Short answer: The five Thai dishes not to miss are tom yum kung, pad thai, green curry, som tam (green papaya salad) and khao soi, with mango sticky rice for dessert. Eat them where they are best: street stalls and markets in Bangkok, khao soi in Chiang Mai, and seafood on the islands.
Thai food is built on balance: sour, salty, sweet, hot and a little bitter in the same meal, usually with rice in the middle of the table and several dishes to share. The country’s regions taste different. Central Thailand around Bangkok gives you the classic curries and soups, the north around Chiang Mai cooks milder, herb-scented food with sticky rice, the northeast (Isan) brings fiery salads and grilled meats, and the south cooks the richest, spiciest curries with plenty of seafood. Our Thailand travel guide covers the regions in full.
Rice is the heart of every meal. Fragrant jasmine rice goes with central Thai curries and stir-fries, while sticky rice, eaten by hand in small balls, goes with the grilled meats and salads of the north and northeast. Noodles, a legacy of Chinese immigrants, are usually a quick one-bowl meal eaten at any hour. Most Thais eat out or buy food to take home several times a day, which is why every street seems to have a cook on it.
Street food and noodles
1. Pad thai (stir-fried rice noodles)
Thin rice noodles fried in a hot wok with egg, tamarind, fish sauce, palm sugar, bean sprouts and chives, finished with crushed peanuts and a wedge of lime. It is sold from carts and shophouses all over the country, often with shrimp or tofu. The seasoning is mild, so it is the easy first dish for anyone nervous about spice; ask for jay (vegan) or no fish sauce if you are vegetarian.
2. Som tam (green papaya salad)
Shredded unripe papaya pounded in a clay mortar with chilies, garlic, lime, fish sauce, tomatoes and long beans. It comes from Isan, the northeast, where it is eaten with grilled chicken and sticky rice. It is often very hot: say “phet nit noi” (a little spicy) when you order, and you will watch the cook adjust the chilies in front of you.
3. Khao soi (northern curry noodle soup)
Egg noodles in a coconut curry broth, usually with chicken or beef on the bone, topped with a nest of crispy fried noodles and served with pickled mustard greens, shallots and lime on the side. It is the signature dish of Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai and is mostly a lunch dish. Squeeze in the lime and add the pickles yourself; that is how locals eat it.
4. Moo ping and khao niao (grilled pork skewers with sticky rice)
Pork marinated in garlic, coriander root, soy and a little sugar, grilled over charcoal and sold with a small bag of sticky rice. It is the classic Bangkok breakfast, bought from street carts on the way to work and eaten with your fingers. Go early: the best carts often sell out by mid-morning.
5. Khao man gai (Hainanese chicken rice)
Poached chicken over rice cooked in the chicken stock, with a bowl of clear soup and a ginger, garlic and fermented soybean sauce. It came to Thailand with Hainanese Chinese immigrants and is a fast, inexpensive lunch in every city. The sauce makes the dish; ask for extra if you like it.
6. Kuay teow reua (boat noodles)
Small bowls of rice noodles in a dark, rich broth of pork or beef, spices and herbs, once sold from boats on Bangkok’s canals. Because the bowls are small, locals order several and stack the empties. Look for them in Bangkok and around Ayutthaya; tell the cook if you want it less spicy, and note that the traditional broth is thickened with blood.
Curries, soups and mains
7. Tom yum kung (hot and sour shrimp soup)
The country’s most famous soup: shrimp simmered with lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, galangal and shallots, sharpened with lime juice and chili. In 2024 UNESCO added tom yum kung to its list of the intangible cultural heritage of humanity, noting that it comes from the riverside communities of the Central Plains. There is a clear version (nam sai) and a creamier one with evaporated milk or chili paste (nam khon); share a bowl with rice rather than eating it alone as a starter.
8. Gaeng khiao wan (green curry)
A coconut milk curry made with fresh green chili paste, Thai eggplant and sweet basil, usually with chicken, beef or fish balls. It is a central Thai dish and one of the spicier curries, so taste before adding more chili. Vegetarian versions with tofu are easy to find in tourist areas; ask whether the paste contains shrimp paste.
9. Gaeng massaman (massaman curry)
A mild, slightly sweet curry with potatoes, onions, peanuts and dry spices such as cardamom and cinnamon, usually made with beef or chicken. It comes from the Muslim communities of southern and central Thailand and is the gentlest of the big curries, which makes it a favorite with children and first-time visitors.
10. Pad kra pao (holy basil stir-fry)
Minced pork or chicken stir-fried with garlic, chilies and holy basil, served over rice with a fried egg (khai dao) on top. It is the everyday lunch Thais order when they cannot decide, and nearly every street kitchen makes it. Ask for “mai phet” (not spicy) if you need to, and break the egg yolk into the rice.
11. Larb (minced meat salad)
Minced pork, chicken or duck tossed with lime, fish sauce, chili, shallots, mint and toasted ground rice, eaten with sticky rice and raw vegetables. It is an Isan and northern dish; the northern version is spicier and uses dry spices rather than lime. Mushroom or tofu larb is a good vegetarian option.
12. Tom kha gai (chicken coconut soup)
A soft, fragrant soup of coconut milk, galangal, lemongrass and kaffir lime with chicken and mushrooms. It is milder than tom yum and pairs well with a spicy salad. Do not eat the galangal slices and lemongrass stalks; they are there for flavor.
Sweets and drinks
13. Khao niao mamuang (mango sticky rice)
Sticky rice soaked in sweetened coconut cream, served with ripe mango slices and a sprinkle of crunchy mung beans. It is best in the hot season, from about March to May, when mangoes are at their peak. Look for it at markets and dessert stalls, often sold in takeaway boxes.
14. Cha yen (Thai iced tea)
Strong black tea brewed with spices, sweetened with sugar and condensed milk and poured over ice, giving its famous orange color. It is sold from street carts and cafés in plastic cups or bags. Ask for “wan noi” if you want it less sweet.
Where to eat: Bangkok and beyond
Bangkok is the best food city in the country for variety. Chinatown, along Yaowarat Road, fills with street food stalls every evening, and the old town near the Grand Palace has long-running noodle and curry shops. Fresh markets open early, and night markets take over in the evening. Start with our Bangkok travel guide.
In Chiang Mai, eat khao soi at lunchtime and visit the Sunday walking street market that runs along Ratchadamnoen Road from Tha Phae Gate, with food stalls in the temple courtyards along the way. Phuket is a UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy, named in 2015 for its Peranakan (Baba) cooking, so try the local curries and noodle dishes in Phuket Town as well as the beach seafood. Every October, Phuket’s shrines host the Vegetarian Festival; in 2026 it runs from 10 to 18 October, and vegetarian food stalls, marked with yellow flags, appear across the country.
Other good food stops include the night markets of Chiang Rai and Hua Hin, boat noodles around Ayutthaya, and grilled seafood on Ko Samui and Ko Lanta.
Food etiquette and tipping
Thais eat with a spoon in the right hand and a fork in the left, using the fork to push food onto the spoon. Chopsticks are for noodle soups, and sticky rice is eaten with your fingers. Dishes are shared, so take a little at a time onto your rice. Condiment caddies on the table (fish sauce with chilies, chili flakes, sugar and vinegar) are there for you to season noodles to taste.
Tipping is not expected at street stalls or simple restaurants, but leaving the coins from your change or rounding up is appreciated. Where a service charge is already on the bill, an extra tip is optional. At a street stall, point at what you want, hold up fingers for the number of portions, and pay when you finish or when the food is handed over; most stalls take cash only. At night markets, buy a few small dishes from different stalls and share them.
Busy stalls where food is cooked fresh in front of you are the best choice; a steady queue of locals is the surest sign of a good cook. Many stalls specialize in a single dish, so do as Thais do and move from one to the next.
Our tip calculator works out amounts, and our phrase cards include useful words such as “not spicy” and “vegetarian”.
Eating on a budget
Thailand is one of the best-value food countries in the world. Hostelworld’s 2026 figures put a street-food dish in Bangkok at 40–80 baht and khao soi or pad thai at a Chiang Mai market stall at 40–60 baht, while island meals cost more. See how much a trip to Thailand costs for a full daily budget. Eat where locals queue, carry small notes and coins for stalls, and drink from sealed bottles or refill stations. A guided street food tour is a good first-night introduction; browse options in our tour finder.
Plan your trip
Use our best time to visit Thailand guide for seasons and festivals, the Thailand itinerary for 7, 10 and 14 days, and our top places to visit in Thailand to choose your stops. Then let our free trip planner build a day-by-day plan with food stops included, and the Money exchange tool turn baht prices into your own currency.
Frequently asked questions
What is the national dish of Thailand?
There is no single official national dish, but pad thai is the best known abroad, and tom yum kung, now on UNESCO’s intangible heritage list, is the one most Thais would name with pride. Green curry and som tam are close contenders.
Is Thai food spicy?
Often, yes, especially Isan salads, southern curries and green curry. But plenty of dishes are mild, including pad thai, khao man gai, massaman curry and tom kha gai, and most cooks will tone it down if you ask for “mai phet” (not spicy).
What do people eat for breakfast in Thailand?
Rice soup (khao tom or jok), grilled pork skewers with sticky rice, fried dough sticks (pa thong ko) with coffee or soy milk, and simple rice-and-curry plates. Breakfast is usually bought from street carts.
Is Thailand good for vegetarians?
Yes, with a little care. Look for the word jay (often on a yellow flag) for vegan food, and ask for no fish sauce or shrimp paste, which go into many curries and salads. Tourist areas and Chiang Mai have many vegetarian restaurants.
What should I eat at a Thai night market?
Start with grilled skewers, som tam and a pad thai, add something you have never seen before, and finish with mango sticky rice or fresh fruit shakes. Small portions make it easy to try five or six dishes in one evening.
What is the best city in Thailand for food?
Bangkok for variety, Chiang Mai for northern dishes such as khao soi, and Phuket, a UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy, for southern and Peranakan cooking.