Bangkok Travel Guide
Bangkok Street Food
How to eat your way through the street-food capital of the world: the best neighbourhoods and markets, the dishes to order, how to choose a good stall, prices, hygiene and a few words of Thai.
Bangkok is often called the street-food capital of the world, and for once the claim is fair. Food is everywhere: carts on the pavements, stalls in markets, open-fronted shophouses that have cooked the same dish for decades, and food courts in the malls. Some of the city's best meals cost very little, and several street vendors have been recognised by the Michelin Guide. The trick is knowing where to go, what to order and how to choose. This guide covers all three.
How to choose a stall. Follow the locals. A stall with a queue of Thai office workers at lunch or a crowd of families in the evening is almost always good. Look for stalls that specialise in one or two dishes, which usually means they do them very well, and where food is cooked fresh in front of you. High turnover means fresh ingredients. Do not be put off by plastic stools or simple settings; some of the best food in the city is served on them. Ice from shops and stalls is made from purified water and is generally safe.
Chinatown and Yaowarat Road. The most famous street-food strip in the city comes alive after dark, from around 7pm, when stalls fill the pavements along Yaowarat Road and its side lanes. The food reflects the Teochew Chinese heritage of the neighbourhood: rolled rice-noodle soup with peppery broth and crispy pork, oyster omelettes, braised goose, grilled seafood, crab dishes, dim sum, and desserts like ginger dumplings and toasted buns with custard. Several Chinatown stalls carry Michelin Bib Gourmand recognition. Go hungry and graze, trying one dish at several places.
Banglamphu and the old town. The area around Khao San Road and Phra Athit Road is one of the best for traditional Thai food: old shophouses serving curries over rice, boat noodles, pork leg stewed in spices, and famous restaurants such as Jay Fai, the street-side cook in goggles whose crab omelette and drunken noodles earned a Michelin star (expect long waits and high prices for street food). Around the Grand Palace and Tha Tien, simple shophouses and the stalls near the pier serve quick lunches for sightseers.
Markets. Markets are the easiest place to try many things at once. Chatuchak Weekend Market has food stalls throughout, with coconut ice cream in the shell, grilled skewers, mango sticky rice and Thai iced tea. Or Tor Kor market, across the road from Chatuchak and open daily, is one of the best fresh-food markets in the country, with superb fruit and ready-to-eat dishes. Evening markets in the suburbs and the food halls of the big malls, including SookSiam at ICONSIAM, which recreates regional street food from across Thailand, are good air-conditioned alternatives.
The dishes to order. Pad kra pao, stir-fried minced meat with holy basil and chilli, often with a fried egg on rice, is the national lunch. Som tam, green papaya salad from the northeast, comes with grilled chicken and sticky rice. Khao man gai, poached chicken with fragrant rice and a ginger-soy sauce, is a simple, perfect breakfast or lunch. Boat noodles come in small bowls of rich, dark broth, so order several. Tom yum goong, the hot and sour prawn soup, and green curry are classics. Pad thai, the famous stir-fried noodles, is best from a dedicated stall. For dessert, mango sticky rice in season, roti with banana and condensed milk, and coconut ice cream. Wash it down with Thai iced tea, fresh coconut water or a fruit shake.
Spice and seasoning. Thai food can be very spicy. Learn the phrase mai phet (not spicy) or phet nit noi (a little spicy), and taste before adding more. Tables usually carry a condiment set of chilli flakes, fish sauce with chillies, vinegar with chillies and sugar, so that you can season noodles to your taste, as Thais do.
Prices and payment. Street-food dishes cost very little, and even a feast of several dishes rarely costs much more than a single main course at home. Most stalls take cash only, though Thai QR payments are spreading; carry small notes and coins. Prices are usually posted or fixed, and bargaining over food is not done.
When to eat. Many stalls specialise in particular times of day: breakfast stalls for rice porridge, soy milk and fried dough sticks; lunch stalls for curries over rice near offices; and evening stalls for grilled meats, seafood and noodles. Some vendors take a day off on Mondays, when the city cleans the streets in some areas, so Tuesday to Sunday is a safer bet for street-food nights.
Food tours and cooking classes. A guided street-food walk is an excellent introduction on your first night, especially in Chinatown or Banglamphu. Guides know the best stalls, order for you, explain the dishes and the history, and make it easy to try things you might not order alone. A Thai cooking class, often including a market visit, is one of the best ways to understand the cuisine and take it home with you; the Mandarin Oriental's cooking school across the river is the most famous, and many smaller schools offer good-value classes.
Hygiene and comfort. Most visitors eat street food without problems. Choose busy stalls, eat cooked food that is served hot, peel your own fruit if you are cautious, and drink bottled or filtered water. Carry tissues, as napkins are not always provided, and hand sanitiser. If you have allergies, especially to peanuts or shellfish, carry a written note in Thai, as these ingredients are common.