Si Morakot
Phavitch Theeraphong/Time Out Bangkok
Phavitch Theeraphong/Time Out Bangkok

23 best street food joints in Bangkok

Authentic, appetizing and oh-so-affordable, street food in Bangkok is some of the best in the world

Phavitch Theeraphong
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Bangkok is known over the world for its street eats. The most recent Time Out Index 2019 survey hailed the city for having the most vibrant street food culture (Bangkokians ate street food 41.2 times/year in 2018), and Gordon Ramsey once said that you’re likely to find street food stalls or restaurants in every corner of the city. Rickety pushcarts, sidewalk stalls and old shophouse restaurants offer affordable but insanely delicious meals, contributing both to the livelihood of locals and the gastronomic fulfillment of tourists.

But there are those street food joints that rise above the rest, whether it’s due to a special cooking technique, a unique recipe or the quality of ingredients used (hence why some are pricier more than others), and you can usually judge a stall’s offerings by the queue that snakes out of its entrance. Here are some of the best street food joints you have to try in Bangkok.

The best street food in Bangkok

  • Street food
  • Sathorn
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • Recommended

This charming old shophouse on Soi Saint Louis 3 is a favorite among locals in-the-know for its delectable braised goose in Chinese herbal soup. The restaurant is also famous for its equally flavorful braised duck. These dishes are best paired with a nice bowl of rice and a hot herbal broth with pork ribs and bitter gourd. Come early in the morning or late in the afternoon to avoid having to queue on an empty stomach.

  • Street food
  • Charoenkrung
  • price 1 of 4
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • Recommended
Charoen Saeng
Charoen Saeng

Tender and well-seasoned Chinese-style braised pork knuckles are the star at this Charoenkrung shophouse. The secret lies in how the knuckles are braised slowly in a pot for up to six hours. Each portion is topped with sweet gravy and served with warm steamed rice. Dip the pork into their signature homemade sauce made with chili, garlic and coriander for the complete Charoen Saeng experience.

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  • Yaowarat
  • price 1 of 4

There are quite a few bua loy (glutinous rice ball in soup) stalls in Yaowarat, but our favorite goes to Chu Jit Bua Loy. Break the balls open and a thick black sesame sauce oozes out, adding a bit of sweetness and a subtle nutty flavor to the gingery black soup.

  • Street food
  • Sukhumvit 24
  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • Recommended
Heng Heng Chicken Rice
Heng Heng Chicken Rice

There is only one thing on the menu at this pushcart parked right by the Emporium department store: Hainanese-style chicken rice that’s got all the components right. The rice is fragrant and packed with garlicky flavors, while the boiled chicken is juicy and tender. A fried option is also offered, and the chicken is served crispy and not too greasy. For parties of two or more, a slightly peppery-sweet soup with whole chicken bone is served. Here’s the tricky part—trying to nab a seat is like a game of musical chairs. The minute you spot an empty chair, seize it as fast as you can. Otherwise, the remaining alternative is to take your place in the notoriously long queue for take-away orders—or eat while standing.

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  • Rattanakosin
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • Recommended

Food lovers, both local and foreign, know who Supinya “Jay Fai” Junsuta is. Hailed the queen of street food by culinary critics and recently featured in Netflix documentary Street Food, the 74 year-old chef has been working behind the wok since the humble restaurant opened some 40 years ago, woking up inarguably the most expensive street food in Bangkok. Locals and visitors line up in front of the restaurant, sometimes for hours, to savor its one thousand-baht signature crab omelet, a fluffy treat filled with lumps of premium crab. (Totally worth the price.) Also popular are the rard na (noodles in thick gravy sauce) and the drunken noodles, both of which are packed with seafood. Heed this warning: never bring in outside drinks, especially the popular orange juice from the pad thai parlor next door.

  • Charoenkrung
  • price 1 of 4
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • Recommended

The specialty congee at this shop comes closest to what you get in Hong Kong. It comes with silkysmooth rice soup, made only with jasmine rice germ, flavorful pork chunks, slices of century egg, and all kinds of pork offal. Add more crunch to your soup by adding crispy youtiao (Chinese doughnuts).

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  • Thai
  • price 1 of 4

It may sound absurd to venture to the outskirts of Bangkok for grilled pork jowls (a staple in Isaan eateries), but it’s totally worth it for this unusual take on the dish, prepared by Nakul Kawinrat, former head chef of Never Ending Summer. This al fresco shack churns out grilled pork jowls that’s less on fat and and just right on spice. Pair the meat with more than ten varieties of complementary nam prik. Apart from grilled items, the eatery also serves Chef Nakul’s twist on Thai dishes like gaeng karee rawaeng, a mash up of gaeng karee (Thai curry with Indian spices) and gaeng rawaeng (a green curry-like dish with turmeric and lemongrass); and ganeg runjuan Vientiane, a sour curry with a base of fermented fish.

  • Street food
  • Thon Buri
  • price 1 of 4
  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • Recommended

For four generations, Sarinthip has been a popular destination for khanom beung or Thai crepe (there’s always a queue for it snaking out the entrance of the Talad Plu fresh market). Sarinthip’s version of this sugary treat stands out for its crispiness, the result of letting the batter cook in the pan longer than usual. There are two flavors to choose from: a sweet one that’s heaped with shredded coconut and foi thong (golden egg yolk threads), and a savory one packed with shrimp paste.

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  • Street food
  • Bang Sue
  • price 1 of 4
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • Recommended

This legendary pork belly eatery in Bang Sue is worth trekking outside of city limits for. Thin, crispy skin— probably the crispiest you’d ever find in Bangkok—complements meat that retains a tender juiciness. The barbecued pork, which comes with a flavorful red sauce, is another must-try.

  • Thai
  • Convent
  • price 1 of 4
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • Recommended

Though it has franchises in malls across Bangkok, locals and Silom partygoers still prefer to get sobered up by lining up at the original push cart parked at the mouth of Convent Road for a taste of Bangkok’s most beloved grilled pork skewers. The moo ping at Hea Owen’s relies on a sweet and tangy jeaw sauce that glazes each slice of pork. Don’t forget to eat the treat with warm sticky rice to balance out the flavors. 

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  • Street food
  • Yaowarat
  • price 1 of 4
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • Recommended

A Chinese immigrant who came to Thailand in the hopes of a better life is the man behind one of the two most popular guay chub (rolled rice noodles) stalls in Chinatown. Each serving of guay chub comes with a hearty portion of minced pork balls, crispy pork and pork offal (fret not, they are prepared quite well and don’t smell weird) swimning in indulgently peppery broth. Also worth a try are the fall-off-thebone, slow-cooked pork spareribs in umami and rich gravy.

  • Street food
  • Silom
  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • Recommended
Nai Meng Ba Mee Poo Kyo Goonge Yak
Nai Meng Ba Mee Poo Kyo Goonge Yak

This shophouse-restaurant is located next to Silom Complex shopping mall. The place offers homemade noodles prepared in various incarnations, from egg noodle soup with red roast pork to dry egg noodles served with shrimp wontons, sweet pork, crispy pork belly, crabmeat, mushrooms and a slice of soft-boiled egg. Also commendable are the gravy-topped roast pork and crispy pork belly on rice. Prices may be higher than your regular street food noodles, but the quality is definitely worth every satang

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  • Street food
  • Yaowarat
  • price 1 of 4

As its name implies, this old shophouse in Chinatown specializes in Teochewstyle o-lua (crispy omelet) packed with oysters and mussels, as well as o-a-chian (soft, chewy pancake), also with the plump, juicy shellfish. And no, these sinful dishes are not as oily as we have encountered at other roadside counterparts. For more flavorful bites, dip your omelet into chili sauce. Arrive early if you want mussels in your omelet as these normally sell out before 18:00.

  • Street food
  • Rattanakosin
  • price 2 of 4
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • Recommended

It might be controversial to name the best pad Thai in Bangkok, so we’re taking a risk by saying that our favorite are those served at Pad Thai Fai Ta Lu. Here, Thai chef Andy Yang ( who built his fame with Michelin-starred Thai restaurant Rhong Tiam in New York City and innovative chef’s table venue Table 38 in Bangkok) presents his take on the beloved noodle dish, and it’s just as we like it—quick-fried noodles with a smoky flavor and aroma. You can go for a simple pad Thai dish or give it an upgrade by adding charcoal-grilled pork or crispy pork, both from Berkshire pigs. Our only rant: the portions are a little too small.

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  • Thai
  • Lumphini
  • price 1 of 4

Wireless Road is not really known for its cheap eats, but the small alley behind RBSC Polo Club boasts a budget eatery that’s a welcome novelty in the upscale neighborhood. For half a century, Polo Fried Chicken has been serving their signature dish with thin and crispy skin , and tender, succulent meat. Deep-fried shallot toppings add a nice, salty flavor. The eatery also serves typical Isaan fare, but these are not up to par with its famous chicken.

  • Thai
  • Dusit
  • price 1 of 4

This nondescript eatery in Dusit is probably one of our favorite places to savor beef soup in Bangkok. If you arrive early enough, you might still ask for the option with Kobe waygu, but these perfectly seasoned bowls tend to sell out fast. Otherwise, you can try the Thai beef option, which is also cooked decently, and is best enjoyed with chili vinegar.

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  • Street food
  • Sukhumvit 26
  • price 1 of 4
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • Recommended

This shophouse restaurant has been offering delightful, stringy noodle bites for nearly 60 years. Choose from a variety of noodles (we recommend the yellow egg noodles), which are perfectly cooked (al dente as Italians might call it) and served with either minced pork balls or fish balls or both, and spicy tom yum broth.

  • Street food
  • Yaowarat
  • price 1 of 4

This charming old shophouse on Soi Saint Louis 3 is a favorite among locals in-the-know for its delectable braised goose in Chinese herbal soup. The restaurant is also famous for its equally flavorful braised duck. These dishes are best paired with a nice bowl of rice and a hot herbal broth with pork ribs and bitter gourd. Come early in the morning or late in the afternoon to avoid having to queue on an empty stomach.

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  • Street food
  • Rattanakosin
  • price 1 of 4
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • Recommended

The competition for the best chicken noodles is fierce in the area surrounding Klang Hospital. While most people flock to the more popular air-conditioned joint by the main road, we recommend venturing inside the neighborhood’s labyrinthine streets to this open-air chicken noodle parlor that takes over one part of a narrow alley. High flames and extremely hot oil contribute to the smoky flavor and aroma that’s to be expected from this simple noodle dish, which has come with egg, chicken and, if you wish, a dash of red chili pepper sauce.

  • Thai
  • Nong Khaem
  • price 1 of 4

Thailand has its own approach to sukiyaki, which may take the Japanese by surprise. The dish, which usually entails glass noodles mixed with stir-fried meat, seafood and veggies comes with a sweet and cremy Thai-style sukiyaki sauce. This sukiyaki mainstay in Soi Yotse, which has been open for more than half a century, does this sauce just right—smoky and intensely-flavored. The restaurant also serves the dish with crispy pork rind to add some crunch.

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  • Street food
  • Phaya Thai
  • price 1 of 4

This roadside stall at the beginning of Soi Petchaburi 7 is always packed with local residents who step out late at night for their murtabak (“mataba” in Thai) and roti canai (which is called simply “roti” in Thai). The savory murtabak is stuffed with flavorful fillings like beef and chicken curry, while the sweet roti canai is indulgently crispy. The cart is also known for serving iced tea that’s made in the way most Thais like it: very sweet.

  • Street food
  • Ekamai
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • Recommended
Wattanapanich
Wattanapanich

An institution for over five decades, Wattanapanich is famous for its traditional Chinese-style stewed beef and goat. Now run by the third generation, this humble eatery still delivers on consistency, whether you want a dish with melt-in-your-mouth, grade-B cuts (shank, brisket) or chewy offal (innards, tripe and ligaments). The secret, apparently, is how these parts are slowly braised in an enormous pot with Chinese medicinal herbs and spices.

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  • Street food
  • Convent
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • Recommended
Yen Ta Fo JC
Yen Ta Fo JC

We recommend arriving a little before 11:30 to get your order in and sorted. Otherwise, you’ll be dealing with a grumpy uncle trying his best to keep hungry customers in line while jotting down their orders. Yen Ta Fo JC is famous for one thing: yentafo noodles or chewy boiled noodle soup with a delicious sweet red sauce. Each portion comes with fish and shrimp balls, as well as crispy squid.

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