7 places to eat breakfast like a local in Chiang Mai

What is it? A Thai breakfast spot in the heart of Nimman that has people travelling across the city for a seat. Chao Chao does traditional Thai breakfast with a Japanese twist – think congee alongside okayu, warm rice porridge topped with fresh fish and hot broth. Morning bowls that ease you into the day properly. The menu has enough range that you could come every day of the week and still find something new to try.

Why we love it: It's an elevated version of what Thai breakfast already does well – familiar enough to feel comforting, considered enough to feel like an occasion. The Japanese plates are executed just as well as the Thai ones which is rarer than it sounds. Everything here is consistently good and the aesthetic doesn't hurt either – it looks as good as it tastes, which is why the queue outside is a permanent fixture.

Time Out tip: Order the congee with Japanese seasoning alongside the patongo with multi-variety dipping sauce. You get the hearty warmth of the rice porridge with a Japanese influence, and the patongo rounds the whole thing out with something warm and slightly sweet. The perfect Thai-Japanese combo in one sitting.

11 Siri Mangkalajarn Rd Lane. Open 7.30am-3.30pm

What is it? An open-air, backyard-feel restaurant serving up northern-style breakfast in the most unfussy way possible. Khaongai takes congee seriously – a variety of toppings to choose from including innards for the adventurous – but the whole menu follows the same philosophy: easy, simple and genuinely good. Started by a woman who moved back to Chiang Mai and wanted something to pour herself into. You can taste that in every bowl.

Why we love it: This is not a restaurant built around aesthetics or Instagram moments – it's built around the food and the people eating it. The owner's care comes through in every detail and there's a warmth to the place that's hard to manufacture. One locals go back to every week, not because it's trendy but because it's just really, really good.

Time Out tip: Order the moo maggi – stir-fried pork in a salty soy sauce served over soft jasmine rice with a crispy fried egg on top.

175 Tambon Su Thep. Tuesday-Sunday from 7am-2pm

What is it? Tai Thun Baan translates to ‘under the house’ – essentially the space under a traditional Thai house where people have always gathered to talk, catch up and share the latest gossip over food. A community hub in the truest sense, and this restaurant leans fully into that spirit. Set inside a home that feels genuinely lived in, the menu covers traditional Thai breakfast staples like congee and kai kata alongside sourdough sandwiches and toasts for those who want something a little more bread-forward to start their morning.

Why we love it: The food tastes like someone made it for you specifically. Affordable, generous and served by staff who make you feel like a regular, even on your first visit. Presentation isn't the priority here and that's entirely the point – the flavour does the talking and it does it well.

Time Out tip: Don't overlook the coffee. Like many of Chiang Mai's best breakfast spots, Tai Thun Baan has easy access to exceptional local beans and they make the most of it. Order a cup alongside whatever you're eating. 

59, 1-2 Chang Moi Kao Rd. Open 6.30am-2pm

What is it? A tourist and local favourite that does its own spin on traditional Thai breakfast with more range than most. Congee is the anchor – topped with anything from minced pork to seafood – but the menu sprawls comfortably into westernised territory with American fried rice, grilled sausages and fried chicken. For the uninitiated, American fried rice has nothing to do with America – it's fried rice stir-fried in ketchup, which sounds alarming but tastes better than you’d expect. The perfect balance of savoury and sweet. Chinese-inspired dishes round out the menu, a nod to Chiang Mai's deeply rooted Chinese community and the Yunnan influence that runs through the city's food culture.

Why we love it: The variety alone is reason enough to visit but it's the boldness of the flavours that keeps people coming back. Comforting in the way that only food cooked with confidence can be – the kind of breakfast that makes you want to order lunch before you've finished. The clay pot rice with pork belly and the congee with grilled pork are both worth the trip on their own.

Time Out tip: If it's your first visit, order the American fried rice alongside a bowl of congee – it's the best way to experience both sides of the menu in one sitting and the contrast between the two is what makes Saneha so distinctly Chiang Mai.

208 Prapokklao Road. Open 8.30am-1pm

What is it? Does exactly what it says – kai kata done properly. The signature dish arrives with crispy egg whites, a runny yolk and all the traditional toppings including spring onions and Chinese-style sausages. Beyond the main event, the menu covers Thai staples like pad thai and boat noodles for anyone who wants to keep the morning going a little longer.

Why we love it: No frills, no influencers, no queue of people waiting to take a photo of their food. Just locals sitting down to a proper breakfast at a price that won't make you wince. Affordable, reliable and consistent – the kind of spot where you already know you'll walk out satisfied before you've even ordered.

Time Out tip: Pair your kai kata with a traditional Thai coffee – nothing like your usual café order, it's more fragrant, slightly sweet and brewed in a way that makes the whole breakfast feel complete. 

37 Prapokklao Road. 6am-3pm

What is it? A newer addition to the Chiang Mai breakfast scene with a slightly different agenda – slowing your morning down and taking bread seriously. While most spots on this list anchor themselves in rice and congee, Baan Baan focuses on traditional Thai-style grilled bread, made fresh in front of your eyes. The butter sugar bread is the one to start with – warm, golden and paired with a variety of dips including traditional Thai custard, taro and purple sweet potato. For those who can't go without congee in the morning, they do that too, topped with shredded chicken and all the usual comforts.

Why we love it: Breakfast is best when it's warm and feels homemade – and like the name suggests, Baan Baan leans fully into that. Every plate here feels like it was made with the specific intention of making your morning better. Hearty, comforting and the kind of place you want to return to on a slow weekend with nowhere to be.

Time Out tip: Don't stop at the butter sugar bread. Baan Baan has more varieties than you'd expect – black sesame, pumpkin and butterfly pea toast are all worth trying. Order a spread and work through them with the dips. A very good way to spend a morning.

198 Ratchapakhinai Rd. Open 7am-2pm

What is it? A little further out from the city centre but worth every minute of the drive. Charm Chao sits in the middle of nature in a vintage wooden building that feels like a proper old-school coffee shop – surrounded by trees, a light breeze and the occasional stray cat. Connected to the popular noodle spot Pai Fah next door, the menu here covers congee done well and kuay jap – light, chewy noodles with savoury toppings that don't get nearly enough attention on Chiang Mai's breakfast circuit.

Why we love it: It's a city escape disguised as a breakfast spot. The kind of morning where you sit down, look around at the trees and genuinely forget you have anywhere to be. The food speaks for itself – the kuay jap in particular is an underrated favourite that deserves more recognition than it gets.

Time Out tip: After breakfast, take a walk around Baan Kang Wat just nearby – browse the craft stalls, soak up the creative village atmosphere and work up enough of an appetite to justify heading back to Pai Fah next door for lunch. A perfect slow morning in one loop.

2, Tambon Su Thep. Open Thursday-Tuesday from 8am-12pm

What is it? A humble, no-frills congee spot in the heart of the Old City that has been drawing locals and visitors in equal measure for years. Jok Somphet does exactly what it says - jok done properly. Choose your base, choose your protein and let the kitchen do the rest. The menu also covers dimsum on weekend mornings, making it one of the more complete breakfast stops in the area.

Why we love it: The kind of bowl that reminds you why straightforward food done well beats almost everything else. Generous portions, properly seasoned broth and the satisfying crunch of crispy rice noodles on top that you didn't know you needed until you tried it. Order with an extra soft-boiled egg and a glass of cha yen on the side for the perfect morning meal.

Time Out tip: The dim sum is worth ordering alongside, the hakaw is fresh and well made and the shiitake mushrooms stuffed with minced pork are rich and deeply savoury. The whole thing comes together as one of the most satisfying breakfast spots in the Old City. 

59/3 Sri Poom Road. Open 24 hours