Tom yum goong is Thailand's iconic hot-and-sour river-prawn soup: lemongrass, galangal, kaffir lime leaves and Thai chillies in a clear or chilli-paste-thickened broth around a whole goong mae nam river prawn.
Where to eat it: 3 restaurants across 1 city.
Tom yum's modern Bangkok form dates to the early 20th century, when river prawns from the Chao Phraya and Mekong were ladled into spiced broths in fishing-village kitchens. The clear (nam sai) and creamy chilli-paste (nam khon) versions diverged in Bangkok by the 1960s. Pa Aor in Pom Prap Sattru Phai became the city's canonical tom yum noodle counter in the 2000s, earning a Michelin Bib Gourmand in 2018 for ladling river prawn into a hot-and-sour broth on rice noodles.
Common allergens: Shellfish (prawn), Fish sauce
Tip from the editors. Don't boil after adding the lime; the heat sharpens the citrus into bitter. Stir it in off the flame.
This is the TableJourney editorial recipe, modelled on the canonical bistro / counter version. The first place to try the dish in its city of origin is below.
Why locals love it: Bib Gourmand stall on a dead-end soi off Charoen Phon, locals only, where the tom yum noodle bowl was invented.
Tip: Cash only. Lunch only, 09:00 to 16:00, closed Sundays. The tom yum goong with whole river prawn is the canonical order.
Raan Jay Fai in Bangkok's Old Town is the Michelin-starred street stall where Supinya Junsuta in ski goggles cooks the city's most famous 800-baht crab omelet, since 2018.
Try: Crab omelet, drunken noodles, tom yum
Tip: Walk-in only with same-day queue numbers from 09:00. Closed Sundays, Mondays and Tuesdays. Cash only, dishes 800 to 1,200 baht.
Mit Ko Yuan in Bangkok's Sao Chingcha is the Bib Gourmand family Thai room from 1962, central-Thai stir-fries and seafood dishes opposite the Giant Swing monument.
Signature: Tom yum kung, Steamed crab, Pad pak rauam (mixed vegetables)
Order: Tom yum kung with whole river prawn and a side of stir-fried morning glory.
Tip: Cash only. Open 11:00 to 22:00 daily, the heritage building seats around 50 across two floors.
More cities are in research. Want tom yum goong covered somewhere specific? Tell us where you want to eat.