Best of Bangkok
Where locals eat in Bangkok
Start with Thipsamai Pad Thai in Old Town, Maha Chai Road for the egg-wrapped pad Thai, Jek Pui Curry in Yaowarat / Pom Prap, Chinatown for yellow pork curry and Nai Ek Roll Noodles in Yaowarat (Chinatown) for guay jab. Here are all 8, with what to get at each.
- Thipsamai Pad ThaiOld Town, Maha Chai Road · pad thai
Get: The egg-wrapped pad Thai (about B90 with small prawns); the river-prawn version; fresh orange juice
Legendary late night pad thai institution in Old Town, famous for its egg wrapped version and long queues.
- Jek Pui CurryYaowarat / Pom Prap, Chinatown · Thai-Chinese curry
Get: Yellow pork curry (kaeng kari moo), glazed pork ribs (seekong moo ob), stir-fried crab; about 60 baht a plate
Old-school Chinatown curry stall known for rich, long-simmered Thai-Chinese curries over rice.
- Nai Ek Roll NoodlesYaowarat (Chinatown) · street food
Get: Guay jab (70-150 baht) with crispy pork belly; add pork spareribs stew or braised pork rump
Chinatown noodle shop famed for rolled rice noodle sheets with crispy pork and other Chinese-Thai toppings.
- Nai Mong Hoi TodYaowarat / Pom Prap · street food
Get: O-lua (crispy oyster omelette) or o-a-chian (soft oyster pancake), dipped in chilli sauce; mussels sell out before 6pm
Crisp oyster omelettes in Yaowarat. Yaowarat stall celebrated for crispy oyster omelets fried in a hot wok, a Chinatown late-night classic.
- Rung Rueang Pork NoodlesKhlong Tan, Sukhumvit 26 · family-run
Get: Yellow egg noodles with pork balls in spicy tom yum broth
A shophouse that has served the same tangy noodle bowl for nearly 60 years, with a firm al dente bite.
- Wattana PanichEkkamai · institution
Get: Beef noodle soup (about 100 baht) with tendon, sliced beef and beef balls; the goat soup is its other known dish
A beef broth that's been simmering for about 50 years.
- Gai Tord Jae Kee (Polo Fried Chicken)Lumphini · Thai fried chicken
Get: Whole-bird fried chicken buried in crisp fried garlic, with sticky rice and green papaya salad
Popular Lumphini stall known for crispy, well-seasoned Thai fried chicken eaten on the street.
- Soi Polo Fried Chicken (Gai Tod Jae Kee)Lumphini
Get: Whole fried chicken (200 baht) covered in fried garlic, with som tam and sticky rice; larb gai rather than larb moo
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What are the local restaurants in Bangkok?
Chef Amazing’s picks start with Thipsamai Pad Thai (Old Town, Maha Chai Road), Jek Pui Curry (Yaowarat / Pom Prap, Chinatown) and Nai Ek Roll Noodles (Yaowarat (Chinatown)). All 8 places are on this page with what to get, where they are and a map.
What should I order?
At Thipsamai Pad Thai, get the egg-wrapped pad Thai (about B90 with small prawns); the river-prawn version; fresh orange juice. At Jek Pui Curry, get yellow pork curry (kaeng kari moo), glazed pork ribs (seekong moo ob), stir-fried crab; about 60 baht a plate. At Nai Ek Roll Noodles, get guay jab (70-150 baht) with crispy pork belly; add pork spareribs stew or braised pork rump. At Nai Mong Hoi Tod, get O-lua (crispy oyster omelette) or o-a-chian (soft oyster pancake), dipped in chilli sauce; mussels sell out before 6pm.
Which neighborhood is best for local restaurants in Bangkok?
Most of these are in Lumphini. The map on this page shows every one, numbered like the list.
How does Chef Amazing pick these?
From Chef Amazing’s city guide and lists for Bangkok: the places critics, chefs and locals keep recommending, checked and kept current, with what to order at each. Nobody pays to be on them.
More in Bangkok
Local restaurants in other cities
Places change: check hours before you go. Pins come from addresses and OpenStreetMap and can be a little off. Updated October 25, 2026.