The Bangkok food cheat sheet
The dish to eat
Hot and sour prawn soup with lemongrass, galangal, lime leaf, chili and lime.
Best at Pee Aor, Phetchaburi Soi 5, Ratchathewi. Get: Tom yum with river prawns, the creamy (nam khon) version
Five places, and what to order
- Nai Ek Roll Noodlesstreet food · Yaowarat (Chinatown)Get: Guay jab with crispy pork belly; add pork offal or spareribs
- Gai Tord Jae Kee (Polo Fried Chicken)family-run · LumphiniGet: Whole-bird fried chicken buried in crisp fried garlic, with sticky rice and green papaya salad
- Nai Mong Hoi Todstreet food · Yaowarat (Chinatown)Get: Hoi tod (oyster omelette) or the mussel pancake
- Rung Rueang Tung Pork Noodlefor tom yum pork noodles · Khlong Tan, Sukhumvit 26Get: Dry tom yum pork noodles with minced pork, plus blanched pork intestines
- Guay Jab Ouan Pochanafor guay jab · Yaowarat (Chinatown)Get: Rolled noodles with crispy pork belly and a boiled egg, in clear peppery broth
The market
Wholesale / wet market. Fresh produce, seafood, Thai ingredients
The line worth it
Get: Crab omelette and drunken noodles
Expect: Hours, booking is hard. Beat it: Book months ahead, or take a queue number early in the morning.
In season this November
New-harvest jasmine rice · Loy Krathong stall foods (kanom krok, fried banana… · Cool-dry season street-food peak
How it works here
Tip: No tipping at street stalls; leave the coins or 20-50 baht at sit-down places. Hotels add 10% service.
Book: Book fine dining and rooftop bars a week or more out; street food and shophouses are walk-in.
When locals eat: Street food runs all day; the night markets get going after 6pm.