🔄 Updated 21 Jun 2026
If the guay jab you know is the rolled-noodle kind in a thick, peppery soup, Surin's Vietnamese guay jab is a completely different dish. Here the noodles are wide, flat sheets made from rice flour — soft, slightly chewy, and easy to slurp. The broth is clear, simmered from pork bones alone, with a natural sweetness and none of the heavy pepper you get in Thai-style guay jab. A standard bowl has tender pork rib, sliced Vietnamese pork sausage, fried spring rolls, and a soft-boiled egg, finished with chopped fried shallots and spring onion. This is food the Thai-Vietnamese community in Surin has cooked for generations until it became a dish of the town itself.
How Vietnamese guay jab differs from regular guay jab
- Wide noodle sheets — the noodles are made from rice flour and cut into broad sheets, more like sen yai than the rolled noodles of thick guay jab. Soft and chewy, easy to slurp, and they soak up the broth well.
- Clear broth — simmered mainly from pork bones for a natural bone-sweet flavor, clear rather than cloudy, unlike Thai guay jab with its thick, pepper-heavy soup.
- Vietnamese-style toppings — Vietnamese pork sausage, fried spring rolls, soft-boiled egg, tender pork rib, and at some shops chicken feet or spare ribs to choose from, all topped with chopped fried shallots and spring onion.
- Season it yourself — the table has pickled chili in vinegar, ground chili, fish sauce, and lime so you can add sourness and heat to taste. Some people like a squeeze of lime to freshen up the broth.
Want to taste deeper? Try a Surin 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.
Why Surin has Vietnamese guay jab
Lower Isan around Surin, Ubon Ratchathani, and Nakhon Phanom has long-settled Thai-Vietnamese communities, so Vietnamese food became part of these towns too — Vietnamese guay jab, pork sausage, spring rolls, and nem nuang. Many shops in Surin have the word 'Ubon' tacked onto their name, because several of the recipes trace back to the Ubon side, the origin point of Vietnamese guay jab in lower Isan. Eating it in Surin gets you a flavor close to the original, and lighter on the wallet than Vietnamese restaurants in the big cities.
10 great Vietnamese guay jab shops in Surin town
We've ordered these by how well known they are among locals and by review buzz. The top spots are shops the whole town knows, while the later entries are small shops and market stalls that are worth it if you happen to be passing by. Prices are rough ranges and shift with the toppings and extras you add. Hours can change too — if you're going out of your way, a quick call first is the safer bet.
Phon Suwan Guay Jab Branch 7
One of the most talked-about Vietnamese guay jab shops in Surin, on Suriyakan Road in the town center. Known for wide, chewy noodles and a clear, bone-sweet broth, with a choice of pork knuckle, spare ribs, or chicken feet, plus a full set of soft-boiled egg and pork sausage. Comfortable seating and a menu to order from. It sells from morning until it runs out in the afternoon, so come before noon to get everything.
Vietnamese Guay Jab Ubon, Jay Bo's Recipe
An old shop on Suriyakan Road that goes straight for the Ubon recipe. The broth is clear and well balanced, the noodles wide and soft, the pork sausage generous, and the spring rolls fried crisp. Locals eat here regularly. Good for anyone who wants the original Ubon-side Vietnamese guay jab flavor in Surin.
Guay Jab Ubon (opposite Wat Nong Bua)
A legendary shop for Surin kids of the 90s, right across from Wat Nong Bua. The standouts are Vietnamese guay jab, longan water, pork sausage, and fried wontons, with everything priced under 100 THB. The clear broth goes down easy, and it's a relaxed spot to eat and sit and chat.
Jay Phat Vietnamese Guay Jab Ubon
A shop Surin locals pass around for its well-balanced broth and chewy noodles, loaded with toppings — both pork sausage and tender pork rib, and some bowls come with kale. The flavor isn't overdone, so it suits all ages. Good for a late breakfast or a lunch before you head out to explore.
Nai Om Guay Jab (Kae Yai branch)
A suburban shop that does both Vietnamese guay jab and thick-broth guay jab under one roof. Soft noodles, a well-balanced broth, and a full set of toppings including pork sausage and tender pork rib. It runs as a som tam and made-to-order place with easy parking — good if you're driving through the Kae Yai side and want to sit down for a proper meal.
Pa Aew Vietnamese Guay Jab (lane beside Wat Sa-ngam)
A hole-in-the-wall locals pass around, in the lane beside Wat Sa-ngam. It's a noodle and made-to-order shop that gives a generous Vietnamese guay jab for the price. The clear broth goes down easy. Good if you want a homey, uncrowded spot.
Vietnamese guay jab with stewed chicken feet (at old shops in town)
Not a single shop but a way to order that several old shops in town offer — adding tender stewed chicken feet to a bowl of Vietnamese guay jab, alongside the wide noodles and clear broth, so you get both the softness of the noodles and the richness of the chicken feet. If you like something to chew on, ask the top shops on this list whether they have chicken feet — many offer them as an add-on.
Vietnamese guay jab stalls in Surin Municipal Fresh Market
In and around Surin Municipal Fresh Market there are several Vietnamese guay jab stalls open in the morning. Prices are light, the broth clear and the toppings complete — good if you're doing the morning market and want a hot bowl before you carry on shopping. Most have pork sausage and spring rolls as add-ons. Look for the stall with the longest queue and give it a try.
Vietnamese restaurants in town that serve guay jab
Surin town has several Vietnamese restaurants that list Vietnamese guay jab on the menu, alongside nem nuang, fresh spring rolls, and pork sausage. Good for coming as a group and ordering several dishes to share, getting a range of Vietnamese flavors in one place rather than coming just for guay jab.
Vietnamese guay jab carts at evening markets around town
In the evenings, Vietnamese guay jab carts come out at the night markets and community areas around Surin — the cheapest on this list. Clear broth, soft noodles, with pork sausage and soft-boiled egg. Good for a light dinner or a snack before heading back to your room. Look for them at whichever evening market is running that day.
When to go
Most of the well-known Vietnamese guay jab shops in town sell from morning until they run out in the afternoon — many close around 2 PM. If you want a full set of toppings with pork sausage, spring rolls, and tender pork rib, go before noon. The carts at evening markets come out from late afternoon into the evening. Some old shops have a regular monthly closing day, so if you've got your heart set on one place, call ahead or check their page so you don't make the trip for nothing.
How to order for the real Vietnamese guay jab flavor
- Start with the loaded bowl — order the combination bowl first to get tender pork rib, pork sausage, and soft-boiled egg all in one bowl. It's the best way to see what the shop is about.
- Go for the wide noodles — the heart of Vietnamese guay jab is the wide sheets. If the shop lets you pick, choose the wide noodles for that soft, chewy bite in every mouthful.
- Add spring rolls and pork sausage — these two are the natural pairing for Vietnamese guay jab. Order crispy fried spring rolls on the side, or add more pork sausage to the bowl.
- Season with chili vinegar and lime — the broth is clear and mild, so a squeeze of lime and a little pickled chili in vinegar will freshen it up. Don't add too much at once — taste first, then adjust.
Where to go after your Vietnamese guay jab
Vietnamese guay jab is a nicely light meal before heading out. Many of the famous shops are in the town center near the Phaya Surin monument and the municipal market, so it's easy to walk around town afterward. With a full day, you can drive out to see the elephants at Ban Ta Klang village or work through Khmer temples like Sikhoraphum in a single day. If you're already into Vietnamese food, following it up with a bowl of Isan-style khanom jeen nam ya pa in town makes for a fitting second meal.
Ban Ta Klang Elephant Village
The largest elephant-keeping village in Thailand, about 50 km from town — easy to carry on to after a morning meal.
EatSurin Khanom Jeen Nam Ya Pa
Another Surin breakfast — Isan-style nam ya pa with fermented fish, unlimited fresh veggies. We've rounded up the town's shops.
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