Chiang Mai Dining

Dinner in Chiang Mai

For those who are homesick in Chiang Mai, there are plenty of foreign but original restaurants serving Italian, German, French, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Vietnamese, Indian, Pakistani and Arabic cuisine to meet certain cravings. In addition, vegetarian restaurants are also available. For Thai food lovers, there are also a variety of restaurants serving central, northeastern, and southern Thai cuisine.

Many tourists are also surprised to see street vendors selling a wide range of food, which are inexpensive. Popular items are barbecued chicken, pork and squid. To sample them without worries please make sure they are well cooked.

Northern Thai Food The people of Chiang Mai take pride in their distinctive cultural identity. The distinction of Lannas charming beauty is reflected in the lilting dialect, classic architecture, valued customs and traditions, expressive festivals, exotic handicrafts, and, of course, unique cuisine. It should be noted that the northern people traditionally sit on the floor eating food placed on a low table.

Northern people generally prefer steamed sticky rice to cooked rice. The rice is accompanied by Kaeng (curry) or Nam Phrik (chili paste) and vegetables (fresh or boiled). The two most popular local chili pastes are Nam Phrik Ong (chili paste with minced pork and tomatoes) and Nam Phrik Num (green chili paste).

Many tourists are also surprised to see street vendors selling a wide range of food, which are inexpensive. Popular items are barbecued chicken, pork and squid. To sample them without worries please make sure they are well cooked.

Northern Thai Food The people of Chiang Mai take pride in their distinctive cultural identity. The distinction of Lannas charming beauty is reflected in the lilting dialect, classic architecture, valued customs and traditions, expressive festivals, exotic handicrafts, and, of course, unique cuisine. It should be noted that the northern people traditionally sit on the floor eating food placed on a low table.

Northern people generally prefer steamed sticky rice to cooked rice. The rice is accompanied by Kaeng (curry) or Nam Phrik (chili paste) and vegetables (fresh or boiled). The two most popular local chili pastes are Nam Phrik Ong (chili paste with minced pork and tomatoes) and Nam Phrik Num (green chili paste).



Nam Phrik Ong
Chile paste made from minced pork and tomatoes. Normally it is eaten with soft-boiled vegetables, crispy pork rinds (Khaep Mu) or deep-fried crunchy rice cakes. It can also be served with plain white rice as a meat dish.

Nam Phrik Num
This green chili paste is very common cuisine for the locals. The chili paste is usually accompanied by boiled locally grown vegetables. The best condiment for the dish is Khaep Mu. Sai ua is normally eaten with Nam Phrik Num.

Sai Ua
A local Chiang Mai sausage that is very aromatic and spicy and usually is eaten with steamed glutinous rice.

Kaeng (curry)
A special feature of the northern-style curry is that it is coconut-tree

Kaeng Hang-Le
Northern style pork curry.

Kaeng Om
spicy curry of entrails.

Kaeng Khae
spicy curry of vegetables.

Khanom Chin Nam Ngiao
is a very traditional noodle dish of the North. It is Thai rice vermicelli with spiced chicken curry accompanied with vegetables.

Khao Soi
is also a well known, not to be missed local dish. You can choose from chicken/ pork /beef in curry soup with noodles. It is different from other Kaeng dishes in that Khao Soi is a noodle dish mixed with meat and coconut cream and garnished with garlic and crunchy noodles. It has a sweet, but spicy taste.

If you are under time constraints, the Khantok Dinner is one way to sample most of the Northern dishes all at once.

This content has been provided by Tourism Autority of Thailand