Best Food in Bangkok

Bangkok is one of the most visited cities on the planet, receiving more than 22 million curious and excited travelers yearly. Sure, Thailand's capital is famous for its bustling nightlife, beautiful temples, magnetic culture, and rich historical ruins, but it is the food that gets so many people excited about visiting! Bangkok is world-famous for its mouthwatering cuisine, and for good reason: the city's food scene is an unbeatable cultural experience that will probably even change your life!

Not only can you find delicious food literally on every corner of the street, but it’s also extremely affordable! So, whether it’s eating at street stalls, grabbing a quick lunch at a food court, or dining at high-end restaurants, you will never break the bank by eating your way through your holiday in Bangkok!

So let’s go and explore the flavors of Bangkok and the best dishes this foodie nation has to offer. Warning: You’ll be coming back for more!

Thai eating culture

Food is so central to Thai culture that, when in Bangkok, you’re more likely to be greeted with “Gin Khao Yung?” which means “Have you eaten yet?” than with a “How are you today?”

In Bangkok, sharing food is a reason to celebrate, and eating together is incorporated into many social and religious occasions. In fact, many Thais even believe that eating alone is a gesture of bad luck, which is why meals are generally eaten family-style by sharing dishes. You will rarely see locals ordering their own starter, main, and dessert. Another Thai tradition is that by the end of a meal, every last grain of rice should be eaten, as throwing away food is likely to enrage Mae Phosop, the Thai Goddess of rice.

When it comes to breakfast habits, Thai people have slightly different preferences than, let’s say, Westerners. While Europeans might eat bread with marmalade or cereal and milk, breakfast in Bangkok often consists of rice accompanied by meat, fish, or eggs. So don’t be surprised if your hotel has rice and fish on the breakfast menu!

Sugar and spice, the key flavors

Thai cuisine is one of the most popular in the world and has been adapted worldwide! It's practically impossible to visit any city in the country without running into at least one Thai restaurant. What makes Thai food unique is the mix of spices, chili heat, herbs, seasonings, and Asian ingredients. Thai food is spicy, well-balanced, bold, and has plenty of umami.

A typical Thai meal should include the five main flavors: salty, sweet, sour, bitter, and spicy. Most Thai dishes aren’t considered satisfying unless they combine all five. Fun fact: Thai people don’t use salt to season dishes. Instead, they use salty flavors from fish sauce, soy sauce, oyster sauce, and seasoning sauce.

Bangkok street food

Now let’s dive into the good stuff: the infamous Bangkok street food! Bangkok has an estimated 500,000 street vendors, all cooking generations-old recipes to perfection. Even the pickiest eater will find at least one thing they like, trust us! From roast duck to crispy pork, rice porridge, pork dumplings, green curry with roti, noodle soups, baked bread, and Pad Thai, you name it, they’ve got it!

Wherever you go in the city, food stalls are plentiful, especially in busy areas. Some street vendors operate in groups, especially in local markets, so you can go to the same place every night and have a different choice of meal. Some even open around the clock.

If you can’t get over your fear of eating from street stalls, we have an amazing solution: try to get a reservation at Thailand’s only Michelin-starred street food stall, Jay Fai! Jay Fai is a 76-year-old Thai lady chef who runs a street stall in the streets of Bangkok. Her dishes have become so popular that it’s almost impossible to get a table. If you don’t make a reservation, be prepared to wait at least 2 hours to taste her most famous dish: the crab omelet. Jay Fai’s place is also featured in the Netflix series “Street Food”.

Most famous dish in Bangkok: Pad Thai

Pad Thai is Thailand's most legendary noodle dish and a must-eat for tourists exploring Thai cuisine. Created a little over 70 years ago during a culinary contest organized by the king, Pad Thai was intended to represent Thailand abroad. Today, it remains one of the country’s most famous dishes.

So what is Pad Thai? It’s a fried noodle dish typically made with dried and/or fresh shrimp or chicken, bean sprouts, tofu, egg, and traditionally served with lime halves, Chinese chives, and a sliced banana flower.

Other signature dishes in Bangkok you should try

• Papaya Salad (Som Tam) - A balanced Thai menu always includes this sweet, spicy, salty, and sour dish of papaya, peanuts, tomato, dried shrimp, and chili peppers.
• Tom Yum soup - A flavorful soup made with prawns, vegetables, coconut cream, lemongrass, galangal, kaffir lime leaves, chilies, lime juice, and fish sauce.
• Thai Curries - Thai curries come in different flavors and spice levels. The hottest is the green curry, followed by red, yellow, and orange. Other popular types are Panang and Massaman curry.
• Rice - Nothing occupies a more prominent place in Thai cuisine than rice, with Jasmine rice being the most popular. Rice is treated with respect, and leaving any uneaten is considered disrespectful to Mae Phosop, the Goddess of rice.

Where can you find the best food in Bangkok?

• Bangkok Chinatown Market - Bangkok’s Chinatown is a renowned street food destination and the local favorite dining district.
• Wang Lang Market - Across the river from the Grand Palace, this market offers a variety of authentic Thai dishes, including noodle soup, pork rice, and shrimp dumplings.
• Food Courts - Bangkok’s food courts offer authentic dishes much like street stalls but in a clean, air-conditioned environment.
• Fine Dining - Bangkok offers an impressive range of fine dining, including Michelin-starred options. Bangkok is ranked the world’s most affordable city for dining at top-rated Michelin restaurants.

Conclusion

As you’ve probably figured out by now, food options are endless in Bangkok, and we’re sure even the pickiest eater will find something they love! For the true Bangkok foodie experience, you can always book a private Bangkok food tour with us. We’ll take you to all the best foodie spots in town! If you have other travel plans and want to explore more of the country, we also offer amazing tours in Thailand!

Please enjoy Bangkok tours with us.