Thailand Food Guide

Introduction

Thai food is one of the world’s great cuisines — a perfect balance of sweet, sour, salty, spicy and umami that most other food traditions never achieve simultaneously. From a ฿50 street food bowl to a ฿3,000 restaurant meal, the quality ceiling in Thailand is extraordinary.

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20 Must-Eat Thai Dishes

1. Pad Thai

Stir-fried rice noodles with egg, tofu or shrimp, bean sprouts, spring onion, peanuts. Thailand’s most internationally famous dish is also genuinely excellent when made well.

2. Tom Yum Goong

Spicy and sour prawn soup with lemongrass, galangal, kaffir lime leaves. One of the world’s great soups.

3. Tom Kha Gai

Coconut milk chicken soup with galangal. Milder and creamier than Tom Yum.

4. Som Tam (Papaya Salad)

Shredded green papaya with chili, lime, fish sauce, palm sugar, tomatoes. Addictive. Northeastern (Isaan) specialty popular nationwide.

5. Green Curry (Gaeng Keow Wan)

Fragrant coconut curry with Thai basil, eggplant, bamboo shoots. Green from fresh chilies.

6. Massaman Curry

Rich, mild curry with peanuts, potatoes, usually beef or chicken. Malay and Indian influence. Hearty and satisfying.

7. Khao Man Gai

Poached chicken over rice cooked in chicken broth, served with cucumber, broth, and ginger sauce. Thailand’s great comfort food — eaten for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

8. Mango Sticky Rice (Khao Niao Mamuang)

Sweet sticky rice with fresh ripe mango and coconut cream. Thailand’s most beloved dessert.

9. Laab (Larb)

Minced meat salad with toasted rice powder, fish sauce, lime, chili, mint. Northern and Northeastern specialty.

10. Pad See Ew

Wide rice noodles stir-fried with egg, Chinese broccoli, in sweet soy sauce. Less fiery than Pad Thai.

11. Boat Noodles (Kuay Teow Rua)

Small bowls of noodle soup — traditionally sold from boats. Intensely flavored dark broth.

12. Satay

Marinated meat skewers grilled over charcoal, served with peanut sauce. Street food staple.

13. Thai Basil Stir Fry (Pad Krapow)

Ground pork or chicken stir-fried with holy basil, chili, fish sauce. Eaten with rice and fried egg. Thailand’s most popular lunch.

14. Kao Soi

Northern Thai coconut curry noodle soup with crispy noodles on top. Chiang Mai specialty. One of Asia’s great dishes.

15. Hoy Tod (Oyster Omelet)

Crispy egg omelet with oysters or mussels. Street food classic.

16. Roti

Flaky fried flatbread served with curry or sweet condensed milk and banana. Malaysian influence, beloved throughout Thailand.

17. Gaeng Pa (Jungle Curry)

Spicy curry without coconut milk. Intensely flavored.

18. Tod Mun Pla (Fish Cakes)

Fried fish cakes with kaffir lime, chili, served with sweet chili dipping sauce.

19. Crying Tiger (Seua Rong Hai)

Grilled beef with spicy tamarind dipping sauce. Northeastern specialty.

20. Ba-mee (Egg Noodles)

Chinese-influenced yellow egg noodles in broth with pork or wontons. Bangkok breakfast staple.

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