From affordable restaurants to multi-generational commercial townhouses and roadside food trucks, Bangkok is always bustling with fresh, affordable street food. Asiatica Travel would like to introduce you to the place to enjoy the best street food in Bangkok city.
1. Bang Kho Laem
Guay Jub Mr Joe (Mr. Joe Crispy Pork)
Best dishes: The crispiest pork belly in town and kuay jub (crispy pork noodle rolls)
Address: 313/7 Chan Road, What Phraya Krai, Bang Kho Laem, Bangkok 10120
Price: Kuay jub or a plate of crispy pork from 80 THB / 2.20 USD
A reputation for having the crispiest fried pork in the city brings a steady stream of customers to this third-generation restaurant of Chinese origin. Kuay jub is the specialty, a spicy noodle roll with crispy pork and some offal. The signature pork belly (with its crispy crust) is also served separately with a rich sweet soy sauce (those with sensitive teeth should bite carefully). Steamed pork, crab or shrimp siu mai are good choices for a pre-dinner snack.
2. Khlong San
Somsak Pu Ob
Famous for crab or steamed shrimp with vermicelli. Roadside dining, Bangkok style.
Address: Charoen Rat Road Soi 1, Khlong Ton Sai, Khlong San, Bangkok 10600
Price: Steamed shrimp with vermicelli from 290 THB/7.90 USD; Steamed crab with vermicelli from 310 THB / 8.35 USD. Cash only.
Savor large-sized crabs and shrimp steamed with vermicelli on a bustling old street in Bangkok. Each pan is carefully watched over a hot flame by the chef, seasoned with black pepper and decorated with green onions. Crab shells are served cracked to make it easier to get to their sweet meat. The seafood is sourced from nearby Samut Sakhon province and the noodles from a town in western Thailand. It's the simplest meal for those who like the taste of the sea.
3. Mid-Sukhumvit
Mae Varee mango sticky rice
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Famous for Mango Sticky Rice, fresh mango or handmade ice cream. Take away only.
Address: 1 Thong Lo Road, Khlong Tan Nuea, Watthana, Bangkok 10110
Price: Mango sticky rice from 150 THB/4.10 USD; Peeled mango from 100 THB/2.75 USD; Mango ice cream from 85 THB / 2.30 USD
This fruit shop sources local Nam Dok Mai mangoes, preservative-free coconut milk and rice from farmers to create a perfect version of Thailand's top dessert. The shop is famous among locals and tourists alike, so people line up to buy in bulk. Sweet mangoes can be purchased whole or sliced fresh all year round, while sticky rice has the natural flavor of coconut, butterfly beans or pandan leaves. Small containers of handmade mango or coconut ice cream and jelly sit in the refrigerator. The small shop is located next to Thonglor station, convenient for taking the skytrain. Additionally, you can have dessert delivered to your hotel through the online app, from morning to night.
Nhong Rim Klong
For those who love crab omelets or garlic fried shrimp.
Address: 51 Soi Ekkamai 23, Khlong Tan Nuea, Watthana, Bangkok 10110
Price: Signature crab omelette is 600 THB / 16.50 USD; Stir-fries and curries from 200 THB / 5.50 USD
This townhouse serves delicious seafood dishes with oyster portions. While a crab omelet may be an indulgent dish, scrambled eggs with tender pieces of cooked crab and boiled cabbage are a dish you'll remember for a long time to come. Giant garlic fried shrimp is another delicious dish along with fish, squid, spicy soup, curry and local fried rice. The kitchen works at a frantic pace according to Thai techniques, to keep up with the staggering number of deliveries. The restaurant expanded into a larger space next door in early 2023, and local beer is also served.
Phed Mark
Famous for: pad kaprao with various spices
Address: 928 Sukhumvit Road, Phra Khanong, Khlong Toei, Bangkok 10110
Price: pad from 119-269 THB/3.30-7.35 USD
What happens when two food bloggers, an Iron Chef and a designer can't agree on who cooks the best pad kaprao in Bangkok? Together they opened a restaurant dedicated to their favorite dish. True to its name and fire symbol, spice is the most important element ('phed' means spicy in Thai). There are five levels of heat from 'not spicy' to 'very spicy' - the latter being for the brave. Legend has it that there is also an off-menu option that is twice as spicy as the 'very spicy' dish. Choose from beef, pork, sour sausage, wagyu beef, calamari or vegetarian, served with one of the most beautiful fried duck eggs you'll ever see. Inside the cramped restaurant, there is a communal table and window seating overlooking Sukhumvit Road, so you can sit on plastic chairs on the street during busy times.
Rung Rueang meat noodle soup
Famous for: Thai pork noodles with spicy tom yum sauce or clear soup
Address: 10/3 Soi Sukhumvit 26, Khlong Tan, Khlong Toei, Bangkok 10110
Price: Pork noodles from 50 THB/1.40 USD
Just a short walk from Phrom Phong skytrain station, in a neighborhood where ramen shops are interspersed with charming saunas and shopping malls, Sukhumvit Street is the most vibrant culinary scene in Bangkok. Tiny Rung Rueang Pork Noodles Restaurant specializes in the Thai pork noodle dish of the same name, served dry or with clear or spicy tom yum soup with fish balls, minced pork and liver. The staff moves quickly, rushing to prepare bowls, blanch noodles and take orders – a three-step process tailored to your preferences. If your restaurant is too busy in the morning, wait until lunchtime, where locals jostle for tables and a group of motorcyclists eagerly wait outside for deliveries. Remember to order a glass of longan or iced plum juice to add a cool feeling to your meal. Note, the Rung Reung Pork Noodles restaurant next door serves almost identical dishes to the original restaurant but there are rumored to be differences in the texture of the noodles.
Wattana Panich
Famous for: Thai beef noodles and stewed goat – impressively tender meat
Address: 336-338 Ekkamai Road, Khlong Tan Nuea, Watthana, Bangkok 10110
Price: Thai beef noodles from 100 THB/2.75 USD; Stewed goat from 200 THB / 5.50 USD
Only in Bangkok will you see foodies taking selfies with super-sized beef broth prepared daily from 60-year-old ingredients. It makes for a spectacular entrance at this legendary family-run restaurant. Stewed goat has a smaller scale but is a richer and more nutritious combination of shiitake mushrooms, goji berries, offal and tender boneless meat. Breakfast and lunch at this place are very busy; Get ready to share a table with locals or tourists taking photos in a character-filled Chinese shop with ceiling fans, old posters and raw meat on display.
4. Old Quarter
Hom Dee wonton noodles
Famous for: Egg noodles with BBQ pork and shrimp wontons, crispy pork or fried rice
Address: 460 Mittraphan Road, Pom Prap, Pom Prap Sattru Phai, Bangkok 10100
Price: Signature egg noodles from 60 THB/1.65 USD
You'll feel an upbeat energy as soon as you enter this traditional ba mee (egg noodle) shop, instantly setting itself apart from more established shops in the city. The small, dark interior is full of old-town character and spills out into a back alley, where you can watch food being cooked in authentic Bangkok style. The crispy pork was extremely delicious with a crunchy texture. Poached egg noodles with charcoal-grilled pork slices and shrimp wontons are the main attraction, while fried rice is sold in take-away containers.
Jek Pui Curry
Famous for: Rich curry with a long history
Address: 25 Mangkon Road, Pom Prap, Pom Prap Sattru Phai, Bangkok, 10100
Price: Curry from 40 THB / 1.10 USD
This legendary restaurant has no tables and is known as a fast-food curry restaurant because of its quick turnover of customers. Grab a stool, order, and dine on your lap in a quiet back street of Chinatown without having to stay too long. Don't expect much conversation among the mostly single and elderly diners who come for a quick bite at an economical price. It's best to arrive mid-afternoon before the pots of light, creamy curries. Locals often add boiled eggs and sausages. Be aware there is a line for takeout only..
Nai Mong Hoi Tod
Best for: Crispy or soft oyster omelettes
Address: 539 Phlap Phla Chai Road, Pom Prap, Pom Prap Sattru Phai, Bangkok 10100
Price: Oyster omelet from 100 THB / 2.75 USD
Soft and creamy or crispy and full of fat? That's the important decision when ordering oyster omelettes at this Chinatown establishment, which are expertly pan-fried in large batches to meet demand. Whatever your preference, the finished product features fresh Thai oysters cooked in egg and rice flour. Seating is limited, with makeshift awnings covering street tables overlooking some of Bangkok's oldest shops. Wat Mangkon train station is a few steps away.
Tom Yum Goong Banglamphu
Best for: Hot and sour shrimp soup and spicy stir-fried seafood
Address: Soi Kraisi, Talat Yot, Phra Nakhon, Bangkok 10200
Price: Hot and sour shrimp soup from 150 THB/4.10 USD; most stir-fry dishes 100-200 THB / 2.75-5.50 USD
At first glance Tom Yum Goong Banglamphu may look like any other roadside restaurant near the famous Khao San Road, but this is where the hot and sour soup is exceptional. It's been served here for decades, along with fresh spicy seafood stir-fries and shrimp so juicy you'll want to eat them whole. Tom yum goong is the star of the show and is made to order over a charcoal stove using creamy river prawn broth, with the addition of young coconut shoots for crunch and appeal. Clams and mussels are stir-fried with chili and Thai basil. Portions are large, so sharing is recommended.
5. Pathum Wan
Jeh O Chula
Best for: Late night snacking, tom yum soup with MAMA noodles, spicy salmon sashimi
Address: 113 Chaarat Mueang Road, Rong Muang, Pathum Wan, Bangkok 10330
Price: Signature tom yum soup from 150 THB/4.10 USD; most dishes cost under 200 THB / 5.50 USD. Cash only.
Warning: get to Jeh O Chula before 4pm or wait in line at the second busiest restaurant in the city. It's completely affordable and comes in just one dish: tom yum soup with MAMA noodles. It's huge and filled with chili peppers, kaffir lime leaves, galangal, raw egg yolks and a variety of meats and/or seafood. Thick-cut salmon sashimi topped with fresh lime, chilli, mint and raw garlic is tart, spicy and gorgeous, while the famous crispy pork is cooked along the nearby canal, taking advantage of every available space. Fresh coconut has a good price and is the drink of choice for many people. The indoor seating is air-conditioned and tidy, which is good, as outside tables make room for queuing students and other diners.
Tung Sui Heng Pochana
Best for: All duck noodle dishes served dry, in soup or in a clay pot. Cold beer
Address: 649 Banthat Thong Road, Wang Mai, Pathum Wan, Bangkok 10330
Price: Duck noodles from 60 THB/1.65 USD; duck clay pot from 200 THB / 5.50 USD. Cash only.
Hot roast duck, attentive service and the coldest beer in town (chilled at freezing point) are the perfect combination at this 50-year-old second-generation restaurant. The wide egg noodles come from an old shop in Chinatown, have a fettuccine-like texture and are delightful. Duck noodles are a whole dish, served dry or in a rich, purified broth. The signature clay pots take it to the next level, bubbling with thick and tender sliced duck, bloodstone and herbs. Wings, legs and offal are popular dishes with locals and demonstrate the kitchen's commitment to using whole ducks.
6. Phaya Thai
Soei
Best for: Spicy, spicy Thai food like shrimp ceviche, deep-fried mackerel cheeks or minced frog
Address: 35 Soi Phibun Watthana 6, Phaya Thai, Bangkok 10400
Price: Most dishes under 200 THB/5.50 USD
Eight woks are quite an eye-catching sight in the Soei kitchen, where the chef meticulously delivers spicy, herbal and deeply flavored Thai dishes. Shrimp ceviche marinated in lime juice, chilli, raw garlic and wasabi is a hit with the system and a reason to eat here on its own. You'll be hard-pressed to find deep-fried mackerel cheeks like these elsewhere - they're light, crispy, salty and downright delicious. Apparently it's the fish of choice, also served in clear and sour tom yum soup or coconut milk curry. Chopped frogs are for those who want to try a strange dish. It's a clean and classic setting filled with sporting photos from the chef's past. Famous locals bring a bottle of Johnny Walker and wind down for the afternoon.
7. Silom
Som Tam Jay So
Best for: Cheap Northern Thai food; green papaya salad and spicy larvae, grilled chicken neck and pork neck meat
Address: Soi Phiphat 2, Silom, Bang Rak, Bangkok 10500
Price: Most dishes range from 50-100 THB / 1.40-2.75 USD
Prepare for a spicy culinary experience at Som Tam Jay So, an eatery reminiscent of a roadside eatery in northeastern Thailand. Stay away from the owner as he frantically roasts chicken and pork necks on five scorching stoves. He is a former Iron Chef whose specialty is crispy green papaya salad. Lunchtime is best avoided, which is a frenzy of office workers rushing down to enjoy authentic, easy-to-take-away Isaan dishes. A variety of spicy salads and fermented fish will stimulate your soul to joy.