Restaurants

Northern-style, called Lanna, Thai cooking has been influenced by the Burmese and other ethnic minorities who live in the area. Among the most distinctive northern Thai dishes are khao miao (glutinous or sticky rice) often served in a knotted banana leaf, sai-ua (Chiang Mai sausage); khao soi (a spicy, curried broth with vegetables and glass noodles), as well as many other slightly sweet meat and fish curries. You may be relieved to know that chili peppers are used less than in other Thai regional cuisines.

The formal northern meal is called khan toke, referring to the custom of sharing a variety of main courses (eaten with the hands) with guests seated around khan toke (low, lacquered teak tables). Most of the restaurants that serve in the khan toke style combine a dance performance with the meal. These are covered in the nightlife section later in this chapter.

Chiang Mai is also blessed with good street food and markets. Anusarn Market on the corner of Sri Dornchai and Chang Klan roads near the Night Bazaar is a good place for authentic local food. Also try Somphet Market on the northeast corner of the city, a good place to pickup snacks like fried bananas or sticky-rice desserts in the daytime or have a good meal for little in the evening when the area bustles with locals and young backpackers alike.

Chiang Mai folks take their khao soi (noodles and curry broth) pretty seriously. The best is to be had in Fa Ham, an area about 1km (2/3 mile) north of central Narawat bridge on Charoenrat road along the east bank of the Mae Ping River. There are a number of open-air places serving the delicacy for just 20B (50¢) and tasty skewers of chicken and pork satay. Always packed.

Snacks & Cafes

Kalare Food & Shopping Center, 89/2 Chang Klan Rd., on the corner of Soi 6, behind the bazaar (tel. 05327-2067; call for hours) is where you'll find a small foodcourt next to the nightly Thai culture show (buy coupons at a booth and then pick what you want from vendors). Nearby and one not to miss is Apple's Restaurant (tel. 01296-3727; call for hours) where they serve an array of fine Thai dishes, far surpassing anything in the food court.

Bake and Bite is on a small side-street to the south of Ta Pae Gate (6/1 Kotchasarn Rd. Soi 1; tel. 05328-5185) and has tasty baked goods, fine bread and good coffee. (Open Mon-Sat 7am-6pm and Sun 7am-3pm.)

The Crusty Loaf Bakery is run by an Irish-Thai couple and serves good, hearty breakfasts. Find them one long block north of Tha Pae Gate and left down busy Ratwithi in Old City. (24-24/1 Ratwithi Rd.; tel. 05321-4554; call for hours).

The Kafe (127-129 Moon Muang Rd.; tel. 05321-2717; call for hours) is just north of Ta Pae Gate and a good travelers crossroads where you can pickup good information, have a great meal of Thai or basic Western food and throw back a few cold ones.