Street corn involves corn covered in butter, mayonnaise, cotija cheese, and chili powder, often with cilantro and a squeeze of lime juice. It originated in Mexico City, which is why it's often referred to as “Mexican street corn.” In Spanish, it's known as elote, which translates to corn cob. Mexico City is widely known for its street food, and corn is one of the most common ingredients used by street food vendors in the city.