This paper examines narratives of the transformations in the small-scale food-retailing sector in urban Southeast Asia. The recent Asian financial crisis sharpens the need to look at the transformation in urban self-employment more generally and food vending in particular as this livelihood has become a source of income for many of the formerly employed. Journalistic accounts, scholarly work, government reports and other secondary sources supplemented by first hand research indicate that there is a growth in small and medium enterprises selling cooked food as a coping mechanism for households in the face of a sharp decline in employment income. Middle- and upper-class consumers can no longer afford to eat in expensive restaurants like they did a few years ago thereby increasing the pool of consumers for inexpensive prepared food in Southeast Asian cities. Media representations of small-scale food retailing tend to neglect the important aspect of the gendering of this livelihood and its recent transformations, specifically the traditional dominance of women in food vending with men more recently taking a large-scale interest in this occupation since the onset of the crisis. The paper documents effective schemes for organising food vendors, as well as the provision of micro-credit, that have enhanced the economic and social capital of small-scale food vendors, particularly in the Philippines. Similar strategies are a necessity in Thailand – more severely devastated by the crisis. The conclusion emphasises the need to focus on access to public space for micro-entrepreneurs and also makes recommendations for policy and action.