What would Bangkok be without it’s street food?
The official Michelin Guide even created a category just for it – recognising that just because it’s not in a fancy restaurant, street food can still pack a delicious punch.
So what’s the Michelin for all the non-foodies out there reading this?
It started as a French book listing all the best restaurants around the world, and has now turned into a sort of reward system used to score restaurants worldwide based on their food. Just a mention on one of their lists is an honour!
Usually working from 1-3 stars (three being the highest), they also have the Bib Gourmand award aimed at restaurants serving fantastic food at great value.
Lastly the Michelin plate is for restaurants serving delicious food that are still worth a mention on the list!
1. Crispy oyster omelette for less than $3.50??? – Nai Mong Hoi Thod (นายหมงหอยทอด)
Fried oysters? Uh, yip, consider me sold in a second! Now we’re gonna add a delicious little crispy omelette to the mix and voila, heaven in just one bite!
If you’re not a fan of oysters, there’s also a choice of mussels, and they fry them into the omelette itself. (They’re similar to Orh Jian if any Singaporean street food lovers are reading this.)
The oysters, mussels, or both are first grilled and then fried into the egg batter and bean sprouts at just the right time so they’re still soft and juicy!
Michelin award: Michelin Bib Gourmand
Nai Mong Hoi Thod (นายหมงหอยทอด)
Order in from: LineMan
Price: From 100 Baht / approx. USD $3.31
Address: 539 Phlap Phla Chai Rd, Pom Prap, Pom Prap Sattru Phai, Bangkok 10100, Thailand (Coordinates here)
Contact: +66 89 773 3133
Opening hours: Daily from 11am to 8.30pm
2. Extra crispy, crunchy pork crackling? SOLD – GuayJub Mr. Joe (ร้านก๋วยจั๊บ มิสเตอร์โจ)
Now I don’t know about you, but I’m an absolute sucker for crispy pork crackling, and when it’s extra crunchy on top with that delicious melt-in-your-mouth fat layer underneath and then soft pork. I’m making myself hungry here!
Well that’s exactly what you’ll find at Mr Joe’s, just straight up pork cutlets that hero incredible crispy pork!!
They do also serve Kuay Jub (A peppery, clearish broth served with rice noodles) and here they chop up the crispy pork and add it to the soup – sounds like my kind meal!
Michelin award: Michelin Bib Gourmand
GuayJub Mr. Joe
Order in from: GrabFood or LineMan
Price: From 50 Baht / approx. USD $1.65
Address: 313/7 Thanon Chan, Wat Phraya Krai, Bang Kho Laem, Bangkok 10120, Thailand (Coordinates here)
Getting there: 7min by car from Surasak BTS Station
Contact: +66 2 213 3007
Opening hours: Daily from 8am to 4.30pm
3. All the seafood fried rice you could imagine! – Here Hai Restaurant
Picture one of the biggest plates of seafood fried rice you’ve probably seen, and the size of the plate is not the only thing you’ll be awe-ing over – the seafood is nice and sizely here!
You’ll also be delighted to know that their seafood is as fresh as fresh can be, and gets delivered to this famous spot (it’s actually appeared on Thai TV quite a bit!), straight from the harbour every morning.
Being pretty darned popular among the locals, it’s pretty much always full, so do bear this in mind when paying them a visit!
Michelin award: Michelin Bib Gourmand
Here Hai
Order in from: GrabFood or LineMan
Price: Fried crab spring rolls from 120 Baht / approx. USD $3.90; Crab fried rice from 340 Baht / approx. USD $11.11
Address: 112/3 Ekkamai Rd, Khwaeng Khlong Tan Nuea, Khet Watthana, Krung Thep Maha Nakhon 10110, Thailand (Coordinates here)
Getting there: 15min walk from Ekkamai BTS (Located opposite Don Don Donki)
Contact: +66 632199100
Opening hours: Tuesday to Sunday from 10am to 6pm (closed Mondays)
4. Enjoy a whole pig’s trotter without any shame– Charoen Saeng (ข้าวขาหมูเจริญแสงสีลม เลิดสิน)
SO, Mr. Bancha, the owner and master behind this legendary food stall has been using the same recipe for over 50 years, and continues to do so till this day.
Not only does it’s unique taste (think melt-in-your-mouth sticky pork knuckle in a rich gravy, using Chinese herbs and spices) keep bringing the people back for more, but it’s also the actual size of their trotters (2kg)!.
Everyday religiously, Bancha himself cooks the leg the evening before for 4 hours, and again the following morning, so tenderness is guaranteed.
How to order like a local: Instead of ordering rice topped with trotters, they also serve up different cuts of pork on separate plates: meat with skin, trotters, pig innards, or even the whole leg. (The trotter sells out quickly and within the first few hours of opening!)
Michelin award: Michelin Bib Gourmand
Charoen Saeng
Order in from: LineMan
Price: From 40-50 Baht / approx. USD $1.32 (The whole pork trotter is 240 Baht / approx. USD $7.93)
Address: 492/6 Charoenkrung Soi 49, Charoenkrung Rd, Bangrak, Bangkok 10500 (Coordinates here)
Getting there: 7min walk from Saphan Taksin BTS
Contact: 02-234-8036, 02-234-4602
Opening hours: Daily from 8am to 1.30pm
5. Enjoy the best, fresh fish soup in Bangkok – Khao Tom Pla Kimpo (ข้าวต้มปลา กิมโป้)
Look out for a big fish hanging in front of a food stall in Charoen Krung area at night, and you’ll know that you’re at the right place!
Serving up tantilising bowls of (fresh) fish soup with a broth so divine you won’t know what’s hit ya! (It’s made mainly from pork and fish bones, that’s sweet, a touch hot and fragrant).
The fish they use is the catch of the day, so your protein in the soup changes daily depending on what’s fresh that morning. They serve it up with rice and crispy garlic chips – for that bit of crunch.
Michelin award: The Plate
Khao Tom Pla Kimpo
Order in from: GrabFood or LineMan
Price: From 100 Baht / approx. USD $1.64
Address: 1897 Soi Charoen Krung 73 ,Charoen Krung Rd, Wat Phraya Krai, Bang Kho Laem, Bangkok 10120. Coordinate here)
Getting there: 6min drive from Surasak BTS, 23min walk from same BTS
Contact: +66 2 675 2598
Opening hours: Daily from 6pm to 12am