Thailand’s Best Kept Street Food Secrets: Breakfast Curries and Rice Noodle Desserts
We all have our favorite Thai dishes, whether it’s spicy Pad Ka-Prao, soupy Khai Soi, green curry, or fiery red curry. We may think we know Thai cuisine well, especially with the abundance of Thai restaurants around the world. However, an article in the New York Times pointed out that the Thai food available in Western cities tends to be sweeter and less spicy than the authentic dishes found in Thailand. So, if you want real Thai food, Thailand is still the best place to go.
While we can give you advice on Thai cooking, it turns out that 80% of people living in Bangkok eat at street food stalls more often than restaurants. Therefore, we’ve compiled a list of the best places to find popular street food options in Thailand.
Despite its remote location, the island of Phuket offers a diverse range of street food options. Instead of relying on room service at your resort, venture out to the stalls and carts lining the streets. Here, you’ll find fresh fruit, Thai pancakes, meatballs in hot sauce, coconut ice cream, and even international cuisines like dim sum dumplings and steamed buns.
For an authentic experience, head to Bangkok’s Old Town, where hole-in-the-wall restaurants and food stands serve up both contemporary specialties and classic dishes that are hard to find elsewhere. One popular dish for breakfast and lunch is khao gang, a curry rice dish with your choice of meat.
If you crave something other than traditional Thai street food, make your way to Bangkok’s Chinatown, known as Yaowarat. This is considered the birthplace of street food in Thailand, and you can find satay, Thai-style sukiyaki, and kanompang sankaya (toasted custard bread with your choice of fillings).
To satisfy your sweet tooth, Bangkok is home to one of the most famous desserts in the region: lod chong. This snack, also popular in Singapore, Vietnam, and Indonesia, is made from green rice flour jelly noodles, sugar, and coconut milk. It is typically served with shaved ice, ice cream, jackfruit, durian, or red bean.