The best restaurants in Chiang Mai

Chaing Mai's best eats that are not just about khao soi

Friday November 8 2019

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Former Features Editor, Contributor

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Lush forests, golden rice fields, and the slow life—these are just some of the reasons why many Bangkokians, as well as foreign visitors, fall in love with Chiang Mai. Apart from its physical charms, the city, known as the gateway to Thailand’s northern region, also boasts a distinctive culinary culture, taking influences from countries such as Myanmar and China. Northern specialties, such as khao soi (coconut curry noodle soup), sai ouer (Northern Thai sausage) and gaeng hanglay (salty and sweet curry usually served with pork belly) can be eaten across the country, but, still, these's no better place to savor these delicacies than at their place of origin.

Over the last few years, Chiang Mai has become a global culinary city, witnessing the opening of several fine-dining restaurants and the presence of cool global eating trends. The city’s food culture has become so popular that Chiang Mai has become the latest destination in Thailand to be featured in The Michelin Guide Thailand 2020 (slated for release on 12 November).

To celebrate Chiang Mai’s emerging food scene, Time Out Bangkok traveled to the Northern capital to find out the best places to dine in the city. As you’ll discover, there is more to the city than just creamy khao soi.

INNOVATIVE

Blackitch

With all the hype surrounding Chiang Mai’s gastronomic scene, probably no other restaurant deserves it more than Blackitch, a modern yet homey 12-seater run by Chef Phanuphon “Black” Bulsuwan. The Chiang Mai-based chef’s creative use of local ingredients is worthy of appraisal, as showcased in contemporary dishes influenced by a wide range of culinary cultures, from Northern Thai to Nordic.

The tasting menu, comprised of around nine dishes, combine to deliver a tantalizing symphony of flavors. The Chiang Mai-style gaeng bon (grilled elephant ear with spices), topped with dried pork chin, pork rind, and a cracker made from potato and shallots, is a flavor bomb. This was followed by scallops that benefit from the tangy notes of raspberry and pickled Siam tulip, and gaeng hanglay with blue swimmer crab and zesty bilimbi. The main dish, which takes inspiration from Japanese cuisine, features baked rice with local fish like false trevally and threadfin, and house-made pickles. The meal ends with an ice cream of sweet miang khum syrup served with fried betel leaf, an impressive sugar-inflected interpretation of the savory snack.

Many of the pickled and fermented ingredients Chef Black uses in his dishes are results of his experiments. A shelf in the restaurant displays jars containing these experiments as well as other house-made products like oyster sauce and budu (Southern Thai-style sauce made with fish innards).

27/1 Soi Nimmanhemin 7, Suthep, Chiang Mai, 08 1881 9144. Open daily 11:00-14:00, 18:00-22:00. Reservations only

INNOVATIVE

Oxygen

Its setting alone makes Oxygen an ideal spot for a memorable meal in Chiang Mai. The swanky restaurant sits within the beautifully decorated X2 Chiang Mai Riverside Resort, under the shade of tamarind trees and against a backdrop of the Ping River and the province’s rolling hills.

The glasshouse structure features black and white marble, as well as a modern chandelier that contribute to the venue’s edgy, sophisticated feel. The interiors are afternoon tea-perfect, but you may want to come for dinner so you can best sample the food of Cannes-hailing chef Alexandre Demard.

Though the tasting menu epitomizes the chef’s French roots, it’s really his Thai street food-inspired dishes, made with a nod to French techniques, that showcase Chef Alexandre’s creativity. His exploration of streetside eats includes khao kha moo (braised pork in sweet and salty broth) served as a paté with egg yolk confit, a refreshing somtam of green papaya and carrots tossed with seabass, and tom yam-glazed clayfish served alongside Chinese cabbage and caviar. It’s impossible not to mention Chef Alexandre’s famous chicken khao soi which comes in the form of a chicken-filled ravioli pasta swimming in the curry broth with zesty hint from lime foam.

X2 Chiang Mai Riverside Resort, 369/1 Charoenraj Road, 0 5393 1999. Open daily 11:30-14:30, 18:30-22:30

NORTHERN THAI

Charoen Suan Eak

Charoen Suak Eak, tucked deep inside a small village in the Central part of Chiang Mai, is a destination for savoring homestyle Northern Thai fare. Don’t expect five-star service or white tablecloths; what you get is a full-on, local experience typical of a suan arharn-style eatery. Its offerings, which go beyond your typical northern staples like sai ouer and khao soi, are not for the faint-hearted—wasp, flying ants, as well as raw meat and offals make it into the menu.

Untrained palates can go for the cooked version of the water buffalo salad (locals recommend the raw one dripping in blood and bile, though),which is served dry and salty with a hint of spice from ma kwaen (northern chili peppers). The more adventurous palates, meanwhile, can try ab peung (grilled bee larvae), toasted maeng mun (flying ants) or green chili relish with wasp. Charoen Suak Eak may not give you a meal for the ages; what you get, instead, is an authentic dining experience that’s full of flavor, distinct textures, and will turn your idea of Northern Thai cuisine upside down.

37 Soi Sun Sai Ton Kok, Chiang Mai, 0 5385 2778. Open Thu-Tue 10:30-22:30

NORTHERN THAI

Larb Gai Baan Hong

Larb Gai Ban Hong — Sereechai Puttes/Time Out Bangkok

Ask around Chiang Mai where to find the best meat salad and many would recommend going to a larb (Thai meat salad) restaurant like Larb Gai Baan Hong. The house specialty, as its name suggests, is chicken larb, here served on the salty side with a sprinkling of makwean and heaps of fried shallots. Also worth a try is the classic water buffalo larb, which features a slight bitterness from the addition of bile. The restaurant also whips up other specialties indigenous to the north like ab ong or (pig’s brain cooked in banana leaf) and fried pla som (fermented fresh water fish).

Sompoch Chiang Mai Road, Mae Rim, 08 3204 6935. Open Mon-Sat 9:00-21:00

NORTHERN THAI

Heun Jai Yong

Heun Jai Yong may be packed with tourists and tour coaches, but it’s one of the best restaurants to enjoy northern specialties in a pretty Thai-inspired setting. Wooden pavilions, set in a leafy garden, have been converted into various dining areas, with the best seating on low tables (meaning you have to sit on the floor) on the second floor. The menu includes a long list of Northern Thai staples whipped up using seasonal aromatic herbs and greens. Highlights include gaeng hanglay with pork belly; gaeng ho (stir-fried vermicelli with meats and herbs) and sai oeur, which is best enjoyed with relishes like namprik ong and namprik noom. While you wouldn’t call the food as authentic as its more rustic peers, Heun Jai Yong is worth the short trek out of town for a great introduction to Northern Thai cuisine.

64 San Kampaeng Road, San Kampaeng, Chiang Mai, 08 6671 8710. Open daily 10:00-16:00

EUROPEAN

David’s Kitchen

White tablecloths, suited-up servers and soul-soothing piano tunes mark David’s Kitchen as a fancy establishment where locals gather to celebrate special occasions (the staff sang “Happy Birthday” to four guests during our visit). Founded by Englishman David Gordon and his Thai wife Prom, David’s Kitchen has always been a strong contender for Chiang Mai’s best European restaurants. It keeps devotees coming back with scrumptious European-centric dishes executed by Thai head chef Arthit “O” Dissunont.

Crowd favorites include a delicate velouté of Japanese pumpkin (one of the best we have tried), perfectly-seared foie gras, and grilled duck with orange sauce and mashed potato. The menu features a few Thai twists, such as the pan-seared tuna with lemongrass and green mango. The restaurant also boasts a great selection of wine, perhaps one of the most extensive in Chiang Mai.

While the atmosphere and the service are equivalent to five-star hotels, the friendly vibe delivered by the staff and the owner himself heighten the experience. It is no wonder why the restaurant has become a mainstay in World’s Best Restaurants list by TripAdvisor.

113 Bumrungrad Road, Chiang Mai, 09 1068 1744. Open Mon-Sat 18:00-22:00

INDIAN

Bombay Hut

Bombay Hut, one of the few Indian establishments in Chiang Mai, introduces all visitors to the various regional flavors of the sub-continent, but it also dabbles in Pan-Asian and Western fare. Chef Kroongtana “Chang” Nimnu worked in luxury hotels throughout India for more than 10 years, and the take-aways from this experience can be seen, not only in the food he serves, but in how he’s decorated his restaurant—portraits of Hindu deities, erotic illustrations drawn from the Kama Sutra, Chang’s personal collection of Indian saris, and Bollywood posters provide visitors with a visual feast.

The feast extends to the palate. A set menu offers Indian staples such as tandoori chicken, chicken curry with masala and naan, but also Mexican (mango and tomato salsa with fennel, cumin and black cardamom) and Western (spaghetti with beef sauce and white wine, and pumpkin soup) dishes. Drinks like the simple lemonade are injected with a hint of spice. The dishes may be simple, but Chef Chang’s execution is irresistible—as are his charm and stories.

94 Chotana Road, Mae Rim, Chiang Mai, 09 0252 0563. Open daily 12:00-14:00, 18:00-22:00

THAI

The Redbox

The Redbox is the brainchild of wife-and-husband team Pimmada Kankulsuntorn and Chindarnai Boonchaliew who met in Brunei and decided to put up a small eatery churning out ready-to-eat Thai meals. Now a full-fledged restaurant in Chiang Mai, Red Box prides itself on using local ingredients, some of which are grown in their own orchard, while rejecting the use of refined sugar and prioritizing top-notch natural sugar such as palm sugar and jiggery in all of their dishes. Try the refreshing scallop carpaccio, which comes as a phla salad, and the outstanding, oh-so-tender lamb shack served with an appetizing panang sauce exuding in the complexity from palm sugar. The couple’s travels throughout Southeast Asia have resulted in the introduction of regional influences in their dishes. For example, gula melaka (palm sugar) from Malacca in Malaysia is used desserts, and also elevates the taste of Thai milk tea.

6 Soi Jansaap , Huay Kaew Road, 09 2979 4542. Open Wed-Mon 11:30-15:00, 17:30-22:00

THAI

Magnolia Café

You’ll be hard-pressed to visit Magnolia Café without being seduced by the charm and affability of chef/owner Busarin “Noy” Larpadisorn, who makes guests feel as if they’re dining at the house of an old friend. The Naan-born chef can be partly credited for the success of many of Bangkok’s well-known culinary masters, who come to her to learn Northern Thai classics.

At her own restaurant, Chef Noy offers dishes based on old family recipes. Simple-looking fare hide surprising elements, and benefit from the expert chef’s meticulous selection of ingredients, and refusal to add extra salt and MSG. The mango salad is refreshing, its sweet flavors offset by salty dried fish and a tangy yum dressing, while the grilled pork is lean yet oh-so-tender, served with spicy dipping sauce and black mint. The stir-fried cabbage is a revelation, juicy and packed with a tasty charred flavor. Also worth a mention is Chef Noy’s yellow kua curry, which comes with juicy and perfectly blanched cockles. The restaurant also occasionally hosts chef’s table sessions with both Bangkok-based and international chefs.

131/70 Rattanakosin Road, 06 1684 8222. Open Thu-Tue 11:00-14:00, 17:00-22:00

THAI

Krua Mahabhirom

Gorgeous boutique hotel Villa Mahabhirom, recognized for its mysterious, vintage interior and the most iconic swimming pool in Chiang Mai, is worth a trek outside the city center even for just the food served at its in-house restaurant. At Krua Mahabhirom, you can savor home-style fare done right courtesy of the self-trained, Khon Kaen-born chef Somkamol “Pa Noi” Khamna. While the presentation may not be her strong point, Chef Pa Noi makes up for in taste and execution. Central Thai dishes dominate the menu, including deep-fried climbing wattle and stir-fried minced pork with tamarind sauce and peanuts, banana blossom with tamarind and roasted chili sauce, and fried sticky rice with roasted chili and shrimp paste. Book your table by the poolside to make the most of the charming beauty of the boutique hotel.

Villa Mahabhirom, 62 Suthep Road, 0 5327 1200. Open daily 7:00-22:00