TikTok’s trending food markets

When we think of exploring a city's culinary scene, traditional food guides and restaurant recommendations might be the first places we look for guidance. However, TikTok is reshaping how visitors discover the best local cuisine, and food markets have become a mainstay for anyone on holiday. Food markets provide enough tasty local dishes to suit even the pickiest eaters, so it’s obvious why social media has fallen in love with the street food scene.

We dove into TikTok to analyse over 150 street food markets and find out which should be on your must-visit lists, according to content creators. By tracking the number of posts for each market's associated hashtag, our findings reveal where today's food-loving travellers are heading and which cities you should include on your next foodie adventure!

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Here, we’ll be revealing:

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TikTok’s top 50 trending food markets

Pike Place, Seattle

According to TikTok, Souq Waqif in Doha, Qatar is the most popular food market to visit, bringing in over 47,000 posts for its authentic Qatari foods, spices, and restaurants. Content creators love to showcase the market in the nighttime, with lantern-lit pathways and the delicious sizzle of street food filling the air.

The UK’s capital city of London features in second and third place – Camden Market and Borough Market rack up a combined 36,800 posts on TikTok, making them a must-visit for those heading to London.

Camden Market, which came in second with 20,600 posts, is unmissable thanks to its eclectic mix of street food offerings. Videos posted by visitors on social media often highlight diverse international cuisines and unique fusion dishes, from Japanese-inspired burgers to vegan Ethiopian delights.

Meanwhile Borough Market, one of the oldest and largest food markets in London, is a foodie paradise for different reasons – TikTok users can't get enough of its fresh produce, gourmet foods, and unique tasting sessions!

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The USA is a foodie’s paradise with four markets in the top 20, making it the most mentioned country on the list. Atlanta’s Ponce City Market plus New York’s Smorgasburg and Chelsea Market also join the trending food market rankings, but with nearly 15,000 posts, Pike Place in Seattle is the first American market on the list, in fourth position.

The Washington-state market’s iconic flying fish and stunning waterfront views are just a teaser of what the market has in store. Famed for gems like the original Starbucks store and seasonal delicacies such as Rainier cherries, the market is a cultural staple in Seattle's social media scene.

Balogun Market in Lagos, Nigeria and Chandni Chowk in Delhi, India wrap up the top five trending food markets according to TikTok. A haven for those looking to dive deep into the heart of Lagos through food, Balogun Market offers an authentic slice of Nigerian street food culture, with content creators sharing displays of fresh produce, aromatic spices, and street food delicacies like suya (spiced grilled meat) and puff-puff (deep-fried dough balls). The street food at Delhi's Chandni Chowk market is also legendary, with kebabs, parathas, and sweet treats dominating the feed.

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Rank	Market	City	Country	Continent	No. Posts for Hashtag
1	Souq Waqif	Doha	Qatar	Asia	47,100
2	Camden Market	London	UK	Europe	20,600
3	Borough Market	London	UK	Europe	16,200
4	Pike Place	Seattle	USA	North America	14,800
5	Balogun Market	Lagos	Nigeria	Africa	13,500
6	Chandni Chowk	Delhi	India	Asia	7,727
7	Chatuchak Market	Bangkok	Thailand	Asia	7,545
8	Ponce City Market	Atlanta	USA	North America	6,832
9	Kensington Market	Toronto	Canada	North America	6,165
10	Smorgasburg	New York	USA	North America	5,787
11	Chelsea Market	New York City	USA	North America	5,734
12	Pratunam Market	Bangkok	Thailand	Asia	5,470
13	Gwangjang Market	Seoul	South Korea	Asia	4,873
14	ByWard Market	Ottawa	Canada	North America	3,579
15	Shilin Night Market	Taipei	Taiwan	Asia	3,357
16	Richmond Night Market	Vancouver	Canada	North America	3,218
17	La Boqueria	Barcelona	Spain	Europe	3,171
18	Sham Shui Po	Kowloon	Hong Kong	Asia	2,960
19	Dōtonbori Street Market	Osaka	Japan	Asia	2,547
20	Chatuchak Weekend Market	Bangkok	Thailand	Asia	2,307
21	Grand Bazaar	Istanbul	Turkey	Europe	2,250
22	Bến Thành Market	Ho Chi Minh	Vietnam	Asia	2,124
23	Reading Terminal Market	Philadelphia	USA	North America	2,020
24	Nishiki Market	Kyoto	Japan	Asia	1,942
25	St Lawrence Market	Toronto	Canada	North America	1,937
26	South Melbourne Markets	Melbourne	Australia	Oceania	1,845
27	Broadway Market	London	UK	Europe	1,826
28	Sydney Fish Market	Sydney	Australia	Oceania	1,528
29	Seven Dials Market	London	UK	Europe	1,484
30	MOJO Market	Sea Point	South Africa	Africa	1,472
31	Ave 26 on Imperial Night Market	Los Angeles	USA	North America	1,423
32	Mercado de San Miguel	Madrid	Spain	Europe	1,184
33	Porta Palazzo Market	Turin	Italy	Europe	1,181
34	Namdaemun Market	Seoul	South Korea	Asia	1,108
35	Naschmarkt	Vienna	Austria	Europe	1,094
36	Old Spitalfields Market	London	UK	Europe	1,061
37	Findlay Market	Cincinnati	USA	North America	1,019
38	Tsukiji Outer Market	Tokyo	Japan	Asia	925
39	Floating Market	Pattaya	Thailand	Asia	722
40	Root44	Stellenbosch	South Africa	Africa	698
41	TimeOut Lisboa	Lisbon	Portugal	Europe	694
42	Fremantle Markets	Perth	Australia	Oceania	636
43	Eumundi Markets	Noosa	Australia	Oceania	624
44	Mercado de La Merced	Mexico City	Mexico	North America	620
45	Riverside Market	Christchurch	New Zealand	Oceania	616
46	Oranjezicht Market	Cape Town	South Africa	Africa	609
47	El Gato Night Market	Los Angeles	USA	North America	583
48	Trade Market	Belfast	Ireland	Europe	582
49	Mercato Metropolitano	London	UK	Europe	560
50	Mercato Mayfair	London	UK	Europe	547

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1. Souq Waqif, Doha, Qatar – 47,100 TikTok posts

Located in Qatar’s capital of Doha, the Souq Waqif has been open for more than a century and offers an ideal place for visitors to get away from the high-rise towers of Doha’s skyline and into the old architecture of the city.

As well as selling whole spices such as saffron and sumac alongside endless varieties of dates and tea leaves, the Souq Waqif has food options to fit any taste. From restaurants to street vendors, visitors can sample samboosa, stuffed vine leaves, chapati, falafel or the sweet luqaimat (a type of deep-fried dumpling, often dipped in honey, sugar syrup, or Nutella) to satisfy their hunger.

With more than 47,100 TikTok videos associated with this hashtag, it’s easy to see why the Souq Waqif is popular among creators!

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2. Camden Market, London, UK – 20,600 TikTok posts

It’s easy to see why lively Camden Market emerges as the most-posted about on TikTok with more than 20,600 associated videos.

The UK’s capital is known for its multicultural background, making the city a top destination for foodies with restaurants showcasing almost every cuisine imaginable.

The same can be said for the street food found in the city, with Camden Market playing host to a huge number of traders offering everything from mac and cheese to Indian kati rolls, Venezuelan wraps, Levantine cuisine, sushi, Dutch pancakes and Indonesian dishes as well as much, much more.

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3. Borough Market, London, UK – 16,200 TikTok posts

Found on the south side of the Thames, London’s Borough Market is another great spot for foodies visiting the city.

Originally a wholesale market, Borough now features more than 100 market stalls set over 4.5 acres, so there's plenty to explore!

Soak up all the sights and smells of the market and sample bites from as many stalls as you can manage.

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Camden Market, London

Europe’s top street food markets

As well as placing in the top three globally, London’s Camden Market and Borough Market also came in first and second place for Europe, with a combined 36,800 videos on TikTok for the two locations.

Outside of the UK, the famous La Boqueria near Las Ramblas in Barcelona takes the third spot for Europe. The market, which is also the oldest in the city, attracted around 20 million visitors in 2023! Most food stalls even have seating alongside them, so you can sit down and savour all the best flavours.

Istanbul’s Grand Bazaar follows in fourth place – as one of the oldest and largest markets in the world with more than 61 covered streets and 4,000 shops, it’s easy to see why travellers are desperate to explore the market for themselves.

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Rank	Market	City	Country	No. Posts for Hashtag
1	Camden Market	London	UK	20,600
2	Borough Market	London	UK	16,200
3	La Boqueria	Barcelona	Spain	3,171
4	Grand Bazaar	Istanbul	Turkey	2,250
5	Broadway Market	London	UK	1,826
6	Seven Dials Market	London	UK	1,484
7	Mercado de San Miguel	Madrid	Spain	1,184
8	Porta Palazzo Market	Turin	Italy	1,181
9	Naschmarkt	Vienna	Austria	1,094
10	Old Spitalfields Market	London	UK	1,061
11	TimeOut Lisboa	Lisbon	Portugal	694
12	Trade Market	Belfast	Ireland	582
13	Mercato Metropolitano	London	UK	560
14	Mercato Mayfair	London	UK	547
15	Marina Market	Cork	Ireland	414
16	Cardiff Market	Cardiff	UK	411
17	Goodsheds	Barry	UK	370
18	Newport Market	Newport	UK	286
19	Mercado de la Cebada	Madrid	Spain	240
19	Mercado de Maravillas	Madrid	Spain	233
21	Maltby Street Market	London	UK	188
22	Mackie Mayor	Manchester	UK	163
23	Swansea Market	Swansea	UK	118
24	Great Market Hall	Budapest	Hungary	66
25	Tiger Yard	Cardiff	UK	55

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Pike Place, Seattle

North America’s top street food markets

Featuring in the top five globally, Pike Place in Seattle takes the top spot as North America’s most shared food market on TikTok, with more than 14,800 videos associated with the market on the platform. Ponce City Market, Atlanta follows as the second most popular spot for foodies with 6,832 videos on TikTok, almost 8,000 fewer than the popular Pike Place!

Kensington Market, Toronto completes the top three markets and also places as the most popular in Canada, with ByWard Market in Ottawa and Vancouver’s Richmond Night Market among other frequently shared spots in the country.

For those a little further south, La Merced in Mexico is the spot to have top of your list, ranking above Mercado Roma and Mercado de San Juan. In a city full of markets and culinary delights, it can be hard to stand out, but La Merced is a winding maze of some of the best vendors in the city – make sure you add it to your Mexico City bucket list!

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Rank	Market	City	Country	No. Posts for Hashtag
1	Pike Place	Seattle	USA	14,800
2	Ponce City Market	Atlanta	USA	6,832
3	Kensington Market	Toronto	Canada	6,165
4	Smorgasburg	New York	USA	5,787
5	Chelsea Market	New York City	USA	5,734
6	ByWard Market	Ottawa	Canada	3,579
7	Richmond Night Market	Vancouver	Canada	3,218
8	Reading Terminal Market	Philadelphia	USA	2,020
9	St Lawrence Market	Toronto	Canada	1,937
10	Ave 26 on Imperial Night Market	Los Angeles	USA	1,423
11	Findlay Market	Cincinnati	USA	1,019
12	Mercado de La Merced	Mexico City	Mexico	620
13	El Gato Night Market	Los Angeles	USA	583
14	Lexington Market	Baltimore	USA	450
15	Mercado Roma	Mexico City	Mexico	433
16	Jean-Talon Market	Montreal	Canada	305
17	Mercado de San Juan	Mexico City	Mexico	285
18	Union Square Greenmarket	New York	USA	248
19	Ferry Building Marketplace	San Francisco	USA	232
19	Grand Central Market	Los Angeles	USA	232
21	Siam Night Market	Los Angeles	USA	215
22	Boston Public Market	Boston	USA	167
23	Oxbow Public Market	Napa	USA	75
24	Wat Thai Temple Food Court	Los Angeles	USA	74
25	Market 707	Toronto	Canada	24

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La Vega Central, Santiago

South America’s top street food markets

Another continent that’s known for its outstanding cuisine and street food culture, South American countries have put themselves firmly on the foodie map in recent years. Central, in Lima, cemented itself as the world’s top restaurant in 2023 – diners can sample traditional Peruvian ingredients and techniques through 15 dishes based on the wide-ranging altitudes found in the country, from 15 metres below the Pacific Ocean to 4,200 metres up in the Andes!

However, among our rankings of street food markets in the region, Lima could only place in third thanks to the Chinatown Street Food Market, which has 125 associated posts on TikTok. Pipping it to the post and coming in first place is La Vega Central in Santiago – the market features both fresh produce and enticing street food offerings such as the authentic dessert Suspiro Limeño and sopaipillas, a type of light crispy fried pastry with pumpkin and topped with salsa or pebre, a Chilean condiment made of coriander, chopped onion, vinegar, oil, chopped tomatoes and aji peppers.

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Rank	Market	City	Country	No. Posts for Hashtag
1	La Vega Central	Santiago	Chile	403
2	Communa 13	Medellin	Colombia	402
3	Chinatown Street Food Market	Lima	Peru	125
4	San Pedro Market	Cusco	Peru	121
5	Mercado Central	Santiago	Chile	37

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Souq Waqif, Doha

Asia’s top street food markets

Asia is synonymous with street food markets and these culinary hotspots are always among the highlights of travellers. Souq Waqif ranks first for the region as well as topping the charts globally – it’s also the only location in the Middle East to rank among the global top 25.

India’s cuisine is loved globally – particularly here in the UK where a curry is among the nation’s favourite takeaways! But for anyone looking for a more authentic experience, the Chandni Chowk market in Delhi could be the perfect place to visit, with more than 7,727 posts shared from the market on TikTok.

With more than half a million street food vendors found in Thailand’s capital Bangkok, there's almost too many options to choose from – but the Chatuchak and Pratunam Markets should be among the first port of call for any visitor looking to immerse themselves in the Thai market culture.

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Rank	Market	City	Country	No. Posts for Hashtag
1	Souq Waqif	Doha	Qatar	47,100
2	Chandni Chowk	Delhi	India	7,727
3	Chatuchak Market	Bangkok	Thailand	7,545
4	Pratunam Market	Bangkok	Thailand	5,470
5	Gwangjang Market	Seoul	South Korea	4,873
6	Shilin Night Market	Taipei	Taiwan	3,357
7	Sham Shui Po	Kowloon	Hong Kong	2,960
8	Dōtonbori Street Market	Osaka	Japan	2,547
9	Chatuchak Weekend Market	Bangkok	Thailand	2,307
10	Bến Thành Market	Ho Chi Minh City	Vietnam	2,124
11	Nishiki Market	Kyoto	Japan	1,942
12	Namdaemun Market	Seoul	South Korea	1,108
13	Tsukiji Outer Market	Tokyo	Japan	925
14	Floating Market	Pattaya	Thailand	722
15	Pettah Market	Colombo	Sri Lanka	474
16	Patpong Night Market	Bangkok	Thailand	432
17	Maxwell Food Centre	Singapore	Singapore	426
18	Shuk HaCarmel	Tel Aviv	Israel	272
19	Karol Bagh Market	Delhi	India	250
20	Dong Xuan Market	Hanoi	Vietnam	167
21	Golden Mile Food Centre	Singapore	Singapore	136
22	Or Tor Kor Market	Bangkok	Thailand	57
23	Temple Street Night Market	Hong Kong	China	45
24	Khlong Toei Market	Bangkok	Thailand	37
25	Bac Ha Market	Bac Ha	Vietnam	32

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Jemaa el-Fnaa, Morocco

Africa's top street food markets

Balogun Market in Lagos tops the list of most popular street food markets in Africa, with 13,500 posts associated with the destination on TikTok, beating South Africa’s MOJO Market (1,472 posts) by a huge margin.

One of the newer additions to the market scene in Cape Town, MOJO Market is open seven days a week and offers a wide variety of stalls all under one roof. Just outside the capital, in Stellenbosch, is Root44 which places in third on our list – situated among vineyards and trees, this market is set in beautiful surroundings that offer the perfect place for foodies to kick back and relax with a tasty treat in hand.

Oranjezicht Market and St George’s Market also rank within Africa’s top five, further cementing South Africa’s reputation as a must-visit location for food and drink lovers.

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Rank	Market	City	Country	No. Posts for Hashtag
1	Balogun Market	Lagos	Nigeria	13,500
2	MOJO Market	Sea Point	South Africa	1,472
3	Root44	Stellenbosch	South Africa	698
4	Oranjezicht Market	Cape Town	South Africa	609
5	St George's Market	Cape Town	South Africa	414
6	Wuse Market	Abuja	Nigeria	342
7	Neighbourgoods Market	Johannesburg	South Africa	280
8	BusStop 7 Market	Pretoria	South Africa	184
9	Jemaa el-Fnaa	Marrakech	Morocco	164
10	TimeOut Market Cape Town	Cape Town	South Africa	97
11	Eastern Food Bazaar	Cape Town	South Africa	75
12	Osu Night Market	Accra	Ghana	66
13	Hazel Food Market	Pretoria	South Africa	58
14	Irene Village Market	Pretoria	South Africa	45
15	Nima Market	Accra	Ghana	26

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South Melbourne Market

Oceania’s top street food markets

Known for their laid-back lifestyle – including their love of BBQs – it’s no surprise that Australians enjoy more relaxed ways of eating out, such as street food markets.

The cuisines on offer in the country may be more diverse than you’d think – for example, the top ranked South Melbourne Markets offer a seafood grill, patisserie and banh mi as well as German sausages and Bavarian Bier, gyros from Greece and goz from Turkey!

The Sydney Fish Market, which has delicacies including octopus skewers, eel and lobster rolls on offer, follows closely behind in second place with 1,528 videos on TikTok, while Fremantle Markets in Perth take third.

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Rank	Market	City	Country	No. Posts for Hashtag
1	South Melbourne Markets	Melbourne	Australia	1,845
2	Sydney Fish Market	Sydney	Australia	1,528
3	Fremantle Markets	Perth	Australia	636
4	Eumundi Markets	Noosa	Australia	624
5	Riverside Market	Christchurch	New Zealand	616
6	Auckland Night Market	Auckland	New Zealand	332
7	Eat Street Northshore	Brisbane	Australia	285
8	Paddy’s Night Food Markets	Sydney	Australia	130
9	Queen Victoria Market	Melbourne	Australia	65
10	Noosa Farmers Market	Noosa	Australia	55
11	Hawker 88 Night Market	Melbourne	Australia	34
12	Bites on Charlotte	Brisbane	Australia	23
13	The Rocks Market	Sydney	Australia	14
14	Global Food Market	Brisbane	Australia	9
15	Nightcliff Market	Darwin	Australia	6

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As well as analysing the most popular food markets in the world, we thought we’d also take a look at which cities rank highest overall.

Thailand’s capital, Bangkok, ranks as the best city to visit, with three markets in the top 20: Chatuchak Market, Pratunam Market, and Chatuchak Weekend Market. These spaces offer a sensory overload that TikTok users can't get enough of these spots – videos usually feature the sizzling woks at Chatuchak's food stalls, the towering seafood platters at Pratunam, and the weekend market's exotic fruit displays that seem to defy gravity, attracting shoppers and foodies alike with local Thai dishes and unique treasures.

New York City comes in second place overall thanks to Smorgasburg and Chelsea Market. Offering a feast of innovative and camera-worthy foods, Smorgasburg's outdoor setting and tasty creations make it a social media favourite, with creators regularly sharing outrageous culinary mashups like ramen burgers. Chelsea Market’s mix of casual food stalls, shops, and high-end eateries draw in a diverse crowd – content creators love the industrial-chic interior!

Finally, London joins the list of top cities to head to, with Camden and Borough Markets offering the perfect blend of historic venues with modern cuisine. Camden Market’s iconic canal-side location provides the perfect setting for viral food videos, while Borough Market’s artisanal cheeses, freshly shucked oysters, and mouthwatering truffle-infused dishes are not to be missed. Whether you're a hardcore foodie or a casual traveller looking to spice up your city break itinerary, you’re in for a treat at these TikTok-approved destinations!

Feeling inn-spired to explore all the best street food spots? Check out our handy guides on short breaks, shopping breaks and weekend breaks in London!

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Methodology:

151 popular street food markets were compiled using desk research. The markets were then searched on TikTok, and the number of posts relating to their appropriate hashtag was recorded. This data was then used to rank the markets around the world, with those with the most posts deemed the most popular.

Data correct as of August 2024.