🔄 Updated 21 Jun 2026
When people think of Udon desserts, many only picture take-home gifts like moo yo (Vietnamese pork sausage) and naem nuang. But this town actually has sweets to graze on from morning till late, with a distinct Vietnamese accent — Vietnamese-descended families settled in Udon long ago, so the savory crepe is easier to find here than in other towns. The bakery and cafe scene has also taken off in just the past few years. We've ranked these by type of dessert, working from the old-timers to the newer spots.
Udon desserts worth trying — ranked
Khanom Beuang Yuan Yai Daeng
The legendary old-timer of Udon. A thin, crispy crepe packed with shrimp, minced pork and bean sprouts, topped with grated coconut and spring onion, eaten with a sweet-sour dipping sauce. Yai Daeng has been making these for decades and sells out fast — go early, as it's usually gone by 2pm.
VT Naem Nuang (dessert menu)
The largest Vietnamese restaurant in Thailand. People come for the naem nuang, but the Vietnamese desserts here are good too — savory crepes, fresh spring rolls and Vietnamese-style cold sweets. Great for finishing a meal or buying something to take home. There are two branches in town.
Sri Fa Bakery, Thung Si Mueang branch
Isan's famous take-home bakery. The Thung Si Mueang branch is packed all day, with hot bakes coming out constantly — filled breads, cakes, cookies, and the purple-yam pastry that's its signature. Prices start in the low tens of baht and it boxes up nicely for gifts.
Kham Wan Ya
A spread of Thai sweets — tao tueng, bua loi, mixed bowls, shaved ice, soy milk and fresh milk, all cool and refreshing. Perfect when it's hot, and open late, so it's where locals sit down for dessert after dinner.
BEYOND CAFE Nong Prajak
A big cafe on the edge of Nong Prajak with a cake case holding a hundred-plus options, baked fresh daily. There are sliced cakes, dessert roti and breakfast too. Spacious and comfortable for a long sit, then a walk around the lake afterward.
Sugar Rush
A sweets shop starting at 10 baht that's a hit with younger locals — small, cute pieces at very easy prices, so you can grab several to sample. Two branches: the Nong Prajak one opens in the morning, the other behind the regional hospital opens later.
Sweet Garden (Central Udon)
A dessert cafe inside Central mall — cute, bright and airy, with good-looking cakes and pastries at reasonable prices. Handy for a break while shopping or to escape the midday heat, with cool air-con.
Bellinee's Bake & Brew UD Town
A European-style bakery cafe in UD Town in the center of the city, with breads, pastries, cakes and coffee. Good for a rest or grabbing something before a train, since UD Town sits right next to Udon's railway station.
Molly Bakery (behind Udon Pittaya)
A newer bread shop behind Udon Pittayanukul School, with the smell of butter hitting you at the door. Loads of bread, and it gets busy when a batch comes out of the oven. Good for a morning grab to eat on the way or for a snack break.
Monnaie Bakery
A health-focused bakery in town, leaning on wheat-flour-free, lower-sugar bakes — good for anyone watching their diet or avoiding gluten who still wants dessert. The flavor is better than you'd expect, and healthier sweets like these are still hard to find in Udon.
Tip
The old-school Vietnamese crepes sell out quickly — if you're set on Yai Daeng, go before noon to be safe. Fresh-baked bakeries like Sri Fa and Molly taste best right out of the oven, so ask the staff when the next bake is due.
Want to taste deeper? Try a Udon Thani 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.
Vietnamese crepes — Udon's signature sweet
The Vietnamese crepe (banh xeo) is nothing like the Thai khanom beuang with its crispy shell and sweet filling. The Vietnamese version is a thin batter pan-fried until crispy, then filled with savory shrimp, minced pork, bean sprouts and egg, folded in half like a crepe, scattered with coconut and spring onion, and eaten with a sweet-forward dipping sauce. It's a snack that Vietnamese-descended families in Udon have passed down for generations, working as either a light meal or a bite between meals.
- Where to eat it — old-timers like Yai Daeng sell only in the morning, while VT Naem Nuang serves it all day alongside its other Vietnamese dishes.
- How to eat it — eat it hot, straight off the pan when it's crispiest, with a moderate drizzle of sauce and some fresh vegetables on the side.
- Taking it away — it boxes up to carry, but it's far better fresh; if you take it to go, keep the sauce separate and pour it on when you eat.
Bakeries and sweet take-home gifts
The bakery scene in Udon is busy, from big take-home names like Sri Fa to small new spots baking buttery bread all day. Most are in town within walking distance of each other, or inside big malls like Central and UD Town that are easy to drop into between sights.
Sri Fa Bakery
The big take-home name, with purple-yam pastry as its signature. Baked fresh all day and boxed up nicely.
Bellinee's / Sweet Garden
Bakery cafes in the malls, air-conditioned and easy to drop into for a break while you're out.
Molly / Monnaie
Small in-town shops for fresh-baked bread and health-focused bakes that Udon locals actually go to.
Dessert cafes — sit, chill and eat sweets in town
Plenty of Udon cafes are as strong on desserts as they are on coffee. A cake case with a hundred-plus pieces, like the one at BEYOND CAFE, is hard to find in other towns. The Nong Prajak area has several cafes clustered together, so you can stroll around the lake and drop in. If you want the full picture of Udon's cafe scene — chill spots and photo corners included — see our Udon cafe guide.
Want to do a full Udon cafe crawl, with chill spots and photo corners?
See the Udon cafe guide →