Chiang Mai guide · Where to eat
Places to eat in Chiang Mai, with what to order and how comfortable each is for families and older travellers.
Updated
Chiang Mai is the home of khao soi, a curried noodle soup from northern Thailand, and of sai ua (a herby pork sausage), nam prik chilli dips and sticky rice. Most of the best-known northern dishes use pork, fish sauce or shrimp paste, so strict vegetarians need to ask carefully and use the phrase 'jay' (Thai vegan-style food) or order from restaurants that are fully meat-free.
Vegetarian and vegan options are far easier here than in most of Thailand. The old city and Nimman have several fully vegan or fully vegetarian cafes, and many can make khao soi without meat. Reform Kafe near the north gate is entirely vegan, and Aum Vegetarian Restaurant near the Chiang Mai Gate is a long-running vegetarian kitchen. For Indian food, Chai 'N' Thai in Nimman and Rajdarbar near the Night Bazaar both serve North and South Indian dishes, though they also cook meat, and neither is Jain.
We found no restaurant in Chiang Mai that states it cooks Jain food or avoids onion and garlic on request, so Jain travellers should plan on asking each time, carrying simple snacks and using hotel kitchens where possible. Fish sauce and shrimp paste are common in dishes labelled vegetarian, so say 'no fish sauce' clearly. Drink bottled or filtered water.
Menus and kitchens change. If you follow a strict diet or have an allergy, confirm with the restaurant before you order.
Taewan Road, Santitham, north-west of the old city
A very small, cheap vegan cafe on Taewan Road in Santitham, reopened with a sit-down area after the pandemic, serving summer rolls, sandwiches and breakfast.
Nimmanhaemin Road, west of the old city
A North Indian and Punjabi restaurant on Nimmanhaemin Road with an extensive vegetarian menu, lassi, chutneys and achars, plus chicken dishes and Indian sweets.
Tha Phae Road, near the eastern gate of the old city
A fully vegan brunch cafe in a family house on Tha Phae Road, with French toast, smoothie bowls, chia pudding, Thai curries and Indian-style chai.
Old city, Suriyawong Alley, near Chiang Mai Gate
A long-running vegetarian restaurant near Chiang Mai Gate, serving Thai dishes without meat, with vegan versions of several curries.
Moon Muang Road, by Somphet Market, eastern moat
A low-cost plant-based eatery on Moon Muang Road beside Somphet Market, serving khao soi with soya protein and rice with three sides.
Moon Muang Road Soi 9, inside the old city
A vegetarian restaurant on Moon Muang Soi 9, inside the old city, with Thai and Western dishes, salads, bakery items and garden seating, open Monday to Saturday.
Nimman Lane 9, Nimmanhaemin Road area
An Indian restaurant on Nimman Lane 9 serving North and South Indian dishes, with vegan and vegetarian dishes clearly marked on a menu that also includes meat.
Chang Phuak Gate Night Market, north gate of the old city
A night-market stall near the Chang Phuak gate, known as the Cowboy Hat Lady, serving braised pork leg over rice with a soft-boiled egg.
Sirimankalajarn Soi 9, Santitham and Nimman area
A fully vegan cafe on Sirimankalajarn Soi 9 near Nimman, serving Shan and Burmese curries, tea-leaf salad and vegan khao soi. Profits fund a free school.
Singharat Road, Si Phum, old city
A fully vegan cafe on Singharat Road in the old city, known for a khao soi topped with mushroom steak and a raw cheesecake.
Nimmanhaemin Road, west of the old city
A Thai restaurant on Nimmanhaemin Road housed in a colonial-style room, listed by Wikivoyage as a mid-range place for northern and central Thai dishes.
208 Pa Tan Road, by the Ping River
A riverside Northern Thai restaurant on Pa Tan Road with live Lanna music, listed as a current Michelin Bib Gourmand by one guide.
Ratchaphruek Road, west of the old city
A northern Thai restaurant on Ratchaphruek Road, in wooden Lanna-style buildings set in a garden, listed in the Michelin Guide's 2025 Bib Gourmand for Chiang Mai.
112 Ratchamankha Road, Phra Singh, old city
An old city restaurant on Ratchamankha Road serving northern Thai dishes such as gaeng hanglay and sai ua, with khao soi at lunch.
MAYA mall, B1 food court, Nimman
A vegan stall in the basement food court of MAYA mall, serving rice with three dishes, radish cake and mushroom rice balls at low prices.
Changklan Road, opposite the Night Bazaar Building
An open-air food court on Changklan Road opposite the Night Bazaar Building, with free nightly Thai classical dance and a coupon payment system.
Charoen Prathet Road, near the Night Bazaar (Chang Moi)
A halal khao soi restaurant near the Night Bazaar area, serving beef khao soi and other dishes without pork, named by three guides.
Sri Poom 8 Alley, Si Phum, north side of the old city moat
A small lunch-only khao soi shop in the old city's Si Phum area, known for its chicken khao soi at about THB 80 to 120 a bowl.
Kad Kom market, Suriyawong area, south of the old city
A small khao soi shop at Kad Kom market, south of the old city, known for braised beef khao soi at low prices.
Chotana Road, Chang Phueak, north of the old city
A khao soi restaurant on the northern road out of the city, offering chicken, fish, pork or beef khao soi plus nam ngiao.
Nong Pakrung, Chiang Mai Business Park, south of the old city
A venue behind Big C Extra serving a northern Thai khantoke dinner with Lanna dance shows, listed by Wikivoyage for daily evening sittings and recommended booking.
53/2, on the road beside the prison, Chiang Mai
A daytime noodle shop serving egg noodles with fish balls, open daily from 9 am to 2:30 pm, listed in Wikivoyage's budget Thai eats.
Ratchadamnoen Road, between the old city centre and Wat Phra Singh
A vegetarian buffet on Ratchadamnoen Road, roughly 100 metres past the police station toward Wat Phra Singh, listed for Thai vegan dishes and open daily from early morning.
Ratchawithi Road, northwest of the old city moat
A North Indian restaurant on Ratchawithi Road in Chiang Mai that serves meat dishes but lists vegan options, with dal, vegetable curries, bhajis, naan and roti.
Near Warorot Market, Wichayanon Road
A street-side doughnut and soy milk stall near Warorot Market, selling deep-fried dough sticks shaped like animals with soy milk.
Wat Suan Dok, Suthep Road, west of the old city
A Thai vegetarian restaurant within the Wat Suan Dok grounds, listed with organic ingredients and many vegan options, open daytime only and closed on Wednesdays.
Moon Muang Road Soi 9, old city
A fully vegan Italian-style pizzeria on Moon Muang Road Soi 9 in the old city, serving pizza, pasta, gnocchi and cashew cheese from early morning to 10 pm.
Loi Kroh Road, in front of Duangtawan Hotel
A small Indian restaurant on Loi Kroh Road, about 100 metres from the Night Bazaar, serving curries, samosas, lentils and fresh naan.
Old city, Sripoom Road Lane 7, in the Green Tiger House courtyard
A vegan cafe in the Green Tiger House courtyard near the old city's north gate, serving Thai and Western dishes including a plant-based khao soi.
Thapae Road, in front of Wat Mahawan
An evening roti stall on Thapae Road in front of Wat Mahawan, making crisp roti with sweet fillings such as banana, Nutella or condensed milk.
9/1 Sam Lan Soi 1, Phra Singh, near Wat Phra Singh
A casual rotisserie chicken shop near Wat Phra Singh serving quarter chicken with sticky rice, a simple local lunch in the old city.
Thapae Road, near Tha Phae Gate
A homestyle North Indian restaurant and shop on Thapae Road, near the Tha Phae Gate, listed with vegetable samosas, stuffed parathas and handmade chapatis.
Chang Phueak (north) gate area, outside the old city moat
A well-known Chiang Mai suki stall around the Chang Phueak (north) gate, serving stir-fried or soup-style glass noodles with meat or seafood from late afternoon.
Suthep Road, past Canal Road by the university
A strip of food carts and pavement tables on Suthep Road near the university, listed by Wikivoyage as open daily from 5 pm to 10 pm.
Ratchaphakhinai Road, inside the old city moat
A North Indian restaurant on Ratchaphakhinai Road, inside the old city, recommended for vegetarians and known for saag, curries and a vegetarian thali.
Prapokklao Road, in the old city
A North Indian restaurant on Prapokklao Road, near the old city's south side, known for grilled chicken tikka, samosas with chutney and a vegetable thali.
Nimmanhaemin Road, Soi 13
A salad cafe on Nimmanhaemin Soi 13 with build-your-own salads, cold-pressed juices and clearly marked vegan options on a menu that is not fully vegan.
One Nimman, Block F14, Street Food court
A plant-based stall in the street food court at One Nimman, known for pad krapow with plant-based meat and a vegan fried egg.
Ploen Ruedee Night Market, Chang Klan Road
A vegan evening stall at Ploen Ruedee Night Market on Chang Klan Road, serving about 20 rotating plant-based dishes including pumpkin tofu curry on a banana leaf.
Ratchadamnoen Road Soi 1, old city
A fully vegan eatery in a quiet corner yard on Ratchadamnoen Road Soi 1, listed by Time Out as extremely cheap and closed on Mondays.
