As of 2026, this Chiang Rai food guide covers 11 restaurants by category — including Khao Soi Phor Jai (Por Jai), Chiang Rai Night Bazaar Food Court, Saturday Walking Street (Thanalai Rd). See prices, locations and must-try dishes below.
Chiang Rai is Chiang Rai is northern Thai cooking — khao soi, sai ua sausage, nam prik noom, and gaeng hang lay — from Bib Gourmand noodle shops to riverside tables and tea-plantation cafes, quieter than Chiang Mai. We've organized 11 restaurants across 5 categories. Each entry includes prices, hours, local tips, and a Google Maps link so you can plan straight from the page.
Chiang RaiFood Map
Click pins to see restaurant info · 11 restaurants
Lanna home cooking — khao soi, sai ua (herb sausage), nam prik noom, and gaeng hang lay pork curry
Phu Lae
ภูแล · Thanon Thanalai (city center)
4
#1
MUST TRY
Gaeng hang lay (Burmese-style pork curry) THB 180, sai ua (herb sausage) THB 120, nam prik noom with pork rinds THB 100
A long-running, tourist-friendly Northern Thai restaurant in the center — a reliable place to work through the Lanna canon in one sitting. Gaeng hang lay (a rich, gingery pork curry of Burmese origin), sai ua, nam prik noom (roasted green-chili dip), and crispy pork are all done well, with an air-conditioned room and an English menu.
$5-12
(THB 150-400)
11:00-22:00 (daily)
Local tip: A good first stop for the Northern Thai repertoire if you're new to it — milder versions are available on request. There's a separate, larger riverside branch (Tha Nam Phu Lae) out in Rim Kok with garden seating. Reserve on weekend evenings; it fills with tour groups. Budget about THB 300 per person.
Gaeng hang lay THB 180, sai ua THB 150, nam prik ong (tomato-pork chili dip) THB 100, fried Kok River fish (market price)
A Northern Thai institution open since 1981, set on a riverside raft over the Kok River with around 200 seats and a breeze off the water. The kitchen leans into Lanna home cooking — gaeng hang lay, several nam prik dips, sai ua, and freshwater fish — rather than the tourist-noodle circuit.
$5-13
(THB 150-450)
11:00-22:00 (daily)
Local tip: Come for the riverside Lanna spread and the Kok River setting, not for khao soi (they aren't known for it). The nam prik dips eaten with sticky rice and blanched vegetables are the most authentically local order. About 5-10 minutes by car from the center; easiest by Grab or songthaew. Budget THB 300-400 per person for a shared table.
Northern Thai set, gaeng hang lay, sai ua, tom yum, mild non-spicy versions on request
A Thai restaurant run by the Population and Community Development Association — the same NGO behind the famous Bangkok original — where profits fund rural health and education programs in the province. The food is solid Northern and central Thai, with a leafy garden setting and the charity's tongue-in-cheek condom-themed decor.
$5-13
(THB 150-450)
10:00-24:00 (daily)
Local tip: The novelty name is part of a genuine, decades-old public-health charity, not a gimmick — meals support community development across Chiang Rai. Food is reliable rather than the city's most authentic, but the cause and garden setting make it worth a visit. Non-spicy versions are easy to request. Open late (until midnight).
Northern Thailand's signature dish — egg noodles in coconut curry, plus nam ngiao and rice noodles
Khao Soi Phor Jai (Por Jai)
ข้าวซอยพ่อใจ๋ · Jetyod Road (city center)
1
#1
MUST TRY
Khao soi gai (chicken curry noodles) THB 50, khao soi neua (beef) THB 60, satay skewers THB 10/stick
A locals' khao soi shop on Jetyod Road and one of the most reliable bowls in the city — egg noodles in a mildly spicy coconut curry, topped with crispy fried noodles, a lime wedge, and pickled mustard greens. The owners are relatives of the late White Temple artist Chalermchai Kositpipat, and some of his artwork hangs on the walls.
$1.50-4
(THB 50-130)
07:00-16:00 (closing time varies; lunch is busiest)
Local tip: Khao soi gai (chicken) at THB 50 is the order — it gets crowded with cab drivers and local families, especially on weekends when takeaway queues form. Open early (around 7:00) and closes mid-afternoon (around 16:00), so come for breakfast or an early lunch, not dinner.
The Night Bazaar food court and the weekend Walking Streets — grilled skewers, sai ua, and Thai desserts for pocket change
Chiang Rai Night Bazaar Food Court
ไนท์บาซาร์เชียงราย · Phahonyothin Rd (near the bus station)
2
#1
MUST TRY
Khao soi, sai ua (herb sausage), grilled river fish, mango sticky rice, fresh fruit shakes
The open-air food court at the heart of the nightly Night Bazaar, with around 60 stalls around a central stage that hosts free traditional dance and music in the evenings. The cooking covers Northern Thai standards plus Thai classics — point-and-order, communal tables, and a beer or fruit shake from the next stall over.
$1.50-8
(THB 50-250)
18:00-23:30 (daily)
Local tip: It runs every night, unlike the weekend Walking Streets, so it's the dependable evening option. Hotpot stalls feed 2-3 people for THB 250-400; single plates and skewers are THB 50-120. Sit near the stage for the free music. A short walk from most central hotels and the bus terminal.
Sai ua skewers, grilled squid, khanom (Thai sweets), egg-stuffed pancakes, herbal drinks
Chiang Rai's largest street market, stretching nearly a kilometre along Thanalai Road on Saturday evenings only — hundreds of stalls of street food, snacks, crafts, and clothing, with a Thai line-dancing performance in the open square. Most snack plates run THB 10-100, so it's grazing rather than a sit-down meal.
$0.50-5
(THB 10-150)
Sat ~16:00-22:00 (Saturdays only)
Local tip: Saturdays only, roughly 16:00-22:00 — pair it with a day of temples. Come hungry and eat in small bites across many stalls. There's a Sunday Walking Street on Sankhongnoi Road too, slightly smaller. Bring small cash (THB 20-100 notes); few vendors take cards.
Chiang Rai's smaller Sunday-night market on Sankhongnoi Road, more local and less touristy than the Saturday Thanalai Walking Street. Lined with food stalls, hot-cooked dishes, and a handful of craft vendors — a relaxed evening graze for anyone in town on a Sunday.
$0.50-5
(THB 10-150)
Sun ~16:00-22:00 (Sundays only)
Local tip: Sundays only, roughly 16:00-22:00. Quieter and more local than the Saturday market — good if you want the street-food experience without the biggest crowds. Mostly cash, small notes. Easy to combine with a daytime temple loop before catching an evening here.
Chiang Rai is northern Thailand's coffee and tea heartland — Doi Chang beans and Choui Fong matcha
Choui Fong Tea Plantation Café
ไร่ชาฉุยฟง · Pa Sang, Mae Chan (40 km north)
7
#1
MUST TRY
Green tea cake THB 120, matcha latte THB 90, oolong soft-serve, Choui Fong house teas
An award-winning café perched above the terraced tea fields of one of Chiang Rai's biggest tea producers, in the Mae Chan hills. The minimalist building looks out over rows of green tea, and the kitchen turns the estate's leaves into matcha cakes, green-tea soft-serve, and a range of brewed teas.
$3-8
(THB 100-280)
08:30-17:30 (daily)
Local tip: Entry to the plantation is free; you pay only for the café. Go on a clear morning (it opens 08:30) before the haze or afternoon clouds roll in — March-April burning season can grey out the views. It's about 40 km / 45 minutes north of the city, so combine it with a Golden Triangle or Doi Tung day. The green tea cake is the signature order.
Doi Chang single-origin drip, espresso, affogato, Thai iced coffee
The town café of Doi Chang, the high-altitude Akha-village coffee grown about 50 km southwest of the city that put Chiang Rai arabica on the map internationally. The main café flows from an indoor room to a garden with timber seating and a small waterfall, with the estate's own beans front and center.
$2-6
(THB 60-200)
08:00-18:00 (daily)
Local tip: A good place to taste local single-origin coffee without driving up to the village itself. Prices run a little above tiny street stalls but the quality and generous sizes justify it. For the source, the Doi Chang village and estate café (about an hour southwest in the hills) is the day-trip version. Beans make an easy souvenir.
Sit-down restaurants along the Kok River and design-led spots — a calmer alternative to the market crush
Chivit Thamma Da Coffee House
ชีวิตธรรมดา · Rim Kok (Kok riverside)
9
#1
MUST TRY
Riverside breakfast, homemade cakes, Thai and European mains, organic local coffee, cocktails in the colonial bar
A family-run coffee house, bistro, and bar in a restored colonial-style house on the banks of the Kok River, set in a garden with a riverside lawn. The kitchen mixes Thai and European dishes with house-baked cakes, organic local coffee, an extensive wine list, and one of the widest beer selections in the north.
$5-18
(THB 150-600)
09:30-22:00 (hours vary by section; check ahead)
Local tip: The most scenic sit-down spot in Chiang Rai — good for a slow riverside breakfast, afternoon tea in the garden, or evening cocktails in the colonial bar. Pricier than local restaurants but the setting is the point. It's across the river from the center (about 5-10 minutes by Grab); reserve for dinner on the upstairs terrace.
เมลต์ อิน ยัวร์ เมาท์ · Kok riverside (near Ko Loi Park)
10
#2
MUST TRY
Cakes and desserts, brunch plates, specialty coffee, riverside seating
A photogenic riverside café-restaurant beside the Kok River and Ko Loi public park, with a British-leaning white-and-green interior, houseplants, and river views. The menu spans savory brunch plates, a strong cake-and-dessert counter, and good coffee — popular for a leisurely daytime stop.
Local tip: A relaxed alternative to the temple-day rush — come for cakes and coffee with a river view, or a late breakfast. Near Ko Loi park, a few minutes from the center. It gets busy with the brunch-and-photo crowd on weekends, so a weekday visit is calmer. Cards accepted.
Khao soi + night-bazaar food court + a sai ua plate.
Mid-Range
$20-45/day
A northern Thai dinner (Phu Lae, Lu Lam riverside) + a Choui Fong tea-cafe stop.
Luxury
$70+/day
A riverside fine dinner (Chivit Thamma Da) + a curated tea-and-temple day.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about food and restaurants in Chiang Rai.
What Northern Thai dishes should I try in Chiang Rai?
Start with khao soi — egg noodles in a coconut curry topped with crispy noodles, a lime wedge, and pickled greens (THB 50-60 / $1.50-2 at Khao Soi Phor Jai). Then sai ua (a lemongrass-and-herb pork sausage), nam prik noom (roasted green-chili dip eaten with sticky rice and vegetables), nam prik ong (a tomato-pork dip), and gaeng hang lay (a rich, gingery Burmese-style pork curry). Phu Lae and Lu Lam serve the full Lanna spread.
Where's the best khao soi in Chiang Rai?
Khao Soi Phor Jai on Jetyod Road is the locals' pick — a no-frills shop where the owners are relatives of the late White Temple artist Chalermchai Kositpipat. Khao soi gai (chicken) is THB 50 / about $1.50. It opens early (around 7:00) and closes mid-afternoon, so treat it as breakfast or an early lunch, not dinner. Weekends are crowded with regulars and takeaway orders.
Is Chiang Rai's street food cheap and safe?
Yes — it's one of the cheapest places to eat in Thailand. Single plates and skewers run THB 10-120 ($0.30-4), and a full street-food dinner costs a few dollars. The nightly Night Bazaar food court is the dependable option; the Saturday (Thanalai Rd) and Sunday (Sankhongnoi Rd) Walking Streets are bigger but run one evening each. Eat where it's busy and freshly cooked, carry small cash, and you'll be fine.
Why is Chiang Rai known for coffee and tea?
The cool, high hills around the city are Thailand's main arabica coffee and tea country. Doi Chang coffee — grown in an Akha village about 50 km southwest — is exported worldwide, and you can taste it at the Doi Chaang café in town. For tea, the Choui Fong plantation in the Mae Chan hills (about 40 km north) has an award-winning café over the terraced fields, famous for its green tea cake and matcha. Both estates' products make easy souvenirs.
Where can I eat with a river view?
Chivit Thamma Da, a colonial-style coffee house, bistro, and bar in a garden on the Kok River, is the most atmospheric — good for breakfast, afternoon tea, or evening cocktails (THB 150-600 / $5-18). Melt In Your Mouth, near Ko Loi park, is a photogenic riverside café strong on cakes and brunch. Lu Lam, a Northern Thai restaurant on a riverside raft since 1981, pairs Lanna food with a Kok River breeze.
Can I find non-spicy or vegetarian food?
Yes. Most tourist-facing restaurants (Phu Lae, Cabbages & Condoms) will make milder, non-spicy versions on request — just ask for 'mai phet' (not spicy). Vegetarian and vegan options are common in cafés and at market stalls; the Thai phrase 'jay' (เจ) signals strict vegetarian/vegan, and 'mang sa wirat' covers vegetarian. Northern dips and curries often contain fermented or pork ingredients, so confirm before ordering if you avoid them.
Do restaurants take cards or only cash?
Cafés, sit-down restaurants, and hotels mostly take cards or Thai QR payment, but street stalls, market vendors, and small noodle shops are cash-only. Carry THB 500-1,000 a day in small notes for food. ATMs are easy to find in the center (Bangkok Bank, Krungsri, Kasikorn); foreign-card withdrawals carry a THB 220 fee per transaction, so take out a few days' worth at once.
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Jimmy Kong
TripPick founder · Travel content creator
Based in Chiang Mai for 8+ years, with 30+ countries visited across Southeast Asia, Japan, and Europe. Every detail in this guide is primary-source verified as of April 2026, with prices auto-refreshed via live exchange rate APIs. This isn't AI-generated boilerplate — it's written from the perspective of someone who has actually been there.
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