🔄 Last checked 2 Jul 2026 · details and hours can change — check the venue before you go
Among all the Bib Gourmand restaurants in the MICHELIN Guide Thailand 2026, "Thai Tham" is probably one of the best at telling the story of Bangkok's Old Town. The shop sits tucked into Phraeng Phuthon, a cluster of old shophouses in the Phra Nakhon district, and MICHELIN notes that this is a shop passed down through generations for over a century. Thai sources say the current shop at Phraeng Phuthon square has stood since around 1957, and that it once carried the old-school "Shell Chuan Chim" seal of approval — long before the word MICHELIN ever reached Thailand. The heart of the shop is Sudjit Suranan, the octogenarian owner who still prepares the shop's signature dish herself every morning. That kind of consistency is exactly why MICHELIN picked out this small, humble shophouse charging just tens to a hundred baht a dish for its national guide.
The dish everyone talks about first is the stewed pig's brain soup, a dish that's getting harder to find in Bangkok by the year. Here, the brain is stewed fresh every morning and served as a mixed offal-and-brain soup for around 120 baht a bowl. The brain itself is soft and almost melts in your mouth, eaten with hot steamed rice — that's the image regulars in this neighbourhood have carried for decades. Beyond the main bowl, there's also house-made Thai-Chinese snacks: fragrant grilled liver sausage (kun chiang) on a skewer for about 30 baht, taro pork balls at 25 baht each, and simple house-recipe pork meatballs made fresh daily. Per-head spend, according to Wongnai, runs around 101–250 baht — meaning you can eat at MICHELIN level for less than the price of an expensive cup of coffee. The setting is an old shophouse on Phraeng Phuthon square, where you can eat while watching Old Town life go by — a feel no mall could ever give you.
What makes Thai Tham stand out from other pig's brain shops is timing. The shop is only open mornings through early afternoon, Monday to Saturday, and the freshly stewed brain made each morning is limited. On busy days it runs out by early afternoon, so anyone coming specifically for this bowl should plan to arrive mid-morning, before noon. Pair it with a walk through the Saam Phraeng area, Giant Swing, and the nearby Chao Pho Suea Shrine, and breakfast at Thai Tham becomes a perfect way to kick off a day exploring the Old Town. The shop accepts cash only, so bring small bills and go sit down with a hundred-year legend for just over a hundred baht a bowl.
Thai Tham
Thai Tham is one of the easiest restaurants on the MICHELIN list on your wallet — snacks start at 25 baht for taro pork balls, about 30 baht a skewer for grilled liver sausage, while the signature mixed offal-and-brain soup runs about 120 baht a bowl. Per-head budget, according to Wongnai, is around 101–250 baht for a full meal. No reservation needed, just walk in and sit down, or call 02-221-7612 to ask ahead — and note the shop takes cash only.
What you need to plan around is "timing" more than the queue. The shop is open Monday–Saturday 07:00–14:00, closed Sunday and public holidays. The stewed pig's brain is made fresh every morning and is limited — on busy days it typically sells out by early afternoon, and the shop itself recommends coming before noon. For a sure bet, go in the morning to late morning. Getting there is easy via MRT Sam Yot station, then about a 10-minute walk into the Phraeng Phuthon area. The shop is at 28/1 Phraeng Phuthon Rd, San Chao Pho Suea, Phra Nakhon — a great breakfast stop before a full day exploring the Old Town.
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| MICHELIN award 2026 | 🍽️ Bib Gourmand |
| Cuisine type | Thai-Chinese / snacks and offal soup |
| Approx. price | ~THB 25–150 per dish (grilled liver sausage THB 30, taro pork balls THB 25, mixed offal-and-brain soup THB 120); Wongnai band THB 101–250/head |
| Booking | Walk-in; phone 02-221-7612 (Michelin: restaurant manages its own bookings). Cash only. |
| Hours | Mon–Sat 07:00–14:00; closed Sun and public holidays |
| Getting there | MRT Sam Yot, about a 10-minute walk |
| Neighbourhood | Phraeng Phuthon, Old Town (Phra Nakhon) |
Queue tips
Morning shop — the stewed pig's brain is made fresh each morning and can run out; go before lunch. Cash only. · Arrive in the morning; brain soup sells through by early afternoon on busy days
Stay nearby and walk or ride over to eat
See all 44 Bib Gourmand restaurants in Bangkok, with Thai names, prices, and neighbourhoods
🍽️ Bangkok Bib Gourmand, 44 restaurants