Street food: trends, how to get started and why pinsa is the key to success

Street food has evolved into a global phenomenon, captivating the palates of consumers seeking authentic, fast and accessible culinary experiences. In fact, it is a modern approach to a centuries-old relationship with food, adding a dash of innovation but without compromising on taste.

In a previous article, we have explained why street food presents a global opportunity. Every region, in Italy and in the rest of the world, no matter how small, boasts its own culinary tradition: street food is an easy way to share it with others, to propose it to an ever-changing yet eager audience. 

The business is less risky than opening a traditional restaurant, partly because of the lower fixed costs, partly because of its itinerant nature: in street food, it is the managers who reach out to the public interested in their proposals, and not vice versa as in stationary businesses. This flexible aspect allows Street Food entrepreneurs to quickly adapt to current trends and experiment with different solutions, locations and proposals without having to invest in a fixed structure.

While preserving its essence of speed and convenience, Street Food is continuously evolving. Let's explore the trends we think will be the most relevant in 2024.

Increasing demand, but also (and more importantly) supply, is pushing street food operators to differentiate themselves. The answer is innovation: consumers seek novelty and originality; they want to taste new ingredients and creative ideas that create an out-of-the-ordinary experience. In this sense, innovation is a key element in capturing customers' attention and retaining their loyalty. 

Once again, this year, interest in the vegan lifestyle remains high, which obviously influences food choices. This, in addition to attracting those who like light and ethically sustainable options, offers restaurateurs the opportunity to create more inclusive menus, responding to a growing demand.

Street food can be an adventure in the boldest and most challenging flavours, and there has to be a touch of spiciness. When masterfully dosed, spiciness elevates the experience and gives a lively and intense edge to dishes. The challenge, of course, is to find the perfect balance so as not to overwhelm the other flavours.

Increasing health awareness is pushing street food toward healthy and nutritious options. People are looking for balanced alternatives that meet their dietary needs without compromising on taste, and restaurateurs can take advantage of this by using fresh, healthy and nutritious ingredients. Beware, however: winning over the consumer's palate also takes some innovation.

Venturing into street food means starting an entrepreneurial business altogether, so an appropriate entry strategy is required. 

First, we suggest researching local trends and consumer preferences, as again understanding the trends of the moment and one's audience (as varied as they may be) is crucial to creating an appealing menu, tailored to customer needs. In fact, we have reported on very broad trends: each business can build a customized offer, based on these.

Concerning the offer, a lot depends on the approach chosen. At first, it may be smart to keep a certain balance between familiarity (taste-wise) and originality, so that you can easily appeal to your audience and stand out in their eyes (and palate) with small changes or personal interpretations that suggest personality without upsetting tradition. One can also take a more innovative approach by offering people new mixes of tastes, flavours, and even cultures: in this case, the risk increases, but it is also the only way to create a distinctive brand quickly.

Before getting started, it is necessary to deal with administrative issues, obtaining all the authorizations, permits and certifications needed to work legally. After that, you can start by participating in local events and food fairs, to gauge the public reaction and refine your offerings to attract a wider audience. We also suggest spending some time and budget on communication, especially on social media at fairs and events.

It is hard to imagine a better dish in the modern street food scene than pinsa, because few manage to blend taste, innovation and speed of preparation so well. 

In the previous article we talked about ideal street food recipes based on the more balanced approach between the two abovementioned.  Instead, here we want to emphasize how innovation, which is essential for success in any competitive market, doesn’t necessarily lead to sophisticated dishes or time-consuming and labour-intensive preparations. As a matter of fact, pinsa allows you to experiment and create tasty and innovative dishes while keeping time, labour and production costs under control. 

So here are 5 (good) reasons to consider pinsa-based street food. 

Street food professionals are offered frozen artisanal pinsa bases, which ensure quick cooking and the preservation of the original taste and lightness. Thus, pinsa allows restaurateurs to nimbly handle a continuous flow of orders during events and fairs.

Pinsa adapts to a wide range of toppings, allowing chefs to create diverse menus and satisfy a variety of tastes. From classic combinations to gourmet offerings, pinsa offers endless creative possibilities.

Thanks to its oval/rectangular shape and easy cut, pinsa is easily transportable and can be enjoyed comfortably on the street, at events, or while walking.

The innovative nature of the dough, with three different flours, makes it a lighter and more digestible option than traditional baked goods, aligning with health food trends.

If the shape and crispiness make it appealing, the distinctive taste, combined with the variety of toppings is sure to satisfy the most discerning palates. As we always say, pinsa is as good as, if not better than, pizza. 

Di Marco's street food offering stands out for its breadth and product quality. It starts, of course, with different artisanal bases of pinsa: in addition to the classic size, we offer the single-portion and XL, allowing each restaurateur to adapt the proposal to specific circumstances, even changing from day to day. 

Di Marco's offer is completed with products that are ideal for street food such as La Puccia and Il Sorriso, both made with pinsa dough and compact in size. In this way, the two products can be served quickly and, most importantly, consumed on the go. 

Puccia, in particular, is inspired by Salento tradition and characterized by a puffy, crumb-free texture. The pinsa dough makes it light and digestible, perfect for a quick snack or lunch out. The Sorriso, on the other hand, is handcrafted into a shell shape, which enhances each filling and makes for a unique and satisfying Street Food experience.