Listly by Joanna James
The capital of Thailand is a foodie paradise. With street markets serving authentic Thai food and restaurants serving gourmet meals, Bangkok promises you an unforgettable culinary adventure.
Your food adventure in Bangkok should begin with Pad Thai. This dish features all the quintessential Thai flavours: sweet, salty, and sour. Pad Thai is stir-fried noodles combined with tofu, shrimp, or chicken and seasoned with tamarind, fish sauce, and red chilli pepper. To add a bit of crunch to it, street food vendors garnish it with crushed peanuts. This is a popular street food item, but you can find it in many upscale restaurants as well.
This is a Thai soup famous worldwide. With hot and sour flavours, it has a unique flavour combination. This delicious soup is made with shrimp and infused with a variety of local condiments, including lemongrass, lime leaves, galangal, and fish sauce. The delectable aroma of the soup is achieved through the addition of fresh herbs. Tom Yum Goong pairs well with rice, but you can also enjoy it on its own. Where do they serve Tom Yum Goong? You can find it in street markets, Bangkok restaurants, and buffet places. Tourist hotels such as Chatrium Hotel Riverside Bangkok champion this Thai delicacy too.
Another delicious Thai dish that makes an appearance in street markets as well as upscale restaurants is Som Tum, also known as Green Papaya Salad. This is a salad item that’s fresh, crunchy, and incredibly healthy. The main ingredient is raw shredded papaya. Other ingredients include tomatoes, carrots, peanuts, and long beans. To make it fiery and refreshing, they add lime juice, fish sauce, and chilli peppers. You can enjoy this as a side dish as well as a light meal.
This is a sweet Thai food. Mango Sticky Rice is a traditional dessert item in Thailand. It features rice and ripe mango. Coconut milk is added to make the rice creamy, and the topping of ripe mango slices adds a delicious contrast to the creamy rice. Both street food vendors and restaurants serve Mango Sticky Rice. Whether you want an authentic dining experience or a fancy meal in an elegant setting, Mango Sticky Rice is the perfect after-meal delight.
Thai fried rice is a versatile dish. It’s very similar to your typical fried rice dish, but Thais love to make it with jasmine rice. Cooked rice is stir-fried with eggs, garlic, and onions. As for your choice of meat, you have chicken, meat, and shrimp. Fish sauce and soy sauce are added to complement its flavour profile, and it’s often garnished with fresh herbs and lime juice. This is a comfort food loved by the locals, and you can enjoy it in street markets and restaurants.
Also known as Kuay Teow Reua, Boat Noodles are another must-try. They’re called ‘boat’ noodles because originally this dish was sold by vendors on boats. The flavourful broth is made with pork or beef, and the other delicious components include bean sprouts, meatballs, and pig's liver. Served in small bowls, Boat Noodles are inherently Thai.
In need of a snack? Moo Ping is a popular Thai street snack. It’s pork grilled on skewers. The meat is first marinated in a mixture of garlic, cilantro, fish sauce, and coconut milk and then grilled to perfection over charcoal. The meat is tender, juicy, and has a smoky flavour. You can have it as a snack on its own or order a bowl of rice and dipping sauce to go with it.
Also called banana roti, Roti Gluay is like pancakes. It’s thin and crispy and comes with a filling of sliced bananas. The addition of chocolate sauce or condensed milk makes it even more delicious. This is a sweet Thai treat you can have any time of the day.
A true believer that the pen is a mighty weapon, ventures into reaching the minds of every reader with the earnest hope of leaving an indelible stream of thought.
A travel writer who has a passion for fashion and a deep interest in admiring new and exotic attractions around the world.