Street Food in Chiang Mai

Street food in Thailand tastes amazing, and Chiang Mai is known as the best place in Thailand to eat delicious food for pennies. You can find street stalls all over the city, with the North and South gates of the old city both having nightly markets full of street food, fresh fruit and snacks. Most street stalls only offer a few different dishes, but this will be the type of food they specialize in. If there is no English menu then you can try the age old technique of looking at what the other customers are eating and pointing. 

For many people one of the most enduring memories of Thailand is seeing the bustling street side stands where mouth watering food is served up for less than the price of a cup of coffee. Street food is a charming aspect of life in Thailand and trying it out is a cultural and culinary delight. Everywhere you go in Thailand you'll see the street vendors, preparing and serving a cornucopia of dishes from their simple carts and stalls. Some vendors have mobile carts ranging from baskets balanced on the shoulders to motorbikes welded to portable kitchens. These vendors usually have a set route that they travel throughout the day and Thais often anticipate their arrival like a daily visit from Santa Claus. When a popular vendor comes down the street don't be surprised to Thais pouring onto the street like clowns out of a Volkswagen to get a quick bite of their favourite treats. Some street food vendors have more permanent set ups, often in front of busy places like convenience stores. These stalls are somewhere between a restaurant and a food cart and are semi permanent. Often a large group of vendors will set up shop along one area, each offering a different item. It's perfectly acceptable to bring food from one cart and sit down at another cart's table, provided someone in your party is buying something.