🔄 Last checked 2 Jul 2026 · details and hours can change — check the venue before you go
Ask anyone in Khon Kaen which yentafo shop has been part of the city the longest, and "Leng Yentafo" comes up in nearly every answer. The shop has been open since 1984 — over 40 years now. It started with Khun Leng, a descendant of the Mae Sok Tiang family, ethnic Chinese, who decided to move from Yaowarat (Bangkok's Chinatown) to settle in Khon Kaen, bringing the secret recipe for pink yentafo broth with them. What began as a small noodle shop on Thanon Klang Mueang is today a legend that the MICHELIN Guide has awarded a Bib Gourmand, and it still holds a place in the 2026 edition. MICHELIN itself writes plainly that the shop's charm hasn't faded at all over more than forty years — for a noodle shop charging under 100 baht a bowl, that's a serious compliment.
The heart of the shop is an authentic Yaowarat-style yentafo, cooked the same way since the founding generation. The pink broth carries just the right amount of punch, the noodles that MICHELIN praised as especially soft and chewy, and what sets it apart from ordinary yentafo is what's in the bowl — fish balls and shrimp balls made fresh in-house, fish dumplings wrapped by hand one by one. One bite and you can tell it's not factory-made. Anyone who wants an extra kick should order the tom yum yentafo, its sour-spicy edge cutting nicely against the broth's sweetness. As for the side dish nearly every table orders, it's the deep-fried taro — crisp outside, soft inside, and unbelievably good paired with a hot bowl of noodles.
A charming detail: MICHELIN named Leng Yentafo one of the Best Breakfast Spots in Isan, because the shop opens at half past seven in the morning and stays open until midnight, so locals in Khon Kaen can eat here any time of day — from breakfast before work to a late bite after a night out. The location is right in the city center on Thanon Klang Mueang, easy to reach. Anyone visiting Khon Kaen who wants to understand why this city became a place where overseas Chinese settled down and left their culinary mark for later generations — this shop's pink bowl of yentafo is a real, edible answer. Since you're already in Khon Kaen, stop by and taste the legend. It costs less than a hundred baht, but you'll walk away with a story worth bringing home.
Leng Yentafo
Leng Yentafo sits on Thanon Klang Mueang, right in the center of Khon Kaen — easy to spot next to the 7-Eleven in front of Villa. Open daily 07:30–24:00 (some older sources list 07:00–03:00, so it's worth allowing some flexibility if you're heading there very late). Prices are easy on the wallet, under 100 THB a bowl. No reservation needed — just walk in and take a seat. Call 086-580-1259 if you have questions. One important thing to know: the shop accepts cash only, so bring small bills.
The best time to go is breakfast through lunch — MICHELIN named it one of the Best Breakfast Spots in Isan, and the queue is clearly shorter in the morning and midday than in the evening. The must-order dishes are the original-recipe yentafo, tom yum yentafo, house-made fish dumplings with fish balls, and deep-fried taro as a side. If the main branch is packed, there's a second branch near the Khon Kaen Hospital intersection as a backup option.
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| MICHELIN award 2026 | 🍽️ Bib Gourmand |
| Province | Khon Kaen |
| Cuisine | Street food · Yaowarat-style yentafo noodle soup |
| Approx. price | Under 100 THB/bowl |
| Booking | No online booking — call 086-580-1259 |
| Hours | Daily 07:30–24:00 (some older sources list 07:00–03:00) |
| Landmark / getting there | Thanon Klang Mueang, next to the 7-Eleven in front of Villa |
| Area | In-town (Thanon Klang Mueang) |
Tips before you go
Call 086-580-1259 · cash only · a second branch is near the Khon Kaen Hospital intersection · open from early morning until late — MICHELIN named it one of the Best Breakfast Spots in Isan, and the queue is shorter in the morning and at lunch than in the evening
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