10 Most Popular Restaurants
in Chiang Mai

If we're talking about khao soi that has truly been part of Chiang Mai for ages, Khao Soi Lung Prakit at Kad Kom is one of the first names locals bring up. It's a tiny roadside shop around Kad Kom in the Hai Ya area that has been serving for over 40 years — long enough to become a legend. It has also held a spot in the Michelin Guide (Bib Gourmand) for several years running, and has even been featured on Netflix. If you're after real Chiang Mai khao soi — not a pretty café, but genuine northern home cooking — this place is a great fit.

The dish most reviews crown as the star is the beef khao soi. Plenty of people agree the "beef is excellent and the broth is rich," and some go as far as calling it their favorite beef khao soi in Chiang Mai. If you don't eat beef, there's also chicken-leg khao soi, which reviewers praise for its big, fall-apart-tender drumstick — and you can order a beef-and-chicken combo too. The thing people talk about most is the broth: fragrant with curry paste, rich with coconut milk, and boldly seasoned, served with crunchy pickled greens and shallots that cut the richness nicely.

To be honest about the flavor, the broth runs fairly intense and leans spicy up front. Some reviews find it a touch sweet, and people who aren't used to bold flavors may find it a bit strong — but that's exactly the charm of traditional-style khao soi that has kept regulars coming back for years.

The setting is a simple shophouse, nothing flashy. At peak times the queue gets long, with both Thais and foreign travelers; some rounds mean waiting around 30 minutes. On price, it's easy on the wallet — beef khao soi around 60 THB, the beef-and-chicken combo around 80 THB, averaging under 100 THB per person. The shop is at 53 Soi Suriyawong 5, Hai Ya, Muang Chiang Mai, open daily roughly 9:30–16:30. Good to know before you go: parking is hard to find since it's down a narrow lane, and it's worth going early because they sell out fast and the midday queue gets long. Plan it well and this is one of the most worthwhile khao soi in Chiang Mai.

If you've ever looked up where to eat in Chiang Mai, the name "the Cowboy Hat Lady" has probably popped up every time, because this stewed-pork-leg stall is famous well beyond Thailand — Anthony Bourdain once came to film here. It's easy to spot: the cook stands out front in a wide-brimmed hat, chopping big chunks of pork leg from an enormous stewing pot. If you like street food eaten at a plastic table by the market, serious eating at gentle prices, this place is a great fit.

The dish to order is the khao kha moo, where the standout is meat stewed until it's fall-apart tender. Plenty of real reviews agree the meat "practically melts in your mouth," pulling apart easily with no chew. You can get it with the fatty skin on, or just say "no skin" for lean meat only. Each plate comes with pickled greens to cut the richness, a soft-boiled duck egg, and the part many people love — the house dipping sauce in a little bag, sour and spicy, which reviews say cuts the fat and rounds out the meat. There's also fresh chili and raw garlic on the table to add as you like.

On price, a regular plate starts around 50 THB; load it up with meat, skin, offal and egg and it's about 60–70 THB — good value for what you get. The location is the Chang Phueak night market on Manee Nopparat Road, across from Chang Phueak Gate. It's open evening to late, roughly 5pm through midnight or later. Its Tripadvisor score sits around 4.3 from over 200 reviews. Good to know before you go: the queue gets very long, especially after 6pm, and reviews suggest coming before 5 to get a seat comfortably. A few reviewers note that plates left sitting a while aren't as hot as freshly served ones, and occasionally the stewed skin isn't quite tender — but overall it's still the legendary khao kha moo of this area for locals and travelers alike.

Khao Soi Mae Sai — or as Chiang Mai locals call it, "Khao Soi Pa Na" — is an old-school khao soi shop that has been open for more than 30 years, tucked down Soi Ratchaphruek in the Santitham area, Chang Phueak, Muang Chiang Mai. The shop has been Michelin Guide (Bib Gourmand) recognized for several years running. It suits anyone who wants traditional, home-style khao soi rather than a polished tourist-facing place — the focus here is Pa Na's own hand, doing nearly every step herself, from market shopping to roasting the chilies and peanuts, frying the crispy noodles, and ladling out each bowl.

The dishes to order are chicken, pork and beef khao soi. The point many reviews agree on is the "rich broth" — fragrant curry paste, tender noodles, and meat stewed just right, served with shallots, lime and pickled greens to cut the richness. If you fancy something else, there's khanom jeen nam ngiao, which reviews praise for its deep, spice-rich broth, plus noodle soups to choose from. The "khao ngiao" (steamed rice topped with the curry) is also a dish some people get hooked on.

Real reviews mostly skew positive (Wongnai around 4.1, and it ranks among the top northern Thai spots in Chiang Mai), but there are honest notes too. Some say the chicken khao soi broth runs fairly oily and a touch sweet, and a few reviews found the pork a bit dry — so it varies a little by day and by which dish you order.

On price, it's easy on the wallet, averaging under 100 THB per person, with bowls running roughly 45–75 THB depending on the meat and the source. For location and hours, it's down a deep lane off Huay Kaew Road, open Monday–Saturday 08:00–16:00 and closed Sunday (tel. 053-213-284). Good to know before you go: the shop is on a narrow lane with little parking, so you'll often have to park along the roadside for around 20 THB, and from late morning to midday it gets packed enough to hand out queue tickets. To avoid the long wait, go before noon or in the late afternoon. The setting is an open, airy, no-frills lane-side stall with no air-con — but you get a genuinely local feel that keeps people coming back.

TongTemToh is a Lanna northern Thai restaurant on Nimmanhaemin Soi 13 that has ranked among the local favorites for years. It has nearly 800 reviews on Wongnai with a rating around 3.9 stars, and it's a place both travelers and Chiang Mai locals bring up often when they want northern food in a relaxed, semi-outdoor garden setting. It suits anyone visiting Nimman who wants to try a full spread of northern home cooking across the whole table.

The dishes reviews mention most are the northern appetizer platter (a combo of sai ua, crispy pork rinds and nam prik num) that many order first to sample several things at once; gaeng hang lay, with pork belly stewed soft in a rich, sweet-savory curry; pork belly fried with fish sauce, which reviews praise as crisp outside and tender inside, nicely salty (though many note the portion is large); jin som mok khai (fermented pork with egg); and laab moo kua, packed with seasonings. Real reviews agree the flavors are bold, spicy up front, and several dishes run rich — if you don't eat spicy, ask for less heat.

On price, most reviews land around the low hundreds per dish, averaging roughly 150–300 THB per person if you order several things to share — good value for the portions. For location and hours, it's about 100 meters down Nimman Soi 13, open from late morning into the evening (roughly 11:00–22:30, though sources vary slightly — check the restaurant's page first). Good to know: reviews consistently warn that it gets very crowded in the evening with a wait; some suggest booking a queue via app to save standing around. Parking is hard to find — you'll circle a few times — so if you're staying near Nimman, walking is easier. Lunchtime is quieter and seats are easier to get. It's popular because it gathers a wide range of northern dishes in one place, with a relaxed setting and accessible prices.

SP Chicken is a long-standing charcoal-grilled chicken shop on Samlan Soi 1, close to Wat Phra Singh in Chiang Mai's Old City. It has been around for decades and become a name both Thai and foreign eaters mention often. What sets it apart from your average grilled-chicken shop is its self-built rotating grill — the chickens are skewered and slowly turned around a charcoal fire until the skin goes golden and crisp all over. If you want serious Isan-style grilled chicken in an Old City setting, this place is a great fit.

The dish to order is the whole chicken, stuffed generously with garlic and lemongrass. Plenty of real reviews agree the meat is "juicy and tender — even the breast isn't dry," with garlic marinated deep into the flesh and skin grilled to a perfect golden crisp. The birds run on the small side but the flavor is full, and at around 140 THB each it's good value. Pair it with the jaew dipping sauce that many love — sharply sour and spicy, fragrant with toasted rice — order sticky rice to dip and you'll be reaching for refills. For sides there's som tam (including a salted-crab version), moo nam tok, laab, sweet liver and bamboo-shoot soup; reviews praise the som tam as well balanced with fresh lime.

The setting is a small, homey order-to-cook style shop; many reviews say the staff are warm and friendly, and you'll see the griller brushing stray ash off the birds to keep them looking clean. On price, it's about 100–250 THB per person. For location, walk into Samlan Soi 1 off Bamrungburi Road about 100 meters; it's on your right. On hours, most sources list midday to evening, roughly 10:00–17:00 (some vary — we'd call to check first, tel. 080-500-5035). The shop is well known partly because it has been featured in international media and listed in the Michelin Guide, so at peak times it draws a lot of travelers. Good to know before you go: some days the chicken sells out early, so go at the start of the day; parking on the lane is scarce; and a few reviews flag inconsistency and cleanliness — if that worries you, order things grilled hot and avoid the busiest times.

Khao Soi Mae Manee is an old-school khao soi shop on Soi Chotana 24 in the Chang Phueak area that Chiang Mai locals have known for a long time. It's a humble, home-run place — grandmothers helping make it — nothing fancy, but it has been in the Michelin Guide for several years, so it has become a stop both locals and travelers come to try. If you like northern-style khao soi that hasn't been tweaked for tourist palates, this place is a great fit.

The dish to order is, of course, the khao soi, and what many people love is how much choice there is — both the noodles (flat khao soi noodles, glass noodles, instant noodles, wide rice noodles) and the protein, with a full range of beef, chicken (leg/breast), fish, pork, stewed pork ribs and meatballs. You can combine several in one bowl. The meats are simmered over a charcoal stove, the crispy noodles are fried fresh, and there's a house chili jam to add heat as you like.

On flavor, real reviews lean the same way — the broth is "seriously thick," deeply fragrant with curry paste and made with fresh coconut milk; many say you can sip it happily without it feeling heavy. Some reviews warn the broth is already spicy, so taste before you season. That said, a few feel the flavor runs quite rustic and may be a touch mild for those who like it bold — down to individual taste. Its Wongnai score is around 3.9 out of 5, and it ranks among the top noodle shops in Chiang Mai.

The setting is a simple, traditional Chiang Mai khao soi shop — relaxed seating, no real decor. On price, it's affordable, most bowls in the tens of baht (under 100 THB), good value for the portion.

For location and hours, the shop is at 18 Soi Chotana 24, Chotana Road, Chang Phueak, Muang Chiang Mai, open daily roughly 09:00–15:30 but closed on Buddhist holy days (wan phra) — worth knowing before you go, since plenty of people have been caught out; check the wan phra calendar before you set off. It's a morning-to-afternoon shop, not open in the evening. It's genuinely popular because it has been around a long time with consistent flavor, plus the Michelin Guide nod. If you want to try authentic local-style khao soi in Chiang Mai, this is a place many recommend.

Ristr8to is a specialty coffee café at the mouth of Nimmanhaemin Soi 3 that has become a pilgrimage stop for every coffee lover visiting Chiang Mai. The owner is Arnon Thitiprasert, who won the World Latte Art Championship in 2017 in Budapest and was Thailand's latte-art champion three years running. He opened this shop back in 2011, believing that people in a cool-climate place like Chiang Mai would appreciate hot coffee better. If you want coffee made by an actual world champion, this place is a great fit.

The drink to order is the Satan Latte, a signature latte built on two long ristretto shots so the coffee stays bold enough to stand up to the milk used for the latte art. It arrives with a milk-foam pattern so pretty many people don't dare stir it. Real reviews on Wongnai and Tripadvisor agree the coffee is "fragrant, smooth and as bold as the hype," and the latte art is the real deal — some even call it the best latte of their life. Other drinks people praise are the Flat White (Ristr8to blend), the Doppio Ristretto for the bold crowd, and quirky house creations like the CIGAR8TO.

The setting is a small shop in black-and-brown tones with brick walls and rock music playing, more like a coffee nerd's bar than a chill photo café. Prices mostly run from the tens into the low hundreds (Satan Latte around 98–118 THB, Flat White around 85–88 THB) — and every price ends in an 8, per the owner's beliefs. The location is the mouth of Nimman Soi 3, open daily roughly 07:00–17:30. Good to know before you go: the shop is small and busy with limited seating, street parking is hard to find, and at peak times you may wait — so come early or walk over for an easier time.

You can't talk about Chiang Mai khao soi without mentioning this one. Khao Soi Lamduan Faham is the legendary old shop in the Faham area by the Ping River, on Charoenrat Road just before Wat Faham. It has been serving since around World War II — by now over 80 years. The story several sources agree on is that Mae Lamduan started out selling noodle soup, then gradually adapted it with curry paste and coconut milk into her own khao soi recipe. This place suits anyone who wants to taste the "original" that Chiang Mai's parents' generation grew up on — and it has held a Michelin Guide listing for several years.

The dish to order is the beef khao soi. Real reviews lean the same way: this is the star of the shop. The beef uses shin and tendon stewed with khao soi curry paste until tender, the tendon springy and chewy. An older review gave the beef khao soi full marks, noting "the flavor has never changed." The chicken and pork versions, many say, are fine but not as standout as the beef. The broth runs fairly rich rather than oil-slicked on top, finished with fine crispy fried noodles and finely sliced pickled greens. Beyond khao soi there's khanom jeen nam ngiao, sai ua, khao mok gai and pork satay to add to one meal.

This kind of thing is down to taste. An honest note: the overall Wongnai score sits around 3.8 out of 5, which isn't sky-high. Some reviews knock the broth on the day they went as a bit thin and sweet, the noodles too soft for those who like them chewy, and the flavor not very spicy — if you like a bold, intense broth you may find it middling. So if you want a sure thing, focus on the beef. The setting is a simple old shop in the traditional style, not a café. Prices are friendly — bowls around 50 THB, keeping the per-head cost comfortably under 100 THB.

For location and hours, the shop is down a small lane off Charoenrat Road in Faham, open daily roughly 08:30–16:00, and it tends to sell out fast. Midday gets crowded and parking is scarce on the narrow road — you can park at Wat Faham or along the road near the shop. We'd suggest coming late morning or early afternoon for an easier time. If you're staying in the Old City, a red songthaew or Grab is easier than driving. People still flock here because it's one of the shops many use as a "benchmark" to judge other khao soi by — coming all the way to Chiang Mai and tasting the original once is well worth it.

The Baristro (Asian Style) is one branch of The Baristro café brand that Chiang Mai locals know well, set around Ban Lang Mor Soi 8 behind CMU, near Nimman. The selling point nearly every review agrees on is the Asian-Japanese design — stone-built walls, timber posts, gravel floors, and a shady garden zone. Many say walking in feels like stepping into Kyoto. The café splits into several zones — a Speed Bar, a Slow Bar, a Lanna zone and a garden zone — so it suits photographers, café hoppers, and anyone after a quiet corner to relax.

The drinks to order: this place is known for taking matcha seriously. The one people mention often is the Dirty Matcha (strong matcha poured over milk), along with the matcha lineup like Matcha Yuzu and Hojicha Uji Latte. For coffee there's Dirty Coffee and the Baristro Mocha. Desserts reviewers praise include the Matcha Cheesecake, Matcha Crepe Cake, warabi mochi and strawberry daifuku. Real reviews say the matcha here is brewed nicely strong, not drowned in sweetness. Those who complain tend to mention slow service when it's busy, plus the "80 THB per person entry fee" system that's redeemable for drinks or snacks in the café — which some feel is a barrier if you just want to drop in.

On price, it averages around 101–250 THB per person — mid-range for a design-led café in Chiang Mai. For location and hours, it's on Soi 8, Ban Lang Mor, Suthep, Muang Chiang Mai, open daily roughly 08:00–18:00, about a 10-minute drive from Nimman with parking available. Good to know before you go: the 80 THB entry fee is redeemable for drinks; weekends get busy so leave extra time; and if you're going to photograph the Japanese garden, the morning light is prettier. People love it because you get both a great photo setting and well-made matcha in one place.