We went on a tuk-tuk tour in Bangkok a few years ago and I remember one lady tourist who refused to touch any of the Thai street food dishes given to her. The street food in Bangkok is legendary, so much so that CNN once declared it the best city in the world for street food. If you don’t eat street food in Bangkok, then why even go?!
Just kidding. There are many reasons to love and visit Bangkok, but you can’t deny that street food – and Thai food in general – is one of the biggest. It’s personally my favorite thing about Bangkok and the main reason why we decided to recently stay there for a month – to eat as much Thai street food as we could and write this guide.
If you love Thai cuisine and street food as much as we do, then this article on the best street food vendors in Bangkok will be very useful to you.
THAI FOOD QUICK LINKS
To help you make the most of your stay in Bangkok, I’ve compiled links to recommended hotels, tours, and other travel-related services here.
HOTELS
Top-rated hotels in Siam, one of the best areas to stay for first-time travelers to Bangkok.
TOURS
OTHER SERVICES
BANGKOK TRAVEL GUIDE
If you’re visiting Bangkok for the first time, then be sure to check out our comprehensive Bangkok travel guide. It’ll tell you everything you need to know – like where to stay, what to do, which day trips to make, etc. – to help you plan your trip.
Save This on Pinterest!
No time to read this Bangkok street food guide? Click on the save button and pin it for later!
THE BEST STREET FOOD IN BANGKOK
This article on the best street food in Bangkok focuses on roadside stalls and humble restaurants. If you prefer nicer establishments, then be sure to check out our article on the best restaurants in Bangkok.
1. Jok Prince
A good way to plan your street food itinerary is to go through the Michelin Bangkok street food guide. Jok Prince was included in the 2023 list and is one of the best places in Bangkok to try jok or Thai congee (rice porridge).
Jok Prince specializes in pork congee which you can get as is or with the addition of offal and egg. I went with the pork congee with offal and century egg. A popular Thai breakfast dish, eat it with a few condiments – fish sauce, garlic powder, soy sauce, etc – and you’ll be powered up and ready for a day of sightseeing in Bangkok.
Located in Bang Rak, Jok Prince is about a 5-minute walk from the Saphan Taksin BTS station.
Jok Prince
Address: 1391 Charoen Krung Rd, Khwaeng Silom, Bang Rak, Bangkok 10500, Thailand
Operating Hours: 6AM-1PM, 3-11PM, daily
What to Order: Jok
2. Kimpo Khao Tom Pla
Jok Prince makes tasty pork congee but if you enjoy seafood dishes and want fish in your rice porridge, then Kimpo Khao Tom Pla is one of the best places to visit in Bangkok. They make these decadent bowls of rice porridge filled with different types of fish and seafood like sea bass, pomfret, squid, shrimp, and oysters.
Pictured below is our delicious and hearty bowl of mixed porridge with grouper, shrimp, squid, and oyster.
Shrimp and prawns are often used ingredients in Thai cuisine. They’re always perfectly cooked and this was no exception.
Note the broth in this rice porridge. It’s thinner than the offerings at Jok Prince because the rice isn’t as cooked down. They also use longer grain rice like jasmine which isn’t as starchy.
A spoonful of oysters helps the porridge go down. They certainly don’t scrimp on the seafood at this place!
Rice porridge isn’t overly flavorful by nature but add a few spoonfuls of their house chili sauce and you’ll understand why Kimpo Khao Tom Pla was included in the 2023 Michelin Bangkok street food guide. Their bowls of seafood rice porridge are bountiful and delicious.
Kimpo Khao Tom Pla is located in on the northern part of Bang Kho Laem, not too far from Asiatique. We had dinner here before enjoying a few drinks at The Riverfront at sunset.
Kimpo Khao Tom Pla
Address: 1901 Charoen Krung Rd, Wat Phraya Krai, Bang Kho Laem, Bangkok 10120, Thailand
Operating Hours: 4:30-11PM, daily
What to Order: Rice porridge with fish and seafood
3. Nai Mong Hoi Tod
Nai Mong Hoi Tod is a Chinatown classic. A fixture on the Michelin street food guide, they’ve long been known for serving some of the tastiest oyster omelettes in Bangkok. Aside from crab fried rice, that’s all they serve so you know they make it very well.
You can get soft (orsuan) or crispy (orluo) oyster omelettes in small, medium, large, or extra-large sizes. This was the medium crispy. It was delicious and big enough for one person.
As good as this oyster omelette was, Chinatown is one of the best street food areas in Bangkok so you definitely need to leave room for other street food stalls!
We’ve been meaning to go to Nai Mong Hoi Tod for many years now so I’m happy that we finally did on this trip. Their oyster omelettes are as good as advertised.
Nai Mong Hoi Tod
Address: 539 Phlap Phla Chai Rd, Pom Prap, Pom Prap Sattru Phai, Bangkok 10100, Thailand
Operating Hours: 10AM-7PM, Wed-Sun (closed Mon-Tue)
What to Order: Hoi tod
4. Som Tam Jay So
If you like spicy food, then you’re probably going to enjoy som tam. A popular dish in Isan cuisine, it refers to a spicy papaya salad made with shredded green papaya mixed with a range of other ingredients like fish sauce, chili pepper, palm sugar, dried shrimp, and brined rice paddy crabs. Spicy, sour, savory, and sweet, it’s one of the best and most interesting dishes you can have in Thai cuisine.
I learned about Som Tam Jay So from popular blogger Mark Wiens of Eating Thai Food. According to him, it’s one of the most authentic Isan street food restaurants in Bangkok. They serve a few Isan dishes but as their name suggests, their specialty is som tam.
The version of som tam pictured below is called tam pa, which translates to “jungle pounded salad”. It’s an especially pungent som tam made with kulantro, tomatoes, crab, and freshwater apple snails dressed in a fermented fish sauce. I loved it but people new to Thai food may want to try a version that’s a little less pungent.
Gai yang is another Isan dish that you need to try in Bangkok. It refers to a Thai grilled chicken dish made with a whole chicken that’s halved and then pounded flat before being marinated and grilled over a low charcoal flame.
Savory-sweet and smokey, order grilled chicken wings with a basket of sticky rice and som tam and you’ve got the perfect Isan meal.
Som Tam Jay So is a popular Thai street food restaurant located in an area between Si Lom and N Sathon Road. It’s about a 10-minute walk from Chong Nonsi BTS station.
Here’s the owner of Som Tam Jay So pounding the ingredients for my salad. She asked me to taste the pungent dressing first to make sure I could take it. I’m guessing many foreign tourists can’t.
Som Tam Jay So
Address: Phiphat 2, Silom, Bang Rak, Bangkok 10500, Thailand
Operating Hours: 11AM-6PM, Mon-Sat (closed Sundays)
What to Order: Som tam, gai yang
5. Je Dang Somtum
Je Dang is another som tam specialty restaurant in Bangkok. They offer a few variations of som tam, including this milder, sweeter version that isn’t at all pungent like the tam pa we had at Som Tam Jay So.
If it’s your first time trying som tam, then you may want to start with this central Thai version called som tam thai. It isn’t made with the fermented fish sauce characteristic of Isan som tam. It’s also made with a generous amount of palm sugar in the dressing, hence the sweetness.
Je Dang Somtum is located in the Siam area, about a 5-10 minute walk from the Samyan MRT station. According to a plaque at the shop, they made it to the 2019 edition of the Michelin street food guide.
Je Dang Somtum
Address: Wang Mai, Pathum Wan, Bangkok 10330, Thailand
Operating Hours: 10:30AM-4PM, Mon-Sat (closed Sundays)
What to Order: Som tam
6. Lim Lao Ngow
Remember what I said about not overeating at Nai Mong Hoi Tod (#3)? Lim Lao Ngow is one of the reasons why. A fixture on the Michelin Bangkok street food guide, this legendary street food stall has been serving some of the best homemade fishballs in Chinatown for over sixty years.
What makes the fishballs at Lim Lao Ngow special is that they contain no flour. They’re made with a mixture of fresh fish and can be served with or without soup with either egg noodles or thin/wide rice noodles.
Sometimes you feel like soup, sometimes you don’t. Pictured below is the dry version with egg noodles.
Here’s the soup version made with thin rice noodles.
We had fishballs in Bangkok many times and this was one of our favorites. Bouncy with just the right amount of bite, they were seriously delicious.
Lim Lao Ngow is one of the best street vendors in Chinatown. If eating street food is one of your favorite things about travel, then you need to pull up a plastic chair and eat here.
Lim Lao Ngow
Address: 299, 301 Song Sawat Rd, Samphanthawong, Bangkok 10100, Thailand
Operating Hours: 4:30-8:30PM, daily
What to Order: Fishball noodles
7. Kim Nguan Fish Ball Chom Thong
This was one of our favorite street food stalls in Bangkok. Like Lim Lao Ngow, they’re known for their fishball noodle soup served with a plethora of different ingredients like ground pork, egg, fish cake, seaweed, and vegetables.
The menu at Kim Nguan is entirely in Thai so I can’t tell you everything that was in it, but it’s their most premium bowl served with a little bit of everything. It was absolutely delicious and one of the best things I ate in Bangkok.
Everything in this fishball noodle soup was delicious but these fish noodles are what really made this bowl special. They’re made from actual fish and had a chewy texture unlike any other noodle we tried in Bangkok. They’re so frikking good.
My better half had this equally delicious bowl of fishball noodles made with yen ta fo sauce. Known for its pinkish-red hue, yen ta fo refers to an interesting Thai dish made with fermented soybean paste.
Just look at all the beautiful ingredients in this fishball noodle soup. I don’t know what they’re called but those frilly, seaweed-type things are so much fun to eat. They’re crunchy and have a taste and texture similar to jellyfish or black wood ear mushrooms.
Here’s another look at those supremely delicious fish noodles, this time coated in yen ta fo sauce.
Kim Nguan is on the 2023 Michelin street food guide, but it’s also way off the beaten path. It’s located in Chom Thong district, on the less visited western side of the Chao Phraya River.
The nearest BTS stop (Wutthakat) is about a 30-minute walk away so we booked a Grab to go there. You may want to do the same. The fishball noodle soup at Kim Nguan is delicious and in my opinion, worth the extra effort.
Kim Nguan Fish Ball Chom Thong
Address: เลขที่ 75/70 ซอยจอมทอง16 Chom Thong Rd, Bang Kho, Chom Thong, Bangkok 10150, Thailand
Operating Hours: 10AM-5:30PM, Mon-Sat (closed Sundays)
What to Order: Fishball noodles
8. Toy Kuay Teow Ruea
When it comes to must-try street food in Bangkok, boat noodles should be on everyone’s list. It refers to an interesting and supremely flavorful Thai noodle dish made with beef or pork and other ingredients like fish balls, dark soy sauce, garlic, crushed peanuts, herbs, and vegetables. What makes it distinctive is its dark broth seasoned with pig or cow’s blood.
Boat noodles have been served in Bangkok since the early 1940s. They were originally sold from boats that traversed Bangkok’s canals, hence the name.
Toy Kuay Teow Ruea is a fantastic boat noodle restaurant in Ratchathewi. For every bowl that you order, you can choose the type of noodle and specify if you want it with beef or pork, dry or with soup.
If I remember correctly, the bowl pictured below was made with classic boat noodle soup, beef, and wide rice noodles.
Boat noodles were traditionally sold from small bowls – to make them easier for the boat vendor to handle – and they’re still sold in that same manner today. Because the servings are so small, customers typically eat several bowls in one sitting.
If this were my only meal, I could easily put away seven or eight bowls of boat noodles. They’re so good.
I don’t think you can tell from these pictures how small each of these bowls were, but you can basically finish one in three or four bites. I like that concept because it allows you to have multiple variations in one sitting.
If you enjoy lots of flavor and don’t get squeamish with the thought of pork or beef blood in your soup, then you’re going to love boat noodles. It’s personally one of my favorite dishes to eat in Bangkok.
Do you know what else I like eating in Bangkok? Satay. It’s one of the most popular street food dishes in Thailand and in other Southeast Asian countries like Malaysia and Indonesia where it’s considered a national dish.
At Toy Kuay Teow Ruea, you can get as many sticks of Thai satay as you can eat to accompany your bowls of boat noodles. An independent street food vendor sells them so you’ll be asked to pay for them separately upon serving.
As soon as you sit down at your table, you’ll be served these bowls of khanom tako. It’s a Thai dessert pudding made with a jelly-like base covered in a creamy coconut milk topping. You don’t have to eat them (you won’t be charged if you don’t) but they’re absolutely delicious and one of our favorite desserts in Thailand.
Toy Kuay Teow Ruea is a humble but hugely popular restaurant in Ratchathewi, about a 10-15 minute walk from the Victory Monument BTS station.
We went a little after peak lunch hours but the place was still half-full with locals. The restaurant must be buzzing around noon.
Toy Kuay Teow Ruea
Address: Ratchawithi 18 Alley, Thung Phaya Thai, Ratchathewi, Bangkok 10400, Thailand
Operating Hours: 8AM-5PM, daily
What to Order: Boat noodles
9. Jia Yong Tau Foo
As previously described, yen ta fo is a type of Thai noodle dish known for its distinctive pinkish-red hue. It’s basically the Thai version of Chinese yong tau foo made with sen yai noodles and other ingredients like fish balls, pork, tofu, blood cake, and morning glory.
Jia Yong Tau Foo is a street food restaurant that serves fishball noodles. You can get them in different variations but as the restaurant’s name suggests, their specialty is this beautiful bowl of fishballs served in yen ta fo pink noodle soup. Aside from the previously mentioned ingredients, they make them with shrimp balls and a crispy fried wonton as well.
Here’s a closer look at the pinkish noodles. As described, the dish gets its color from fermented soybean paste which imparts a sweet, somewhat flowery flavor to the soup. It’s delicious and another must-try street food in Bangkok.
Like many of the stalls and restaurants on this list, Jia Yong Tau Foo was included in the 2023 edition of the Bangkok Michelin street food guide. It’s located in Bang Rak, about a 10-minute walk from Hua Lamphong MRT station.
Jia Yong Tau Foo
Address: เลขที่ 161/9 Bang Rak, Bangkok 10500, Thailand
Operating Hours: 9AM-10PM, Tue-Sun (closed Mondays)
What to Order: Yen ta fo
10. Guay Jub Ouan Pochana
Guay Jub Ouan Pochana is another legendary Bangkok street food stall located in Chinatown. Like Nai Mong Hoi Tod (#3), we’ve been meaning to eat here for many years so I was happy to finally get the opportunity.
As their name suggests, the restaurant is famous for its guay jub or rolled rice noodle soup served with crispy pork belly and offal. You can get it topped with other ingredients like a hard-boiled egg, patongo (Chinese crullers), and rice.
The pork and offal are delicious but what really makes this dish are the rolled rice noodle sheets. They’re thick, slippery, and chewy and have an interesting texture that’s unlike any other type of noodle.
Guay Jub Ouan Pochana is popular so expect a wait at peak meal times.
Guay Jub Ouan Pochana
Address: 408 ถ. เยาวราช Chakkrawat, Chakkaphat, Bangkok 10100, Thailand
Operating Hours: 11AM-12MN, Tue-Sun (closed Mondays)
What to Order: Guay jub
11. Elvis Suki
If you’re a fan of Chinese hot pot or shabu shabu, then you need to try Thai suki. It’s basically the Thai version of hot pot that’s been popular since the 1950s after a restaurant in Bangkok offered a modified version of the Chinese dish. They called it “sukiyaki” in homage to a Japanese pop song that was a hit at the time.
Like the Chinese original, Thai suki is a communal dish where diners dip different types of meat, seafood, and vegetables into a pot of broth at the center of a table. When cooked, they dip the food into a spicy “sukiyaki sauce” before eating.
We’ve eaten Thai suki in Bangkok and Chiang Mai but we’ve never actually had the communal version of the dish. Instead, we’ve gotten these personal-sized portions ala carte. That’s the type of Thai suki you can expect at Elvis Suki – a street food restaurant that’s been on the Michelin street food guide since 2018.
What you’re looking at below is the restaurant’s recommended Thai suki with beef. Savory-sweet with tender pieces of beef, glass noodles, and crunchy vegetables, it’s delicious and another must-try Thai street food in Bangkok.
Aside from individual portions of Thai suki, Elvis Suki is also known for their barbecued seafood dishes like grilled cockles, mussels, and squid. Again, we went with the restaurant’s recommendation – grilled scallops. Scallops are good enough on their own but each one was barbecued with a piece of fatty pork to make them even more delicious.
Elvis Suki is located in Pom Prap Sattru Phai district, about a 15-minute walk from Wat Mangkon MRT station.
Elvis Suki
Address: 200/37 ซอยยศเส ถนนพลับพลาไชย แขวงวัดเทพศิรินทร์ Pom Prap, Bangkok 10100, Thailand
Operating Hours: 12NN-9:30PM, daily
What to Order: Thai suki, grilled seafood
12. Somsak Pu Ob
When having a conversation about the best street food in Bangkok, Somsak Pu Ob will likely be mentioned. Mark Wiens loves this humble street food stall so I’ve been dying to eat here for many years now. I could never find the time on previous trips but I’m so happy we got the chance now. One of the most legendary street vendors in Bangkok, this place is amazing and every bit as good as advertised.
Before we get into their specialty, here’s a shot of boiled cockles that you may want to get as a starter. Thai people love blood cockles and often order them as a side dish.
Somsak Pu Ob is famous for their goong ob woon sen, a delicious Thai dish made with glass noodles and prawns cooked and served in a pot with loads of garlic, ginger, and pepper.
In an older YouTube video, Mark Wiens said that the gentleman behind Somsak Pu Ob makes this dish better than anyone else in Bangkok. According to Mark, he knows exactly when to take it off the fire to produce the best-tasting results.
Served to us hot off the fire, Mark was right. This dish is absolutely delicious and one of the best street food dishes I’ve had in Bangkok.
The prawns were delicious but if you’re a fan of crab like I am, then you’ll definitely want to get this instead. It’s made with crab that you can get with or without the roe. Oh my.
Here’s a closer look at that heavenly crab roe. Can you believe that something like this is served as street food in Bangkok?
This article features street stalls and humble restaurants. Somsak Pu Ob is a legit street food stall where you get to dig into smoking hot pots of shrimp or crab noodles by the side of the road. Thai street food doesn’t get any better than this!
Take note that Somsak Pu Ob has two branches within walking distance of each other. The newer outlet along Lat Ya Road is a proper restaurant but I recommend going to the original street stall at Charoen Rat Road instead.
The Charoen Rat branch is the one listed in the Bangkok street food guide. Unsurprisingly, it’s where you’ll find the owner (Somsak) firing up what could very well be the best pots of goong ob woon sen in Bangkok.
Somsak Pu Ob
Address: 2 Charoen Rat Rd, Khlong Ton Sai, Khlong San, Bangkok 10600, Thailand
Operating Hours: 3-9PM, Tue-Sun (closed Mondays)
What to Order: Glass noodles with shrimp or crab
13. Pad Thai Narok Taek
When it comes to famous Thai food, nothing is more well-known outside of the country than pad thai. It isn’t the most interesting dish but it’s undoubtedly delicious and hard not to like, even if you’re new to the cuisine.
Pad thai consists of stir-fried noodles cooked with chicken, shrimp, scrambled egg, tofu, peanuts, and vegetables. It’s flavored with a savory-sweet dressing made from fish sauce, tamarind juice, palm sugar, dried shrimp, chili, and garlic.
Pictured below is Narok Taek’s version of classic pad thai with shrimp. This was delicious but the next version is why we decided to visit this pad thai restaurant.
You can find pad thai everywhere in Bangkok but this version makes Narok Taek stand out. They call it pad thai with snacks because it’s served with unconventional toppings that you wouldn’t normally find on pad thai – things like fish crackers, dried squid, and cashews. If you like, you can get this snack version with shrimp as well.
Here’s a closer look at the “snacks” on this pad thai. I’m not sure what those orange strands are. Some type of dried fruit or root crop maybe?
This is not the most traditional pad thai but it’s definitely unique and worthy of a try in Bangkok.
Stir-frying the noodles with that magical wok hei. It always amazes me how intensely hot these woks have to get to cook proper pad thai.
On our way out, we spotted them bagging the “snacks” to go. They add more flavor and texture to an already delicious Thai dish.
Narok Taek is located along Lat Ya Road, about a 5-10 minute walk from the Somsak Pu Ob roadside stall.
Pad Thai Narok Taek
Address: 286 Lat Ya Rd, Khlong San, Bangkok 10600, Thailand
Operating Hours: 3:30-10PM, Tue-Sun (closed Mondays)
What to Order: Pad thai
14. Baan Yai Pad Thai
With pad thai being such a popular street food in Bangkok, it was important for me to find the best so I made the trek to Baan Yai just to try their version of this Thai national dish. Located in Din Daeng district, Baan Yai was included in the 2023 Bangkok street food guide.
Ban Yai offers just one thing on its menu – pad thai with prawn, squid, or pork crackling served with either rice or glass noodles. Pictured below is the rice noodle version with prawns and squid. Sticky and not too sweet, this was delicious and perhaps the best plate of pad thai I had on this trip.
Baan Yai is located about a 15-minute walk from Sutthisan MRT station. It took me sixteen stops and one train change to get here but it was worth it.
Baan Yai Pad Thai
Address: 108 Soi Inthamara 47, Din Daeng, Bangkok 10400, Thailand
Operating Hours: 10:30AM-5PM, Mon-Sat (closed Sundays)
What to Order: Pad thai
15. Mama Mia (Amazing Mango Sticky Rice!)
Popular with foreign tourists, Mama Mia is one of those street food restaurants in Bangkok that serves everything. I came here for their pad thai, which was pretty good, but I enjoyed something else much more.
Mango sticky rice is personally my favorite Thai dessert and something I can’t get enough of. I rarely meet a mango sticky rice I don’t like but this was one of the best I had in Bangkok. I could seriously eat this everyday.
If you like fruits, then be sure to check out our article on some of the tastiest and most interesting fruits in Thailand.
Mama Mia is located in Bang Rak, just across the street from the Sri Maha Mariamman Temple.
Mama Mia
Address: 57, 89 Soi Silom 20, Suriya Wong, Bang Rak, Bangkok 10500, Thailand
Operating Hours: 1-11PM, daily
What to Order: Pad thai, mango sticky rice
16. Mam Tom Yum Kung
Like Mama Mia, Mam Tom Yum Kung is one of those street food restaurants that serves many Thai dishes. But as their name suggests, their specialty is tom yum kung which is exactly what we came here for.
But before we get into that, can I just show you this beautiful plate of tod mun pla? A classic Thai street food dish, it refers to red-curry-flavored fish cakes served with a refreshing cucumber dip.
We had tod mun pla several times in Bangkok and this version at Mam Tom Yum Kung was my favorite. I highly recommend trying it here.
When talking about the most delicious Thai food, tom yum is on many people’s lips. It refers to a complex-tasting hot and sour soup made with three essential ingredients – galangal, lemongrass, and kaffir lime leaves – but it’s often prepared with other ingredients as well like fish sauce, lime juice, and coconut milk.
Tom yum can be made in different variations, one of the most popular being tom yum kung (or goong) or tom yum with prawn. This popular street food stall offers tom yum with snapper and tom yum with seafood, but we went with the classic tom yum kung. Redolent with the creaminess of coconut milk, it was delicious.
Mam Tom Yum Kung is located in the Banglamphu neighborhood, not too far from Khao San Road.
Mam Tom Yum Kung
Address: หน้า อาคารจอดรถ Soi Kraisi, Talat Yot, Phra Nakhon, Bangkok 10200, Thailand
Operating Hours: 8AM-8PM, Tue-Sun (closed Mondays)
What to Order: Tom yum, tod mun pla
17. Rung Rueang
Rung Rueang is a hugely popular pork noodle shop that’s been on the Michelin street food guide since 2018. Like the Toy Kuay Teow Ruea boat noodle shop (#8), you can have your bowl of pork noodles exactly how you want it by specifying the type of broth (or no broth), toppings, and noodles.
I went with the restaurant’s recommendations and tried it with their famous tom yum soup, mixed toppings, and medium rice noodles.
The mixed toppings include ground pork, fish balls, fish cake, and slices of pork. Season your soup with a few condiments and you’re good to go!
Rung Rueang is located in Khlong Toei district, about a 5-minute walk from Phrom Phong BTS station.
Rung Rueang
Address: 10/3 Soi Sukhumvit 26, Khlong Tan, Khlong Toei, Bangkok 10110, Thailand
Operating Hours: 8AM-5PM, daily
What to Order: Pork noodles
18. Suan Mali Chicken Noodle
No discussion on the best street food in Bangkok can ever be complete without mentioning this stall. I first learned about Suan Mali from Mark Wiens so I was happy to learn that the legend lives up to its reputation.
Suan Mali Chicken Noodles specializes in kuay teaw or fried noodles. They make it with chicken and egg that can be scrambled, served runny on top, or both. I went with the version made with both scrambled and runny eggs and it was amazing.
Here’s a closer look at the fried noodles. Chewy and crispy, this was so incredibly tasty.
Do you know what’s better than kuay teaw at Suan Mali? Kuay teaw with crispy fried chicken skin at Suan Mali.
Fried chicken skin isn’t the healthiest but it’s undeniably delicious and makes for the perfect side dish to the fried noodles.
These days, “street food” is often served at restaurants but for me, the best street food in Bangkok will always be found on the streets. Somsak Pu Ob (#12) and Suan Mali are perfect examples of that.
Suan Mali Chicken Noodle
Address: 260 Soi Thewi Worayat, Wat Thepsirin, Pom Prap Sattru Phai, Bangkok 10100, Thailand
Operating Hours: 4-10PM, daily
What to Order: Fried noodles
19. Kuay Teow Khae
Tom yum soup is delicious but did you know that you can enjoy a dry version of the dish as well? Kuay Teow Khae is a hugely popular street food stall in Bangkok that’s known for its dry version of this iconic Thai dish.
Kuay Teow Khae specializes in tom yum that you can get in the classic soup version or dry with crispy pork belly. Pictured below is the dry tom yum with flat egg noodles. Tom yum soup will always be my jam but this dry version was tasty as well.
Aside from their tom yum, barbecued pork over rice is another specialty at Kuay Teow Khae. If you’re a fan of char siu pork, then you may want to try this too.
Located in Silom, Kuay Teow Khae is an immensely popular Thai street food stall with tables that go all the way down the block. We were lucky to get a table at peak lunch hours.
Kuay Teow Khae
Address: PGGM+MFJ, Convent Rd, Silom, Bang Rak, Bangkok 10500, Thailand
Operating Hours: 7AM-2PM, Tue-Sat (closed Sun-Mon)
What to Order: Dry tom yum, bbq pork over rice
20. Jek Pui
Like Somsak Pu Ob (#12) and Suan Mali Chicken Noodle (#18), Jek Pui’s reputation precedes itself. Known for its delicious curries, it’s one of the most famous Thai street food stalls in Bangkok.
I first visited Jek Pui in 2017 on this Bangkok food tour, when I had green chicken curry. I enjoyed the experience so much that I couldn’t leave Bangkok in 2023 without enjoying another helping of their tasty curry.
Jek Pui offers different types of curry but green curry is my favorite so I went with that again. I highly recommend getting it with a sweet soy egg. The combination is just perfect.
A lot has changed since 2017. The Jek Pui stall used to be located at 427 Mangkon Road in Chinatown. It’s still located on the same street but at 25 Mangkon Road.
Here’s a shot of Jek Pui customers at its old location. A big part of the experience was eating your plates of curry on red stools against this iconic green wall.
The stall’s location may have changed but one thing remains the same – its Thai curries are as good as ever. Just by looking at its long line of loyal local customers, it’s clear that Jek Pui still offers some of the best street food in Bangkok.
Jek Pui
Address: 25 Mangkon Rd, Pom Prap, Pom Prap Sattru Phai, Bangkok 10100, Thailand
Operating Hours: 3-7PM, daily
What to Order: Thai curry
21. Kha Mu Charoensang Silom
Kha Mu Charoensang Silom was the very first street food stall we visited on our most recent trip to Bangkok. They specialize in khao ka mu (or moo) which consists of braised pork leg cooked in Chinese five spice. Originally a Teochew dish that’s also popular in Filipino cuisine, I’ve never been the biggest fan of khao ka mu, until today.
Listed in the 2023 Michelin street food guide, Kha Mu Charoensang Silom makes the best version of this dish that I’ve ever tasted in my life. The meat is fall-off-the-bone tender and cooked with just the right amount of five spice.
You can share a full pork leg or enjoy smaller portions like pork trotters and knuckles. Pictured below is the pork knuckle.
We love offal so we got this side order of innards with pork intestine, heart, and tongue. If you like organ meat, then I highly recommend getting this as well.
Located in Bang Rak, Kha Mu Charoensang Silom is popular so expect a wait if you visit at peak hours.
Kha Mu Charoensang Silom
Address: 492/6 ถ.สีลม ติด Soi Charoen Krung 49, Suriya Wong, Bang Rak, Bangkok 10500, Thailand
Operating Hours: 7AM-1PM, daily
What to Order: Khao ka mu
22. Werng Crab Fried Rice
Thai fried rice is delicious any which way, but it becomes even better when made with chunks of crab. That’s the exact dish that earned this street food stall a spot on the 2023 Michelin street food guide.
The Werng stall is known for their crab fried rice and other dishes made with crab like Hong-Kong-style noodles, fried fish maw, and fish maw soup.
Here’s a closer look at those juicy chunks of crab meat. Big chunks of crab are common in Bangkok and often used in fried rice and other dishes like stir-fries and omelettes.
Werng is a true Thai street food stall located on the outskirts of Chinatown.
Werng Crab Fried Rice
Address: PGV3+QJC ถ. เยาวราช Samphanthawong, Bangkok 10100, Thailand
Operating Hours: 5:30-11PM, Tue-Sun (closed Mondays)
What to Order: Crab fried rice
23. Go-Ang Pratunam Chicken Rice
Do you like Hainanese chicken rice? If you do, then you need to visit Go-Ang Pratunam Chicken Rice. It’s another gem we found through the 2023 Michelin street food guide. They serve a few dishes like braised pork and duck soup but what put them on the map was their Hainanese chicken rice.
Soft, juicy, and deceptively flavorful, we shared this half-order of chicken with some oily rice, soup, and a platter of giblets. That small dark block on the left is congealed chicken blood.
Here’s a better look at the chicken giblets. This plate consists of slices of chicken liver and gizzard – another must if you’re into organ meats.
As you can see from the picture below, Go-Ang Pratunam Chicken Rice is popular. It’s a big restaurant but expect a line nonetheless at peak meal times.
Go-Ang Pratunam Chicken Rice
Address: 962 Phetchaburi Rd, Makkasan, Ratchathewi, Bangkok 10400, Thailand
Operating Hours: 6AM-2PM, 3-9:30PM, daily
What to Order: Chicken rice
24. Hero Moo Plara
Khao San Road has always been a place to party in Bangkok so it’s good to have places like Hero Moo Plara to stumble to after a night of drinking. This 24-hour street food stall serves grilled meat skewers and sticky rice to help sop up all that alcohol.
On the bamboo tray below are Hero Moo Plara’s beef and pork skewers with a side of sticky rice, raw vegetables, and dipping sauces. These meat skewers are delicious and a great way to end the night in Bangkok.
If you’re feeling a little daring, then perhaps you’d like to try these skewered pork intestines as well.
Located about a 5-minute walk from Khao San Road, Hero Moo Plara serves tasty Thai food for drunk people. Just kidding. Grilled meat, sticky rice, and raw vegetables make for a tasty meal at any time of the day.
This is what the interior of Hero Moo Plara looks like. You can sit on the floor or on one of those tables to the right. Beer is pretty cheap here too.
Hero Moo Plara
Address: Ratchadamnoen Post Office, ซอยข้าง Ratchadamnoen Ave, Wat Bowon Niwet, Phra Nakhon, Bangkok 10200, Thailand
Operating Hours: Open 24 hrs
What to Order: Grilled meat skewers
25. Cheng Sim Ei
Bangkok can get brutally hot so what better way to cool down than with this colorful Thai dessert known as namkhaeng sai? It’s basically the Thai version of a snow cone or Southeast Asian shaved ice desserts like Filipino halo-halo, Vietnamese che, or Malaysian ais kacang.
Namkhaeng sai consists of three main ingredients – shaved ice, syrup, and toppings. At Cheng Sim Ei, a chain of dessert shops in Bangkok that’s been open since the 1950s, you can choose from over fifty different toppings to customize your dessert.
One of the toppings I highly recommend are these shiny crimson spheres. Called tub tim grob, it’s one of just two Thai desserts that made it to CNN’s list of the world’s 50 best desserts. Can you guess what the other one is?
Translating to “crispy red rubies”, tub tim grob are made with diced water chestnuts that are soaked in grenadine or red food coloring before being coated in tapioca flour and boiled. The end result are these shiny red pearls that are soft and boba-like on the outside but crunchy on the inside. They’re absolutely delicious and something we ate often in Bangkok.
The shaved ice in namkhaeng sai isn’t as fine as the ice in Korean bingsu or Japanese kakigori, but it’s fine enough.
If you’re unsure on which toppings to pick, then you can choose from one of the many pre-determined combinations they have on their menu.
Cheng Sim Ei has multiple branches in Bangkok. The shop pictured below is their outlet along Yotse Alley, just a stone’s throw from Elvis Suki (#11).
Cheng Sim Ei
Address: PGX7+GWC, Yotse 1, Wat Thepsirin, Pom Prap Sattru Phai, Bangkok 10100, Thailand
Operating Hours: 11AM-11PM, daily
What to Order: Namkhaeng sai
LOCATION MAP
To help you navigate to these street food stalls in Bangkok, I’ve pinned them all on the map below. Click on the link for a live version of the map.
FINAL THOUGHTS ON BANGKOK STREET FOOD
Thai food is delicious anywhere in Bangkok but for me, the best food can be found at these humble street food stalls set up by the side of the road. They’re a big part of the Bangkok experience and the main reason why I love visiting this city.
It’ll be impossible for most tourists to visit all twenty-five so if I had to narrow it down to just five, then I’d probably go with Somsak Pu Ob (#12), Kim Ngaun Fish Ball (#7), Toy Kuay Teow Ruea (#8), Kha Mu Charoensang Silom (#21), and Jek Pui (#20).
Anyway, thanks for reading and I hope this street food guide leads you to many unforgettable meals in Bangkok. Cheers!
Disclosure
Some of the links in this article on the best Bangkok street food stalls are affiliate links, meaning we’ll earn a small commission if you make a booking at no extra cost to you. We really appreciate your support as it helps us make more of these free travel and food guides. Kob kun ka!