🔄 Last checked 2 Jul 2026 · details and hours can change — check the venue before you go
Ask anyone from Chiang Mai which khao soi shop is the real deal, and the name "Khao Soi Mae Sai" comes up almost every time. This small shophouse restaurant on Soi Ratchaphruek in the Santitham neighbourhood, run by "Pa Na," has been open for more than 30 years. What started as a noodle shop the neighbourhood dropped by for regularly has become a place MICHELIN has awarded a Bib Gourmand year after year, right through the 2026 edition. And it's not just a badge on the door — MICHELIN inspectors have also written it up as one of the best khao soi restaurants in Thailand. For a shop where a bowl starts at 55 THB, that's an honour that says a lot, because the Bib Gourmand is MICHELIN's award for great food at a price anyone can afford, and Khao Soi Mae Sai defines that idea to the letter.
The heart of the shop is its khao soi broth — rich, fragrant with spices, and made from scratch at every step, exactly the way Pa Na has done it for three decades. The dish to order is khao soi gai (chicken khao soi), the star everyone queues for: a deep orange coconut curry broth, soft egg noodles, crispy noodles scattered on top, served with the classic sides of shallots, pickled mustard greens, and a squeeze of lime. Khao soi neua (beef khao soi) is the pick for anyone who likes a bolder flavour, and if there's a group of you, don't skip the khanom jeen nam ngiao (rice noodles in Shan-style broth) to share — another genuinely northern Thai dish the shop does just as well as its khao soi. Everything on the menu runs about 55–90 THB a bowl, so eating your fill solo won't run past 100 THB — increasingly rare for a restaurant with a MICHELIN name attached.
One thing that trips up out-of-towners is the name — "Mae Sai" doesn't mean the shop is in Mae Sai district up in Chiang Rai. It's right in central Chiang Mai, on Soi Ratchaphruek near Kad Suan Kaew, across from Huen Muan Jai, in the Santitham/Chang Phuak area. This neighbourhood is where Chiang Mai locals actually go to eat, just a short stretch north of the old city moat. The shop itself is a plain shophouse noodle joint with no fancy décor, but at lunchtime you'll see office workers from the area, students, and tourists with phones out following a map, all packed in together. That mix is exactly what tells you a place is the real thing in a city with hundreds of khao soi shops. If you're in Chiang Mai and want to know what khao soi tastes like when locals eat it for real, this is the answer both MICHELIN and Chiang Mai agree on.
Khao Soi Mae Sai
Khao Soi Mae Sai is on Soi Ratchaphruek in the Santitham neighbourhood, near Kad Suan Kaew (across from Huen Muan Jai) — a quick ride from the old city moat by songthaew or Grab. The shop has no parking lot of its own, so if you're driving, park on the street in the soi. It's open Monday–Saturday 08:00–16:00, closed every Sunday, and closed for an extended stretch around Songkran, roughly 12–19 April each year — worth checking if you're planning a Chiang Mai trip around the Thai New Year.
The shop takes no reservations under any circumstance — it's walk-in only, queue tickets handed out at the door. Call 053-213-284 if you have questions. A bowl runs about 55–90 THB, so budget under 100 THB per person, and cash is the easiest way to pay. Go before noon — khao soi sells out fast here and often runs out before closing time. Show up in the afternoon and you risk missing the standouts like khao soi gai or khao soi neua; go earlier and you get both a shorter queue and the full menu. Dress is completely casual — this is a homely shophouse restaurant, a good stop for lunch after wandering Chang Phuak or shopping at Kad Suan Kaew.
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| MICHELIN award 2026 | 🍽️ Bib Gourmand |
| Province | Chiang Mai |
| Cuisine | Khao soi/Northern Thai |
| Approx. price | About 55–90 THB a bowl (under 100 THB per person) |
| Booking | No online booking — call 053-213-284 |
| Hours | Mon–Sat 08:00–16:00 (closed Sundays; closed for an extended stretch around Songkran, ~12–19 Apr) |
| Landmark / getting there | Soi Ratchaphruek, near Kad Suan Kaew (across from Huen Muan Jai) |
| Area | Santitham/Chang Phuak |
Before you go
No reservations — take a queue ticket at the door, call 053-213-284 · No parking lot of its own (street parking) · Go before noon to skip the queue and avoid sold-out dishes — khao soi tends to sell out before closing time
Stay in Chiang Mai nearby and hit every MICHELIN spot
See all hotels on AgodaChiang Mai has plenty more MICHELIN restaurants — see the full list across every tier and every province on our roundup page
🏅 All MICHELIN restaurants across Thailand 2026