Huen Phen ★ 4.5
A 50-year Old City institution south of Wat Chedi Luang, serving a full Lanna spread by day and a candlelit antique-crammed dinner room by night.
OrderKhao soi, Nam prik ong, Gaeng hang lay
62 thai places in Chiang Mai we have eaten in, sorted by editor score. All cuisines in Chiang Mai | Thai across every city.
Northern Thai cooking is Chiang Mai's whole identity, and khao soi is the argument that never ends: Khao Soi Lamduan Fa Ham has drawn 70 years of queues on Charoenrat, Khao Soi Khun Yai works from a garage behind Wat Kuan Kama, and Khao Soi Islam ladles the beef version in the Ban Haw quarter for well under 100 baht. The Lanna institutions hold the Old City and beyond, from Huen Phen's antique-filled rooms south of Wat Chedi Luang to Tong Tem Toh's teak courtyard in Nimman and Huen Muan Jai's Bib Gourmand garden house. At the North Gate market, the Cowboy Hat Lady's braised pork leg over rice remains the classic 50-baht dinner, and Sai Ua Dam Rong coils its lemongrass sausage by weight at Warorot Market.
Huen Muan Jai ★ 4.6
A garden Lanna house and longtime Michelin Bib Gourmand, plating northern curries, herb sausage and smoky chili dips under its wooden garden pavilions.
OrderGaeng hang lay, Sai ua, Nam prik noom
Tong Tem Toh ★ 4.3
The teak-and-brick Nimman courtyard where students and tourists queue for a broad northern menu of herb sausage, chili dips and sticky rice.
OrderSai ua, Nam prik ong, Grilled pork neck
Kiti Panit ★ 4.4
A century-old Tha Phae shophouse restored into an elegant dining room, cooking heritage central and northern Thai recipes from the family archive.
OrderGaeng hang lay, Nam prik num, Massaman
The House by Ginger ★ 4.2
A colonial villa full of eclectic antiques and boutique shopping, where modern-plated Thai and northern dishes draw a design-minded Old City crowd.
OrderMassaman curry, Pomelo salad, Deep-fried sea bass
Aroon Rai ★ 3.9
One of the city's oldest northern kitchens on Kotchasan, an unfussy tin-roof room turning out cheap plates of hang lay and larb since the 1950s.
OrderGaeng hang lay, Larb khua, Fried frog
Magnolia Cafe ★ 4.4
Chef Noy's intimate Pa Tan dining room won a Michelin Bib Gourmand for personal, modern takes on northern Thai home cooking served by candlelight.
OrderPork ribs longan curry, Nam prik, Set menu
Redbox ★ 4.3
A tiny reservations-only room where chef Dan and Pimmada Kankulsuntorn cook a seasonal Thai menu with Bruneian and Malaysian notes from their own orchard.
OrderTasting menu, Orchard vegetables, Curries
Baan Landai Fine Thai Cuisine ★ 4.2
A relaxed Old City house near Wat Chedi Luang, Bib Gourmand listed for refined northern Thai plates and a strong vegetarian section on the menu.
OrderKhao soi, Northern set, Vegetarian Thai
Meena Rice Based Cuisine ★ 4.3
A rustic countryside retreat outside the city, Bib Gourmand famous for bright five-coloured rice from natural dyes with home-style northern dishes.
OrderFive-colour rice, Pork rib longan curry, Nam prik
Huan Soontaree ★ 4.1
Singer Soontaree Vechanont performs nightly at her open-air riverside Lanna house, a Bib Gourmand room pairing northern food with live Thai folk song.
OrderNorthern set, Grilled river fish, Nam prik
Ruen Tamarind ★ 4.0
The garden restaurant of the Tamarind Village hotel, a calm Old City courtyard under an old tamarind tree serving polished Thai and northern classics.
OrderKhao soi, Green curry, Khan tok set
The Riverside Bar & Restaurant ★ 3.9
A rambling Ping-side institution open since 1984, mixing Thai and Western plates with nightly live bands and a dinner boat that cruises the river.
OrderThai curries, Grilled fish, Western mains
The Good View ★ 3.8
The Riverside's louder neighbour on Charoenrat, a big riverfront deck with Thai, seafood and Western menus and live music that runs late every night.
OrderThai seafood, Grilled meats, Cocktails
Dash! Restaurant & Bar ★ 3.9
A teak house and leafy courtyard just inside the moat, a reliable Old City spot for northern Thai plates, cocktails and a quiet garden dinner.
OrderKhao soi, Slow-cooked pork, Cocktails
Ginger Farm Kitchen ★ 4.0
The One Nimman outpost of a Hang Dong working farm, cooking bright field-to-table Thai food with produce trucked in from its own rice paddies.
OrderFarm vegetables, Khao soi, Pork belly
Krua Phech Doi Ngam ★ 4.1
A Michelin-listed Lanna kitchen a short drive east of town where locals far outnumber tourists, cooking classic northern curries and chili dips.
OrderGaeng hang lay, Nam prik, Larb
Kaomao-Kaofang ★ 4.0
A jungle-fantasy garden restaurant in Hang Dong, all mossy rockwork and waterfalls, serving generous central and northern Thai plates among the greenery.
OrderThai curries, Grilled fish, Herbal salads
Khao Soi Khun Yai ★ 4.4
A garage khao soi counter behind Wat Kuan Kama that many locals rank the city's best, ladling a deep spicy curry broth until it sells out by early afternoon.
OrderKhao soi gai, Khao soi neua
Khao Soi Mae Sai ★ 4.3
A Bib Gourmand shophouse near the Ratchaphuek lane, pouring a classic coconut khao soi over egg noodles for 50 to 75 baht since long before Michelin arrived.
OrderKhao soi gai, Khao soi moo
Khao Soi Islam ★ 4.1
A halal Yunnanese-Muslim kitchen in the Ban Haw quarter serving the beef khao soi and roti that trace the dish to the traders who first brought it.
OrderBeef khao soi, Roti, Beef biryani
Khao Soi Lamduan Fa Ham ★ 4.3
A 70-year Fa Ham legend on Charoenrat, its creamy khao soi with tender beef drawing queues onto the pavement each morning before it sells out.
OrderKhao soi neua, Khao soi gai, Naem
SP Chicken ★ 4.2
A rotisserie-chicken shop near Wat Phra Singh whose charcoal-blistered gai yang and papaya salad make it the Old City's go-to for a cheap Isan-style lunch.
OrderGai yang, Som tam, Sticky rice
Cherng Doi Roast Chicken ★ 4.2
A student-packed Nimman corner famous for herb-marinated roast chicken and northern-Isan grilled plates, cheap, smoky and busy from the moment it opens.
OrderRoast chicken, Larb, Nam tok
Kao Soy Nimman ★ 4.1
A more polished, tourist-friendly take on khao soi off Nimman, all hanging lanterns and dark wood, serving generous coconut-curry noodle bowls all day.
OrderKhao soi gai, Khao soi neua
Kiat Ocha ★ 4.2
A packed Old City morning canteen famous for Hainanese chicken rice and charcoal pork satay, a classic khao man gai counter near the market.
OrderKhao man gai, Pork satay
Dan Chicken Rice ★ 4.1
A Bib Gourmand khao man gai shop on Old San Sai Road serving poached and fried chicken over fat-slicked rice with sharp ginger sauce, a cheap local lunch.
OrderBoiled chicken rice, Fried chicken rice
Suki Koka ★ 4.0
A long-running Thai suki stall by the Chang Phueak gate market, cooking noodles, egg and greens in a bubbling broth pot, a cheap late-night northern staple.
OrderThai suki, Grilled skewers
Khao Soi Mueang Klaeng ★ 4.0
A neighbourhood khao soi shop north of the moat pouring a classic coconut curry broth over egg noodles, a quiet local lunch away from the tourist counters.
OrderKhao soi gai, Khao soi neua
Mr Kai Khao Soi ★ 4.0
A tucked-away Old City khao soi counter down Phra Pok Klao Soi 13, a low-key local favourite ladling coconut curry noodles until the pot runs out.
OrderKhao soi gai, Khanom jeen
Khao Song Khao Soi ★ 3.9
A north-side khao soi shop in San Phi Suea drawing purely local crowds for its rich curry broth and crisp noodle crown, well off the usual visitor trail.
OrderKhao soi, Naem
Chez Khao Soi ★ 4.0
A creative modern khao soi cafe in the northern suburbs playing with the classic, from crab to slow-braised beef versions, a fun twist on the Chiang Mai icon.
OrderSignature khao soi, Fusion khao soi
Lert Ros ★ 4.1
A smoky Old City grill down a Ratchadamnoen lane, charring whole salt-crusted tilapia over drum barrels alongside fiery Isan larb and papaya salad.
OrderGrilled tilapia, Larb, Som tam
Laab Lung Noi ★ 4.2
A famed northern larb specialist behind the university, mincing pork and offal into rich, herby, blood-seasoned larb khua that draws devoted local queues.
OrderLarb khua, Northern sausage, Aep
Khao Soi Mae Manee ★ 4.0
A local khao soi kitchen off Chotana Road prized for a thick, creamy coconut broth and homemade curry paste, worth the short drive north for the real thing.
OrderKhao soi gai, Khao soi kraduk
Le Grand Lanna ★ 4.4
The showcase Lanna restaurant of the Dhara Dhevi resort, a teak nobleman's house serving refined northern Thai dishes amid antique carvings and gardens.
Khao ★ 4.4
The Four Seasons resort's Thai room north of the city, plating elegant northern and central curries over paddy-field views for a special-occasion dinner.
Rasik Local Kitchen ★ 4.4
A wood-toned contemporary Thai room on Sridonchai Road, a Bib Gourmand kitchen serving seasonal set menus across a handful of intimate seatings each night.
Khao Kha Moo Chang Phueak (Cowboy Hat Lady) ★ 4.4
The Cowboy Hat Lady's stall at the Chang Phueak gate ladles fall-apart braised pork leg over rice with a soft egg, a Bourdain-blessed 60-baht dinner.
OrderKhao kha moo (braised pork leg)
Sai Ua Dam Rong ★ 4.3
The famous Warorot Market sausage stall, coiling lemongrass-and-herb sai ua sold by weight alongside pork rinds and chili dips, the benchmark for the dish.
OrderSai ua (northern herb sausage)
Kanomjeen Sanpakoi ★ 4.2
A Bib Gourmand khanom jeen counter in Thongkham Market, ladling northern nam ngiao and nam lo curry sauces over fresh rice vermicelli with unlimited herbs.
OrderKhanom jeen nam ngiao
Guay Jub Chang Moi Tat Mai ★ 4.1
A Bib Gourmand noodle stall near Warorot ladling peppery Chinese-style guay jub, rolled rice noodles in a dark broth with crisp pork, gone by mid-afternoon.
OrderGuay jub (rolled rice noodle soup)
The Riverside Bar & Restaurant ★ 3.9
The Ping-side institution runs its kitchen and live bands until 01:00, a reliable late option for Thai plates and a riverside beer after kitchens shut.
OrderThai curries and grills
The Good View ★ 3.8
Next door to the Riverside, the Good View keeps grills and cocktails going past midnight with nightly bands, a busy late-night riverfront stop on Charoenrat.
OrderThai seafood and grills
Khao Kha Moo Chang Phueak (Cowboy Hat Lady) ★ 4.4
The Cowboy Hat Lady's braised pork-leg stall runs to midnight at the North Gate market, among the best cheap late dinners in Chiang Mai when kitchens close.
OrderKhao kha moo
Khao Soi Arak ★ 4.2
TipCome before 13:00 on a weekday and add the extra chicken; the broth runs out early and it is closed on Sundays.
Khao Soi Lung Prakit Kad Kom ★ 4.4
TipIt sits inside Kad Kom market south of the moat; go mid-morning and pair the khao soi with a plate of naem crispy-rice.
Pakorn's Kitchen ★ 4.3
TipOrder the award massaman and the pomelo salad; it is small, so booking ahead on a weekend evening is wise.
Khao Soi Wulai ★ 4.0
TipIt is a lunch-only spot; arrive before 14:00 and expect to share one of just a few tables with the neighbourhood regulars.
Krua Phech Doi Ngam ★ 4.1
TipYou will need a taxi or scooter to reach it; go for the gaeng hang lay and the nam prik platter with sticky rice.
Kanomjeen Sanpakoi ★ 4.2
TipGet there before 11:00 while the sauces are fresh; point at the nam ngiao pot and add a plate of fresh herbs and crispy pork skin.
Meena Rice Based Cuisine ★ 4.3
TipIt is a 30-minute drive toward San Kamphaeng; go for lunch, order the pork rib longan curry and the butterfly-pea blue rice.
Guay Jub Chang Moi Tat Mai ★ 4.1
TipIt runs late afternoon into the evening near Chang Moi; order the guay jub with extra crispy pork belly and a side of fried wontons.
Khao Kha Moo Chang Phueak (Cowboy Hat Lady) ★ 4.4
The Cowboy Hat Lady's braised pork leg over rice at the North Gate market is the classic 50-baht Chiang Mai dinner, soft, sweet and reliably packed.
OrderKhao kha moo over rice
SP Chicken ★ 4.2
Charcoal gai yang, papaya salad and sticky rice near Wat Phra Singh make SP Chicken one of the Old City's best-value Isan-style lunches under 150 baht.
OrderGrilled chicken and som tam
Khao Soi Mae Sai ★ 4.3
A Bib Gourmand bowl of coconut khao soi for 50 to 75 baht near the Ratchaphuek lane, proof the city's best noodles cost less than a coffee in Nimman.
OrderKhao soi
Khao Soi Islam ★ 4.1
Beef khao soi, roti and biryani for well under 100 baht in the Ban Haw quarter, a cheap, filling window into the dish's Yunnanese-Muslim origins.
OrderBeef khao soi and roti
Aroon Rai ★ 3.9
One of the oldest northern kitchens in the Old City keeps most plates under 100 baht, a no-frills, decades-deep option for hang lay and larb on a budget.
OrderNorthern curries and rice
Guay Jub Chang Moi Tat Mai ★ 4.1
A Bib Gourmand bowl of peppery rolled-noodle guay jub near Warorot for 40 to 60 baht, one of the best cheap midday feeds anywhere in the old town.
OrderGuay jub noodle soup
Cherng Doi Roast Chicken ★ 4.2
Herb-roasted chicken and Isan grills at student prices off Nimman, where a smoky half-chicken with sticky rice and som tam lands well under 200 baht.
OrderRoast chicken and larb
Kiat Ocha ★ 4.2
A packed Old City morning canteen famous for Hainanese chicken rice and charcoal pork satay, a classic khao man gai counter near the market.
OrderKhao man gai and pork satay
Dan Chicken Rice ★ 4.1
A Bib Gourmand khao man gai shop on Old San Sai Road northeast of the city, poaching chicken over fat-cooked rice for about 45 baht until the pot runs dry.
OrderChicken rice
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