Bangkok is a mecca of street food, alongside Singapore. After all, the first Michelin star for street food was awarded to a Bangkok stall in 2016. Due to its popularity, Bangkok has many must-try street food options, so we’ve compiled a list of the best street food in Bangkok 2023.
Bangkok Travel 2023
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As of 2023, you do not require proof of Covid testing, vaccination, or recovery to enter Thailand. Only health insurance with US$10,000 coverage is required if the onward or return country requires a PCR test for entry.
Best Street Food in Bangkok 2023
Before we start, here’s some important vocabulary to know before ordering your dishes. These words come up a lot and it’ll be helpful for anyone ordering.
- Khao = rice
- Spicy = pet
- Pad = fried
- Sen = noodle
- Gai = chicken
- Moo = pork
- Neua wua = Beef
- Aroy = delicious!
We added aroy in because you’ll definitely compliment the chefs at every one of our must-try street foods in Bangkok in this list. Starting with the street food that’s on everyone’s bucket list:
1. Jay Fai
Michelin stars are awarded annually, and Jay Fai has retained its star in the 2023 Michelin Guide, a testament to the continued quality of its offerings despite its increasing popularity.
The procedure for getting a table at Jay Fai has changed multiple times from 2020 to 2023 but their Instagram page will always have the latest details. At the time of writing, they are open 9am – 7.30pm on Wednesday to Saturday and are available for Walk-ins only, so no booking in advance.
In case you’re wondering what you need to order besides the signature Crab Omelette, Michelin themselves recommend the Drunken Noodle or phad kee mao talay, flat rice noodle stir-fry with a hot and spicy sauce; tom yum soup, and crab yellow curry, poo phad phong karee, that is filled with crab meat in a fragrant creamy yellow curry sauce.
Address: 327 Maha Chai Rd, Samran Rat, Phra Nakhon, Bangkok 10200, Thailand (Google Maps)
2. Khanom Bueang Wan Phueng Noi (Chok chai 4)
Khanom Beuang Wan Phueng Noi, located at Chok Chai 4 Road, sells Thai crepes with coconut cream, sweet egg floss, and young coconut slices.
The crispy treats received a Bib Gourmand from the Michelin Guide and have since become wildly popular among foodies worldwide. As a result, waiting times are upwards of one hour, and one TikTok video claims that it took customers one and a half hours to get their order.
It is open daily from 6.30pm to 10pm and is closed on Monday.
Address: Chok Chai 4, Lat Phrao, BKK (Google Maps)
3. Ung Jia Huad
Ung Jia Huad, located down the road from the infamous Soi Cowboy, serves the classic pad kra pao, a stir-fried dish with holy basil as the main ingredient.
Pad kra pao is a staple of Thai cuisine, and Ung Jia Huad has been selling this dish for nearly 50 years. Despite its online fame, the shop remains a local favorite, and you’re unlikely to find it overrun with tourists. You can order pad kra pao with chicken or pork, sliced or minced, and each dish comes with a fried egg on top. The shop is open Monday to Friday from 10am to 4pm.
Address: Ung Jia Huad, Khlong Toei Nuea, Watthana, Bangkok 10110 (Google Maps)
4. Talay Tord Saladaeng
From the outside, Talay Tord Saladaeng looks like an unassuming cart selling fried food. The cart, located in Silom, one of Bangkok’s most popular CBD areas, is actually one of the most popular haunts for locals looking for yummy snacks.
They specialise in only three fried items: fried crab, prawns, and squid, served with a spicy and sweet dip. To order, choose from three different options, small, medium, and large, and you can choose to either mix the seafood or any combination of them.
You’ll find a line here almost all the time, but as there’s not much preparation for each food serving, the queues move briskly enough, so don’t give up if you see a long line!
Don’t be afraid to dip your deep-fried goodies in the chilli-based sauce as it’s mixed with pineapple sauce which gives it a refreshing tropical feel. It’s not common for sauces to be pineapple-based in Thailand so it’s another interesting aspect of this stall.
They’re open Tuesday to Friday, 3.30PM to 10PM and Saturday and Sunday, 11.40AM to 10PM. They’re closed on Mondays.
Address: Soi Saladaeng Corner, Silom, Bang Rak, Bangkok 10500 (Google Maps)
5. Jok Prince
Jok, a Thai rice porridge dish, tastes and looks surprisingly similar to traditional Cantonese rice porridge.
If you’re looking for a warm and comforting meal, the Bib Gourmand-winning restaurant, Jok Prince serves the best. Served with pork balls and topped with egg, the smooth and silky meal can be found near lebua at State Tower luxury hotel.
People who have tried it extol its smoky flavour that is traditionally achieved through cooking with a charcoal fire. All of the porridge is made with pork as the base and can be customised with offals and different types of eggs.
Notably, famed writer and chef, Anthony Bourdain also dined here for his TV show, No Reservations. They’re open every day with breaks after lunch hour.
Address: 1391 Charoenkrung Rd, Silom, Bangrak, Bangkok 10500 (Google Maps)
6. Heng Hoi Tod Chaw Lae
Hoi Tod is stir fried oysters or mussels omelette that originated in Phuket but is widely enjoyed in Bangkok as a crispy and savoury dish.
Hoi Tod is sometimes referred to as a pancake as well because of the batter that is used when frying the oysters. It’s often topped with an egg as well which makes it an omelette, pancake hybrid.
What’s clear, however, is that Hen Hoi Tod Chaw Lae is a crowd favourite in Bangkok. Order the traditional Hoi Tod with crispy seafood or Oluo that separates the crispy bits from the soft and chewy seafood.
Unlike most of the establishments in this list, Heng Hoi Tod Chaw Lae has a modern restaurant that’s pretty comfortable. Its owner, Cake, is the second generation owner and the restaurant has been operating for over 40 years.
The Phuket location was sadly closed down due to the tsunami that struck the coast in 2004 and the family moved the business to Bangkok. They have seven branches currently and you can find all of them on their Instagram page: henghoitod
7. Mae Klong Noodle & Leng Saap
One of the more recent recommendations is Mae Klong Noodle & Leng Saap which serves a signature ‘mountain’ of pork spine with soup that is covered in green chillies and lime.
There are three sizes to choose from: M, L, and XL which feed from 2 to 5 people. The dish is served with a side of rice.
Some reviewers online have commented that it’s too spicy and we tend to agree given the flood of chillies on it. Recently, they’ve also started specialising in seafood dishes with prawns and platters.
You can find this pork volcano at Jodd Fairs, a night market in the Rama 9 neighbourhood, open daily from 4pm to 12am.
Address: Jodd Fairs Rama 9, Rama IX Rd, Huai Khwang, Bangkok 10310 (Behind the castle, there’s a fake one there you can’t miss it)
8. Guay Jub Ouan Pochana
Guay Jub Ouan Pochana first earned the Bib Gourmand award in 2018 and has since retained its award for years straight.
Guay is translated to broad rice noodles and jub is soup or gravy. This dish most likely has Chinese origins but is executed differently here in Thailand. Instead of brownish gravy, the soup here is clear, instead of pig innards, it’s served with pork belly, and instead of flattened, broad rice noodles, the noodles are rolled here.
Guay Jub Ouan Pochana has been serving guay jub for over 50 years. It is located opposite Chinatown Rama Cinema. In 2021, the owner passed away due to COVID-19, and the stall was succeeded by his son. The stall retained its Bib Gourmand award in 2023 and proudly shows off its achievements.
Address: Yaowarat Road, Bangkok Chinatown (Google Maps)
9. Pad Thai Narok Taek
The playfully named shop is loosely translated to hell-raising Pad Thai. Narok translates to hell and taek means broken according to this video, narok represents the high heat cooking used to cook the pad thai here and because of the high heat, many woks break under Chef Alec who runs the store, thus the word Taek.
They only sell pad thai here but you can get it with either crunchy prawn topping or with fresh river prawns.
The high heat, paired with the deft hand of the chef makes the pad thai slightly charred while retaining the noodle’s soft texture. After all, not many kitchens can handle the high heat and very few chefs only make one dish to perfection.
They are open from Tuesday to Sunday, from 3.30pm to 10pm.
Address: 286 Lat Ya Road, Khlong Ton Sai, Khet Khlong San, Krung Thep Maha Nakhon 10600 (Google Maps)
10. Jek Pui
Affectionately nicknamed the musical chairs curry stall, Jek Pui has no tables or shop lot like regular restaurants. Instead, you can only sit by the roadside on the limited signature red stools provided by the stall.
Once someone leaves, quickly take their seat and wait for someone to attend to you to take your order. Speaking of ordering, you can only order either red curry with beef, green curry with chicken, or yellow curry with pork.
The curry and rice are usually topped with Chinese sausage slices and some vegetables. If you can’t find a red stool you can also opt to eat standing up, or you can, of course, have your rice to go.
Jek Pui is the definition of Bangkok cheap eats with one main and rice or noodles costing only THB40. Add in the sausage and sides and you might go up to only THB80. The origins of Jek Pui aren’t exactly clear as some say they’re as old as 50 years while others argue 70 years.
What people don’t argue about is the yummy treats that you’ll find here and the joy of eating rice on a red stool.
Address: 25 Mangkon Rd, Pom Prap, Pom Prap Sattru Phai, Bangkok 10100 (Google Maps)
Bangkok’s street food scene is constantly evolving, with new vendors and dishes popping up all the time. But even as the city changes, there are some things that remain constant: the delicious flavours, the friendly people, and the sense of adventure.
If you’re looking for a truly unique and unforgettable dining experience, Bangkok’s street food is the place to start. So go ahead, step outside of your comfort zone, and try something new. You won’t be disappointed.
Why not cut out the hassle of planning your itinerary and engage professionals who can curate your very own Bangkok cheap eats tour?
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