A Weekend Of Eating In Chiang Mai, Thailand

Chiang Mai is a food lover’s paradise offering an array of incredible flavors that marry traditional Northern Thai cuisine with influences from neighboring regions, particularly China, the Muslim world, Myanmar and Laos, and international culinary trends.

Known for its bustling night bazars and sprawling day markets that feature countless street food stalls selling everything from regional specialties like khao soi and Northern Thai sausage; to sweets including the classic mango and sticky rice; to grilled meats, noodle stir fries and even deep fried insects, this city has a never ending selection street food to discover.

In addition to street food, Chiang Mai features a variety of trendy cafes and upscale restaurants that seamlessly pay homage to their roots, while showcasing modern interpretations of Thai cuisine.

While the city offers plenty of history — Chiang Mai, previously known as the Lanna Kingdom, is the former capital of Thailand — and offers over 300 temples to explore, which is the most of any province in the country, visitors can’t go wrong eating and drinking their way though this vibrant city.

Chiang Mai’s newest luxury hotel, the InterContinental Chiang Mai The Mae Ping, offers the perfect location for visitors looking to take advantage of the food scene.

Situated nearby the Tha Phae Gate, the historic landmark that separates Chiang Mai Old City from the rest of the city, the hotel is conveniently located within walking distance of five major night markets on Chang Klan Road. They include Anusarn Night Market, Pavillion Night Market, Chiang Mai Night Bazaar, Kalare Night Bazaar and Ploen Ruedee Night Market.

The hotel also offers unique culinary experiences that include a Tea Artistry Blending and Tasting Workshop in partnership with Monsoon Tea, a company that specializes in unique, native tea grown sustainably and in efforts to help local communities flourish.

During this workshop, guests learn about how growing tea can be a positive, collaborative effort that both protects forests and works to improve the lives of local farmers. You also get to try you hand at making your own blend of special tea using premium ingredients.

On property is The Gad Lanna, a restaurant inspired by Chiang Mai’s history and rich culture. Named after a traditional “gad,” the Chiang Mai word for “market,” this restaurant offers authentic Northern Thai cuisine with ingredients sourced from local farms and markets.

Highlights include the tom yum goong Ayutthaya with river prawn and tom yum coconut broth; tam som-o with pomelo, Thai eggplant and fermented crab; gaeng hung lay Burmese style curry and more.

From favorites like khao soi phad with wok fried egg noodles and roasted pork larb, to traditional dishes like the nam phrik — a flavorful dipping sauce made of chilis, garlic and shallots served with crispy pork skins — and the signature aep pla, a grilled banana-wrapped fish with a Thai chimichurri sauce, The Gad Lanna offers a traditional selection of upscale Thai cuisine.

If you have a weekend to spend in Chiang Mai, here’s where you should go.

Woo Cafe

This could very well be the prettiest cafe in town — Woo Cafe is an absolutely beautiful restaurant, cafe, art gallery and lifestyle shop that is filled with stunning flowers, plants, expressionist art, pottery and all things aesthetically pleasing.

Woo Cafe offers a selection of traditional Thai and Western dishes, alongside and incredible selection of cakes and sweet treats that are housed inside pretty glass cases nestled within bouquets of flowers. Highlights include the lemon cream cake, pandan cake, taro cake, banoffee pie and every other sweet treat — you can’t go wrong.

Woo Cafe offers an impressive coffee, juice and tea menu with unique beverages like the coconut Americano, fresh juices, house-made sodas like the tamarind honey soda, and herbal drinks like the butterfly pea lemon juice.

Standout lunch dishes include stir fried eggplant with minced pork and sweet basil, stir fried sea bass with herbs, green curry with pork, tom yum king fried rice, elaborate Thai salads and more. Just like with its decor and design, all the dishes and desserts are perfectly Instagrammable.

Hong’s Restaurant and Sky Bar

Situated at the top floor of the InterContinental Chiang Mai The Mae Ping is Chiang Mai's newest upscale Chinese dining experience, Hong's Restaurant and Sky Bar. Opened just last month, the kitchen is helmed by Chef Chong Li, whose previous experience includes work at the Park Hyatt hotels in Shanghai and Hangzhou, the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Qatar and in the Maldives, where he served as the Chinese Head Chef and developed his own unique style of cooking.

The restaurant offers a refined menu featuring a blend of the bold vibrant flavors of Sichuan, Cantonese and Taiwanese cuisine, with signature à la carte dishes such as the mapo tofu lobster; sweet and sour squirrel fish with pine nuts; crispy tiger prawns with wasabi; and wagyu beef short ribs in Sichuan-style sauce, among other regional specialties. The menu also offers grilled meats, wok-fried seafood, dim sum, noodles, and rice dishes, alongside a Chinese sharing table concept.

At the Sky Bar, guests are treated to creative craft cocktails, Chinese tapas and music selected by the DJ. Small bites include the deep-fried taro with free-range duck, crispy tacos with fried mushrooms and wagyu beef, and crab meat cone with Sichuan micro herbs. The backdrop? None other than stunning vistas of Doi Suthep and the city below.

Kiti Panit

For a memorable meal in a memorable place, head to Kiti Panit, a beautiful restaurant housed in a stunning teak tree mansion dating back to 1888. The house was Chiang Mai’s first general store and remains owned by the 5th generation of descendants from the Chinese immigrants who founded the store.

After remaining uninhabited for half a century, the building has undergone thorough renovations employing local artists and craftsmen to revive and showcase the original woodwork, encompassing ceilings, flooring, staircase and panels. The decor comprises entirely of the original furniture, bringing the historical essence back to life.​

Serving authentic Lanna cuisine, the menu features signatures like the khao soi with stewed beef shank or chicken; starters that include tai yai meatballs and Northern chicken larb served with deep fried chicken skin; and grilled meats like the beef “crying tiger” with Jiew sauce and souf beef or pork soup.

The mains include a selection of hearty dishes such as the Northern pork curry; the stir fried wild boar with curry spices; and the fried rice with fermented pork shoulder. Wrap up the meal with dessert — they offer a selection that includes unripe rice with coconut milk “kao mao,” a watermelon sundae, a passion fruite cheesecake and finally a fancy twist on the mango and sticky rice made with grilled caramelized mango.

Night Markets

Chiang Mai’s night markets are the best places to get your fill on authentic street food. The top night markets happen on the weekends, with the most famous, and largest, being the Sunday Walking Street Market. The second biggest is the Saturday night Wua Lai Walking Street.

During these special evenings, the entire street transforms into a non-stop bazaar, packed with hundreds of vendors selling everything from clothes, jewelry and arts and crafts to sweet treats and tons of street food — and everything in between.

The best street food includes khao soi, a traditional curry noodle soup; spicy Northern Thai sausage; noodle dishes that include pad thai and pad see ew; grilled meats; braised pork leg over rice; crunchy baby crabs; deep fried fish cakes; sweets that include Thai coconut pancakes and mango with sticky rice and so much more.

Each market has designated food courts, complete with live musicians performing American throwbacks, overflowing with every kind of street food you can imagine. Be sure to have Thai baht on hand, as none of the vendors take card.