Loaded Fries Street Food – Our Favourite Independents

What is street food?

If you like your food you’ll already know how it feels to stand among the smokes and aromas, beer in one hand, burger in the other, chatting to your friends over the buzz of the crowds around you.
 
Street food started in Asia, is massive in America, and now Europe’s getting a taste of the action too. In particular, the UK.
 
Right now, street food is eaten at markets, at special events, in disused warehouses, at food festivals and on the high street. There are dedicated street food events popping up all over the country, and on any given weekend, there’s a high chance you’ll find a street food trader serving up some high quality, delicious dishes somewhere near you.

Funky Chips Camden

Every day is fry-day at Funky Chips. Their outrageously huge portions of fresh-cut chips have been doing the rounds on Instagram and TikTok - and for good reason - every dish is fried to order and slathered in a concoction of sauces, spices, cheese, chillies, pickles, crunchy onions for a messy, funky feast.

Camden Market is street food heaven. Despite the tourist infestation, even the most hard-boiled Londoners must admit it has some of the city's best eats. In Stable Street lies Funky Chips, a humble shack specialising in loaded chips and good vibes. The queue extended farther than either of its neighbours', which is as an excellent sign.

Funky Chips does have a menu, but customisation is more than encouraged. Every visitor to the stall gets a single chip on a fork to try out all the sauces, and all the toppings are clearly visible. For £9.60, it truly is a bargain for the sheer amount of chips that are provided compact with excellent sauces and toppings – you need to try it for yourself.

Spud Gun Loaded Fries

It’s safe to say that Spud Gun Loaded Fries are serious when it comes to the loaded fries game. As seasoned street food veterans with more than 5 years of experience in street food and event catering, you and your guests will be in great hands.

The team take classic dishes from around the world and hit them up with a new loaded fries format, including their amazing patatas bravas fries, pizza fries and halloumi fries.

Ciik past clients include Proper Food & Drink Festivals, Sage Gateshead, Northumbrian Water, Bede Gaming, Tyne Bank Brewery, Deer Shed Festival, Lindisfarne Festival and Mighty DUB, to name but a few.

These guys are used to catering events of all sizes from intimate festival-themed weddings & corporate events to large festivals including BBC Radio 1 Big Weekend & Leeds Festival. You can book them for your own events too!

Hey Spud! 

Stephan and Lucy, a food-loving couple from Bedfordshire that are bringing unique and delicious loaded fries to the street food scene. As festival enthusiasts and with Lucy being coeliac, they knew firsthand the struggle of finding good gluten-free options at events. That's why we've put our hearts and stomachs into creating a menu that caters to a variety of dietary requirements without sacrificing taste. Trust us, you won't miss the gluten! 

Get ready to have your guests blown away by our deliciously unique menu and funky trailer.

According to Stephen and Lucy, they are experts of fusion-loaded fries, inspired by flavours from around the world. Our twice-cooked fries are loaded with delicious toppings, tossed in unique seasonings, and generously portioned to satisfy even the hungriest of bellies.

Young or old, they've got something for everyone - who doesn't love fries, right? So, whether you're planning a private party, a wedding, or a corporate shindig, Hey Spud! is the perfect way to inject some fun and flavour into your event!

Bearded Feeder

From Piccadilly Train Station to Market Street, there’s an overwhelming amount of choice when it comes to places to grab a bite to eat - and that’s without venturing into the rest of the city.

But of course, Manchester is best known for its selection of incredible independent eateries and the diversity of their offerings. However, when we asked what the best loaded fries and smashed burgers in Manchester is, one name just kept cropping up: Bearded Feeder.

Martin Cassells said: “Don’t get why people use these places when you have Bearded Feeder on the food market right next door. Cooked fresh doesn’t take long and around the same price and most importantly taste way better than any of the above.”

As you enter the food market heading down from the train station, Bearded Feeder’s striped stand sits on the right of the market facing the gardens and is manned by Star Wars fan and food stall founder, Scott Andrew. It’s easy to see how he came up with his brand name, sporting a huge but well-groomed mane of a beard.

The menu had several references to the Star Wars franchise, with all the burgers named after things in the show, from The Solo to The Falcon. Customers can also order Monster loaded fries like Porg, featuring wings and fries, or the Bantha nacho cheese fries, or opt for Yoda sized bites like Mac n Cheese or fries and dip. In terms of their loaded fries options, they have: 

• Sarlaac Monster Loaded Fries (Pulled Pork, BBQ and Crispy Onions 
• Rancor Monster Loaded Fries (Mac ‘N’ Cheese) 
• Wampa Monster Loaded Fries (Mac ‘N’ Cheese & Bacon) 
• Bantha Monster Loaded Fries (Nacho Cheese) 
• Porg Monster Loaded Fries (5 Wings & Fries)

So, next time you’re in Manchester, be sure to head to the bearded feeder and check out his loaded fries selection, according to many expert reviews, they are the best loaded fries in town!

Summit Tasty

Summit Tasty was born out of Elliot & Michelle’s 6 years of travelling the world together. Going from peak to peak and country to country, always seeking out the best adventures and being inspired by the food and people we bumped into along the way. 

After returning to the UK, one particularly crappy job, and the serendipity of having an old burger van parked outside their newly bought house, they were inspired to have a shot at something that they really loved and had always wanted to do, starting their own food van! 

 With a lot of help and over several stressful months they transformed UNE from a dusty workhorse of a builder’s van, into Summit they think is special. They serve up a variety of delicious loaded fries based on cuisines from all over the world, allowing them to live out our dream of finally running our own food business!

Being able to do this has allowed them to focus on things that they think are important which is why to maintain a low Carbon Footprint all the food they produce is 100% vegetarian with a strong influence from veganism. They also use only compostable packaging and all possible waste from the van is recycled.

On their loaded fries menu, they have 15 loaded fries dishes to choose from, all with names inspired by mountains. Here are some of our favourites: 

Scafell Pike: Named after England's tallest mountain we thought it had to be smothered in our national dish, the Tikka Masala. A rich homemade, vegan, sauce can be paired with either paneer cheese or tofu, before being loaded onto some skin on fries, topped with fresh coriander, mango chutney and our take on crispy onion bhaji pieces.

Mount Fuji: This dish combines some classic Japanese flavours into a delicious combo that will have you coming back for seconds...and thirds...and fourths...and... you get the picture, it's Summit very Tasty. Nori seasoned skin on fries topped with miso mayonnaise, sweet and tangy okonomi sauce, wasabi sesame seeds, pickled ginger and some fresh spring onions.

Mont Blanc: One of the most iconic mountains of Europe had to have its own dish and seeing its location in France we thought cheese, cheese, and more cheese... Fries layered with an herby bechemel and emmental, topped with crispy facon (fake bacon), sliced cornichons, a wedge of camembert, crispy garlic and a sprinkle of parsley.

Blue Mountain Blue Mountain nestled in the state of New York is close to where the one and only Buffalo wings were once created. Inspired by this ever-popular zingy hot sauce we have created our own and loaded it on to our skin on fries! Paired with the usual accoutrements, blue cheese dressing and sliced celery with some pink pickled onions and chives added just for fun!

Mount Apo  Summit Tasty’s take on a Filipino Sisig, this dish comes topped with fresh peppers, red onion and spicy soy chunks, covered in a zesty lime mayo, spring onions and rice paper crackers. If you’re really hungry you can even add a fried egg on top!

Conclusion

In the world of UK street food, loaded fries reign supreme, offering a tantalizing array of flavours and combinations. From the colossal portions at Funky Chips in Camden to the themed delights at Bearded Feeder in Manchester, and the global-inspired creations of Summit Tasty, each vendor brings their own twist to this beloved dish. Whether you're a local foodie or a curious traveller, these loaded fry hotspots promise a satisfying and unforgettable culinary experience. So, grab a fork and dig in - because when it comes to loaded fries, every bite is a flavours-packed adventure waiting to happen.