up a plastic chair beside a street vendor in Johannesburg and it’s rarely just about what is on the plate. Our city guides share a part of the community this food comes from and the recipes that have shaped generations of South Africans – we’re so excited to see it getting the attention it deserves.”
Time Out’s guide to the best street food in Johannesburg
Time Out Johannesburg’s Nhlalala Mthembi points to Amanda’s in Soweto, where a R14 kota proves that exceptional food doesn’t need a fine-dining price tag.
“A quarter loaf sliced open and filled with chips, polony, special sauce, and achaar running through it is something you just eat and feel satisfied after,” says Mthembi. “You don’t eat the kota at Amanda’s and wonder about technique! It holds together as something satisfying and balanced with the ease of someone who knows the craft by muscle memory.
Time Out Culture Connector Nick Hamman has similarly been documenting the people and places shaping South Africa’s street food culture.
Among his Johannesburg discoveries is The Hot Pot Kitchen in Midrand, a food truck founded by TK and Pablo Tshiololi after both lost their jobs. Its menu celebrates indigenous ingredients, township flavours and home-style South African cooking, from grilled mala and masonja cooked with tomato and onion to flame-grilled tilapia served with pap and sides.
“This is one of the best places in Joburg to eat South African food rooted in indigenous ingredients, township taste and home-style cooking. It belongs in the ‘serious’ food conversation, ” says Hamman.
Johannesburg’s top-10 ranking brings that story to a global audience – and celebrates the vendors, cooks and communities that have been serving it all along.
THE WORLD’S 10 BEST CITIES FOR STREET FOOD IN 2026
- Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam – 63%
- Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – 62%
- Jakarta, Indonesia – 59%
- Taipei, Taiwan – 59%
- Mexico City, Mexico – 58%
- Manila, Philippines – 58%
- Hanoi, Vietnam – 57%
- Johannesburg, South Africa – 56%
- Bangkok, Thailand – 56%
- Mumbai, India – 55%
