Street food in Thailand: 10 dishes you have to taste

Thailand is known as one of the best countries in the world for street food, so it’s worth planning a trip there for eating alone. From Chang Mai’s khao soi, a coconut curry soup with egg noodles and pickled vegetables, to Krabi’s smoky satay skewers of marinated chicken served with peanut sauce, every region in Thailand has incredible street food specialities.

This guide has all the details on popular street food in Thailand, including 10 of the best dishes and where and how to find them — your mouth will be watering by the end.

1. Khanom chin

These soft, slightly tangy, fermented rice noodles are topped with various curries and a heap of fresh herbs and veggies. The noodles’ bouncy texture combined with the spicy, aromatic sauce might have you coming back for seconds.

How to eat the best khanom chin in Thailand

Southern Thailand’s morning markets are your best bet for authentic khanom chin. Look for busy food carts where people gather before work — that’s where you’ll find the freshest noodles and most flavorful curries. The vendors’ recipes have usually been passed down to them through generations, so the recipes are as close to their Platonic ideal as they possibly can be.

2. Pad Thai

Pad Thai is one of Thailand’s most internationally well-known (and delicious) street foods. Its rice noodles are stir-fried with egg, tofu, bean sprouts, and other vegetables, then topped with a squeeze of lime, for a perfect balance of sweet, sour, and savory flavors.

How to eat the best pad Thai in Thailand

Look for a line of locals in front of a food cart in Bangkok, or if you’re up north, the bustling night markets in Chiang Mai are a great place to find the dish. Look for sizzling woks and follow your nose.

3. Som tam

You can’t talk about traditional street food in Thailand without talking about som tam. Som tam is a spicy green papaya salad that combines shredded unripe papaya with chili, lime, fish sauce, and palm sugar for an explosive taste. Gobble it down the same way those in Khon Kaen do: with sticky rice and grilled chicken on the side.

How to eat the best som tam in Thailand

Som tam hails from Isaan, a region that borders Cambodia and Laos. Look for som tam vendors in Udon Thani and Nakhon Ratchasima using old-school wooden mortars and pestles to pound away at ingredients, plus a decently sized line of customers waiting to order.

4. Mango sticky rice

Mango sticky rice combines sweet glutinous rice, fresh mango, and coconut cream to perfectly balance its sweet and soft flavors. It’s beloved across the country and often referred to as Thailand’s national dessert, so make sure you try it at least once during your trip.

How to eat the best mango sticky rice in Thailand

You’ll be able to find it easily in Bangkok, where street food is the name of the game. You can find it in many other Thai destinations like Chiang Mai, too. Mango season in Thailand runs late March through July, so that’ll be prime time for especially delicious mango sticky rice.

5. Boat noodles

Boat noodles (kuay teow reua) are intensely flavored noodle soups traditionally sold from boats in Thailand’s floating markets. They’re a savory bowl of thin rice noodles in a rich, complex broth with meat, herbs, and spices.

How to eat the best boat noodles in Thailand

Head to the floating markets around Bangkok! Ayothaya’s is a day trip away from the Thai capital. Although you can find boat noodles across the country, it’s fun to try them on the water.

6. Satay

If you eat meat, satay is a must-try street food in Thailand. It features a marinated protein, like chicken or beef, that’s grilled on skewers and served with peanut sauce and cucumber relish. The smoky, flavorful dish is perfect if you need a protein hit after exploring or hiking all day.

How to eat the best satay in Thailand

You’ll be able to find satay in coastal Krabi’s night markets, and it’s also a star of Phuket’s street food scene. The best vendors grill satay fresh to order, ensuring a perfect charred exterior while keeping the meat juicy. Go to food carts with smoking charcoal grills — the sign of well-prepared meat (and its signature smoky taste). Whether you have it as an appetizer as part of a food-cart crawl or as your main course for your meal, there’s no wrong way to do it.

7. Tom yum goong

Tom yum goong is a hot and sour soup with shrimp, mushrooms, lemongrass, galangal, and lime leaves. Perfectly balanced blends of spicy, sour, and aromatic flavors are a hallmark of Thai food, and this soup exemplifies this approach.

How to eat the best tom yum goong in Thailand

There’s an abundance of street food carts along Pattaya’s Walking Street, or, in Samut Prakan, you’ll find food vendors in markets showing off their take on this classic soup. Look for places where the broth is clear but intensely red — a sign of an authentically made tom yum goong.

8. Khao soi

Khao soi is a textural feast: Think egg noodles in a rich coconut curry broth, topped with crispy noodles, pickled vegetables, and lime. It’s a hearty dish usually enjoyed in Northern Thailand, particularly Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai. If you happen to catch a cool or cloudy day there, its warming heat and complex flavors are the perfect pick-me-up.

How to eat the best khao soi in Thailand

Food carts serve up this street food specialty in Chiang Mai’s old city and other northern cities like Pai and Mae Hong Son. The best vendors make khao soi following traditional recipes, so you get a perfect balance of creamy broth and tender noodles.

9. Moo ping (moo bing)

Moo ping (sometimes called moo bing) is another contender for the best street food in Thailand: These marinated pork skewers are grilled over charcoal and served with a side of sticky rice for a savory hit of flavor. It became popular in the ‘50s, when carts to transport food were turned into street food carts instead, and it’s rightfully been much-loved ever since.

How to eat the best moo ping in Thailand

Moo ping is a popular street food in Bangkok, but you can find it around the country, including on street corners in Sukhothai and the beaches of Koh Samui. Follow your nose to the aroma of grilling meat and sweet marinade, which will guide you to the best spots in any city or town. It’s eaten for any meal of the day (or for a snack), so you’ll be able to find it from sunrise to sunset (or beyond).

10. Pad see ew

Chinese immigrants from Guangdong and the surrounding Teochew region brought pad see ew — and the stir-frying technique — to Thailand in the early 20th century. It’s a simple yet delicious dish of wide rice noodles stir-fried with soy sauce, pork, egg, and Chinese broccoli, combining chewy, tender, and crunchy in one delicious dish. It’s great fuel for a day of exploring.

How to eat the best pad see ew in Thailand

This dish is second only to pad Thai in terms of popularity, so you’ll be able to find it across most of the country. The best places cook it made to order in a screaming hot wok, giving the noodles a distinct smoky flavor that makes this dish so special.