How I Ate All The Food In Chiang Mai

Thailand has increasingly become a tourist hot spot, with more and more people choosing to go there for their next vacation. And what’s not to love? Thailand is cheap (though prices have been steadily increasing over the past few years), tourist friendly (ease of access, language, etc.), and offers something for everyone (beaches, city life, exclusive getaways, elephant encounters, etc.). The food in Chiang Mai, in my ever-so humble opinion, is Thailand’s best for both the quality of food and the price. You’ll find food stalls, local restaurants, and everything in between as you walk down the streets, so you’re sure to find some tasty treats along the way.

Chiang Mai is a haven for those who love food; restaurants and food stalls dominate the busy streets and alleyways. I loved the food markets and street stalls the best – they all offered delicious food for usually ฿50 or less. You name it, these street stalls have it: Pad Thai, roti, fresh fruit smoothies and juices, coconuts, an assortment of fish and meat skewers, noodles galore, and so much more!

I think I would honestly travel to Chiang Mai for a weekend of solely stuffing my face with all the food I can possibly fit into my stomach in three days. It’s that good.

Aside from the stalls, one of my favourite restaurants I discovered in Chiang Mai is called Kanjana. This restaurant, by far, serves the best Thai food I have ever had. Like, ever. Their menu is extensive and though it is slightly more expensive than eating at a street stall (by the equivalent to $8HKD or so), it is so worth it to check this place out.

I’m usually not a fan of visiting the same restaurant more than once while on vacation since I usually like to try a variety of different places, but I ate at Kanjana three times during my five days in Chiang Mai and would have gone a few times more if I was there longer. This place introduced me to the famous northern dish of Khao Soi, which I could not get enough of. Everything on the menu I tried was executed perfectly. If you go there (which you will), don’t forget to finish your meal with their amazing mango sticky rice!

Needless to  say, I sure did eat well when I was in Chiang Mai. Just when I thought my foodie adventures in this beautiful city were over, I see a Dairy Queen at the Chiang Mai airport (is this even real life?! If only there was a Krispy Kreme..). If you haven’t already guessed, that’s a big friggen deal for this Canadian expat who lives in a city without a DQ in site (though for some reason Macau has an outlet). But, it gets better – not only was there a DQ in the airport, but they had a Mango Cheesecake Sticky Rice Blizzard on the menu. I obviously ordered it and I obviously went to foodie heaven one last time before I sadly had to leave.

I ate my way through Chiang Mai, and to an additional 5 lbs of solid Buddha Belly.

Totally worth it.