Pai guide · Where to eat
Places to eat in Pai, with what to order and how comfortable each is for families and older travellers.
Updated
Pai eats Northern Thai food, with noodle soups, grilled meats and chilli dips, alongside cafes aimed at travellers. Pork, fish sauce and shrimp paste appear in many dishes that look vegetarian, so strict vegetarians should say so plainly. The Thai word jay refers to vegan-style food, and asking for it, with no fish sauce, is useful.
Vegan and vegan-friendly choices do exist: Chew Xin Jai and Aurora Vegan Khao Soi are listed as fully vegan, and BeBe Spice is an Indian restaurant with marked vegan dishes. We found no restaurant we could confirm as Pure Veg or Jain, so confirm hours and ingredients each time.
Jain travellers should plan on carrying snacks, ordering fruit, plain rice and steamed vegetables, and asking about stock and sauces each time. Guesthouses may cook a simple meat-free meal if asked a day ahead. 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.
Rat Damrong Road, Wiang Tai, central Pai
A casual roadside restaurant on Rat Damrong Road in Wiang Tai serving a fully vegan Northern Thai menu, from khao soi to red curry, banana cake and homemade kombucha.
Ratdumrong Road, Wiang Tai, central Pai
An Indian restaurant on Ratdumrong Road in Wiang Tai, with Indian dishes such as dhal makhani and saag aloo, and Thai and Indian cooking classes.
92 Moo 4, after the turn at Buffalo Exchange toward the walking street
A breakfast and brunch cafe on the way to the walking street, listed on Wikivoyage for Australian coffee and meals from about 60 to 180 baht.
234 Rangsiyanon Road, before the police station, on the Chiang Mai road
A Thai restaurant on Rangsiyanon Road, on the Chiang Mai approach to Pai, serving everyday Thai dishes with vegetables from its own farm and running cooking classes.
Off Ratdumrong Road, Wiang Tai, central Pai
A long-running vegan buffet and à la carte restaurant in Wiang Tai, serving Northern Thai and Chinese-style dishes including pumpkin curry, khao soi and mock-meat dishes.
Ban Mae Yen, across the bridge on the road toward the hot springs
An organic cafe across the bridge from Pai town, on the road toward the hot springs, serving salads, sandwiches, baked goods, homemade yogurt, kefir and kombucha.
Thetsaban 1 Road, central Pai
A street-food stall on Thetsaban 1 Road in central Pai, known for khao soi, massaman and panang curries, with a few clearly labelled vegan dishes and outdoor seating.
Corner of the first traffic light on the walking street, central Pai
A quick Thai restaurant at the first traffic light on Pai's walking street, listed on Wikivoyage for fast Thai food and a low-priced beef khao soi.
Mae Hi, about 1 km from central Pai
A vegetarian and mostly vegan organic garden cafe about a kilometre from the centre of Pai, with rice-field and mountain views, coconut-yogurt smoothies and vegan khao soi.
412 Moo 8, Wiang Tai, near the Wednesday Market, behind the police station
A small cafe near the Wednesday market, listed on Wikivoyage for Thai-style whole wheat toast and soy milk, open Tuesday to Sunday during the daytime.
