🔄 Updated 21 Jun 2026
When people think of the golden "thong" sweets, Phetchaburi often comes to mind first, but Ayutthaya is where this family of desserts started. Thao Thong Kip Ma (Marie Guimar) brought Portuguese egg-based sweet recipes into the royal court during King Narai's reign, then adapted them into thong yip, thong yot, foi thong and met khanun, all built around egg yolk and syrup. Today the old capital still has it all, from grandmother-run shops in the villages to a Michelin-recognised mor gaeng custard shop and a new wave of Thai-dessert cafes, so you can pick by your style.
The golden sweets — thong yip, thong yot, foi thong
These three are the stars of any Ayutthaya dessert run. They share the same base of egg yolk and sugar, but the way each shop drops, folds and threads them makes no two the same. The trick is balanced sweetness and an egg aroma that isn't fishy.
Khanom Thai Pa Mali (Ko Rian)
A grandmother-run, handmade shop in the Ko Rian community making thong yot, foi thong and met khanun that follow the old Thao Thong Kip Ma recipes. The sweets are fresh, with a homey kind of sweetness that doesn't turn sharp. It's a shop that several outlets have visited when tracing original royal-court sweets.
Khanom Mor Gaeng Mae Yai (Chedi Nakleng / Phai Ling)
One of the first shops locals name when you ask about Ayutthaya sweets, and a Michelin awardee. Beyond the egg, mung-bean and taro custards that are its headline, it also does the full set of thong yip, thong yot and foi thong. Sit down in the cool air-conditioned shop or grab a box to take home.
Baan Khao Nom (U Thong Road, old island)
A Thai-dessert cafe in the old town with a cute retro Thai look. It serves the golden sweets along with other Thai desserts and drinks, so it's a good spot to rest after temple-hopping and pick up something to take home too.
Thai dessert stalls at Chao Phrom Market
The main market for Ayutthaya locals, along Naresuan Road, with several Thai-sweet stalls selling thong yot, foi thong, khanom chan and khanom piakpoon at easy prices. Great for grabbing a bunch of different sweets in one place before you head out.
Tips for buying
The golden sweets are made from egg yolk, so they don't keep as long as dry-baked goods. If you're carrying them far, buy them on your day of travel and tell the seller how many more hours you'll be on the road. Many shops will box and split-pack them to suit the distance.
Want to taste deeper? Try a Ayutthaya food tour or cooking class
Half a day with a local who knows the lanes — or cooking a dish yourself — teaches you more than just eating. Book ahead on Klook or GetYourGuide.
Mor gaeng custard and other Old Capital sweets
Beyond the golden sweets, Ayutthaya is also known for dense, coconut-scented mor gaeng custard and for roti sai mai, which has basically become the province's signature souvenir. These two are the most popular things to carry home alongside the golden sweets.
Mor gaeng custard (Old Capital style)
Custard made with egg, mung bean, taro or lotus seed, dense with a fragrant browned top and a sweetness that doesn't go sharp. It's a dessert Ayutthaya does in a soft, deep way. You can find it at Mae Yai and at stalls in Chao Phrom Market.
Roti sai mai (Abidin / Mae Pom)
Ayutthaya's signature souvenir: a thin sheet of roti wrapped around spun sugar that pulls into silky sweet threads. Well-known makers like Abidin and Mae Pom have been at it for ages, and they're easy to find near the hospital and around the old island.
Hom Klin Thai Dessert Cafe (Wat Ratchaburana view)
A newer Thai-dessert cafe with a view over Wat Ratchaburana. It has Thai sweets, light savoury bites and drinks, good for photos and a break between temple visits. The sweets are packed nicely enough to carry home as gifts.
Chu Jai Dessert
A shaved-ice and dessert-buffet style shop with easy prices, around 35–40 THB a bowl. Good for cooling off after walking temples in the heat, with plenty of Thai sweets to choose from in one place.
Cake Baan Suan (Wang Noi)
A souvenir from Wang Noi district: soft cakes with a range of fillings at fair prices. People regularly stop for them on the way in and out of Ayutthaya on the Wang Noi side. Not a royal-court sweet, but a popular take-home that pairs well with the rest.
How to buy Thai desserts as souvenirs and get your money's worth
- Sort by travel distance — egg sweets (thong yip, thong yot, foi thong) keep for 2–3 days · mor gaeng keeps longer chilled · roti sai mai keeps dry for several days.
- Buy from shops that make it daily — the golden sweets taste best fresh, so if you can see them being made out front, or they tell you it was made this morning, you're on safer ground.
- Stock up on variety at Chao Phrom Market — if you want several kinds on a budget, one loop through Chao Phrom Market does it.
- Ask about the sweetness — many shops make two levels, so tell the seller if you prefer it less sweet. A good royal-court sweet is rounded, not sharp.
Temple-hopping + desserts
Walk the temples on the old island in the morning, then stop at Baan Khao Nom or Hom Klin for Thai sweets in the afternoon.
Serious souvenir run
Drive over to Mae Yai for mor gaeng and golden sweets, then grab roti sai mai around the old island before you leave.
Plan a full day of eating your way around Ayutthaya
See the Ayutthaya travel guide →