Top 10 Thai Street Foods You Must Try on Your Trip
Street food in Thailand isn’t just about grilled meat on skewers or mango sticky rice (both are delicious!). The street food revolves around drinks, sweets, fruits, savoury, pungent, and even exotic foods (something like a scorpion on a stick). On a hot and humid summer day in Bangkok, there is nothing better than a refreshing tender coconut water with coconut chunks. Similarly, you can also try a variety of fruits like Thai mangoes, bananas, dragon fruit, and passion fruit meticulously cut and served on a plate.
A lot of Thai street food is mostly around meat, eggs, and seafood, it would be slightly challenging to find vegetarian or vegan options. But not impossible. Find street food vendors with yellow ribbons which usually means you will get some vegan options. Or simply ask if they can make a vegetarian version of the dish by not adding meat/meat products in it. Having street food is super convenient to have on the go. The portion size you get for a plate of Pad Thai noodles is quite generous for the amount you pay. It supports those who are on a tight travel budget or have little to spend on food.
Those who wonder what makes street food better than fancy restaurant style food? Well, street food isn’t better or worse than eating at a fancy diner. Street food offers a more cultural experience and stays true to its roots. Fine dining incorporates more eye candy by using presentation, maintaining top-tier hygiene standards and pushing culinary limitations.
The Top 10 Thai Street Food for Every Foodie
Table of Contents:
1. Pad Thai (stir-fried noodles)
2. Khai Krata (fried eggs on a pan)
3. Moo Satay (grilled meat with satay)
4. Gui Chai (fried Chinese dumplings)
5. Patonggo (Thai-Chinese doughnut)
6. Khao Mun Ghai (Thai Chicken Rice)
7. Poh Teak (spicy seafood soup)
8. Khao Neiw Mamuang (mango sticky rice)
9. Kanom Krok (coconut pancake/ dessert)
10. Luke Chin Moo (meatballs on sticks)
1. Pad Thai (stir-fried noodles)
Starting off with the most popular and quintessential dish of Thailand: Pad Thai or stir-fried noodles is a must-try. You probably must have seen or eaten a variety of it, but it tastes different and delish in Thailand. There is hardly any market or walking street that would not sell Pad Thai noodles. You will find at least one stall selling this deliciousness on a plate that keeps you full for quite some time. These noodles are made from rice and stir fried with eggs, tofu, tamarind juice, fish sauce, dried shrimp, garlic, shallots to enhance flavour and texture.
Cost: 40 to 80 THB per serving
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2. Khai Krata (fried eggs on a pan)
The word Khai Krata literally means egg pan. If you are looking for breakfast options in Thai street food, try Khai Krata. It’s a simple yet fulfilling fried egg dish served on a pan. If you want to eat something healthy, delicious that also nourishes you, get a plate of Khai Krata. You can get this dish as early as 6 in the morning. The eggs are fried in a small skillet over some butter or oil and are garnished with ham and spring onions. A plate of Khai Krata can cost anywhere from 30 to 40 THB per serving.
3. Moo Satay (grilled meat with satay)
Moo satay is essentially grilled meat on a stick that is cooked to perfection. The rich juices and succulent meat melts in our mouth as soon as you take a bite. This meat is wrapped on a skewer and grilled on high flame. Needless to say, it is the most convenient street food option to have on the go. Take one in hand and explore the rest of the market while gobbling on your Moo Satay. It is usually served with cucumber and cabbage relish.
4. Gui Chai (fried Chinese dumplings)
This is a chewy fried Chinese dumpling made with tapioca flour, rice flour and chinese chives. Most of the dumplings are shaped like circles, triangles or squares. These dumplings are often paired with sweet and sour dipping sauce. The cost of 10 pieces of Gui Chai 160 to 190 Thai Baht.
5. Patonggo (Thai-Chinese doughnut)
Patongo is a Thai-Chinese fusion food. It’s a type of bread which is deep fried and eaten at breakfast. They come in all shapes and sizes, but the smaller ones are crispier and tastier. This fried bread is eaten with condensed milk, coconut jam, hot milk or with tea/ coffee. Patonggo is popular in almost all of the morning street food markets of Bangkok. The cost of Patongo is around THB 20 per serving.
6. Khao Mun Ghai (Thai Chicken Rice)
A good lunch to have in Thailand on the streets is Khao Mun Ghai or Thai chicken rice. It’s warm, comforting and feels homey. This dish is a comfort food for many Thai people. No matter where you eat, it’s always delicious, fulfilling and affordable. This dish is prepared with chicken broth and oil and garnished with fried chicken. The cost per serving is 30 to 50 THB.
7. Poh Teak (spicy seafood soup)
“Beat the heat with more heat” is the mantra to follow in Thailand if you want to sweat it out. The spicy seafood soup is prepared with shrimp, fish, and fragrant herbs (basils, lemongrass) seasoned with spices. If you can handle more spices, ask the vendor to put Thai chillies in it. (only if you can handle spiciness!)
8. Khao Neiw Mamuang (mango sticky rice)
A plateful of Khao Neiw Mamuang (mango sticky rice) can never go wrong. If you like coconut and mangoes, you will love this dish. The flavours of sticky rice served with sweet coconut milk and mango cubes is flavoursome and filling. It is easily available in every street market of Thailand.
9. Kanom Krok (coconut pancake/ dessert)
Thai street food cannot be completed without having a dessert. This dessert is prepared with grilled coconut-rice all combined well to form a half-circular dough. It is sprinkled with shredded coconut, corn or sometimes with cilantro. It’s a staple breakfast for the locals and is often eaten by sweet-lovers. A plate will cost 20 to 30 THB per person.
10. Luke Chin Moo (meatballs on sticks)
Like chin moo is a popular Thai street food made with pork. These are essentially succulent meatballs and fit the description of “snack on the stick”. They are super soft, tender and melt in your mouth.
Why should one try street food? Well it’s a travel experience that introduces the local culture like any other. The flavours, spices and condiments used in making a dish also tells a lot of the native culture and its culinary traditions. Street food in Thailand is more than a sensory pleasure or delight for tastebuds. It’s a great way to familiarise yourself with a beautiful culture and its people. On your trip to Thailand make sure to relish Thai food from all the top reviewed spots and always eat from where the local eats from.
