Boutique hotels provide the perfect base to sample some of the world’s most exciting street food. Intimate and refined, what they lack in roof-top gymnasiums and golf simulators, they make up for with stylish interiors and, invariably, great city-centre locations.
These urban retreats are right in the heart of the action, in the vast majority of cases converted from aristocratic townhouses or historical buildings. And for a real sense of place, of culture, of cuisine, a stay at a luxury boutique hotel really can’t be beaten.
Marrakech:
The city’s main square, Jemaa el Fna is bustling throughout day and night with snake charmers, dancing monkeys, street vendors and loaded donkeys, all fighting for space with the odd dilapidated car that comes fighting through the throng.
Stay at Riad Meriem, a tiny five-roomed guesthouse that’s just a short walk from Jemaa el Fna, and ideally positioned for sampling the finest street food. Think freshly squeezed orange juice, delicate cups of sugar-rich mint tea, steaming piles of couscous and hunks of roasted lamb meat.
Hong Kong:
No round-up of the world’s best street food would be complete without a mention of Hong Kong. From deep-fried pig’s intestines to vats of stinky tofu, by evening the city is alive with vendors hawking regional delicacies in fantastical flavour combinations.
JIA Hong Kong, with its location in buzzy Causeway Bay, is surrounded by some of the city’s best high-end restaurants. But it would be a fool indeed who did not spend a few nights prowling the streets in search of curried fish balls and sui mai.
Bangkok:
Bangkok is a serious foodie destination in Asia, with a wealth of street food vendors plus the infamous Damnern Saduak Floating Market (located just outside the city centre) to explore. Like Hong Kong, the real draw here is the exotic ingredients and buzzy atmosphere.
The LUXX is a great value boutique hotel in Bangkok, tucked away on Silom Road, just a few minutes from the Chao Phraya River. It makes for a great base to sample that Thai staple, noodles, as well as oyster omelettes, black sesame dumplings and somfak (fermented-fish) sausages.
Naples:
Naples offers a wealth of street food that is every bit as exciting and diverse as the more exotic locations above. Street food in Naples is fairly cheap and widely available; it goes way beyond the infamous pizzas and gelato.
Romeo Hotel is one of the most stylish boltholes in Naples. From the hotel, make for the far end of Spaccanapoli to sample the best of the city’s cafe culture, as well its street food: thin, crisp-based pizzas, sugared doughnuts and deep-fried bread stuffed with ham and cheese.
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