10 places to eat in Chiang Mai

In 2021, I had the pleasure of spending an entire month in Chiang Mai, Thailand. It is probably one of my favorite places on the planet…the vibe, the history, and the food. Oh my, the food in Chiang Mai is incredible!

From street food at the market to fancy French-inspired bakeries, Chiang Mai restaurants know what’s up!

Food in Chiang Mai

As you probably already know, there are a few dishes that are “must try” when you go to Thailand. Mango sticky rice is probably at the top of your list, right? While you should absolutely get that!

Note: Even if you aren’t a mango lover, I find mango to be stringy and just meh overall. But mango sticky rice is a whole 'nother story. I could eat that every day!

In northern Thailand, Khao soi is the number one dish to try. Khao soi is a curry, coconut, noodle dish usually made with chicken but also sometimes beef. I made it in my cooking class in Chiang Mai, and it was super delicious!

Another item you should try is Patongko which is basically a Thai doughnut. They had them at McDonald’s, and I ordered them multiple times! But you should also get some authentic ones if you run across them.

10 Places to Eat in Chiang Mai

MAYA Lifestyle Shopping Center

My Airbnb in Chiang Mai was just down the road from the Maya Lifestyle Shopping Center, which has a HUGE food court. It’s basically an entire floor of the mall. We ate in multiple restaurants in Maya, including hot pot, Fin Sushi, Swensen's, and the general food court area.

Before my trip, someone told me not to sleep on the mall when it came to food. Spectacular advice. Besides the mall being a wonderful air-conditioned spot to get a reprieve from the heat, the food options are abundant.

Note: The food court stations don’t take cash; you have to put money on a Maya Mall card. But it is super simple to do!

Fahtara Coffee

I went for a massage at the Fah Lanna Spa location in the Old Town part of the city, and next door was a cute coffee shop/restaurant called Fahtara Coffee. I had the absolute best mango sticky rice there as well as a lovely cup of tea.

Let's talk about mango sticky rice. I don't even really like mango in America; it is too stringy for me (I have texture issues for a lot of foods). But in Thailand, mango slices taste like a piece of candy, and mango sticky rice is an ABSOLUTE must-try. The only way I would skip it is if I was allergic.

Chiang Mai Train Station

We took the overnight train from Bangkok to Chiang Mai and arrived pretty early in the morning. Of course we were STARVING, so we grabbed breakfast at an open air restaurant literally right outside the front door of the train station.

I’m not sure what it was called (and Google maps isn't helping me), but if you walk out the front door, it is on your right. Now, it could be that it was amazing because we were starving, but I don’t think so. I still wake up some mornings wishing I could have that ham and egg fried rice.

Daily One

This was our everyday breakfast spot. Just down the street from our Airbnb, we walked here nearly every morning. The servers didn’t speak English, but we got along just fine as the menu had an English version and photos! The staff is so lovely, and our breakfast came in under $2 each day. You could get eggs, ham, toast, and a cup of coffee for that price!

The restaurant included a little bakery in the front, and I know I bought my weight in pastries during the month I was there. One thing I loved about the baked goods was that they weren't overly sweet.

GOOD DAY by Mom's Kitchen

Good Day is another restaurant within walking distance from our Airbnb. This spot had some of the tastiest dishes we had while in Chiang Mai (I still crave their chicken fried rice). The service was top-notch, and some evenings they had live music.

Plus, this restaurant has air conditioning, so it’s a great place to eat when you haven’t acclimated yet and feel like you are dying.

ส้มตำโรงปลาแดก

Another spot near our Airbnb...there may be a theme here. This restaurant didn’t have English menus, but they had plenty of photos of the dishes, allowing us to do a point-and-nod routine. Thai people are especially kind, so don't let the language barrier intimidate you. Learn how to say hello (sawadee ka/krub) and thank you (Khàawp khun khâ/khun), and you will find people very understanding and willing to help try and communicate. Also, just generally don't be a dick. (That rule applies no matter where you go!)

Back to the food! The beef dish we got was the spiciest thing I’ve ever eaten in my life. Like I was sweating and my lips were swelling, but it was so flavorful, you just wanted to suffer for it. We also got some fried chicken wings that were crunchy perfection.

Cherie Pastry

This bakery was right next to our breakfast spot! We watched Cherie Pastry get ready to open over the course of our month in Chiang Mai. It finally had its grand opening our last couple of days there, so we had to stop in!

It was very pretty, with delicate decor in pastel hues, and the pastries were delectable. Since it was only a soft opening, the menu was limited. But now they have way more than pastries on offer. The brunch options look amazing...it's probably time to go back!

McDonald’s

Listen, I don’t really eat McDonald’s at home unless there aren’t any other options. But I wanted to try the McPatongko, which we don’t have in North Carolina. The McPatongko is similar to a yeast donut (think Krispy Kreme), and it comes with a condensed milk dipping sauce. AMAZING. I ordered them multiple times during the trip.

The rest of the food is pretty good too. It tastes like how you imagine McDonald’s would taste from the commercials, if that makes sense. Plus, they have lots of other options you don't get in the States, which is fun.

Gulf Restaurant

Located in the Chiangmai Night Bazaar in Old Town, Gulf is a Middle Eastern restaurant serving Lebanese and Egyptian food. It has vegan and vegetarian options, if you require that!

We stacked our table with hummus, baba ganoush, falafel, and the warm flatbread. The amount of food for the price is outstanding, and the staff is wonderful.

Night Bazaar Street Food

Speaking of the night market, the food vendors here will have your taste buds celebrating. The dumplings, homemade ice cream, and banana roti are must-eats. But honestly, I don't think you can go wrong here with your choices. There is a pretty large area with tables for dining, and there are a lot of juice vendors for refreshing beverages.

The best part? Dinner comes with shopping!

Are Chiang Mai restaurants expensive?

The short answer is no. Food is incredibly affordable in Chiang Mai, especially if you grab things from street vendors. But like anywhere else, you can dine at a range of price points.

Overall, your food budget is lower in Chiang Mai than in Bangkok or some of the coastal towns. You can eat plenty for 500 baht per day (about $15 USD). But if you want to fine-dine your way through Chiang Mai, expect to spend a bit more.

What food is Chiang Mai known for?

The dish that I think you see the most of in Chiang Mai (or Northern Thailand as a whole) is Khao Soi. It's a yellow curry, coconut, noodle dish that has a crunchy, fried noodle topping. It’s delicious, and we even made it ourselves in a cooking class!

Other popular dishes include Khanom Krok (a sort of pancake with coconut milk), Gaeng Hung Lay (pork and ginger curry dish), and Nam Prik Ong (pork, tomato dip).

Chiang Mai Best Food - Final Thoughts

Thailand is a foodie paradise. There are so many different dishes to try, and Chiang Mai is a great spot to get your eat on. There are coffee shops, cafes, and restaurants basically every two feet.

Since we were staying a whole month on our trip, we didn’t have a food plan. We just decided to walk in and dine wherever we felt the urge. Mostly it was perfection everywhere…except for pizza. A place advertised “American-style” pizza, and we decided to give it a go. They used BBQ sauce instead of marinara 😂.

Oh, and note: anything that says American sausage is absolutely going to be hot dogs. Do with that information what you will.

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