Kanchanaburi guide · Where to eat
Places to eat in Kanchanaburi, with what to order and how comfortable each is for families and older travellers.
Updated
Food in Kanchanaburi is Thai, and most of it is built around fish sauce, shrimp paste and meat stock, so vegetarian eating takes some effort. On's Thai-Issan Vegan on Maenam Khwae Road is described as plant-based (HappyCow lists it as vegetarian, so strict vegans should check each dish), but we could not verify any Jain restaurant or an Indian restaurant in the town. Do not assume that a dish described as vegetable is meat-free; ask for no meat, no fish sauce and no egg, and check whether the stock is made from meat.
A Thai-and-Western menu with a vegetarian selection is common in riverside guesthouse restaurants, for example along Maenamkwai Road. Street stalls near the railway station and the evening market offer cheap snacks, but most use meat or fish sauce. During the Vegetarian Festival, usually in September or October, shops display yellow flags for jay (strict vegetarian) food; check locally for the dates. Jain travellers should expect to bring dry snacks and to ask the hotel kitchen in advance, since onion, garlic and root vegetables are part of Thai cooking. Hotels and resorts, such as those on the river, can often prepare plain rice, stir-fried vegetables and fruit if asked a day ahead.
Menus and kitchens change. If you follow a strict diet or have an allergy, confirm with the restaurant before you order.
24/5 Maenamkwai Road, Kanchanaburi
An evening pizzeria on Maenamkwai Road serving thin-crust pizzas, salads and spaghetti alongside some Thai dishes. A familiar-food option for travellers tired of chilli.
153/4 Sutjai Bridge, Thamakham, Mahadthai Road, Kanchanaburi
A resort restaurant near Mahadthai Road, by the Sutjai bridge in Tha Makham, serving farm-to-table Thai dishes such as spicy curries and aromatic stir-fries.
265/5 Mae Nam Khwae Road, Tha Makham, Kanchanaburi
A riverbank restaurant on Mae Nam Khwae Road serving Thai and Western dishes such as green curry with rice, barbecued ribs and tom yum goong, with a banana split for dessert.
286 Maenamkwai Road, the river guesthouse strip
A long-standing guesthouse-strip restaurant on Maenamkwai Road serving Thai and Western food, with a vegetarian selection noted by Wikivoyage. Open from early morning to late evening.
Nong Bua, on the River Kwai waterfront
A riverfront Thai restaurant on the Khwae Yai serving tom yam goong, roast duck in red curry and coconut milk ice cream. A comfortable sit-down meal that is not vegetarian-specific.
River Kwai Road, Ban Tai, on the river
A riverside restaurant on River Kwai Road serving Thai, Asian and seafood dishes, including fish in spicy sauce and mango sticky rice. Open late for a relaxed evening meal.
England Road, Pak Phraek, Kanchanaburi town
A local rice-meal restaurant on England Road whose name means eat rice, known for grilled pig neck, hot prawn salad, curries and a sticky rice bamboo dish. A long local-style lunch stop rather than a vegetarian choice.
13 Maenamkwai Road, Kanchanaburi
A daytime cafe on Maenamkwai Road serving Thai and Western food, coffee, apple pie and fresh fruit drinks, with about 1,000 English-language books for sale. A quiet break from the sights.
Maenam Khwae Road, Tha Makham, near the river guesthouses
A plant-based eatery on Maenam Khwae Road serving Isan-style Thai vegetarian and vegan dishes such as papaya salad and curry soup. A rare meat-free choice in a town where most Thai cooking relies on fish sauce and meat stock.
222 Mahadthai Road, Kanchanaburi
An evening restaurant on Mahadthai Road serving Western and Thai food, with homemade pizza and steak named in Wikivoyage's Eat section.
16/27 Donruk Road, Kanchanaburi town
A Thai restaurant on Donruk Road listed for spring rolls, crispy pork and fiery papaya salad at fair prices. A town-centre local meal away from the river strip.
