Best Bangkok street food – top 50 street food stalls Bangkok

• 
• 
• SHARE

  • Share

    Best Bangkok street food – top 50 street food stalls Bangkok

  • • Email
    • Pocket
    • Flipboard

You could live your whole life in Bangkok and still struggle to get to grips with the chaotic capital’s street food scene.

Fortunately, we’ve worked with our Bangkok chef to build a list of the best Bangkok street food - Bangkok’s top 50 street food stalls.

If it all just seems too confusing, fear not. Our expert food guides can lead the way on Bangkok's highest rated food tours.

With 2017’s Michelin recommendations, which included a couple of stars, Bangkok street food is finally getting the recognition it deserves. Complex, refined, regional and deeply flavoursome, there’s really no other cuisine in the world that stacks up against it.

While it would be difficult, not to mention diet busting, to visit every one of these hidden gems, just making the effort to visit a few will elevate your street food experience in Bangkok from the average pad Thai to the extraordinary.

Here’s our chef’s definitive guide on the best Bangkok street food - Bangkok’s top 50 street food stalls. Get your taste buds ready for the ride.

This guide is sponsored by Streets of Food, trusted guides to the world's best street food.

Nai Mong Hoi Thod

Hoi tod in Bangkok

Yaowarat (the city’s Chinatown) is known for having some of the best street food in Bangkok and this tiny hole-in-the-wall shophouse Nai Mong Hoi Tod tucked away off the main drag doesn’t let the side down.

As the name suggests, they specialise in hoi tod (which translates to ‘fried oyster’), a type of sticky omelette made from beaten eggs, rice flour and bean sprouts flashed fried in a heavy iron frying pan until crispy and served with a generous topping of oysters or mussels.

The crunchy eggs accompanied by soft, rich oysters and spicy tomato sauce is a winning combo.

The owner Mr Mong has been perfecting the recipe for more than 30 years. There’s a reason why this Thai oyster food stall in Bangkok has been recommended in the Michelin guide 2018 as one of the top places to eat in Bangkok and why our chef included it on his Bangkok’s top 50 street food stalls guide.

Jeh Jong Moo Tod

Khao mod tod in Thailand

Few dishes are as simple or tasty as khao mod tod, belly pork marinated in garlic, coriander root, white pepper and soy sauce, then deep fried into golden and served on top rice.

Indulgent? Check. Diet-busting? Yep. Best Bangkok street food? Absolutely. Irresistibly delicious. Every time at Jeh Jong Moo Tod.

It’s best eaten with a Thai-style crispy fried egg and nam pla prik, a spicy dipping sauce made from chilies, fish sauce and lime juice. Don’t expect to be the only one making a lunchtime dash for this humble open-sided street food restaurant, but it’s worth the wait. Plus, they’ve got loads of other stir-fries if you want to make it into a gut-buster of a meal.

Jek Pui Curry Rice

Jek Pui from the Netflix series Street Food

While you’re in Chinatown, you can’t miss one of Bangkok’s most iconic street food stalls, Jek Pui, which serve up khao gaeng (which translates to ‘curry rice’).

Here, you’re going to find curry dishes like gaeng pla duk (catfish red curry) and gaeng kari moo (yellow pork curry) which are topped with cured Chinese sausage and glazed pork ribs.

These guys have been knocking out Thai curry for more than 70 years, so they know what they’re doing. This stall isn’t just about the food though. If you’ve seen any pictures of Bangkok street food, you will have likely seen the iconic backdrop of old Chinatown shopfront shutters covered in ripped flyers lined with red plastic stalls. Plus, they were featured on Netflix's series Street Food.

This spot features on our Chinatown Food Tour and easily deserves a spot on Bangkok’s top 50 street food stalls. There’s a quick turnaround on stalls, but if you don’t want to wait, you can always perch on the curb while you can chow down on your curry.

Uan Bamee Giew

A bowl of ba mee noodles

Uan Bamee Giew might be a small street stall, but for locals it’s another crowd-pleaser. They specialise in ba mee, Chinese-style egg noodles and wantons that come in a variety of options.

Don’t expect anything to be written in English or any menu, but don’t let your lack of Thai put you off either - just point to what you’re after.

The dish starts with a base of egg noodles which are flashed boiled – you can then choose to have them in broth or dry, with pork-filled wantons or slices of tender barbecue pork. Alternatively, order your noodles without pork broth and have it served in a bowl on the side.

Whichever style you go for, you won’t be disappointed unless you get there during the busy dinner rush. Worthy of being ranked in Bangkok’s top 50 street food stalls.

T & K Seafood

Grilled prawns on the streets of Bangkok

T & K Seafood might not be open until the late afternoon, but as soon as those doors swing open, it’s a hive of chaotic activity until they close at 2pm.

Getting into this tiny three-story Yaorawat townhouse involves passing a frantic outdoor barbecue kitchen where dozens of different types of seafood from giant prawns to whole fish are being cooked over charcoal.

You might even see the famous pulley system which delivers freshly-cooked seafood to diners on the top floor. Once you’ve clambered up through the maze of stairways and found your spot, you’ll quickly be served by brisk waiting staff.

For the most satisfying results, try the pla meuk pad pongali (Thai yellow squid curry), pla kapong (steamed sea bass covered in a lime dressing) and tom yum goong (spicy prawn soup).

Kuay Jab Nai Lek

A bowl of kuay jab rolled rice noodles

Nai Lek is a Yaowarat institution and lies on Chinatown’s neon-lit drag, teems with customers from morning to night.

You’re unlikely to be lucky enough to score a table without queuing, but lines mean great food and great food makes it into the Bangkok’s top 50 street food stalls.

Though its diverse and pork heavy menu has plenty of specialities, those in the know come for the kuay jab (pork noodle soup). The soup is made from a broth with pork ribs, crispy pork belly, greens, rolled rice noodle tubes and spiked with white pepper and garlic. It’s best accompanied by a larger plate of pork belly and their cold Chinese tea.

While you might be able to find this dish all over Bangkok, you haven’t really tried it until you’ve had Kuay Jab Nai Lek’s version.

Pa Tong Go Savoey

The famous pa tong go stand in Chinatown

It doesn’t matter whether you’re young or old, from Thailand or Taiwan, you’d have to be a couple of sandwiches short of picnic to not like the crispy deep-fried Thai-Chinese doughnuts at Pa Tong Go Savoey.

You don’t need to take our word that this is one of the best Bangkok street foods – Michelin have given it their nod of approval and list it one their site as one of the few street food stalls to receive a recommendation.

You’ll find this tiny street food stall setting up at the beginning of Yaowarat Road in Chinatown every evening and as soon as they do, the queues begin to line up along the neon-lit street. Thanks to their quick cooking time, you won’t have to wait long and they always hot.

Best dipped in their green pandan custard. Everyone agrees that they crispy doughnuts deserve a place in Bangkok’s top 50 street food stalls.

Chakki

Rad na with noodles and greens

Another Victory Monument favourite is Chakki, a family-run restaurant which has been whipping up Cantonese cuisine for more than 3 decades, even longer if you count the time they spent in Bangkok’s Chinatown before moving to their new location in the ‘70s.

No menus and little spoken English shouldn’t put you off this historic restaurant. They are best known for their crispy fried wontons and rad na, a seriously comfort-inducing dish made from belt noodles, sliced of beef, pork or seafood and Chinese greens swimming in thick gravy. It’s a little more expensive that you’re average Bangkok rad na, but you get what you pay for.

Pro tip: get here early, when they sell out (which they always do), they close their doors for the day. Oh yeah, they also just got a Michelin recommendation too which puts it firmly in Bangkok’s top 50 street food stalls.

Raan Jay Fai

Jay Fai cooking up her signature drunken noodles

Since winning a coveted Michelin star, Jay Fai has quickly become the most famous street food stall in Bangkok, so much so that the owner Auntie Fai has been dubbed the ‘Queen of Thai street food’.

The long queue of eager foodies that line up outside her townhouse in the hope of getting a table certainly aren’t coming for the prices. While most street food in Bangkok costs around a buck, hers weigh in at a hefty US $25. Why? She’s known for her enormous deep-fried crab omelettes which are packed with more than a whole crab and her portions of pad kee mao (drunken noodles) with giant prawns.

The 70-year-old, who cooks all her dishes on the street over charcoal while wearing ski googles, caused a stir early this year by claiming she wanted to hand back her Michelin star. Reportedly she was unhappy with the new-found popularity of her restaurant. Putting her in our list of Bangkok’s top 50 street food stalls probably isn’t going to help her cause.

Ko Boo Rod Zing Noodle

Tom yum soup at Ko Boo Rod Zing

Tom yum doesn’t come better than Ko Boo Rod Zing Noodle which lines up along Khlong Chan.

Take classic tom yum, a soup broth made from lemongrass kaffir lime leaves and galangal ginger. Throw in freshly-cooked rice or egg noodles and top with a runny egg which coats everything in creamy, rich yolk. Add whichever extras you want for further flavour. Bouncy Thai meatballs, slices of tender pork, crushed peanuts, coriander and bean sprouts, and you’re good to go.

This noodle joint is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Whether you’re looking for breakfast or a late-night snack to soak up a boozy evening, you’ll always find it here. One of our chef’s favourites in Bangkok’s top 50 street food stalls.

Jok Prince

A bowl of jok with poached egg

Struggling a little with spicy Thai food? After something a little soothing? Make a dash for the Michelin-recommend Jok Prince, a tiny shophouse restaurant hidden down a little alleyway, to grab a bowl of comforting congee.

Sold across the country every morning, the dish is made from stewed rice cooked until it resembles a type of porridge, usually with salty minced pork balls and a cracked raw egg which is stirred in. Top with thin slices of ginger, some crispy deep-fried garlic and a little soy sauce and you’ve got the Bangkok breakfast of champions.

These guys have been whipping up some of the finest bowls of congee in the capital for more than 50 years and even the TV chef Anthony Bourdain was a fan. Says everything really.

Guay Tiew Mu Rung Rueang

Pork noodles at Rung Rueang

Another street food stall which scored one of the coveted Michelin recommendations is the family-run Guay Tiew Moo Rung Rueng. They know how to pick them because the bowls of clear noodle broth with minced pork are simply divine. It’s a firm favourite in our list of Bangkok’s top 50 street food stalls.

Alternatively, you could nab one of the spicier tom yum versions which use lemongrass, galangal and chilli to add kick. Whichever you pick, add the extra homemade fish bowls and crispy fish skin. Both of which add complimentary textures and a light seafood flavour to the broth.

Take our word for it, you should opt for one of the large bowls. The small portion is never enough.

Larb Bpet Yasothon

Spicy larb with chilli and toasted rice

Many Thailand newbies don’t realise that Thai food is highly regional. You may have come across som tum (papaya salad) at your local Thai restaurant which represents one of the most iconic dishes from the North East of the country.

There are plenty more mouth-watering dishes that hail from that part of the country and you can experience some of the best Issan food at Larb Bpet Yasothon.

As well as the ubiquitous som tum, you can also find nam tok moo (slices of pork dressed in lime juice and ground roasted rice), larb (minced meat salad) and our personal favourite, gai yang (barbecued chicken Thai-style) accompanied by baskets of sticky rice.

Everything’s served up on street food-style metal tables and colourful stalls. A classic example of Bangkok’s top 50 street food stalls.

Som Tum Jay Daeng

Fiery som tum Thai

This firm favourite with the students from nearby Chulalongkorn University offers some fiery Issan favourites from North East Thailand.

Every decent Issan vendor starts strong with a solid som tum (papaya salad). Variations include fermented fish sauce and salty crabs. This just forms the base of an Issan meal.

Popular extras at Som Tum Jay Daeng include authentic examples of grilled pork neck, barbecue chicken and larb. Always served with khao ngiew (sticky rice) and nam jim jeaw (spicy dipping sauce).

Don’t miss their gai tod (crispy battered Thai chicken) which is crunchy, lightly spiced and perfectly accompanies the other dishes. Move aside KFC because Bangkok’s top 50 street food stalls is doing a far better job. Expect cheap student-friendly prices too.

Doy Kuay Teow Reua

Boat noodles at Doy Kuay Teow Reua

Whichever city you’re in, you can typically find some of the best food around the transport hubs and Victory Monument in Bangkok is no exception.

While there are a ton of places to hit up when you’re in the district, you shouldn’t miss diving into one of the boat noodle restaurants, the best being Doy Kuay Teow Reua.

Boat noodles are tiny bowls of thick broth made from stock, cinnamon and star anise with rice noodles and either slices of beef or pork. There are different variations, so you can order it dry or in soup. One is never enough and at 30 cents a bowl, they don’t break the bank either.

Why are they called boat noodles? Good question. At one point in their history they were served in boat shaped china bowls. While that practice seems to have disappeared, the name has stuck.

Somsak Pu Op

Pu ob woon sen claypot crab

You’ll rarely (if ever) see the dishes at Somsak Pu Op at your local Thai restaurant. Like many of recipes from Thailand, their origins lie in Chinese cuisine.

Most come to this tiny street vendor for their pu ob woon sen, hair-thin vermicelli noodles cooked in coriander root, soy sauce, black pepper on a bed of pork belly slices and topped with crab claws.

It might sound like a simple recipe, but the trick lies in the measurements of each ingredients. Too much and you’re going to have a wet dish, too little and the noodles will be dry. Somsak Pu Op have perfected the recipe.

If you have room for more, try the hoy kraeng (blood cockles) which are flash boiled and served with a spicy nam jim talay dipping sauce. It may not be the cheapest street food stall in Bangkok, but would you really want cheap seafood?

Thip Samai Pad Thai

Outdoor cooking at Thip Samai Pad Thai

Thip Samai is often cited as having the best pad Thai in Bangkok and we’d have to agree. It’s unsurprisingly when you find out they’ve been refining the recipe for more than 50 years.

Though foreigners have a taste for the iconic dish, unfortunately, many can be bland and under seasoned. Not so at Thip Samai who create a perfectly balanced plate using quality eggs, tangy tamarind juice, slices of spring onion with just enough sweet and saltiness coming from the palm sugar and fish sauce. Dried shrimps and crushed peanuts provide texture, while the red-hot charcoals which blast the woks add smokiness.

The open-sided restaurant is rightfully busy with cooks knocking out more than 10 portions in each wok. You can still expect to queue, though if you’re a pad Thai fan, it’s worth the wait.

Ann Guay Tiew Kua Gai

Guay tiew kua gai

Ann Guay Tiew Kua Gai nabbed a Bib Gourmand award from the Michelin guide and deserves a spot in Bangkok’s top 50 street food stalls.

You don’t have to take our word, you’re going to eat well at Bangkok street food joint. They serve variations of guay tiew kua gai, a kind of lesser known cousin of pad Thai. It’s made from wok fried rice noodles in soy sauce, spring onions and chicken. It’s topped with your choice of a fried egg or omelette.

It’s the well-used woks and charcoal heat source that imparts are smoky flavour to the soft noodle dish. Though chicken is the most popular, you can also find versions here with seafood or ham. Best accompanied with a cold Chang beer.

Go-Ang Kaomunkai Pratunam

Chicken rice at Go-Ang

The humble open-sided street food restaurant has also nabbed itself a Michelin recommendation and for good reason, their khao man gai (chicken and rice) is, without a doubt, the best in Bangkok.

The simple dish made from aromatic rice cooked in stock topped with poached chicken and accompanied by slices of cucumber and served with the joint’s secret spicy sauce is both comforting and exotic in equal measures. It’s always served with a peppery chicken broth and sometimes cubes of blood jelly.

For more than 50 years they’ve had queues of locals lining up from morning to night and when you visit for the first time, you’ll know why.

Pe Aor Tom Yum Kung Noodle

A bowl of the tom yum at Pe Aor Tom Yum Kung

If you know a little about Thai cuisine, you could have tried tom yum, the iconic spicy and sour soup. It’s not hard to find a decent tom yum in Bangkok, you can’t find one as indulgent as Pe Aor Tom Yum Kung.

It’s, arguably, one of the most expensive street food in Bangkok weighing in at around 37 bucks. But, with a huge bowl loaded with mussels, crab meat, squid and a whole shell-on lobster, it’s so worth it.

They do have cheaper bowls, but if you’re going to do it, do it properly. Plus, it’s so big, you can easily share it between two. With a whole lobster, how could this not score a spot in our list of Bangkok’s top 50 street food stalls.

Khao Soi Noodle Shop

Khao soi in Bangkok

One of the best things about Bangkok is the regional dishes you can find from all over the country. If you’ve ever been to the Northern capital of Chiang Mai, you will have likely tried khao soi, a coconut curry soup with crispy egg noodles, chicken legs, pickled greens and lime juice whose origins lie in Burmese cuisine.

Though you’ll have no trouble finding khao soi in most Bangkok districts, most fail to meet up to Chiang Mai’s standards. Khao Soy Silom 3 is the exception.

A light creamy curry spiked with zingy lime and roasted chilli paste topped with crunchy noodles is, arguably, the perfect combination, particularly if you’re trying to get rid of the last night’s excesses. Best eaten for breakfast or an early lunch.

Hia Wan Khao Tom Pla

A bowl of khao tom pla

The open-sided Hia Wan Khao Tom Pla a little south of Bangkok’s centre has, rightfully, been given the nod of approval by Michelin for its khao tom pla, bowls of rice soup cooked in stock and topped with generous helpings of seafood.

While you shouldn’t visit without trying their signature dish, don’t miss sampling their tom yum talay (spicy lemongrass soup with seafood), yum talay (seafood salad dressed in zingy lime dressing) or the goong ob woon sen (vermicelli noodles cooked in soy sauce and black pepper with giant shell-on prawns).

It’s only open in the evenings and unless you get there before the dinner rush, you’ll likely have to queue, more so after receiving their Michelin recommendation.

Tom Yum Goong Banglamphu

Zingy tom yum prawn soup with seafood

Tom Yum Goong Banglamphu might look like a humble unassuming street food stall in Bangkok’s old town, but looks can be deceiving.

This family-run joint has a short list of dishes, but it’s best known for its tom yum goong, a fiercely spicy soup made from kaffir lime leaves, galangal ginger, lemongrass, chillies and whole shell-on river prawns.

It’s thick, creamy and sometimes includes the addition of flash boiled squid. Order goong pla meuk tod kratiem (prawn and squid garlic stir fry), kai jeow pla meuk (crispy squid omelette) and yam pla goong (zingy prawn salad dressed in lime and fish sauce).

It’s only a stone’s throw from Khao San Road too, so it’s one of the easiest Bangkok’s top 50 street food stalls to reach for most backpackers. Trust us. You won’t regret it.

Wattana Panich

Beef stew at Wattana Panich

Ok, so it’s not strictly a street food stall, but Wattana Panich shophouse is so worthy of the top 50 list of places to eat in Bangkok.

It’s rarely visited by foreigners, but locals in the know have been visiting Wattana Panich for more than 60 years. They come for the enormous pan of kuay teao neau, a kind of beef stew that bubbles away for hours until soft and tender. Only when it’s perfect does it top your choice of thin, medium or thick rice noodles. Pep up your own dish with the on-table condiments like sugar, dried chillies and vinegar, then dive right in.

They also do a mean goat stew (unusual for Thailand), but it’s the beef that’s the real crowd-pleaser.

Charoen Saeng Silom

Khao khao moo on rice

Since 1959, Charoen Saeng Silom has been selling one of the best versions of Thailand’s khao kha moo, pork knuckles stewed in Chinese five spice.

What sets this tiny joint’s khao kha moo apart from the rest is the richness of the gravy, the deep herbal flavours and the lack of greasiness that often comes from the pork knuckles fat.

It’s stewed long enough for the pork to be tender and soft, easily torn away with a fork. Best served over rice with pickled greens and pepped up with raw cloves of garlic, whole bird’s eye chillies and nam som (literally ‘orange water’), a spicy vinegar sauce. It’s worth seeking this one out.

Soi 6 Pochana

Crispy pork belly noodles at Soi 6

If you like duck and pork, you should make a beeline for Soi 6 Pochana near Chulalongkorn University. All the ducks are roasted using a highly-secret family recipe passed down from the owner’s Chinese parents.

If you’re going alone, have a portion of the crispy duck or pork and rich gravy over warm jasmine rice. Alternatively, a kra prao ped (stir-fried duck with soy sauce, chilies and handfuls of holy basil). If you’re going as part of a group, your best bet is ordering the plates of mixed meat.

Expect smoky duck, crispy pork belly and moo daeng (red barbecued pork), plates which ensure this joint has a place on our list of Bangkok’s top 50 street food stalls. Carnivores can’t fail to like this Bangkok top 50 street food stall.

Khao Kaeng Rattana

Curries at Khao Kaeng Rattana

Nang Leong market lies in the heart of the Old Town and is one of Bangkok’s best kept foodie secrets. While there’s no shortage of street food stalls to grab a bite to eat (many of which are very food), there’s only one place newbies should make a beeline for – Khao Gaeng Rattana.

This tiny shophouse street food restaurant has a daily changing menu of stir-fries and curries which are served over rice. Most agree it deserves a place in Bangkok’s top 50 street food stalls. You never know what they’re going to get, but most come for their yam makua yao, a mashed aubergine salad dressed in lime juice and fish sauce. If they’re all out, fear not, every dish is tasty. Just get there early or you’ll be disappointed.

Pad Thai Ekkamai

Pad Thai goong in Bangkok

While this humble townhouse street food restaurant might not look much, their pad Thai (stir-fried noodles) are anything but. If you’re looking for cheapness over quality, Pad Thai Ekkamai won’t be for you – their signature dish is 250 THB, around 5 times more expensive than your average plate of pad Thai.

But, you get what you pay for. Perfectly woked noodles cooked with egg, tamarind juice, palm sugar, fish sauce and topped with a generous helping of fresh squid, muscles and a several enormous shell-on king prawns. Squeeze a little lime on top and throw a few crushed peanuts on and you’re good to go.

Even if you’re not a fan of the dish, Pad Thai Ekkamai will turn you into convert. Plus, it shuts every day at 4am making it the perfect place for a late-night snack. Our chef didn’t have to think long about this one before including it on his list of Bangkok’s top 50 street food stalls.

Khao Tom Bawon

Khao tom with ribs

Chinese culture, particularly the cuisine, has permeated almost every part of Thai culture. Khao Tom Bawon specialises in one of the dishes that’s been taken on by Thais with gusto.

It’s a simple base, one that starts with a bowl of rice boiled until soft in stock with pepper and herbs. It’s then up to you what it’s accompanied with, but sides like boo kai dong yam (crab egg salad), kai jeow (Thai-style omelette) and pak boong fai daeng (stir-fried money glory in oyster sauce) are popular choices.

Khao tom is best eaten at the end of an indulgent night out along with one last cold one for the road. Plus, you’ll wake up feeling a lot better then you would if you ate the late-night greasy muck we eat in the west.

Soei

Goong chae nam pla in Bangkok

This open-sided street food restaurant, next to Samsen Train Station, is known for its fiery plates and brisk service.

Their signature dish is kaem pla too tod (fried mackerel head). If that doesn’t sound like your bag, maybe the goong chae nam pla (prawns marinated in lime juice and chillies) or the tom yum pla too (a spicy lemongrass soup with mackerel) might be more your thing. If you’re looking for a one-plate fish, try the kra prao nuea, a classic Thai stir-fry made from minced beef, chillies and handfuls of holy basil. Always served with jasmine rice and a kai dao (Thai-style crispy fried egg).

You can also bring your own beer with no corkage fee. Another worthy placement in Bangkok’s top 50 street food stalls.

Ah Ou Bangrak

Ah Ou Bangrak's curried crab

Blink and you’ll miss Ah Ou Bangrak, a hole-in-the-wall street food joint with just a few tables and an outdoor kitchen.

Those who do seek out the Thai-Chinese street food vendor are always pleasantly surprised by the quality and freshness of the dishes. It might not be the cheapest, but top-notch produce goes into making some of their crowd-pleasers like stir-fried razor clams, kra por pla pad haeng (fish maw stir-fry) and Hong Kong pad hang (a noodle dish with prawns).

If you fancy splurging, you can’t do better than Ah Ou Bangrak’s curried crab. Vegetarians are well catered for too. Come hungry because the portions are generous and the menu extensive.

Khao Tom Pla Kimpo

Khao tom pla rice soup

Another firm local favourite is Khao Tom Pla Kimbo. They serve up their own version of khao tom pla, a rice soup made from the pork and fish stock. It’s best eaten alongside pad pak boong (stir-fried morning glory in oyster sauce) and kai jeow (crispy Thai omelette).

The key to their success is their proximity to Saphan Pla, Bangkok’s largest fish market. This provides them with a consistent flow of some of the freshest seafood in the city and puts this firmly into this list of Bangkok’s top 50 street food stalls.

Don’t tip up before 6pm – they only have a dinner service which runs through to midnight. They feed a mix of hungry home-bound office workers and revellers ending a boozy night in town.

Thanee Restaurant

Moo daeng at Thanee

The upmarket trendy area of Ari is quickly becoming known as a foodie hotspot, though Thanee has, for years, been one of the district’s go-to street food joints. In fact, it’s often cited as one of the best places to eat in the area.

They specialise in moo grob, super crispy pork belly with crackling which they use in several different plates. The most popular is crispy pork on a bed of steamy jasmine rice and topped with a sweet sauce, boiled eggs, slices of cucumber and cured sausage.

It’s easy to find. Just hop off the BTS Skytrain at Ari station and keep your eyes peeled for the window displaying crispy pork.

Kor Panich

Mango and sticky rice in Bangkok

Thai desserts aren’t to everyone’s taste, but we’re yet to meet someone who doesn’t like khao ngaew mamuang (mango and sticky rice).

You can hardly walk around any corner in Bangkok without bumping into a mango and sticky rice seller, but everyone in the know makes a dash for Kor Panich, a small establishment which has been selling the dessert for more than 80 years.

Their recipe involves finding the ripest mangoes and cooking Northern Thai rice in coconut milk. Top everything with warm coconut milk spiked with the perfect balance of sugar and salt and sprinkle roasted sunflower seeds.

Those with a sweet-tooth don’t stand a chance against the allure of khao ngeaw mamuang. The only dessert joint that made Bangkok’s top 50 street food stalls.

Nai Meng Ba Mee

Ba mee noodles in Bangkok

The name might be a bit of a mouthful, but the only thing you’re going to be eating at this open-sided Silom shophouse joint is the some of the best ba mee noodles in Bangkok.

Ba mee dishes essentially start with egg noodles as a base. From there, you can pick and choose as you wish. With pork broth soup or dry, topped with loaded shrimp wantons or crispy pork belly. Throw in some indulgent crab meat and a few slices of boiled egg and you’ve got the ultimate comfort food.

Nai Meng Ba Mee is by no means the cheapest ba mee in town. In fact, it’s around three times more expensive. But with handmade egg noodles and quality ingredients, it’s worth the extra spend.

Yen Ta Fo JC

Yen ta fo noodle soup

Eager customers aren’t queuing up every day of Yen Ta Fo JC for the street vendors views over a car park behind Silom.

They come for the yen ta fo noodle soup, a distinctive noodle broth which is bright pink, cited by many to be the best in the city. Its colour comes from a fermented soybean paste which is added to the noodles along with slices of pork and squid, Thai-style fish balls, chunks of tofu and vegetables. A fried chip is added to give the soup texture. Get here early to beat the breakfast and lunchtime crowds.

Khao Kluk Kapi Niyngow

Khao kluk kapi in Bangkok

The tiny street stall specialises in khao kluk kapi, a dish rarely known by foreigners, but worthy of a place in Bangkok’s top 50 street food stalls.

Though the recipe changes between vendors, it always starts with a base of rice stir-fried with a little salty shrimp paste. Topping it is an assortment of other ingredients with things like shallots, slices of cucumber, Chinese cured sausage, dried shrimps, green beans, omelette and mango.

It’s a confusing riot of flavours for your taste buds, but it works so well. Don’t worry if you don’t speak any Thai, all the toppings are laid out on the stall for you to pick and choose from. If you’re staying in Khao San Road, you’re in luck – it’s super close.

Yusup Pochana

Khao sok chicken rice

Yusup Pochana might not be the easiest place to get to, but for Thai Muslim cuisine, there’s nowhere else that compares.

If you make the effort to reach the open-sided street food restaurant (which involves catching the Skytrain to Mo Chit BTS station and hopping in a taxi from there), you’ll keep gorging on lip-smackingly good massaman curry, khao mok (Thai-style biryani), gaeng kari gai (coconut chicken curry) and soup neau (tomato and beef broth).

Of course, it would be simply unthinkable to have a Thai Muslim meal without getting one of the crispy stuffed roti mataba. Remember this is a breakfast and lunchtime joint, so don’t make the effort to go all the way north for dinner or you’ll be solely disappointed.

Ruam Tai

Southern Thai spread at Ruam Tai

If you want authentic Southern Thai cuisine, you’ll likely have to cross over the river to a small open-sided townhouse shop near Siriraj Hospital. For more than 3 decades, Ruam Tai has been attracting in Southern Thai’s for their affordable dishes.

Expect plates of khua kling, a dry stir-fry of minced pork or chicken with curry paste, galangal ginger and kaffir lime leaves, pad kapi sataw goong, stir-fried stink beans with prawns, and gaeng kee lek, a coconut curry made from cassia leaves.

Don’t worry if you don’t know Thai. Most dishes are on display, so you can simply point to what you’re after. If your palate can’t take the heat, this place won’t be for you. Almost every dish is eye-wateringly spicy. If you can, this pick of our Bangkok’s top 50 street food stalls never fails to please.

Chong Kee

Grilled pork with satay and ajat

We’ve yet to find a foreigner who doesn’t go crazy for satay, grilled skewers of marinated pork served with rich peanut sauce and zingy ajat cucumber relish.

Unfortunately, most are quite insipid. Not so at Chong Kee which lies on the edge of Chinatown near Hua Lamphong MRT station. Here, you’re going to find delicate skewers of coconut marinated pork perfectly grilled over charcoal which imparts a smoky flavour that you just won’t find at other satay stalls.

They also specialise in an unusual pork liver satay which is perfectly seasoned, tender and aromatic. It’s easy to find – just head down to the area and follow your nose.

Khao Moo Daeng Si Morakot

Khao moo daeng moo krob

Si Morakot, a hawker food vendor near Hua Lamphong MRT station, has some serious historical heritage. For over 70 years they have been refining the art of khao moo daeng moo grob.

It’s a classic combo of crispy belly pork and tender marinated barbecue pork on rice. They don’t stop there though. Throw in some slices of boiled egg, chewy chunks of cured Chinese sausage and a rich and slightly sweet pork gravy and you’ve got one of the most comforting of Thai Chinese dishes.

This worthy spot in our list of Bangkok’s top 50 street food stalls differs with the use of a charcoal stove which imparts a rich, smoky flavour.

Thong Sai E-Sarn Food

Grilled gai yang chicken in Bangkok

You’re not going to have trouble finding Issan (North East Thai) food on almost every street corner in the city. However, not all are made equal.

In the heart of bustling Sukhumvit, you’ll find Thong Sai E-Sarn Food, which sells some of the best in this list of Bangkok’s top 50 street food stalls. Set your taste buds free and gorge on things like zingy som tum (spicy papaya salad), nam tok moo (sliced pork salad dressed in lime juice and ground roasted rice), pla duk (grilled catfish) and our favourite, gai yang (Thai-style barbecued chicken).

Mop up everything with baskets of khao ngiaw (sticky rice) and nam jim jaew (a spicy dipping sauce made from dried chilies, tomatoes, lime juice and fish sauce).

Hoi Tod Chaw Lae

Aor suan

This street-food style joint in Thong Lor is best known for its smoky pad Thai (stir-fried noodles with egg). Their hoi tod (crispy egg omelette with oysters and mussels) isn’t bad either.

There’s even a less crispy version of hoi tod called aor suan. It comes sizzling on a hot iron plate and is stuffed with seafood, crunchy beansprouts and Chinese chives. It might be a little more expensive than your average pad Thai vendor, but it’s well worth the extra cost.

That’s probably why they have a queue lining up outside during the breakfast, lunch and dinner rushes. Don’t worry though, the service is quick, so you won’t be waiting long.

Som Tam Jay So

Gai yang grilled chicken and som tum papaya salad

Som Tam Jay So has been pumping out spicy Issan cuisine to hungry office workers for more than a decade. To avoid jostling for a table, try and visit outside the lunchtime rush.

If you do get a table, you’ll be tasting some of the most authentic Issan cuisine on this list of Bangkok’s top 50 street food stalls. Expect things like zingy som tum (papaya salad) or variations that have rice noodles, fermented fish paste and salty crabs. Alternatively, the spicy som tum Thai with peanuts, dried shrimp, lime and chilies might be more your style.

Accompany your papaya salad with gai yang (barbecue chicken), kor moo yang (grilled pork neck) and larb (minced meat salad). Everything gets served with baskets of khao ngiew (sticky rice) and nam jim jaew (spicy sauce).

Moo Krob Nai Sai

Crispy belly pork at Moo Krob Nai Sai

The consistently good online reviews for Moo Krob Nai Sai are testament to the quality of their dishes. It’s unsurprising as the street-food restaurant has been perfecting their recipes for almost five decades.

They specialise in moo krob, pork belly slowly cooked until perfectly crisp, which is the base for almost every plate. The most popular is slices of crispy pork belly on a plate of jasmine rice covered in a sweet gravy.

Alternatively, you could opt for the delicious kana moo grob. Stir-fried kale with slices of belly pork and oyster sauce best eaten with a fried egg. A lip-smacking favourite in Bangkok’s top 50 street food stalls.

Krua Apsorn

Crab stir-fried in yellow curry paste

Ok, so this one’s a restaurant, but it’s so good, we couldn’t leave it off. Their army of local followers don’t come for welcoming service or cosy ambiance. They visit for the long list of Central Thai dishes.

Depending on when you visit, you’re going to be sharing the restaurant office workers grabbing a quick bite to eat. You might even find backpackers who’ve dragged themselves and their hangovers for lunch.

Everything on the 30-strong menu is good. Signature dishes include the stink bean stir-fry with prawns and minced pork, taohoo tod (deep-fried tofu). Their generous, albeit expensive, crab stir-fried in yellow curry paste in a must. Most of the dishes are relatively mild making it a useful spot for those who can’t handle the heat.

Don’t take our word for it though. It’s was voted as the best place in the world to eat Thai curry by The Observer and found its way onto our chef’s list of Bangkok’s top 50 street food stalls.

Tung Sui Heng Pochana

Claypot duck at Tung Sui Heng Pochana

For more than 50 years, this family-run Tung Sui Heng Pochana has been refining han paloe, a slow-stewed goose cooked in Chinese five spice and served in clay pots. It’s best eaten with a side of silky rice noodles and a pickled sauce which cuts through the richness.

While you’re gorging on the signature dish, don’t miss out on their flavoursome duck noodle soup. Or, if you’re feeling brave, the slowly simmered duck intestine stew is much better than it sounds. Another Bib Gourmand winner and an easy pick from our chef for a placement on this list of Bangkok’s top 50 street food stalls.

Polo Fried Chicken

Gai tod fried chicken

Polo Fried Chicken is one of Bangkok’s most famous restaurants. It’s been serving loyal customers and eager foreigners for more than five decades. It’s located along the edge of Lumphini Park in the financial district and has an impressive menu of Issan favourites.

Expect som tum papaya salad, nam tok moo (sliced pork salad with a lime dressing) and sticky rice. However, most patrons come for the Issan-style fried chicken. Take a whole chicken, marinate in soy sauce, coriander root and white pepper. Then cover in a light rice-flour batter and deep-fry until golden. It comes covered in a generous topping of crispy, deep-fried garlic.

Trust us. It’s one of the most irresistible in Bangkok’s top 50 street food stalls.

Mr. Jo Crispy Pork

A bowl of soup with moo krob crispy pork

As the name suggests, Mr Jo Crispy Pork specialises in moo krob (crispy belly pork). They use it as the basis for almost every one of their dishes. You can simply order a portion of the pork served with nothing more than a dark, sweetened, soy sauce.

Be warned, one plate is never enough. For something a little more complex, try their guay jub, which on it’s own gives Mr. Jo Crispy Pork a place in our chef’s list of Bangkok’s top 50 street food stalls. This peppery pork broth is packed with rolled rice noodles, slices of tender pork, offal and their signature crispy pork. If you’re feeling hungry, order a side of khanom jeeb, dainty little steamed pork dumplings.

Still bewildered by this list of Bangkok’s top 50 street food stalls? Don’t know your satays from your moo krobs? Looking for a little a little guidance? Join our daily small-group chef-designed Bangkok food tour.