Many of my friends across Thailand and abroad visit Chiang Mai – and I often get the question, ‘any recommendations on where to eat or drink?’ It’s a tough question to answer because everyone’s tastes are different, but I can recommend what I like the most, broken up by category:
- If you want to eat Khao Soi…
- If you want to eat Boat noodles…
- If you want a cheap, tasty meal…
- If you want vegan/vegetarian western food…
- If you want vegan/vegetarian Thai food…
- If you want pizza…
- If you want a cafe-hop stop…
- If you want to drink some latte art…
- If you want to enjoy some espresso cocktails and latte art…
- If you want to drink tea or matcha…
- If you want to drink a beer and hang out…
Disclaimer: This is a work-in-progress list. One year and a half living here, I’m still discovering so much about this wonderful city. For example, I’m still cafe hopping – and there appears to be new cafes opening up every day. I’ll try to update this list periodically as I continue to find places that amaze me.
My Recommendations
If you want to eat Khao Soi…
Khao-So-i: I have tried many different khao-soi restaurants here – from the upscale Michelin-guided Kao Soy Nimman to the more affordable outdoor-seating-only Khao Soi Khun Yai – but I have found that I keep going back to Khao-So-i. This Japanese-themed restaurant is located in Wat Ket and offers a variety of Khao Soi dishes (chicken, pork, beef, scallops, shrimp, tofu, etc) in either soup or dry preparations. Sure, it’s a bit on the pricier end (chicken khao soi = 129 thb or $3.50) and it’s often crowded, especially in the peak lunch hour, but I have always had a good meal here. Yes, I’m a bit biased because I have a plant based diet now (order the tofu) and I live a mere 6 minutes drive away – but biases aside, this is still my go-to khao soi place.
If you want to eat Boat noodles…
Ongtong: Yes, since becoming vegetarian, I have to say that if there’s one meat-based dish I miss, it’s boat noodles – and I believe Ongtong has the best. They have a tasty, complex broth, quality slices of beef, and some delicious (and spicy!) side dishes. Ongtong is located conveniently in Nimman and best to walk there (or Grab) given parking is limited and tight. The sliced striploin bowl runs you 179 thb ($5).
If you want a cheap, tasty meal…
3 Baht Noodle: Top of my list of cheap meals – if you don’t mind sitting outside in often times sweltering heat – is 3 Baht Noodle in Wat Ket. Yes, each bowl of soup is literally 3 baht (8 pennies!) and back when I was eating meat, I found myself eating 8+ of these delicious bowls of noodle soups. Definitely throw in a dish of grilled pork satay (or two!), which is only 50 thb. If you want vegan/vegetarian western food…
Reform Kafe: Located in the north gate area of the Old Town, Reform offers a vegan-only menu. But don’t think that means a limited menu of salads and vegetable dishes; Reform has a ton of options from pancakes and fruit bowls to noodles, curries and other Thai dishes. It’s a casual environment where I never feel rushed, and often when I am there with friends, we eat, stay and talk for over two hours.
If you want vegan/vegetarian Thai food…
Vegan Heaven: being vegetarian now, my go-to dishes are Stir-fry Tofu with Holy Basil and the curry staples (red, green, panang) – and I haven’t had these dishes as consistently great tasting than at Vegan Heaven. It’s at the infamously seedy street of Loi Kroh road, but if you go there for lunch, then you can avoid the craziness and local ‘vibrance’ of its crowds. A surprising tasty dish that doesn’t fail to disappoint is Vegan Heaven’s Crispy ‘Pork’ with chinese kale or holy basil. The vegan pork really fooled me into thinking it’s meat!
If you want pizza…
Why Not?: for me, the best tasting pizza has a perfect crust (crispy on outside, chewy on inside) with the well-balanced tomato sauce (not too sweet, not too sour). And Why Not consistently delivers what I believe is the best pizza in Chiang Mai. They make their pizzas outdoor in brick ovens – making their dough by hand. And there’s a variety of pizzas with carefully-sourced ingredients such as prosciutto, speck, and mozzarella di bufala from the mother country. Check out the deli meats and cheeses while you’re there, which you can order a charcuterie board of or just have wrapped up to take away.
If you want a cafe-hop stop…
Baristro: if you like to pop open your laptop and get some work done or hang out with friends in a chill environment, Chiang Mai has no shortage of hip, scenic cafes to choose from. At the top of my list is the Baristro brand, which has eight different branches all across the city. While the menu is pretty consistent across branches, each branch is unique in vibe and ambiance. For a gorgeous Japanese style backdrop complete with zen garden and matcha bar, check out Baristro Asian Style. For a minimalist environment with outdoor camping chairs and views of the Ping River, check out Baristro x Ping River or Baristro Coffee Roaster. Or if you are in Nimman, and you just need to pop in your airpods and get some work done in an airy space, swing by Barisotel, which may seem small from street view, but has quite a bit of space inside including a second floor.
If you want to enjoy some espresso cocktails and latte art…
Roast8ry Flagship: rather than ambiance, if you’re looking for some creative espresso-based drinks, look no further than this brand that also has several branches (and similar menus) across Chiang Mai, such as Roast8ry Lab and Ristr8to in Nimman, Doppio in Central Festival, and Eternity in Central Airport. The largest among these branches is Roast8ry Flagship store, which is also in Nimman but has more seating and space than its sister stores. You can enjoy some espresso-based mocktails (e.g., Espresso Colada with pineapple infused rum, mango juice, and coconut-infused espresso), cocktails (e.g., Black Martini with gin, vodka, gomme syrup, and double shot), or beautifully-designed latte art (e.g., flying unicorn, deer looking back, fire breathing dragon). Fun fact: I’m not usually a person who buys souvenirs at a coffee shop, but I couldn’t help myself in buying the skull-shaped glass that Roastr8ry serves its Ficardie latte in – which I gave as a present to a good friend of mine back in the U.S.
If you want to drink tea or matcha…
Magokoro Teahouse: entering Magokoro will throw you back into a traditional Japanese era, where you can enter a minka, use sliding doors, and sit on tatami mats (which your ankles can thank you for!). This is a serious tea bar, which is to say that they provide you timers to tell how long to steep your selected tea, as well as whisk your matcha in the traditional tea ceremony style (e.g., elbows up, rapid whisks). Yes, enjoying your tea set will come with a steep price, but it’s worth the experience. Also be sure to pair your tea choice with some delicious wagashi.
If you want a crafted cocktail…
Continental Bar: Chiang Mai has a few speakeasys across town – and this is my favorite. You have to enter a non-descript doorway, walk up a flight of stairs, and open a faux bookshelf to enter the Continental Bar. But it’ll be worth it if you enjoy creative, delicious, hand-crafted cocktails. It’s an intimate setting with few bar seats and sofas. The menu is loaded with John Wick references, such as the Adjudicator (green tea rum, apricot-brandy, bergamot oil, sparkling citrus, topped with sundried apricot). Super hip place for a date or a few close friends.
Summary
While this is a list of my personal favorites across Chiang Mai, and as such, reflect my own unique tastes and preferences, I hope this list gives you a sense of a few things. First, that Chiang Mai punches well above its weight with its diverse food and drink offerings given its city’s relatively small size (roughly the population of Fort Collins CO or Savannah GA). Second, that its combination of local culture, year-round tourism by backpackers, and young crowds such as university students keep the food and drink menus dynamic and fun. Last, that you are inevitably going to find something you will enjoy here in this special city, as I have in just a few weeks of living here.
Happy tasting in Chiang Mai!
~Lester T