Trip for · Food lovers

Bangkok for food lovers

One of the world's great street-food cities, from ฿20 bowls to Michelin stars.

Only items the guide tags or describes for food lovers; each shows the field it came from. Prices and hours: check before you go.

Key facts

A 4-day outline

Grouped by walking cluster where the guide gives one. Order inside a day is loose: the timed day plans check opening hours and walking.

Boat noodles at Victory Monument
Why it fits: six small bowls for the price of one elsewhere.
From: Good for · food lovers
Yaowarat Road street food (evening)
Why it fits: a whole dinner of Chinatown stalls on one street.
From: Good for · food lovers
Pratunam chicken rice (Go-Ang, the pink uniforms)
Why it fits: Khao man gai · ฿60–120 (≈ US$2–4). Fast queue; open from early morning.
From: Eat guide · Budget tier
Thipsamai
Why it fits: Pad thai wrapped in egg; fresh orange juice · ฿100–400 (≈ US$4–13). Evening queues; famous, so priced up.
From: Eat guide · Mid-range tier
Somtum Der
Why it fits: Isaan food: som tam, grilled meats, larb · ฿400–800 (≈ US$13–25)
From: Eat guide · Mid-range tier

Or Tor Kor Market
Why it fits: the best produce and prepared food in the city under one roof.
From: Good for · food lovers
Boat-noodle alley
Why it fits: Kuay teow reua in small bowls · ฿20–30 (≈ under US$1) a bowl; most people eat 4–6. Lunch; stack the bowls, pay by the count.
From: Eat guide · Budget tier
Mall food courts
Why it fits: Anything Thai, pay by card top-up · ฿40–150 (≈ US$2–5). The air-conditioned budget meal; Pier 21 is famously cheap.
From: Eat guide · Budget tier
Krua Apsorn
Why it fits: Crab omelette, stir-fried dishes · ฿300–600 (≈ US$10–19). Lunch favourite of Bangkok office workers; closes early evening.
From: Eat guide · Mid-range tier
May Kaidee
Why it fits: Vegetarian Thai; cooking classes too · ฿150–300 (≈ US$5–10)
From: Eat guide · Mid-range tier

Evening tuk-tuk food and temples tour
Why it fits: Covers Chinatown, the flower market and the old city at night in one go; the honest version of a tuk-tuk tour, with no shopping stops.
From: Experience · tour
Jek Pui curry
Why it fits: Curry over rice at tables with no chairs · ฿60–100 (≈ US$2–4). Late afternoon to early evening; a Chinatown classic.
From: Eat guide · Budget tier
Or Tor Kor Market food hall
Why it fits: Curries, som tam, grilled meats · ฿80–200 (≈ US$3–7). Clean, fixed prices; the best lunch on a Chatuchak day.
From: Eat guide · Budget tier
Supanniga Eating Room
Why it fits: Home-style Thai from Trat and Isaan · ฿500–900 (≈ US$16–30). The Tha Tien branch looks at Wat Arun; book sunset tables.
From: Eat guide · Mid-range tier
Broccoli Revolution
Why it fits: Vegetarian and vegan Thai and fusion · ฿300–600 (≈ US$10–19)
From: Eat guide · Mid-range tier

Thai cooking class with a market visit
Why it fits: Half a day that stays useful afterwards, and the best plan for a very hot or wet morning.
From: Experience · class
Nai Ek Roll Noodles
Why it fits: Kuay jap (peppery rolled-noodle soup, pork) · ฿80–150 (≈ US$3–5). Seated shophouse; air-con upstairs.
From: Eat guide · Budget tier
Khao gaeng (curry-and-rice) shops
Why it fits: Point at 2–3 curries over rice · ฿50–90 (≈ US$2–3). The cheapest full meal; vegetables easy to point at.
From: Eat guide · Budget tier
Polo Fried Chicken (Kai Thod Jay Kee)
Why it fits: Fried chicken with crispy garlic, som tam, sticky rice · ฿250–450 (≈ US$8–14). Lunch after the park.
From: Eat guide · Mid-range tier
Jay Fai
Why it fits: Crab omelette, drunken noodles over charcoal · ฿1,000–2,000 (≈ US$35–65) a dish. Michelin-starred street kitchen; hours of queueing or book long ahead; closed some days.
From: Eat guide · Splurge tier

Le Du
Why it fits: Modern Thai tasting menu · About ฿4,000–6,000 (≈ US$130–190). Seasonal Thai produce; book weeks ahead.
From: Eat guide · Splurge tier
Sorn
Why it fits: Southern Thai tasting menu · About ฿6,000 (≈ US$190)+. Michelin-starred; very hard to book; reservations open months ahead.
From: Eat guide · Splurge tier
Gaggan
Why it fits: Progressive Indian tasting menu · About ฿10,000 (≈ US$350)+. Counter seats; long show-style menu.
From: Eat guide · Splurge tier
Riverside hotel restaurants
Why it fits: Thai and international · ฿2,500–5,000 (≈ US$80–160). Pay for the terrace and service; add 17% '++'.
From: Eat guide · Splurge tier

What the guide flags for food lovers.

Eat where Thais queue and the wok is busy; a high turnover means fresh ingredients. (Eat guide · rules)
The table caddy holds sugar, fish sauce with chilli, vinegar and chilli flakes: season the noodles yourself. (Eat guide · rules)
Fork in the left hand pushes food onto the spoon in the right; chopsticks only for noodles. (Eat guide · rules)