Top 9 Best Street Food Stalls in Bangkok, Thailand

 

Bangkok is easily one of the best places in the world to get street food and as a foodie it is a delicious paradise. It is often said that food is the way to the heart (for me this is most definitely the case), but it is also one of the purest ways to get in touch with the local culture. Food is life and street food is an expression of that life through taste. Eating street food is a quintessential part of the Bangkok experience.

 

It has been estimated that there are over 500,000 street food vendors in Bangkok. With so many stalls it is easy to come across an old man on a corner wafting scents of delicious pepper soup from a makeshift stall that you have never seen before. But it is just as easy to be overcome with the number of options. Most street carts and stalls in Bangkok specialize in making one thing, a generations-old recipe that they cook to perfection.

 

These are the places that chefs come to eat when they are done with their shift. They are where the heart of the country and culture live. They are where history and life are found. With so much to try, here is my pick of the top 9 best street food stalls you need to try when in Bangkok.

 

Trok Rong Moo Noodle

 

 

This place is by far my favorite spot in all of Bangkok. I returned here time and time again to eat their delicious Spicy Tom Yam Noodle Soup. This soup is arguably the best soup that I have ever eaten and I still daydream about it from time to time (no lie; it is that good). Trok Rong Moo Noodle also have a few other dishes worth trying as well. I thought that their fried pork wontons were also very good. You would definitely want to share an order of them with someone else, or she sells a versions of the soup with a wonton. The restaurant has a menu that is in both Thai and English and the owner also speaks English very well, so ordering is easy.

 

Location: 23/10 Sukon 1 Alley

Cost: Soup = 50 THB/1.50 USD

Hours: 9:30am – 5pm

 

Raan Jay Fai

 

Jay Fai is easily the most famous street food vendor in Bangkok and possibly the world. She was showcased on the Netflix’s series Street Food and has been hailed as the ‘Best cook in Bangkok’ and “the Bangkok Queen of Street Food’ by a number of celebrity chefs. Her original claim to fame though was receiving a Michelin Star for her Crab Omelet. Her food does not come cheap though and her Michelin Star has caused her shop to become over run with business. If you plan to eat there you will definitely want to make a reservation.

 

Location: 327 Mahachai Road

Cost: Crab Omelet = 1000 THB/30.05 USD

Hours: 9am – 8:30pm (Wednesday –Sunday)

 

Wattana Panich

 

 

Some say soup is better eaten the next day, Wattana Panich says how about three generations later. That’s right, the beef noodle soup that is serve here has been simmering for over 45 years. Making it one of the oldest continually cooked soups in the world. They do clean the pot each night (so no worries), then let the leftover stew simmer overnight and use it as the base for the next day. They have a number of items, but what their famous for is Beef Noodle Soup (#6).

 

Location: 336/338 Ekkamai Rd

Cost: 100 THB/3.00 USD

Hours: 9:30am – 7:30pm

 

Jek Pui Curry Rice

 

 

China Town has many great street food vendors, but possibly the most famous for locals is Jek Pui. The image of people eating on small red plastic stools in front of green aged shutters is possibly the most photographed street food setting in Bangkok. Even so, it is still a mostly local scene. Although they have moved from that iconic spot their curries are still infamously delicious. They are best known for their Yellow Curry Pork, but you will have to show early to get a chance at it. If you miss out there are still many other great choices.

 

Location: 30 Soi Kanmatuyaram

Cost: 40 THB/1.20 USD

Hours: 3pm – 8pm

 

Tale of Stewed Pork

 

 

Starting as a street food vendor selling – you guessed it – stewed pork in the Talad Noi District, the owner decided to expand with another stall selling fried squid cakes at the pier near Khao San Road. Today he owns to shops, one near Khao San Road and the other southeast of China Town. They have images and English translations of their menu items making it easy to order. They are best known for their Stewed Pork Soup, but if you just want a snack to go then grab some Fried Squid Cakes (30 THB/0.90 USD).

 

Location: 62 Phra Athit Rd (there is also one in the Talad Noi District southeast of China Town)

Cost: 55 THB/1.65 USD

Hours: 8am – 5pm

 

Satay Jae Aeng

 

 

Satay carts are found all over Thailand and in Bangkok’s Chinatown they are on almost every corner. Satay Jae Aeng is known for having some of the best. Satay are meat kabobs that are served with a spicy peanut sauce. Here they marinade the meat in coconut milk and chili before cooking it over a charcoal fire. They are most known for their Pork Satay, but you can also get a few other options as well.

 

Location: 105 Charoen Krung Rd

Cost: 70 THB/2.10 USD for 10 sticks

Hours: 10am – 8pm

 

Yaowarat Toasted Buns

 

 

Yaowarat Toasted Buns is hard to miss. It is probably the busiest vendor on the street and it is most definitely the most chaotic. So what is it? They are white bread rolls, toasted on a charcoal grill, and then filled with your favorite filling. Your options are jam, marmalade, egg custard, milk, chocolate, and sugar. To be honest, I didn’t even try to order the first time I walked by; it was far too overwhelming at first. Everyone crowds the cart and an old man shouts numbers through a megaphone. But the ordering process is easy enough. You simply mark a form with the filling you want and if you want the bun crispy or soft, then wait for the man to yell your number. The tricky part is knowing the Thai numbers, so I just showed the man with the megaphone and waited for him to point at me.

 

Location: 452 Khwaeng Samphanthawong

Cost: 25 THB/0.75 USD

Hours: 5pm – 12am (Tuesday – Sunday)

 

Guay Jub Ouan Pochana

 

 

It is argued that Guay Jub Ouan Pochana is what put Chinatown on the street food map in Bangkok. Whether this is a fact or not is up for debate, but what is true is that they have been turning out Pork Belly Soup with traditional rolled rice noodles for over 50 years. The noodles are chewy but still tender and the broth is bursting with a peppery flavor. This is possibly one of the busiest stalls on the street so it is not hard to find. They only have one dish, so ordering is easy. It is either small or large with the option to add a boiled egg or fried egg noodles.

 

Location: 408 Yaowarat Road (In front of Chinatown Cinema)

Cost: 50 THB/1.50 USD for a small bowl

Hours: 6pm – 3am

 

Leung Pha Pad Thai

 

When many people think of Thai food the first thing that comes to mind is Pad Thai. Leung Pha Pad Thai that is all that they offer. It might not be as fancy or well known as its famous neighbor, but many locals argue that its far better in taste and quality. It also usually doesn’t have the que either. They are most known for their Shrimp Pad Thai wrapped with an egg. You can also get the same thing but without making it into an omelet.   

 

Location: 510 Mahachai Road

Cost: 100 THB/3.00 USD

Hours: 10am – 2am

 

What was your favorite street food in Bangkok?

 

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