🔄 Updated 21 Jun 2026
If it's your first time in Chiang Mai, the food is the reason a lot of people want to come back. The city has traditional northern Thai dishes, morning-market street food, and a new wave of cafes brewing beans from the hills around town. We picked 12 things that, once you try them, make it obvious why people get hooked.
Northern Thai dishes to try
Khao Soi
Egg noodles in a coconut-curry broth built on northern curry paste, topped with crispy fried noodles and served with chicken or beef. Eat it with pickled greens and shallots on the side. It's the dish people picture when they think of Chiang Mai.
Nam Ngiao with rice noodles
A lightly sour, orange-tinted broth (the color comes from dried cotton-tree blossoms) ladled over fresh rice noodles, eaten with crispy pork rinds and raw veg. It's a go-to breakfast for northerners.
Sai ua + pork rinds
Grilled herb-packed northern sausage, eaten on its own as a snack or with sticky rice. You'll find it at morning markets and souvenir shops all over town.
Tip
The good khao soi often sells out before afternoon. If you've got a popular shop in mind, go before noon to be safe.
Want to taste deeper? Try a Chiang Mai 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.
Cafes and mountain coffee
Chiang Mai is a serious cafe town, with hundreds of coffee shops pouring beans from the hills around it like Mon Jam and Doi Chang — everything from spots inside the old city to cafes out in the fields around Mae Rim and San Kamphaeng.
Cafes around Nimman
Design-forward shops you can hop between in one neighborhood — good for getting work done.
Field cafes in Mae Rim
Mountain and garden views, worth a drive out to sit and slow down in the morning.
Street food and markets
- Warorot Market (Kad Luang) — northern snacks, take-home treats and curry pastes, all in one place
- Sunday Walking Street — eat your way down Ratchadamnoen Road, savory and sweet the whole way
- Moo kratha (Thai BBQ) — the dinner locals meet up for, with spots all over town
Plan a full eat-and-explore trip to Chiang Mai
See the Chiang Mai guide →