Street food in Pakistan is safe enough for most travellers if they choose carefully, and unsafe if they eat without thinking. The risk is mainly a stomach upset from water, ice, raw salad and food that has sat out, not from the fried, grilled or boiling-hot dishes that make up most of the good stuff. Health agencies such as the US CDC advise against street food that is not served steaming hot, so there is no risk-free option; the goal is to lower the odds.
This guide covers how to pick a stall, what to eat and skip, the water question, vaccines worth discussing with a doctor, and what to do if you do get ill. For what to eat, see our Pakistani food guide.
| At a glance | |
|---|---|
| Safest choices | Food cooked to order and served hot: kebabs, samosas, parathas, fresh roti, boiling tea |
| Higher risk | Raw salad, chutneys, ice, cut fruit, fruit chaat, unwashed drinking cups, reheated food |
| Water | Sealed bottled water, boiled water or a filter you trust |
| Vaccines to ask about | Hepatitis A and typhoid (CDC advises both for most travellers) |
| Watch for | Diarrhoea lasting more than a couple of days, fever, blood in stool |
Why does street food make people ill?
The bacteria and viruses that cause travellers' diarrhoea travel in water, ice, unwashed produce and food handled by many hands. Heat is what protects you. Something fried or grilled while you watch is far safer than something cooked earlier and held warm, or prepared cold.
Pakistan has higher levels of some food and water-borne disease than the UK or US. CDC guidance for Pakistan recommends hepatitis A and typhoid vaccines for most travellers and notes that extensively drug-resistant typhoid has been reported there. This is worth taking seriously, but it is not a reason to avoid eating out. It is a reason to see a travel clinic beforehand.
How to pick a stall
- Look for a queue of locals. High turnover means the food is fresh and moves quickly.
- Watch it being cooked. Choose dishes fried, grilled or boiled in front of you.
- Check the basics. Are the cooking surfaces and hands reasonably clean? Is the food covered? Is raw meat kept apart from cooked food?
- Prefer busy times. Evenings at a known food street are usually better than a quiet stall at 3 pm.
- Trust your senses. Stale oil, a strong smell or flies swarming are reasons to walk on.
Well-known food streets, such as those covered in our guides to Lahore's food streets and Karachi street food, have heavy traffic and are a reasonable place to start.
What to eat, and what to skip
Generally sensible:
- Fresh kebabs, tikka and seekh kebab cooked to order
- Samosas, pakoras and other items fried in front of you
- Paratha, roti and naan cooked on the spot
- Boiled corn, roasted corn, roasted chickpeas
- Chai, since the milk and water are boiled
- Fruit you peel yourself: bananas, oranges, mangoes
Riskier:
- Golgappa and chaat with chutney or water made from tap water
- Salad, raita and chutneys that have been sitting out
- Fruit chaat and pre-cut fruit
- Fresh juice made with added water or ice
- Falooda, kulfi and ice cream from unknown sources
- Any food that looks lukewarm or reheated
If you love golgappa and chaat, and many visitors do, accept that this is a real risk, eat them less often or try them later in the trip once your stomach has settled.
Small habits that help
Most of the protection comes from routine rather than from any single rule.
- Wash or sanitise your hands before eating, since street stalls rarely have a basin. Carry a small bottle of sanitiser and wet wipes.
- Take your own bottle and refill it from a filter you trust, rather than buying a new bottle at every stop.
- Start gently for the first day or two after arrival, and save the richest dishes for later.
- Eat one adventurous thing at a time. If you do get ill, you will know the likely cause.
- Don't force it. Pakistani hosts and stallholders will not mind if you say you are full, or that you want your food well cooked.
What about water and ice?
Drink sealed bottled water and check the seal is intact; refilled bottles are sold at some stalls. Boiled or well-filtered water is fine, and hotels usually provide bottled or filtered water. Be cautious with ice, which may be made from unfiltered water, and with juice that has been diluted. Brush your teeth with bottled or filtered water if you have a sensitive stomach.
Vaccines and health advice
Talk to a travel clinic four to six weeks before you go. CDC advice for Pakistan recommends hepatitis A and typhoid vaccines for most travellers, suggests hepatitis B for some, and has an alert about polio, so check that your routine vaccines are up to date. The UK's Travel Health Pro service and your GP can advise on what you personally need. Vaccines lower your risk; they do not replace careful eating.
What if you get sick?
Most travellers' diarrhoea settles in a few days. Meanwhile:
- Drink plenty of fluids and use oral rehydration salts, which are sold in every Pakistani pharmacy.
- Eat plain food such as rice, banana, toast and daal.
- Rest, and go easy on very sugary drinks, which can make diarrhoea worse.
- See a doctor for a high fever, blood in the stool, severe pain, signs of dehydration, or symptoms lasting more than two to three days.
In the mountains, remember that the nearest hospital may be hours away. Carry rehydration salts and your regular medicines, and be more careful before a long or remote day, not less.
Is street food worth the risk?
For most visitors, yes, in moderation. Some of the best food in Pakistan is cooked on the street. Sensible choices, freshly fried and grilled food, and bottled water, cut most of the risk. It is less suitable if you are pregnant, immunocompromised, travelling with very young children or on a tight schedule where a day in bed would hurt. In those cases, eat in busy restaurants and hotels and save street food for a rest day.
Our travel questions page covers other practical matters. If you are planning meals around Ramadan, see our Ramadan travel tips.
Frequently asked questions
Is it safe to eat street food in Lahore and Karachi?
It can be, if you pick busy stalls and hot, freshly cooked items. Both cities have large food streets where turnover is high. The same cautions on ice, salad and water apply.
Should I get vaccinated before eating street food in Pakistan?
Ask a travel clinic. CDC advises hepatitis A and typhoid vaccination for most visitors to Pakistan. Vaccines lower your risk but do not remove it.
Is the tap water safe to drink in Pakistan?
Visitors should not drink it. Use sealed bottled water, boiled water or a reliable filter, and avoid ice unless you know where it comes from.
What street food is safest for tourists?
Anything served piping hot and cooked to order: kebabs, samosas, parathas and tea. Avoid raw salad, chutneys, cut fruit and ice.
What should I do if I get food poisoning in Pakistan?
Rehydrate with oral rehydration salts, eat plain food and rest. See a doctor if you have a fever, blood in the stool, severe pain or symptoms that last more than two or three days.
