Best Street Food in Bangkok: 13 Must-Try Stalls to Visit Before You Die

Street Food in Bangkok

Why is street food popular in Bangkok?

Bangkok has a plethora of incredible fine dining options. But sometimes, all you need is a simple meal. And street food provides all that, which is why it is so popular. Besides, you will not find a better way to savour the authentic flavours of Thailand. Are you ready to dig in?

What are some famous street food dishes?

It depends on the region, although you can get everything in Bangkok. Some must-eat dishes include som tam (a spicy papaya salad mixed with fish sauce and chillies), moo ping (grilled pork skewers usually sold with sticky rice), and guay teow (any noodle soup that goes with chicken, pork, or beef stock, as well as rice or egg noodles).

Is it safe to eat street food in Bangkok?

Absolutely. But as always, safety comes first. You do not have to be ultra-cautious but if you want to play it safe, go to stalls that cook your dishes right in front of you as you order.

Bangkok 2023 Street Food Guide:

Netflix Street Food: Asia rightly featured Bangkok in one of its episodes. It is, after all, a haven for food lovers. But it may as well have created an entirely new series just for the culinary capital of Thailand. The city of Bangkok itself has over 500,000 street vendors, many of them from the old-school, whipping up treasured recipes passed down for generations.

And remember the uproar in 2018 over the “ban” of street food in Bangkok? Well, street food is still everywhere. Thank goodness for that.

If you are new to the city and have absolutely no idea where to start, here are some of the best Bangkok street food stalls you need to try before you die:

Jay Fai

Image source

With her iconic oversized goggles, you would not miss Jay Fai even if you tried. A true legend of the street food scene (and Michelin-starred to boot), come here for mouth-watering servings of her massive crab omelette, stuffed with succulent chunks of the crustacean. That’s not all you can try here. Go for the drunken noodles (stir-fried seafood noodles) and the yellow curry with crab.

Charoen Saeng Silom

Image source

Silom, Bangkok’s equivalent of Wall Street, is packed with upscale, fancy restaurants. But one of the best eats is at Charoen Saeng Silom, a hole-in-the-wall stall serving soft, gelatinous and incredibly delicious piping hot bowls of steamed pork legs in soup. Pair it with rice for the ultimate satisfaction.

Ann Guay Tiew Kua Gai

Image source

An ideal meal to start chowing down on in Bangkok would be with a bowl of eggy fried noodles. And the perfect place for just that is Ann Guay Tiew Kua Gai, where noodles get cooked the traditional way – in a wok over a blistering charcoal fire. You can choose fried eggs or the runny version depending on your preferences. Or you can always play it safe and get both.

Roong Rueng

Image source

Roong Rueng is unpretentious street food at its best. Scoot over to this Michelin-recommended stall for divine tom yam (a hot and sour soup, usually shrimp-based). The fun part about eating here is choosing your type of noodle. You can pick from wide white noodles, egg noodles, glass noodles, and more. Plus, it is convenient to get here. Just head on over to Phrom Phong BTS Station.

Heng Hoi Tod Chaw Lae

Originally from Phuket, Heng Hoi Tod Chaw Lae specialises in a dish called hoi tod, a southern Thai dish consisting of stir-fried oysters on a pancake (you can find similar versions in Singapore and Malaysia). Go for their special: the seafood cheese tod – a crispy pancake with shrimp, oysters, mussels, and crab sticks with cheese and devilishly spicy red sauce.

Wattana Panich

Image source

Did you know Bangkok has a giant pot of beef broth simmering for 40 years straight? Yes, you read that right. A mighty impressive timeframe. The result? A pleasantly overpowering smell of aromatic Chinese herbs and spices and a delectable bowl of soup (probably the oldest in the city) with different cuts of beef. The stall has no recipe. Only pure, beefy goodness added on, day after day.

Sae Phun

For more stew action, head to Sae Phun for a heartwarming bowl of chicken stew. This place is as old school as it gets, having been on the same locale at Mahannop Road for over 80 years. Like any street food stall worth its salt, the recipe is the same as always – tender chicken, rice, fried egg, and Chinese sausage – comfort food at its pinnacle.

Chakki

Image source

You know a place is legit when it is menu-less. Chakki is one such establishment. The same family has run the stall for over 30 years, and this Michelin Bib Gourmand-awarded spot is known for its fried noodles and pork cooked in delectable gravy. You might want to head early here, though. Chakki regularly sells out fast, and they close once everything is gone.

Jok’s Kitchen

Image source

Thai-Chinese cuisine is always something to look forward to, especially at Jok’s Kitchen, a tiny, charming three-table eatery hidden in Yaowarat, Bangkok’s Chinatown. At this cash-only spot, reservations are a must, sometimes months in advance. As for the food, expect hearty renditions of insanely delicious Chinese fare, like crab claws, abalone, grouper and plum soup, and Cantonese wontons.

Pad Thai Nana

Image source

Pad Thai is everywhere in Thailand. And we mean everywhere. While the capital has more than its fair share of excellent Pad Thai joints, the best spot to get your fix of Thailand’s national noodle dish is Pad Thai Nana. Run by two sisters, eat this stir-fried rice noodle dish at this grungy establishment conveniently located near the famous Khao San Road.

Mae Varee

Image source

Everyone loves mango sticky rice. One of the best spots in the city to hit up for this incredibly addictive dessert is the famed Mae Varee in Thonglor. As the shop is take-away only, you might want to scout for an eating location to devour this addictive dessert in peace. Don’t wait too long, though. The best time to enjoy mango sticky rice is when the rice is still warm and the mangoes are fresh.

Jok Khlong San

Image source

Porridge gets a bad rep for being sick people’s food. The best way to shatter this stereotype is to head on over to Jok Khlong San, a shop that serves Thai congee, a much denser alternative to the Cantonese version. Think hearty bowls of rice porridge with pork balls and assorted eggs. The shop is only open from 4pm to 11pm, so don’t expect to come here for brekkie.

Jeh O Chula

Image source

Mama Noodles Tom Yum is an institution of cup noodles, right up there with your Nissin’s and Indomie’s. But to have the best instant noodle dish you’ll probably have in your life, drop by the late-night eatery of Jeh O Chula. Your comfort food cravings will be settled, with plastic stools and aluminum tables as your throne and a mega-sized pot of tom yum noodles with meatballs, pork, squid, and prawn as your banquet.

Other exciting ways you can experience Bangkok’s street food scene:

Travel to Bangkok’s best street food stalls by tuk-tuk

There are two non-negotiables when visiting Bangkok – eating street food and riding a tuk-tuk. You can do both with an after-dark street food tour that will take you to some of the city’s best stalls once night falls. Zip through traffic and stop at famous shops to try fishball egg noodles at Lim Lao Now, fried dough sticks at Yaorawat’s Pa Tong Go Savoey, and of course, the queen of Thailand’s street food scene, the acclaimed Jay Fai – the only Thai street food stall with a Michelin star.

Visit Amphawa Floating Market conveniently with a private car hire

Fascinated by Bangkok’s bustling floating markets? Then make a beeline straight for Amphawa, where you can hop on a long-tail boat ride along the Mae Klong River, observing local life along the riverbanks and visiting nearby temples while sampling street food. Make your journey a convenient one by hiring a private car, so you can save your energy for what matters – some retail therapy!

Learn how to cook like a true Bangkokian

Have you ever felt like there are so many things to see and do (and eat) but so little time? Well, perhaps it’s worth learning a little cooking skills so that you can bring your foodie experience from Bangkok to your home. Join an authentic cooking class where you’ll properly learn how to use local ingredients so that you can master the basics and impress your guests the next time you hold a house party.

Visit the iconic Damnoen Saduak Floating Market

One of the most popular markets, not just in Bangkok but in Thailand, the legendary Damnoen Saduak Floating Market is famed for its winding canals and vibrant flavours. Visiting the market makes for a great day trip from the capital, and is a superb way to immerse yourself in Bangkok’s culinary culture. Don’t forget to hop on a paddle-boat ride around the market!