The 21 Best Thai Dishes to Try When Visiting Bangkok and Chiang Mai

Essential Thai Foods You Have to Try at Least Once

Whether you like your food spicy or Thai spicy, there’s Thai dishes out there for everyone. Although Thai food is near synonymous with being extra spicy, it is also characterized by the giant sweet tooth of Thai culture. As often as I’ve heard someone ask for Thai spicy when ordering their favorite Thai dish (usually from a street food vendor), I’ve heard foreigners ask for regular sweet instead of Thai sweet just as much. It’s a country where asking for ‘no sugar’ often means ‘less sugar than how Thais like it’.

Top 9 Most Popular Thai Dishes

• Khao Soi (Chiang Mai curry noodles
• Pad Thai (Thai stir-fried noodles)
• Kaeng Massaman (Massaman Curry)
• Tom Yum Goong (Hot and Sour Soup with Shrimp)
• Som Tum (Spicy Green Papaya Salad)
• Pad Kra Pao (Thai Basil Stir-Fry)
• Khao Man Gai (Boiled chicken with rice)
• Gaeng Keow Wan Gai (Thai Green Curry)
• Pad Woon Sen (Stir-fried glass noodles)