Street Food: Food on the Move
Eating on the go: discover various takeaways and iconic street food favourites
A woman cooking meat for sale, Khayelitsha, Cape Town, 2008 by Lindeka QampiDepartment of Cultural Affairs and Sport, Museum Service
Fast food, time and work
As people flock to cities like Cape Town in search of work or new adventures, new ways of cooking and eating emerge. With long public transport commutes and tiring workdays, home-cooked food is not always possible. Street food is a fast, cheap, filling, and portable option.
What’s your favourite fast food?
A giant gatsby (bread stuffed with meat, chips, atchar, and sauce)?
Maybe a quick snack of "roosterkoek" (quick fire-baked bread), spicy samoosas, or "amagwinya" (deep-fried bread dough)?
Or even a full meal of walkie-talkie (chicken feet), "ulusu" (tripe) or fish and chips?
Streetside cooking
Street food is more than just a snack! In urban areas, you'll often find enterprising chefs cooking up hot plates of mealie pap (maize porridge), roasted corn, all kinds of stews and braaied meats near transport hubs and along busy pedestrian roads at rush hour.
Asiphe Nyabaza's tripe by Stephen WesselsDepartment of Cultural Affairs and Sport, Museum Service
Stews and meats
Asiphe Nyabaza is an entrepreneur from Philippi, Cape Town. His specialities include tripe with samp, "imifino" (vegetables), and smiley (roast sheep's head). He often cooks for church events and gatherings. Scroll down for a close-up 3D look at one of his dishes!
Tripe by Stephen WesselsDepartment of Cultural Affairs and Sport, Museum Service
Ulusu - Afval - Tripe
Smiley and ulusu are examples of what chef Nolu Dube-Cele, from Seven Colours Eatery in Cape Town, calls eating "nose-to-tail": respectfully avoiding waste of any part of an animal. Ideally, tripe should be well-cleaned and cooked the same day the animal is slaughtered.
Ultimately, street food in Cape Town is about far more than just convenience or a quick bite between commutes. From the "nose-to-tail" tradition that honours every ingredient, to the enterprising vendors keeping heritage alive on busy street corners, these flavours tell the story of the city’s people.
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