The Best Restaurants in Chiang Mai You Can't Miss
Experience the best of Chiang Mai’s up and coming food scene with our handpicked selection of the city's best restaurants
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Up here in the fertile mountains of Northern Thailand, the land is rich with fresh, organic produce and aromatic herbs grown in the wild rainforests. While the city doesn’t boast any Michelin-starred establishments just yet, it’s a burgeoning epicentre for foodies – especially those seeking traditional Northern Thai cuisine – think dishes packed with kaffir lime, galangal, lemongrass and fermented nam phrik pla (fish paste). Unlike the sweeter, coconut flavours of the south, up here, the dishes are spicy and bold. Here’s our pick of the best restaurants in Chiang Mai, offering unforgettable Northern Thai dining experiences without a Michelin price tag.
1. RASIK Local Kitchen
This intimate, open kitchen restaurant is full of fun and exceptional food. Banter with the chefs as you watch them expertly prepare and dish up authentic Thai food with a modern twist, such as grilled bone marrow with galangal and mangosteen salad. Pair with velvety, local honey wine (or you can bring your own) and let the evening unfold. Probably the most affordable Chef’s Table experience you can have, reservations are essential. Located just outside the Old Town, this is one of those restaurants that’s an experience in itself.
Don’t Miss: Grilled bone marrow with galangal chilli paste, Rose pork curry
Location: 44 3 Sridonchai Rd, Tambon Chang Khlan, Mueang Chiang Mai
2. Huen Muan Jai
Situated in a restored, teakwood house with a courtyard garden full of lush, tropical greenery, Huen Muan Jai transports you to the heart of the jungle with some of the most authentic and beloved cuisine in the city. Dine on platters of hard-to-find dishes, such as fried stuffed bamboo shoots with pork, steaming bowls of Northern Thai soup, grilled serpent-head fish and stir-fried ball mushrooms with pork. The service is quick and friendly, and exceptional value for money. Located north of the Old Town, this is a popular eatery, so arrive early – especially on weekends.
Don’t Miss: Northern Thai Appetisers, Spicy small eggplant with deep fried pork rind
Location: 24 Ratchaphuek Alley, Tambon Chang Phueak, Mueang Chiang Mai District
3. Maadae Slow Fish
What started as a pop-up eatery to support local fishermen during the COVID-19 pandemic has now blossomed into a much-loved restaurant serving up a rotating menu of freshly caught seafood that changes daily. Despite the popularity booming, they’ve maintained their humble roots. Expect to see whole fish grilled to perfection over coals in the kitchen, with food still sourced from local, independent fishermen. Enjoy craft beer and natural wine with your grilled squid and crab ceviche. Because the food is so fresh, it’s advisable to get here early – once a dish is gone, it’s gone. Booking is recommended too, word has got out.
Don’t Miss: (If you can, food changes daily) Crab fried rice, banana grilled fish
Location: 286 88 Tha Phae Road, Tambon Chang Moi, Mueang Chiang Mai District
4. Khao Soi Lung Prakit Kad Kom
Located 1km outside the Old Town and the queues here tell you something – this is the place for Khao Soi in Chiang Mai, having served up this quintessential dish of Northern Thailand for 40 years. Think rich, creamy coconut curry noodles topped with crispy egg noodles, tender beef and a medley of fresh herbs. Beyond Khao Soi, their menu features other traditional dishes like Sai Oua (spicy Northern Thai sausage) and Nam Prik Ong (a tangy tomato chilli dip), each bursting with authentic flavours from locally sourced ingredients. This humble eatery is everything a great local Thai restaurant should be, with small wooden tables, friendly staff and a concoction of condiments in plastic bottles that elevate your food to the next level.
Don’t Miss: The Khao Soi, obviously
Location: 53 Suriyawong 5 Rd, Tambon Hai Ya, Mueang Chiang Mai District
5. Busarin
This family run eatery has been awarded the Michelin Bib-Gourmand for its incredible, home-cooked Northern Thai cuisine. Chef Noi expertly cooks her family recipes in the quaint restaurant that feels like their sitting room, with pastel pink walls, decorative ceramic plates and a wooden veranda outside. This has rustic charm by the bucket-full. Northern curries are the star of the show here, with rich, intense flavours that are full of depth and spice, served with traditional roti rather than noodles. You can’t really go wrong with anything that you choose here. Spice lovers will be in heaven here – this is real, Thai level heat (unless you ask otherwise, of course).
Don’t Miss: Khao Nook Ngar (ice cream with sesame sticky rice), Hunglay Curry
Location: RX2W+7W Chiang Mai, Mueang Chiang Mai District
6. Ekachan
Housed in a beautiful teakwood mansion overlooking the Ping River, this is a popular restaurant cherished by locals. Ekachan serves up traditional, authentic Northern Thai cuisine full of flavour. Fresh, sustainable ingredients are the star of the show and classic dishes are cooked with expertise and finesse. This is farm-to-table dining at its best. Expect to dine on spicy salads and rich, coconut curries that transport you to the heart of the jungle, while sipping on ice-cold beer and enjoying the buzzing atmosphere that happens almost every night. Queues can be long so reservations are recommended – There’s a reason we spoke to two separate locals who love to bring new guests here.
Don’t Miss: Mackerel dry red curry in banana leaf, signature chicken curry with star anise & cinnamon
Location: 95 chang khlan Rd, Tambon Chang Khlan, Amphoe Mueang Chiang Mai
7. Saiyut & Doctor Sai Kitchen
If you’ve ever wanted to dine like Thai royalty, this is the place to do it. Saiyut & Doctor Sai Kitchen are renowned for their elaborate, artistic plating of Royal Thai dishes, arriving in exquisite platters that almost look too good to eat. But it’s not style over substance here – the dishes are packed with flavour and cooked to perfection, with fish simmered in a rich, velvet curry, delicate, fragrant crab meat in silky coconut milk and aromatic stir-fried pork adorning your table. This isn’t an eatery for solo dining – dishes are served in heaping platters ideal for sharing. Here, food is art as much as it is sustenance.
Don’t Miss: Spicy southern rice salad with vegetables, appetiser set
Location: 32 Chotana Rd Soi 12, Pa Tan Sub-district, Mueang Chiang Mai District
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