The Ultimate DIY Guide to a One-Day Thai Food Tour in Bangkok

First, Watch the Video

Press play to watch the full video of this Thai food tour in Bangkok:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=keZjgPiJJO8" title="Thai Food Tour Video

(Alternatively, you can watch it on YouTube.)

Consider this a warning: you might want to pause the video and grab a snack first!

The video is 27 minutes long, but it’s packed with action and details about this comprehensive food tour, so sit back and enjoy!

Also, be sure to check out Trevor’s video for more insights.

Street food at Wang Lang Market (ตลาดวังหลัง)

Bangkok Food Tour – Regional Thai Food

My friend Trevor James from The Food Ranger recently visited Bangkok, and we were eager to dive into as much Thai food as possible in one day.

We decided to embark on a Thai street food tour, sampling all four major regional cuisines: Southern Thai, Isaan (Northeastern), Northern, and Central Thai food.

Rest assured, any restaurant mentioned in this DIY Bangkok food guide will serve you the real deal!

NOTE: If you want to explore authentic Thai food, The Ultimate Eating Thai Food Guide will teach you how to order and what dishes to try, even if you don’t speak Thai!

Southern Thai food feast at Ruam Tai Restaurant (ร้านรวมใต้)

1. Southern Thai Food (อาหารใต้)

Restaurant: Ruam Tai Restaurant (ร้านรวมใต้)

Few meals are better for breakfast than Southern Thai food, which is one of my personal favorites. This cuisine is known for its bold spices, chilies, soups, and curries.

Ruam Tai Restaurant is conveniently located just a short walk from Wang Lang Market and is renowned for its Southern Thai dishes.

Salted fried fish (ปลาเค็มทอด)

Dishes to Order:

• Sour curry with taro stems (แกงส้มออดิบ gaeng som aw dip) – A yellow sour curry made with fresh turmeric and taro stems.
• Fish entrails curry (แกงไตปลา gaeng tai pla) – A fermented fish viscera curry that delivers an authentic Southern Thai flavor.
• Salted fried fish (ปลาเค็มทอด pla kem tod) – Deep-fried salted fish topped with chilies and shallots.
• Dry beef curry (คั่วกลิ้งเนื้อ khua kling) – A dry curry where spices are coated onto the meat without any liquid.
• Cassia leaves curry (แกงขี้เหล็ก gaeng kee lek) – A creamy coconut curry made with pickled cassia leaves.
• Melinjo leaves with egg (ผักเหลียงผัดไข่) – Stir-fried melinjo leaves with egg, a personal favorite.
• Tree bean curry with shrimp (กุ้งผัดลูกเหลียง goong pad look liang) – A dish featuring tree beans with a crisp and pungent flavor.

At Ruam Tai Restaurant, you can choose from a variety of Southern Thai dishes, and this selection represents what we enjoyed during our visit.

Ruam Tai Restaurant (ร้านรวมใต้)

Ruam Tai Restaurant (ร้านรวมใต้)

Address: 375/4 Thanon Phran Nok, Bangkok Noi, Bangkok 10700
Open Hours: 6 am – 8 pm daily
Prices: Dishes cost around 40 – 50 THB; our total meal was approximately 300 THB.

ที่อยู่ 375/4 ถ.พรานนก บ้านช่างหล่อ บางกอกน้อย กรุงเทพฯ 10700
เปิด-ปิด 6:00 – 20:00

Isaan Thai food at Som Tam Jay So Restaurant (ร้านส้มตำเจ๊โส)

2. Isaan (Northeastern) Thai Food (อาหารอีสาน)

Restaurant: Som Tam Jay So Restaurant (ร้านส้มตำเจ๊โส)

For an authentic and spicy experience of Isaan cuisine, Som Tam Jay So is the place to be.

Located between the Silom and Sathon business districts, this bustling restaurant fills up quickly during lunch, attracting those eager for intense flavors.

Every time I dine at Som Tam Jay So, I leave feeling satisfied and happy, with a smile that lasts throughout the day.

This will light your mouth on fire!

Dishes to Order:

• Sticky rice (ข้าวเหนียว khao neow) – A staple of Isaan cuisine, perfect for dipping into sauces.
• Green papaya salad with fermented fish (ตำปูปลาร้า tam boo plaraa) – A comfort dish featuring green papaya, chilies, tomatoes, fermented fish sauce, and crab.
• Jungle pounded salad (ตำป่า tam pa) – A bold and spicy mixture that’s not for the faint-hearted.
• Minced catfish laab (ลาบปลาดุก laab pla duk) – Grilled catfish mixed with roasted rice powder, chili flakes, lime juice, and fish sauce.
• Grilled pork neck (คอหมูย่าง kaw moo yang) – Fatty and flavorful, a must-try for pork lovers.
• Grilled chicken wings (ปีกไก่ย่าง pik gai yang) – A specialty that you’ll notice as soon as you enter the restaurant.
• Sour soup (ต้มแซ่บหมู tom saeb moo) – A refreshing soup to balance the spiciness of your meal.

The Isaan food here is spicy and aromatic, capturing the essence of Northeastern Thailand.

Som Tam Jay So Restaurant (ร้านส้มตำเจ๊โส)

Som Tam Jay So Restaurant (ร้านส้มตำเจ๊โส)

Address: Soi Phiphat 2, Khwaeng Silom, Khet Bang Rak, Bangkok 10500
Open Hours: 8:30 am – 4:30 pm daily
Prices: Our total for everything was 482 THB ($13.76).

ที่อยู่ ซอยพิพัฒ 2 สีลม บางรัก กรุงเทพมหานคร 10500
โทร. 085-999-4225
เปิดบริการทุกวัน 8.30 – 16.30 น.

Northern Thai food at Or Tor Kor Market (ตลาด อ.ต.ก.)

3. Northern Thai Food (อาหารเหนือ)

Restaurant: Or Tor Kor Market (ตลาด อ.ต.ก.)

Northern Thai cuisine is often underrepresented in Bangkok, but there are some excellent options available.

While I recommend Man Muang for a sit-down meal, we chose to focus on street food-style restaurants for this tour.

Or Tor Kor Market is one of Bangkok’s gourmet food markets, featuring a wide array of fresh ingredients, takeaway options, and a food court.

Within the market, you’ll find a stall called Pen Jan Northern Food (ร้านเพ็ญจันทร์) that serves a variety of Northern Thai curries.

The gaeng hanglay (แกงฮังเล) was the best dish!

Dishes to Order:

• Pork hanglay curry (แกงฮังเล gaeng hanglay) – A sweet and sour curry that’s a Northern Thai favorite.
• Hygroscopic earthstar fungus curry (เห็ดเผาะต้มเค็ม hed pae dom kem) – A unique fungus that bursts with flavor.
• Northern Thai herb sausage (ไส้อั่ว sai ua) – While it may not be as good as in Chiang Mai, it’s still worth trying.
• Roasted green chili dip (น้ำพริกหนุ่ม nam prik noom) – A delicious dip for vegetables or fried pork rind.
• Pork rind (แคปหมู cab moo) – Fried pork rinds typically enjoyed with chili dip.

At Or Tor Kor Market, you can roam around and sample whatever looks appealing, including excellent green papaya salad and grilled chicken. It’s also a great place to try durian!

Or Tor Kor Market (ตลาด อ.ต.ก.)

Address: 139/4 1, Samsen Nai, Phaya Thai, Bangkok 10400
Open Hours: 6 am – 6 pm daily
Prices: Most dishes cost around 60 THB per portion, with some items priced at 80 THB per 100 grams.

เลขที่ 101 ถนนกำแพงเพชร แขวงจตุจักร เขตจตุจักร กรุงเทพมหานคร 10900

Central Thai meal at Tom Yum Goong Banglamphu (ร้านต้มยำกุ้งบางลำพู)

4. Central Thai Food (อาหารภาคกลาง)

Restaurant: Tom Yum Goong Banglamphu (ร้านต้มยำกุ้งบางลำพู)

To conclude this comprehensive DIY Thai food tour, it’s time to enjoy Central Thai cuisine.

When I think of Central Thai food, tom yum goong immediately comes to mind as a must-try dish.

One of my all-time favorite spots for tom yum goong in Bangkok is Tom Yum Goong Banglamphu, where the legendary Uncle serves a fiery pot of street food tom yum that’s rich in flavor and texture.

Life-changing tom yum goong (ต้มยำกุ้ง)!

Dishes to Order:

• Tom yum goong (ต้มยำกุ้ง tom yum goong) – Their signature dish that you shouldn’t miss; it’s one of the best versions in the world.
• Shrimp omelet (ไข่เจียวกุ้ง kai jeow goong) – A rich omelet that’s incredibly delicious.
• Water morning glory & crispy pork (ผัดผักบุ้งหมูกรอบ pad pak boong moo krob) – A delightful side dish to balance out the meal.
• Fried garlic shrimp (กุ้งทอดกระเทียม goong tod gratiem) – Another must-try shrimp dish specializing in freshwater shrimp.

These dishes beautifully blend Central Thai and Thai Chinese flavors, providing a perfect end to this Bangkok food tour of the four major regional Thai cuisines.

Tom Yum Goong Banglamphu (ร้านต้มยำกุ้งบางลำพู) – here’s the street food stall you’re looking for

Tom Yum Goong Banglamphu (ร้านต้มยำกุ้งบางลำพู)

Address: Thanon Kraisi (in front of the large Banglamphu car park), Talad Yawd Phra Nakhon, Bangkok, Thailand
Open Hours: 9 am – 6:30 pm daily
Prices: Our total meal cost was 600 THB ($17.13).

ที่อยู่ ถนนไกรสีห์ (หน้าอาคารจอดรถ กทม. ) ตลาดยอด พระนคร กรุงเทพมหานคร 10200
เปิดบริการทุกวัน 9.00 – 18.30 น.

Fried garlic shrimp (กุ้งทอดกระเทียม)