23 BEST Chiang Mai Restaurants + TOP Digital-Nomad Cafes

If you’re on the lookout for some nice eating places in Chiang Mai, you need to arm your self with persistence… This is the biggest metropolis in Northern Thailand (a part of the Mueang Chiang Mai District) and presents numerous scrumptious choices for foodies (phad thai, yuuuummm!)!

To prevent some valuable time, I wrote this put up concerning the greatest eating places in Chiang Mai, and divided by the two essential areas in Chiang Mai: the Old City – the place most vacationers keep, and the fashionable Nimmanhaemin – tremendous fashionable amongst digital nomads so you possibly can simply select one thing scrumptious and near you.

I’ve lived in Chiang Mai and saved coming again quite a few occasions, and I completely love tasting all the highest eating places round! So right here you’ll discover choices for any style, whether or not or not it’s Chiang Mai eating places serving northern Thai delicacies, (like the normal Khao Soi), worldwide locations, cool cafes to work from and extra. I additionally included some sensible data about must-try meals in Chiang Mai, meals excursions and the highest meals supply apps.

P.S: Prices for nearly all of the eating places listed below are within the mid-range ($$), which corresponds to about $10 for a meal, however you’ll additionally discover many low-cost and native eating places in addition to some fancy locations on this record too!

Ready to go on a journey via one of the best meals and eating places in Chiang Mai? Let’s go!

If you’re in a rush

Here is a fast abstract of one of the best Chiang Mai eating places divided by class:

1. Best Chiang Mai eating places within the Old City

Chiang Mai Old City is the place the vast majority of Chiang Mai vacationer points of interest are positioned. As ordinary, that additionally means it hosts a lot of the eating places serving native delicacies. If you’re keen on Thai meals, right here is the place you’ll discover it!

So let’s take a look at one of the best Chiang Mai eating places within the Old City, one of many greatest areas the place to remain in Chiang Mai, Thailand, for vacationers:

Blue Diamond – for one of the best natural breakfast

Blue Diamond ($$)

If you’re keen on beginning your day with a good breakfast, that is the place for you, that includes an excellent good inside courtyard with a small fish pond. Here they accommodate actually any meals request, from veggie to vegan and gluten-free (they produce their very own gluten-free bread and cookies). They have a huuge menu that appears like a e book, and you’ll order actually something from that. If you’re undecided, begin with a vegan cinnamon roll, it’s simply scrumptious!

Khao Soi Khun Yai – for conventional northern Thai meals

Khao Soi Khun Yai ($)

This small, open-air place is unquestionably among the best eating places in Chiang Mai, Thailand, if you wish to strive conventional northern Thai meals! In truth, right here they serve one of the best bowls of khao soi in Chiang Mai (take a look at the bonus of must-try meals in Chiang Mai to know what Khao Soi is) and an especially flavorful curry, filled with spices that may be served with pickled mustard greens, additional roasted chilies, and purple onions. If you want spicy meals, you’ll love that!

Fruit Plus+ Cafe – for a recent breakfast

Fruit Plus+ Cafe ($$) 

If you need to have a wholesome breakfast or lunch, that is positively the place to be, serving very scrumptious meals, from fruit yogurt and acai bowls to recent smoothies, avocado toasts, eggs, and way more… all in huge parts! The Wi-Fi additionally works nice, which makes this restaurant one in all few locations in Old Chiang Mai metropolis the place to work (if you wish to see extra, take a look at part 3!).

Khun Kae’s Juice & Smoothie Bar – for one of the best smoothies

Khun Kae’s Juice & Smoothie Bar ($$)

If you need to have a break whereas visiting the points of interest of Old Chiang Mai, cease on this juice bar to have a refreshing, wholesome and scrumptious smoothie product of recent fruit! Here you may also get regular juices, protein shakes, smoothie and yogurt bowls, power pictures, fruit plates, and extra. Another plus? The employees is tremendous pleasant and can make you are feeling instantly welcomed!

Fried Chicken Lady Street Cart – for one of the best road meals

Fried Chicken Lady Street Cart ($)

If you’re keen on fried hen, you’ll be joyful to know that Thailand makes among the greatest fried hen on the earth, and in Chiang Mai you will see it at this meals stand on Mun Mueang Road, on the left aspect of Aroy Dee restaurant. You’ll acknowledge it from the lengthy line of taxi drivers and folks in entrance of the cart, and while you strive it, you’ll perceive why they have been cueing. Just unimaginable!!

Old Chiang Mai Cultural Center – for dinner with a present

Old Chiang Mai Cultural Center ($$)

Have you ever had a khantoke dinner or lunch, throughout which you take pleasure in northern Thai dishes whereas gazing at conventional Thai Lanna dances? Then it’s a must to go to the Old Chiang Mai Cultural Center, the place you possibly can attend cool exhibits on any day of the week whereas consuming scrumptious dishes like Burmese pork curry, minced pork in tomato-chili paste, fried pork and extra… an unforgettable expertise!

By Hand Pizza Cafe – for one of the best pizza

By Hand Pizza Cafe ($$) 

It’s at all times time for a very good pizza, proper? If you agree with me, it’s essential take a look at this superb restaurant in Chiang Mai Old City, serving scrumptious pizzas baked in a wood oven (strive the Hawaiian one, it’s positively a should in Thailand!). NOTE: The restaurant is open just for dinner and it’s at all times full, particularly at peak time round 8.30 pm, so be sure you e book upfront if you wish to discover a spot. Also, costs are a bit greater than common, however they’re positively value it!

Fahtara espresso – one of the best espresso store

Fahtara espresso ($$)

If you need to have a extremely good espresso in a tranquil surroundings, this cafe is positioned in a tiny road hidden from the crowds and it’s simply pretty! They have indoor and outside seating and aside from drinks, in addition they serve scrumptious Thai meals like papaya salads and Pad Thai or truffles and baked items… you’ll adore it!

Huen Phen – giant parts for affordable costs

Huen Phen ($)

If you need to have very huge parts of scrumptious northern Thai meals (or Lanna delicacies) for affordable costs, that is positively among the best eating places in Chiang Mai Old City! Here some must-trys are the superb Khao Soi, served with sticky rice or rice noodles with veggies or meat, or the jackfruit salad (simply unimaginable!). The restaurant has an excellent handy location in the midst of the Old City, south of the Wat Chedi Luang temple.

Khao Kha Moo Chang Phueak – for probably the most scrumptious meat dishes

Khao Kha Moo Chang Phueak ($) 

The Khao Kha Moo stall truly sits proper exterior the border of Chiang Mai Old City however it is likely one of the hottest eating places within the metropolis for meat lovers, so I needed to embody it on this record! Here they serve slow-stewed pork leg cooked in a Thai-style candy sauce, served on a plate of steamed rice with a medium-boiled egg: it’s so scrumptious and fall-apart tender that you simply received’t imagine it! Ps: You’ll acknowledge the Khao Kha Moo Chang Phueak stall from the cowboy hat girl serving from a large pan of pork ribs!

Suki Koka – for one of the best Thai suki

Suki Koka ($)

Located in the identical space of meals stalls because the Cowboy Hat Lady, this stall serves the BEST bowl of Thai suki ever: a dish consisting of greens cooked with rice noodles and a mixture of seafood or meat of your alternative, served moist or dry. This is a favourite amongst locals (you will see only a few vacationers) excellent if you wish to have dinner in a conventional place with a vibrant vibe!

SP Chicken – one of the best roast hen lunch

SP Chicken ($)

Located within the coronary heart of outdated city Chiang Mai, this restaurant serves Isan dishes, however it focuses on grilled and roast hen. You will acknowledge it from the roast chickens spinning on a vertical charcoal rotisserie on the entrance of the restaurant. They cook dinner the hen with garlic and lemongrass, which makes it so juicy and flavorful, you’ll fall in love with that!

NOTE: This place is open just for lunch, so if you wish to have a scrumptious roast hen for dinner (will probably be an early dinner tho!) take a look at Cherng Doi Roast Chicken!

Dash – plenty of variation and a terrific location

Dash ($$) 

This resto-bar, is positioned in the midst of the motion of Chiang Mai Old City, particularly on Moon Muang Road (only a quick stroll from Tha Pae Gate), which makes it the proper place to recharge your energies after a night strolling tour. In truth, right here they serve Thai and western dishes, each scrumptious, and lots of beers and drinks, excellent to take pleasure in whereas listening to a stay band!

Ploen Ruedee Night Market – with one of the best environment

Ploen Ruedee Night Market ($) 

Ploen Ruedee Night Market is likely one of the most stylish locations to hang around at night time in Old Chiang Mai, providing numerous meals stalls serving every thing from Chiang Mai meals to Western dishes subsequent to stay music and dance ground! The environment may be very energetic and vibrant, so additionally it is the proper place to only seize a beer or a drink with your folks at night time.

During the markets, these streets get full of numerous road meals stalls promoting every kind of Thai meals, from actual pad Thai to the normal Khao Soi, and the weirdest issues like cockroaches or scorpions… Do you dare to strive them?

P.S.: If you’re keen on road meals, on Saturday and Sunday, there are 2 superb night time road markets taking place on 2 completely different streets: Wua Lai Walking Street on Saturday and Tha Phae strolling road on Sunday.

2. Best Chiang Mai eating places in Nimmanhaemin

As I stated at first, Nimmanhaemin (additionally referred to as Nimman) is the best and trendiest space in Chiang Mai, attracting a giant neighborhood of digital nomads. It is positioned about 10 minutes by automotive from the Old Town and also you positively don’t need to miss it, it’s superior!

Here you’ll discover many worldwide eating places, however I additionally included some nice native Thai locations. Let’s take a look at one of the best Chiang Mai eating places in Nimmanhaemin!

Healthy Junk – for wholesome meals

Healthy Junk ($$) 

If at some point you’re bored with the heavy and spicy Thai meals, this tiny place serves many wholesome and nutritious dishes, from poke bowls (strive the salmon one!) to huge salads, scrumptious breakfasts, and smoothies. The surroundings is so clear and relaxed, and costs are a bit greater than common, however, once more, they’re positively value it!

Smoothie blues – for one of the best egg dishes

Smoothie blues ($$) 

If you’re keen on to begin your day with a giant plate of eggs, that is the place for you, serving tons of egg choices (all scrumptious), and additionally it is one of many few eating places on this Chiang Mai space that opens early (at 7.30 a.m!). My tip? Try the banana bacon french toast with recent juice. Juices listed below are utterly recent with out added sugar, fairly uncommon to seek out in Thailand!

Larder Cafe – one of the best espresso store

Larder Cafe ($$)

If you need to have one of many greatest coffees in Chiang Mai accompanied by even higher meals, it’s a must to take a look at this superb cafe. I got here again 5 occasions simply to have their easy scrambled egg with sourdough bread and tomatoes…easy and scrumptious! P.S.: Don’t thoughts the critiques, at one level there was apparently some scandal, however I guarantee you the meals is nice!

The Salad Concept – for a wholesome meal

The Salad Concept ($$)

If like me, you’re a fan of huge wholesome salads, that is one of the best place in Chiang Mai for that. The restaurant interiors are pretty, and the meals is wholesome, recent and attractive (in addition to the juices and smoothies!). They have a really huge menu, so you could possibly have a tough time selecting… my tip? Have the papaya salad (spicy!), you possibly can’t go fallacious!

SS1254372 Cafe – a cool artsy cafe

SS1254372 Cafe ($$)

This is a distinctive artsy cafe with very revolutionary interiors and funky design, trying like an industrial bohemian spaceship! This place is ideal if you wish to have an excellent breakfast with quick service: the meals is all recent and attractive, and so they put a number of effort into the presentation!

Italics – one of the best Italian meals

Italics ($$$)

If you need to have among the greatest Italian meals in Chiang Mai in a fancy environment, that is THE place to be. Here you possibly can have unimaginable pizzas, gnocchi, burrata and extra, accompanied by good-quality wine. Prices are greater than common, however nonetheless very affordable – we spent US$60 for 3 individuals (with out alcoholic drinks).

Office of Fish Omakase – one of the best sushi

Office of Fish Omakase ($$)

Do you need to have the greatest sushi on the earth… or at the least among the best ones? Then take a look at this restaurant, the place the chef will clarify to you all of the unimaginable programs you’re going to get (strive the omakase!). The place is tremendous small, internet hosting actually simply 7 individuals, so it’s excellent for an intimate dinner together with your particular one, however make certain to e book a spot upfront!

Why Not? – a comfortable Italian restaurant

Why Not? ($$)

This is one other Italian restaurant (and wine bar) the place you possibly can have very good Italian meals in a really cozy and informal environment. The place is big, and so they have an excellent good spacious patio stuffed with inexperienced, excellent if you wish to have a pleasant dinner exterior, however be sure you e book a desk earlier than visiting: the place will get fairly crowded by night time!

Tong Tem Toh – for one of the best northern Thai dishes

Tong Tem Toh ($)

If you need to eat some scrumptious northern Thai dishes, this restaurant serves one of the best meals on this Chiang Mai space. It is a really native place (fairly uncommon to seek out in Nimmanhaemin) serving inexpensive huge parts of spicy conventional meals. Again, you can not go fallacious with the normal Khao Soi or with Gopchan in case you love meat!

UPDATE: One Nimman – new place on the town that you’ll absolutely love! It is a hipster road meals/night time market place with occasional stay performances. It additionally has a meals court docket and a few tremendous cool stylish boutiques. Seriously, don’t miss this place – it’s model new and it positioned very near Maya Mall (you’ll in all probability acknowledge it by a clock tower, you possibly can see it from afar.

BONUS: Best cafes in Chiang Mai to work from

Chiang Mai has change into tremendous fashionable amongst digital nomads, who collect principally across the Nimmanhaemin space.

That is why you will see numerous cafes with high-speed Wi-Fi and/or coworking areas round right here! Feel free to spend the day getting some work finished whilst you have a scrumptious espresso or dish – nobody will kick you out!

Let’s take a look at one of the best ones right here beneath, all positioned in Nimmanhaemin:

• Camp Cafe ($$) – Located on the highest ground of the Maya mall, this can be a inventive area/ huge library with a espresso store the place many native college students come to check… The environment is simply excellent to pay attention (FUN FACT: I truly began this web site proper there!). To use the Wi-Fi, you simply want to purchase a espresso and you’ll keep there the entire day!
• Baristotel ($$) – This cafe is simply superb, with very minimalist decorations, good Wi-Fi, plug-ins, and inventive espresso choices (strive the Black Coconut: recent coconut juice with a shot of espresso!). My tip? Go to the ground upstairs to work, it’s quieter and simply nice!
• Brown Cafe ($$) – This is unquestionably among the best spots in Nimman to get some work finished, focus, or simply learn a e book in a very tranquil environment. The cafe presents very cozy seats, a terrific menu with espresso, tea, and more healthy bubble tea choices, and is likely one of the few cafes open until 9 pm… excellent in case you’re working with different time zones!
• Nine One Coffee ($$) – If you need to work with a giant and scrumptious cup of espresso, this cafe is the place to be, serving among the greatest espresso in Chiang Mai and providing a soothing surroundings with bar seats for laptop computer staff, quick Wi-Fi and tremendous pleasant service!
• Wake Up WAKO Bake – This is the one cafe on the record which isn’t positioned in Nimmanhaemin, however within the again streets of Chiang Mai, and positively one of many prime locations to work from in Chiang Mai. Why? Here you’ll discover a backyard with just a few tables, assembly rooms, and a coworking area with air con the place you possibly can disguise from the warmth!
• Food4thought ($$) – If you need to get some work finished whereas having some good meals, take a look at this pretty restaurant positioned a bit exterior of Nimman: you’ll need to drive for 10 min or stroll round 20 minutes however it’s positively value it! Here you possibly can have a recent breakfast bowl and different worldwide meals choices, like pasta and sandwiches.

• Taste Cafe ($) – This is likely one of the most cost-effective cafes within the Nimman Chiang Mai space, positioned near Chiang Mai University so you will see plenty of college students, which supplies the place a vibrant and funky vibe. The desks listed below are excellent to work with a laptop and have many plugs in!
• Ombra Caffe ($) – Looking for a spot with a cozy and comfortable environment, the place you are feeling such as you’re working from your property? Then cease right here! This pretty cafe has dependable and quick Wi-Fi, it is rather silent, and even presents free, candy sticky rice for visitors… How nice is that?
• Passion Project Cafe & Creative Space ($$) – If you need to work in a spot the place you possibly can keep the entire day, this cafe & coworking area is for you, serving among the most scrumptious meals in Chiang Mai (wholesome breakfasts, smoothies, fruit bowls and so forth.) and options cozy sofas and seats.
• MeCafe de Oasis ($$) – If, like me, you like to work within the open-air, take a look at this nice cafe and restaurant providing an outside seating space with a number of inexperienced crops, creating a really tropical vibe. Here they’ve excellent Wi-Fi, espresso, and meals choices.. the pizza is to die for!
• Roast8ry Lab – This hipster-style cafe has one of the best espresso in Chiang Mai (the latte artwork is unimaginable, take a look at the images!) and a really inventive environment: the proper place to focus and get some work finished surrounded by different digital nomads.
• Yellow Coworking – if you’re on the lookout for an precise coworking, that is the one I can suggest! This might be one of many greatest coworking areas in Chiang Mai, I labored right here many occasions and the vibe is tremendous good, the employees are so pleasant and so they provide many rooms: a personal assembly room, a restaurant, totally geared up studio to document your movies and even daybeds to take a nap. Day passes are $7 to enter however it’s positively value it!

Practical data about meals in Chiang Mai

Food supply companies in Chiang Mai, Thailand

If throughout your vacation in Chiang Mai, you may have a type of days while you don’t really feel like going out and also you simply need to order meals to eat from the consolation of your couch/mattress, the next meals supply app will save your life:

I personally favor FoodPanda merely due to the comfort of the language. While Grab has an automated translation throughout the app, while you click on to take a look at the precise menus it’s all in Thai so you actually haven’t any clue what you’re looking at.

MUST-try meals in Chiang Mai, Thailand

You don’t go to Chiang Mai for actual till you strive all of the northern Thai meals and conventional dishes that it presents, just like the well-known Khao Soi, the pork satay, the som tam (papaya salad) and so forth.

Here’s a listing of one of the best Chiang Mai meals you NEED to eat in Chiang Mai:

• Phad Thai – One of probably the most well-known Thai dishes, well-known exterior of the nation (and for good motive). You completely should strive the nationwide dish product of sir fried rice noodles with peanuts and bean sprouts when you are right here in its delivery place!
• Khao Soi – Khao soi is an excellent well-known northern Thai meals product of yellow egg noodles and served in a coconut milk curry together with your alternative of hen, beef, pork and even tofu. There are numerous locations in Chiang Mai the place you possibly can do this scrumptious dish, however among the greatest (and most cost-effective ones) are served at Khao Soi Lam Duan.
• Street meals – One of the most well-liked Chiang Mai meals is (in fact) the road meals that you simply discover in numerous markets. It’s merely an expertise that it’s essential have in Asia. In Chiang Mai, you’ll see a number of Sai Oua (a pork sausage), sticky rice with mango, banana crepe cake, and peculiar issues like scorpions or cockroaches.
• Gai Tod (fried hen) – As easy because it sounds, fried hen is a really typical road snack in Thailand: you will see it wherever in Chiang Mai.
  P.S.: in case you love hen in all its kinds, you additionally want to take a look at Cherng Doi Roast Chicken, serving one of the best roast hen in Chiang Mai!

• Satay – This is an excellent fashionable dish all through many nations in Southeast Asia, and it consists of seasoned, skewered, and grilled meat normally served with peanut sauce. In Chiang Mai they significantly love pork satay or hen satay, you’ll discover it in every single place!
• Som Tam (papaya salad) – Papaya salads are extraordinarily fashionable in Thailand, and they’re SO scrumptious, combining all of the tastes in a single: salty, chili, candy, and bitter. The papaya salad is normally accompanied by Thai sticky rice, excellent to dip it within the inexperienced papaya salad dressing!
  P.S.: Another unimaginable Thai-style salad is the pomelo salad with crab paste and dried shrimp… one in all my favorites!

• Tom Yum Soup – This one actually interprets to “boiled mixed soup” however is normally served stuffed with prawns, lemongrass and different recent herbs and spices. The bitter and spicy flavors are certain to clear your sinuses and this soup is definitely thought-about to be a pure antimicrobial!
• Mango Sticky Rice – For dessert, don’t miss this fashionable dish which will be discovered throughout southeast Asia. As the title suggests, this sweat consists of a mound of sticky rice accompanied by recent mango slices lined in coconut milk.

Best meals excursions in Chiang Mai, Thailand

Another approach to uncover the normal meals in Chiang Mai is to affix one of many meals excursions and cooking lessons via Chiang Mai’s greatest eating places. During which you may also discover ways to make scrumptious Chiang Mai dishes your self and even get secret household recipes from locals!

This is one of the best memento you could possibly take house from Thailand!

• Street Food Tour – During this small group night tour you’ll discover Chiang Mai’s colourful night time markets with a neighborhood and pattern 8 market meals. The tour lasts about 2.5h and prices $35, together with pickup and drop-off at your Chiang Mai resort.
• Chiang Mai Traditional Dinner + Performance – Explore Chiang Mai’s largest moist market and have a conventional northern Thai dinner whilst you take pleasure in Asian cultural performances! This cool tour lasts about 4 h and prices $39.
• Private Food Tour – Try 10 Thai specialties on this half-day tour via the streets of Chiang Mai! The tour takes place both within the morning or afternoon, relying in your alternative, and prices $56.
• Half Day Cooking Class – Learn the way to cook dinner genuine Thai meals on this half or full-day cooking class on an natural farm. During the tour, you’ll purchase recent components at a neighborhood market and make basic Thai dishes with an professional cooking teacher for $29.

FAQs about greatest Chiang Mai eating places

Conclusion

You lastly reached the top of this in depth information about one of the best eating places in Chiang Mai, Mueang Chiang Mai District, serving every thing from northern Thai delicacies to Lanna Cuisine, or western meals.

We additionally noticed some digital nomad-friendly cafes in Nimmanhaemin, one of many greatest areas the place to remain in Chiang Mai, and three bonuses providing you with all the small print on meals supply apps, meals you NEED to eat in Chiang Mai, and one other of the highest meals excursions and cooking lessons within the metropolis.

I hope you loved my information, and in case you nonetheless have some questions for me or need to recommend different good eating places, please try this within the feedback beneath, I’m trying ahead to studying all of them!

Have some yummy meals!

Yulia

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