Regional Cuisines Guides
25 guides
Isan, northern and southern Thai food: the dishes that define each region and where to eat them.
Facts sit next to their sources. Opening hours, market days, menu prices in Thai baht and Michelin listings change, so each guide says where to confirm them before you go.
Country-wide guides
- 8 Northern Thai Food Dishes to Try and How to Order Them
What to eat in Northern Thailand: khao soi, sai oua, nam prik ong and more, with flavour notes, heat levels and tips for ordering a Khan Tok meal.
- Isan Food: 7 Must-Try Dishes and How to Order Them
What to eat in Isan, Thailand: 7 essential dishes, how hot they are, what to pair with sticky rice and how to order them.
- Southern Thai Food: 8 Dishes to Order and How to Eat Like a Local
Southern Thai food is spicy, sour and turmeric-rich. Learn 8 key dishes, heat levels, breakfast vs. dinner picks and how to order beyond resort menus.
- Gaeng Hang Lay: Northern Thai Pork Curry Guide
Gaeng hang lay is a northern Thai pork curry without the coconut milk. Learn how it tastes, where to look for it, and how to order it.
- Gaeng Som: Southern Thai Sour Curry Guide
Gaeng som is Thailand's sour, spicy, coconut-free curry. Learn what's in it, how southern Thai versions differ, and how to order it.
- Gaeng Tai Pla: Southern Thai Fish Curry Guide (What It Tastes Like and How to Order)
Gaeng tai pla is a fiery southern Thai fish curry built on fermented fish-viscera sauce. Learn the flavor, heat level, how to order, and what to eat with it.
- Gai Yang (ไก่ย่าง): Thai Grilled Chicken, How to Order and Eat It
What gai yang is, how to order it in Thailand, what to eat with it, and how to spot a good stall. Includes Isan pairings and sauce tips.
- Khanom Jeen: Thai Fermented Rice Noodles & Curry Guide
Khanom jeen is Thailand's soft fermented rice noodle served with curry and fresh herbs. Learn the sauces, how to eat it, and what to order.
- Khao Mok Gai: Thai Chicken Biryani & Where to Eat It
Khao mok gai is Thailand's spiced turmeric chicken rice, a Thai take on biryani. Learn what's on the plate, how it differs from biryani, and how to order it.
- Khao Soi Guide: Northern Thai Curry Noodle Soup
What khao soi is, the main northern Thai and Lao styles, how to order and eat it, and what to check before you go.
- Khao Yam: Southern Thai Rice Salad, What It Is and How to Order It
Khao yam is Southern Thailand's herb-packed rice salad with nam budu dressing. Learn what's in it, how variants differ, and how to order it.
- Kua Kling: Southern Thai Dry Curry (What It Is and How to Order)
Kua kling is a Southern Thai dry-fried curry. Learn what's in it, how spicy it gets, and how to order it in Thailand.
- Larb (Laab): What It Is and How to Order It in Thailand
What larb is, how Thai and Lao versions differ, raw versus cooked, and how to order and eat it like a local in Isan.
- Massaman Curry: What It Is, How to Order It in Thailand
Learn what massaman curry is, how it differs from other Thai curries, how to order it, and what to eat with it in southern Thai food.
- Nam Ngiao: What It Is, How to Eat It, Where to Try
Nam ngiao explained: what is in this Northern Thai noodle soup, where the name comes from, how to eat it, and how it differs from khao soi.
- Nam Prik Noom (น้ำพริกหนุ่ม): Northern Thai Green Chili Dip Guide
What nam prik noom is, how hot it is, what to eat it with, and how it differs from other Northern Thai dips. A traveler's guide.
- Nam Prik Ong: Northern Thai Pork & Tomato Dip, How to Eat It
What nam prik ong is, how Northern Thais eat it, how it differs from nam prik noom and nam ngiao, and how to order it. Includes dietary notes.
- Nam Tok Moo: Thai Grilled Pork Salad Explained
What nam tok moo is, how it differs from larb, how to order it in Thailand, and what to eat with it. Includes a quick home-cooking guide.
- Pla Ra (ปลาร้า): Thai Fermented Fish Explained
What pla ra is, how it tastes and smells, where you will meet it in Isan dishes, and how to order it or skip it.
- Roti Mataba in Thailand: What It Is and Where to Try It
What roti mataba is, how it differs from other roti, and how to try the Tha Prachan version in Bangkok, with cost, timing and ordering tips.
- Sai Krok Isan: Thailand's Sour Isan Sausage Guide
What sai krok Isan is, how it tastes, how it differs from sai ua, and how to order it with sticky rice, chili and ginger in Isan.
- Sai Oua: Northern Thai Sausage, How to Eat It
Sai oua is Northern Thailand's herbal grilled pork sausage. Learn what's in it, how to order and eat it, and how it differs from Isaan sausage.
- Som Tam: Thai Green Papaya Salad Variants and How to Order
Som tam explained: what the Thai green papaya salad is, which variants to order, how to control the heat and what to eat it with.
- Sticky Rice in Thailand: What It Is and How to Eat It
A practical guide to Thai sticky rice (khao niao): what it is, how Thais eat it by hand, what to pair it with, and how to order it as a traveler.
- Tam Thai: What It Means, Styles and How to Order
Tam Thai explained: how Thai-style pounded salad differs from Lao and fermented-fish versions, plus ordering phrases and spice tips.