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Thailand is world-renowned for serving up some of the best food you’ll ever eat in your life—while somehow letting your wallet live to see another day.
And what better place to kick things off than Bangkok—Thailand’s living, breathing, and slightly mental heart and soul.
Today, I’m diving into 4 legendary dishes you’ll find on almost every street, practically every corner, and sometimes even tucked down those mystery alleyways.
So loosen those belt buckles and bring your appetite—because this content is being served hot & fresh.
🌟 The Ground Rules
- ✅ Has to be Thai food. No weird green curry pizza fusion dishes.
- ✅ Variety is needed. Let’s not be boring and go for some variation.
- ✅ Has to be a proper meal, not a grab-and-go snack like moo ping.
- ✅ Dishes dished out at local vendors—I’m talking street-side stands, bustling markets, and humble food courts.
- ✅ Under 100 Baht (≈ $2.70 USD) — keeping true to the word budget without sacrificing flavour.
Tell me in the comments—did I miss any crucial non-negotiables for sniffing out delicious local Thai food?
#1 Pad Gra Pao (ผัดกะเพรา)
- 💸 Price: Around ฿50–฿80 (plus +฿10 if you add a fried egg — and trust me, you absolutely should).
- Why You’ll Love It:
- Thailand’s unofficial national dish, designed as comfort cuisine — perfect for any scenario.
- Basil-based, saucy, rich and incredibly moreish. Can be adapted to any spice level (“Phet nit noi” is always a safe bet).
- Probably my favourite go-to, day-to-day dish in the whole of Thailand.
#2 Boat Noodles (ก๋วยเตี๋ยวเรือ)
- Price / Cost Info: 10-40 baht
- Why You’ll Love It:
- Lovingly served hot and fresh in a deliciously savoury & intensely flavoured bowl of goodness.
- Always comes with a side of condiments — dried chillies, fish sauce, peanuts, sugar — so you can play adapt-a-dish to your taste.
- Boat noodles come from Bangkok’s water-related history, traditionally served from wooden boats that used to sail across the city’s many interlinked canals.
#3 Pad See Ew (ผัดซีอิ๊ว)
- 💸 Price: Around ฿60–฿100
- Why You’ll Love It:
- Step aside Pad Thai — there’s a new sheriff in town, who’s mastered the ways of the noodle.
- Savoury and smoky, these flat noodles pack deep flavours that’ll leave you clucking for more.
- The roots of this dish stem from classic Chinese stir-frying — a small yet tasty glimpse of Chinese influence in the city.
#4 Mango Sticky Rice
- 💸 Price: Around ฿60–฿160
- Why You’ll Love It:
- Occasionally offered at over 100 baht — but hey, it’s dessert. You’re already full, so do some sharing, you greedy little thing you.
- Rice and mangoes? Are you mad? Probably. But don’t knock it — it’s a staple of sweetness that anyone coming to Bangkok must try.
- The dish’s use of coconut cream makes it accessible for vegans and lactose intolerants alike.
🗺️ Where to Eat
- Original Pad Kra Pao 1993 🌶️
The OG of Pad Kra Pao — the oldest spot in Bangkok (allegedly), and still dishing it out like it’s day one. - Toy Kuay Teow Ruea 🍜
Right by the canal and steeped in history — this boat noodle spot is practically floating in flavour. - K. Panich Sticky Rice 🥭
Serving mango sticky rice since 1932, passed down from a royal chef lineage. Coconut-rich, mango-soft magic. - Pad See Ew 🥢
Check out the video guide below for one of the best spots in town.
You’ll find all of these dishes all over the joint — street corners, shophouses, mall food courts, night markets, the lot
So don’t stress, don’t be shy, try something new — and whatever you do, stay full.
🧭 Let’s keep the adventure going:
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Prices accurate at time of writing and are subject to change.
