What street food to eat in Thailand? — 15+ must-try & best street food in Thailand and Bangkok

Thai dishes have always made a remarkable impression on visitors around the world by the unique fusion of Oriental cuisines. Spicy, sour, and sweet flavors are typical of Thai culinary art. So, what street food to eat in Bangkok and in Thailand? Let’s check out our top rated 15+ best street food in Thailand and most famous street food in Thailand, must eat street food in Thailand, must try street food in Thailand in general and most famous street food in Bangkok, must eat street food in Bangkok, must try street food in Bangkok, popular street food in Bangkok in particular!

Now, let’s explore the top must-try street foods in the land of golden temples!

Pad Thai (# what street food to eat in bangkok)

Pad Thai is a shortened name for Thai stir-fried noodles with a very special taste characterized by Thai culinary style. Ingredients include vermicelli or Thai-style noodles, bean sprouts, tofu, eggs, and spices. Adding a small piece of lemon and chili on top to create a savory hot sour taste.

The noodles are blanched in hot water until soft and then drained. Thinly sliced pork and peeled shrimp are thoroughly marinated with fish sauce, salt, sugar, and ground pepper. Put sour tamarind into hot water, then remove the fruit to get the remaining juice. Tofu is cut into small pieces. Put oil in a pan, add finely chopped onions, garlic, and peppers, then fry until scented. After that, add meat, shrimp, and tofu and stir-fry all of them. Upon setting aside the stir-fried mix, fry eggs until golden brown and cut them into small pieces.

Stir-fry onions and garlic, put in noodles and a mixture of meat, shrimp, and tofu together, and add tamarind juice, fish sauce, and sugar to cook until almost done. Then add bean sprouts, chopped chives, and chili. Scoop out onto a plate and place crushed roasted peanuts on top. Now, you’ll have a dish of delicious Pad Thai with a spicy, sweet, and sour taste.

Estimate budget: About 70 – 210 baht (USD 2.03 – 6.08)

Recommendations:

• Thipsamai: 313 315 Maha Chai Rd, Samran Rat, Phra Nakhon, Bangkok 10200, Thailand
• Tamnak Isan Ekkama: 86/1 Sukhumvit Road Prakhanong Nue, Watthana, Bangkok 10110, Thailand
• Nara Restaurant: 991 Rama I Rd, Pathum Wan, Bangkok 10330, Thailand

Tom Yum Kung (# best street food in thailand)

This famous soup ranks 7th in the list of spicy “tongue-splitting” dishes in the land of golden pagodas, thanks to fried chili as the main ingredient for the dish. The red-orange color of the soup has kind of shown its level of spiciness. Try this spicy dish to see if it suits your taste!

Estimate budget: About 100 – 220 baht (USD 2.90 – 6.37)

Recommendations:

• SN Bar & Kitchen: Soi Ekamai 10 Khlong Tan Nuea, Wattana, Verng Boran, Bangkok 10110, Thailand
• Salathip Thai Restaurant: Level 1 Shangri-La Bangkok 89 Wat Suan Phlu Alley, Bang Rak, Bangkok 10500, Thailand

Tom Kha Kai (# best street food in bangkok)

Tom Kha Kai – a very typical Thai dish with a combination of the sweet and sour flavors of Thai cuisine – has a sweeter taste but is no less hot and spicy. The ingredients include coconut milk, chili, galangal, onion, lemongrass, and chicken breast.

Tom Kha Kai is served as a hot soup on the side in the daily meals of Thai families. A cup of steamy rice, hot soup with fresh lemon fragrant, the rich sweetness of coconut water, and chewy slices of chicken will make many visitors fully satisfied.

Estimate budget: 70 – 100 baht ( USD 2.03 – 2.90)

Recommendations:

• Chinatown: 148 Maha Chak Rd, Chakkrawat, Samphanthawong, Bangkok 10100, Thailand
• Pattaya night markets: Pattaya City, Bang Lamung District, Chon Buri Province, Thailand

Som Tam (# top street food in bangkok)

Thai papaya salad called Som Tam or Som Tum is a popular Thai street food, with the characteristic sweet and sour taste of the salad and the pungent scent, typical of most Thai dishes.

Som Tam is affordable, easy to prepare, and no cooking required. Som Tam’s processing time only takes about 15 – 30 minutes. The main ingredient is grated green papaya. Sometimes people also replace it with mango, carrot, grapefruit, green banana, or cucumber. The flavors of Som Tam are sour (lemon), spicy (chili), and salty (sauce).

It’s very easy to find and enjoy Som Tam in Thailand. In Bangkok, you can visit night markets, floating markets, restaurants, or even food courts in commercial centers. Sometimes walking down the street and passing through the alleys, you can also see roadside eateries selling this dish and many other attractive street foods of Thailand.

Estimate budget: About 70 – 145 baht (USD 2.03 – 4.20)

Recommendations:

• Somtamnua: 392, 12-14 Rama I Rd, Khwaeng Pathum Wan, Pathum Wan, Bangkok 10330, Thailand
• Baan Somtum Sathorn: 9/1 Pramuan Rd, Silom, Bang Rak, Bangkok 10500, Thailand
• Bang Khun Non Subdistrict: Bangkok Noi, Bangkok Metropolitan Area

Red and green curry (# must eat street food in bangkok)

Thai cuisine has four basic types of curries: red curry, green curry, Penang curry, and Massaman curry. Red curry is the most popular, which uses a lot of coconut milk and is especially spicy. Panang curry is sweet, not as spicy as red curry. Massaman is an original curry dish of the South and the coastal areas.

The dish is a delicate combination of cardamom and cinnamon. Popular during the holidays is green curry. With the protein containing beef, chicken, and duck marinated in curry, the dish is moderately spicy, enough as a highlight to crave. The curry has a thick texture and mild aroma of coconut milk with lots of vegetables and spices. The variety of ingredients makes the curry strange to taste but full of charm.

Estimate budget: 50 – 210 baht (USD 1.45 – 6.08)

Recommendations:

• The House of Smooth Curry: 3rd floor, The Athenee Hotel Bangkok, 61 Wireless Rd, Lumphini, Pathum Wan, Bangkok 10330, Thailand
• May Kaidee: 59 Ratchadamnoen Avenue, Talat Yot, Phra Nakhon, Bangkok 10200, Thailand

Moo Ping skewer (# most famous street food in bangkok)

Moo Ping skewer is one of the famous and low-priced street foods in Thailand. The spices that make up the dish include pepper, jaggery, garlic, fish sauce, and satay. Besides, the indispensable ingredient is coconut milk. It is thanks to coconut milk that this street food brings a rich, flavorful, and attractive taste.

Moo Ping can be served with a pack of sticky rice. Hold a grilled skewer in hand, which is still hot and fragrant, and dip part of it into the sauce or add some hot sauce on top. Take a bite with a piece of sticky rice. The taste is indescribable!

Estimate budget: About 30 – 50 baht (USD 0.87 – 1.45)

Recommendations:

• Moo Ping Jae Vaas: Soi Na Thong, Prachasongkroh Rd, Bangkok 10400, Thailand
• Moo Ping Hea Aoun: 76 Si Lom, Silom, Khet Bang Rak, Bangkok 10500, Thailand

Coconut ice cream (# must try street food in bangkok)

In the middle of Chatuchak Weekend Market with many shops selling coconut ice cream, you can effortlessly find a very large ice cream shop with green umbrellas and coconut shells hanging around. This ice cream shop is easy to find because it is always super crowded.

After seeing your friendly smile and nod, the shopkeeper gently splits the coconut. The first thing is to drain all the water, then scrape the coconut flesh on one half of the fruit to use as an ice cream cup. The rest will be covered with soft and rich coconut ice cream made from coconut milk, then garnished with fresh copra, peanuts, jaggery, jelly, baby corn, or shredded pumpkin.

This ice cream will help you dispel the sweltering heat of Bangkok. For only 35 baht (a dollar) you already have a large, rich, and tasty coconut ice cream with a cup of authentic Siamese coconut water.

Estimate budget: 30 – 60 baht (USD 0.87 – 1.74)

Recommendations:

• Chatuchak Weekend Market: 587, 10 Kamphaeng Phet 2 Rd, Khwaeng Chatuchak, Chatuchak, Bangkok 10900, Thailand
• Lumphini Park: 192 Witthayu Rd, Lumphini, Pathum Wan, Bangkok 10330, Thailand

Fried rice (Khao pad poo) (# best street food in bangkok)

Khao Pad is a Thai crab fried rice dish. Although the ingredients are quite similar to that of Phu Quoc Island’s crab rice, it has a much more special flavor because of the addition of seasonings such as garlic cloves and a lot of chilies.

The way to make Thai fried rice is also quite sophisticated. First, fresh crabs are steamed or boiled, then separate the shells and each fiber of the crab meat. The rice is cooked and removed from the cooker to reduce heat. Heat oil in a pan, add garlic cloves, crab meat, and chicken eggs, then stir fry until eggs are cooked. Add rice and stir fry together with chili, fish sauce, sugar, and soy sauce until the rice grains are tough enough. Turn off the stove, serve on a plate, and add some onions and herbs on top.

Estimate budget: About 50 – 150 baht (USD 1.45 – 4.35)

Recommendations:

• Streats Bar & Bistro Khaosan: 42 Rambuttri Road Banglampu, Taladyod, Phanakorn, Bangkok 10200, Thailand
• Thipsamai: 313 315 Maha Chai Rd, Samran Rat, Phra Nakhon, Bangkok 10200, Thailand

Mango sticky rice

For Thai people, mango sticky rice is considered a snack that is both familiar and characteristic of the country. Saying mango sticky rice is ‘characteristic’ because it is made entirely from famous ingredients of the golden pagoda country such as glutinous rice, mango, and coconut.

Sticky rice grains are shiny and transparent, sprinkled with rich and fragrant coconut milk, and placed next to a few slices of yellow mango. It is overall creating a dish that is both enjoyable and addictive. Mango sticky rice is perfect for those who have a sweet tooth, or simply for those who crave a dessert that can help fill their appetite.

Estimate budget: 40 – 110 baht (USD 1.16 – 3.19)

Recommendations:

• Ban Khun Mae Restaurant: 444 Floor 2, MBK Center, Phaya Thai Rd, Wang Mai, Pathum Wan, Bangkok 10330, Thailand
• Chatuchak Weekend Market: 587, 10 Kamphaeng Phet 2 Rd, Khwaeng Chatuchak, Chatuchak, Bangkok 10900, Thailand

Durian Sticky Rice

This is a popular dish in the land of golden pagodas, consisting of white sticky rice, coconut milk, durian, and shelled green beans. Durian meat is separated, then boiled with coconut milk and sugar until it forms a thick paste. Then, the seller will sprinkle this delicious and fragrant mixture on the cooked white sticky rice, topped with shredded coconut and green beans.

Estimate budget: 50 – 130 baht (USD 1.45 – 3.77)

Recommendations:

• Ban Khun Mae Restaurant: 444 Floor 2, MBK Center, Phaya Thai Rd, Wang Mai, Pathum Wan, Bangkok 10330, Thailand
• Chatuchak Weekend Market: 587, 10 Kamphaeng Phet 2 Rd, Khwaeng Chatuchak, Chatuchak, Bangkok 10900, Thailand

Thai grilled seafood

Everyone knows that Thailand is also famous for fresh seafood. On chilly days, visitors can enjoy grilled seafood skewers such as squid, chili octopus, and grilled shrimp. Grilled seafood dishes in Thailand are marinated with a unique recipe that blends the pungent taste of chili and the sweetness of seafood to make a strong impression on visitors.

Estimate budget: From 45 baht (USD 1.30)

Recommendations:

• Chatuchak Weekend Market: 587, 10 Kamphaeng Phet 2 Rd, Khwaeng Chatuchak, Chatuchak, Bangkok 10900, Thailand
• Chinatown: Khwaeng Samphanthawong, Khet Samphanthawong, Bangkok 10100, Thailand

Khao Soi

Enjoying Khao Soi is one of the most concrete proofs that you are in Thailand. The dish is a unique variation of fresh noodles with crispy fried noodles mixed with rich curry sauce.

This dish is served with chicken or beef; then alter other ingredients for tastes like chili sauce, fermented cabbage, lemon, and chives. It would be great to have a cup of gotu kola juice after enjoying a spicy dish like Khao Soi.

Estimate budget: About 35 – 65 baht (USD 1.00 – 1.88)

Recommendations:

• Took Lae Dee: PHM6+396, Soi Sukhumvit 16, Khlong Toei, Bangkok 10110, Thailand
• Zong Pet Paloe: 11/58 Soi Lat Phrao, Wang Hin, Bangkok 10230, Thailand

Thai crepe

The first thing that makes Thai crepe different is its crispiness, which melts right in the mouth with a very unique flavor, unlike European-style crepes. The filling contains meringue (egg whites beaten with sugar) and minced egg yolks. Then, it will be wrapped and toasted.

Crispy and filled with great flavor, once you have a delicious Thai crepe, you’ll crave it many more times in the land of the golden pagodas.

Estimate budget: About 20 – 45 baht (USD 0.58 – 1.30)

Recommendations:

• Chatuchak Weekend Market: 587, 10 Kamphaeng Phet 2 Rd, Khwaeng Chatuchak, Chatuchak, Bangkok 10900, Thailand
• Chinatown: Khwaeng Samphanthawong, Khet Samphanthawong, Bangkok 10100, Thailand

Luk chup (# must try street food in bangkok)

One of the most popular sweets in Thailand is the colorful Luk chup. Luk chup cake originated in Portugal. The attraction of this dish is that it is shaped like miniature fruits and vegetables such as mango, chili, mangosteen, strawberry, mini watermelon, orange slices, and so on. Then, the cake is coated with artificial colors to make it more vivid. The sweet serve is made from green beans mixed with sugar and coconut water.

Estimate budget: About 30 – 60 baht (USD 0.87 – 1.74)

Recommendations:

• Chatuchak Weekend Market: 587, 10 Kamphaeng Phet 2 Rd, Khwaeng Chatuchak, Chatuchak, Bangkok 10900, Thailand

Khanom Krok

Khanom Krok is a dish that you can easily find on trolleys along the alleys or at Thai markets. This street food is made from flour and coconut milk mixed in a special ratio, then put into small molds and cooked on a charcoal stove. When done, the cook will sprinkle little chives, sweet corn, and green onions for an eye-catching presentation, while increasing the aroma and reducing the richness of coconut milk.

Estimate budget: About 30 – 60 baht (USD 0.87 – 1.74)

Recommendations:

• Chatuchak Weekend Market: 587, 10 Kamphaeng Phet 2 Rd, Khwaeng Chatuchak, Chatuchak, Bangkok 10900, Thailand
• Other local markets

The top delicious street foods that we introduced above are all Thai culinary specialties. Make your trip complete with these unforgettable flavors!

Some best day tours, trips, activities and transfer services, tickets in, to and from Bangkok you can refer to

• Bangkok City & Temples Tour by Tour East
• Classic Bangkok Tour: Floating Market, Elephant Village, Asiatique, & More by AK Travel
• Bangkok Old City Half Day Tour
• Bangkok Landmarks Day Tour: Grand Palace, Wat Pho, Chao Phraya River & More
• Bangkok Sky Train (BTS) One Day Pass
• Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport Rail Link (ARL) Ticket
• [Sale] Private Suvarnabhumi Airport Transfers (BKK) for Bangkok, Pattaya & More by Oriental Holiday
• Shared City Transfers between Bangkok and Pattaya by Oriental Holiday
• Private City Transfers from Pattaya to Bangkok, Hua Hin, Koh Samet & Koh Chang
• [SALE] BTS Skytrain Rabbit Card
• Chao Phraya Tourist Boat Bangkok Hop-On-Hop-Off Sightseeing Boat
• [SALE] Chao Phraya Princess Cruise
• Floating Markets Day Tour: Damnoen Saduak, Maeklong and Amphawa
• Safari World Bangkok Ticket
• Klook Pass Bangkok and Pattaya
• Bangkok Safari World Shared and Private Transfers Service Tour
• Bangkok BTS Skytrain Rabbit Card
• Mahanakhon SkyWalk Ticket in Bangkok
• Chao Phraya White Orchid Cruise in Bangkok
• Ancient City Bangkok and Erawan Museum Ticket
• Spa & Massage near Let’s Relax (Central World) in Chidlom
• Private City Transfers between Bangkok and Pattaya, Ayutthaya, Hua Hin & More by TTD
• Bangkok Day Tour: Wat Pho, Wat Arun, Grand Palace and Emerald Buddha
• [SALE] 4G Sim Card (Thailand Pick Up) for Thailand
• 4G SIM Card (BKK Airport Pick Up) for Thailand (Unlimited Data)
• 4G Pocket WiFi (Bangkok and Phuket Airports Pick Up) for Thailand
• 4G Portable WiFi for Thailand from Uroaming (Unlimited Data)

Are you finding more Thailand travel guide: Tours, activities, attractions and other things? Let’s check it out our Thailand blog — The fullest Thailand travel guide for a budget trip to Thailand for the first-timers. and Bangkok Pattaya itinerary 5 days — The fullest guide for a budget trip on how to spend 5 days in Thailand perfectly.