Posted on Monday, 29 July 2024

Visitors fall in love with Bangkok for many reasons - but the city's street food often tops the list. Read our Bangkok street food guide.

Thai street food is a delightful assault on your taste buds: fusing spicy, sweet, umami and sour flavours in a dizzying array of dishes.

But your other senses will also be stimulated: feel the unexpected sting in the throat as your street chef sears red chillies in their pan. Hear the sizzle of fresh ingredients like garlic, basil and green beans as they're fried to perfection. And experience the intense heat of the wok as your meal is created - often in a matter of minutes.

When your food is ready, perch on a stool - shoulder to shoulder with other patrons - and discover the deeply social experience that is Thai street food dining.

 

Best places to try street food in Bangkok

You're never far from a delicious meal in the Thai capital, but some neighbourhoods are known for certain dishes, or for their sheer abundance of street food hawkers.

Here are 5 Bangkok neighbourhoods for food lover's…

Old Town

Bangkok's Old Town straddles the Chao Praya River and includes the famous Khaosan backpacker street. However, explore the streets to the south and east of this somewhat over-hyped road and you'll be rewarded with all manner of incredible street food offerings, including the Michelin starred Raan Jay Fai (see below).

Chinatown

As the name suggests, you'll find all kinds of Chinese-influenced street food dishes here, available at every price point.

Bangkok's Chinatown is located south of the Old Town and offers a colourful, buzzing atmosphere that will have you coming back for more.

Highlights include Texas Fried Oyster, which has been serving up omelettes made with fresh Chonburi oysters for more than 80 years.

Jek Pui Curry is another legendary eatery, having hawked delicious coconut curries for more than 70 years. Be warned though, it only provides tiny plastic chairs to squat on - no tables!

Samyan

Located southeast of Bangkok's Old Town, Samyan was once only a haunt for students and as such was comfortably in the ‘affordable’ bracket.

Today it's a little more gentrified, but you can still find some wonderful cheap eats (not least because nearby Chulalongkorn University still has an impact).

Must-visits include Jon Sam Yan, which has served up fabulous congee for more than seven decades.

Phahurat (Little India)

If you get tired of the overpriced Indian restaurants around Khaosan Road, head to Phahurat for something more authentic - and much cheaper.

One of the best on-the-go bites are crispy pani puri, while classic curry-and-naan options are never far away.

Momos - Indian steamed dumplings - will also tantalise your tastebuds - especially when tossed in a pan with spices and chillies!

 

Ari

If you're in the mood for something more contemporary - and ‘cakey’ - hop in a cab to Ari.

Giving out distinct hipster vibes, here you'll find a choice of fabulous Thai baked goods, often with a western influence. It's the perfect spot for a pastry-based breakfast, as many Bangkok foodie guides will attest.

Aside from cafes and bakeries, there's lots of classic Thai food to try - often served in highly Instagrammable settings (as you'll discover, the Thais do love to get some Insta snaps on a night out!).

Damnoen Saduak Floating Market

Most Bangkok culinary guides include this suggestion, and with good reason. You mustn't leave Bangkok without experiencing the Damnoen Saduak Floating Market.

Watch scores of boats drift along the canal side, each laden with a kaleidoscopic display of fresh fruit, vegetables and other delights.

Sample mango sticky rice, coconut ice cream and boat noodles - among other treats.

 

5 amazing dishes - and where to find them

Not sure where to begin your foodie adventure in the Thai capital?

Here are five of the best street eats in Bangkok and where to find the finest examples.

Tom Yum Goong (Kung)/Tha

Tom Yum Kung is essentially a spicy shrimp soup, flavoured with galangal (a kind of ginger), Kaffir lime, lemongrass and chillies. However, there are lots of variations, just as there are with all Thai dishes.

For some excellent tom Yum Kung, head to Pe Aor Tom Yum Kung Noodle in Bangkok's Ratchetwi district.

Tom Yum Tha, meanwhile, uses chicken instead of shrimp. It's often prepared with coconut milk, which makes for a more substantial meal with a little less heat.

Kai Jiao Pu (crab omelette)

Try this hearty classic at Bangkok's only Michelin-starred street food vendor.

Raan Jay Fai is one of only two Michelin-starred street food establishments in the world - the other being Tai Hwa Pork Noodle in Singapore.

But while both serve high quality versions of classic street food dishes, Raan Jay Fai kicharges about three times more than Tai Hwa (depending on the dish).

Nevertheless, scores of people queue up to see the 77-year-old Junsuta work her wok magic, producing delicacies like crab omelette.

The generous portions with their big chunks of crab meat go some way to justifying the high price. But patrons do love the crispy exterior which contrasts with the fluffy crustacean flesh.

Raan Jay Fai is mostly frequented by tourists; locals tend to eat elsewhere - in Khao San or at other outlets in Phra Nakon, where prices are less egregious.

Where is Raan Jay Fai?

Starting from the backpacker hotspot of Khaosan Road it takes about 20 minutes to walk to Raan Jay Fai. Otherwise, a tuk tuk will cost about 80 bath (under £2).

If your hotel is in the city's east, hop in a taxi (the BTS SkyTrain does reach this area).

Pad Thai (“Thai food”)

Nothing gives away your status as a “newbie” backpacker in Thailand like waxing lyrical over pad Thai.

Translated simply as “Thai food” this dish usually features noodles, bean sprouts, spring onion, eggs and a chosen protein source (often chicken or tofu). It is invariably served with a slice of lime and a small heap of chopped peanuts.

While pad Thai is far from the height of Thai cuisine, it is filling and inexpensive.

In tourist hotspots like Khaosan Road you'll see ranks of local ladies busily making pad Thai on their wheeled cooking stands, usually for about 50 baht (£1.10). You'll see big piles of noodles ready to cook - try not to think about how long they've been sitting there if you decide to partake!

Served in little polystyrene trays, these austere versions of Pad Thai are normally consumed while strolling among the sights and sounds of Bangkok street life.

For a fancier pad Thai, head east of Khaosan to  Phra Nakon and the well reviewed Thipsamai. Vegetarian and shrimp versions are available. Expect to pay up to 300 baht (£6.50) per dish.

Pro tip: Make yourself look like a Thai food aficionado and resist the urge to gush about Pad Thai (talk about Tom Yum Kung and Kai Jiao Pu instead!).

Pad krapao moo (Stir fried pork with holy Basel)

This wonderfully fragrant and spicy street food features ground pork (or chicken), stir fried with sweet holy basil, green beans, chillies, plus oyster and soy sauce. It's often finished with a fried egg, for an extra protein hit.

Popular nationwide, this dish normally costs under 100 baht (£2.20), depending on the establishment.

There are also vegetarian versions, but these are normally only served in specialist meat-free restaurants and in some tourist places.

The veggie version is known as ‘pad krapao jay' - jay meaning vegetarian.

Kwei tiao rhea (Thai boat noodles)

On the face of it, kwei tiao rhea look rather similar to Vietnamese phó, but the former has a distinctly different flavour profile to the latter.

The Vietnamese dish relies on beef and chicken for the depth of it's flavour, while kwei tiao rhea focusses on fish sauce and shrimp paste. They both, however, are available with both wide and narrow noodles and both are usually ‘souped up’ with soy sauce, sweet chilli sauce and chillies.

There is perhaps no better way to begin your mornings in Thailand than with a bowl of this warming, hearty breakfast.

Check out this article for more must try Thai street foods

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