When considering the history of New York, it would be a missed opportunity to skim over the city's everlasting relationship with a particular salt-water mollusk: the oyster. Through a combination of overfishing and pollution forced the closure of the New York Harbor's oyster beds in the 1920s, the bivalves were once a treat enjoyed by all residents of the city, rich and poor alike. Mark Kulansky, author of "The Big Oyster," officially crowned New York the "Oyster Capital of the World," writing that, "before the 20th century, when people thought of New York, they thought of oysters. This is what New York was to the world—a great oceangoing port where people ate succulent local oysters from their harbor."

From its earliest days, New York has been a city in a hurry. But luckily, from hot dog carts to taco trucks, there have always been places to grab a bite on the go. This week we combed our archives for photos and history of street food in New York.