Chiang Rai Restaurants Travel Guide

Jump to: Restaurants Galleries

Rattanakosin Restaurant lies within the Night Bazaar, on the second floor of an older building. The interior looks amazingly like a lovely old temple, and has been lovingly filled with antiques. This food has won many, many awards - it's of the highest standard, and yet the prices remain reasonable. The ambience has a perfect flavour of traditional Thai mixed with western influences, and the restaurant boasts guests including politicians, movie directors, and artists. An experience not to be missed! If you eat anywhere in Chiang Rai, let it be here. It cannot be emphasised enough how amazing this restaurant experience will be. Try the deep fried silk worms in the market, taste the fried grasshoppers, but I guarantee that if you spend more than one day in Chiang Rai, you'll be heading back to Rattanakosin again and again. This restaurant opens from 4pm until midnight. [more]

You can also find Oasis in the night bazaar. Put your back to the main stage, and look for the tall building to your left. Head towards the fruit and flower market, and you'll see on the corner a downstairs restaurant. This restaurant has a strictly vegetarian policy, and all the items on the menu taste delicious. This equals Rattanakosin for vegetarians!

Nakornpatom Restaurant lies on Than Phahonyothin Road. Look for the red sign with yellow Thai lettering, opposite the Lebanese restaurant. Definitely go for the khao moo deng (rice with BBQ pork), a famous Thai dish. Absolutely delicious at this restaurant. Watch the food be prepared out the front, and don't forget to ask for the English menu!

The Sipsong-Panna Dining Room offers an all you can eat buffet at lunch. You will be overwhelmed with the food choices, and everything on offer will whet your palate. From egg noodle curry, to spicy rice noodles, to seafood and meat dishes. Of particular note - the red curry.

Check out the night bazaar near the bus station. Halfway down the alley, if you've entered from the main road, you'll find the Centrepoint, an open air restaurant with a stage for music and dance performances. Basic, fresh food with fantastic entertainment.

Lahn Tong Restaurant, located on the riverbank, has gorgeous views and a unique air conditioning system that has to be seen. Serving simple but classical Thai food, this well done restaurant should be visited.

The Teak Garden Resort lies on eight acres of gorgeous scenery and hosts a Garden Dining Hall with Euro-Asian and Northern Thai food, with health food and beverages also available. Made with the freshest and best ingredients in the area, it seats up to 120 guests.

The Wiang Inn lies on the main road in Chiang Rai, and holds the location for the Wiang Inn coffee shop. With a capacity for 180 people, it's not exactly like the coffee shops back home! Offering a buffet or a wide selection of Thai, Chinese and European dishes, you can enjoy the music entertainment as well.

C&C lies a short walk just outside of the township. It's also known as Cabbages and Condoms - that's right, condoms! Eat here in the name of education… the profits of this restaurant go towards promoting family planning, HIV education, and aids prevention. Eating here means high quality dishes, excellent service, and occasionally live music to enjoy. Have a giggle in the charming atmosphere as you enjoy their slogan "Our food is guaranteed not to make you pregnant."

If you're feeling charitable, try the bakery opposite the bus station. They have excellent bread, rolls, cakes, and great coffee. Young hill tribe women get the opportunity to be an apprentice here and gain employment and experience.

Da Vinci, on the main road of Chiang Rai, has a nice selection of charcoal cooked pizzas. They also serve pasta and homemade foie gras.

The Chiang Rai Inn Hotel (Lobby Lounge) has live music in the evenings and makes a cool hideaway in unique settings, with delicious dining.

The Golden Triangle Café & Inn has food good enough that the locals and expatriates frequent this place! How much more of a recommendation do you need? Find it on the main road, Phaholyothin Road, and you're in luck because they're open all day long. Serving both Western and Thai food, you can relish the air conditioned comfort in the heat of the day.

If you want some more variety, there exists a Lebanese restaurant with the traditional falafels, tabouleh, and hommous. Find it on the main road of Chiang Rai.

The Rimkok Resort and Hotel in Chiang Rai hosts a world famous coffee shop, known as the Saen Wee Coffee Shop, in which executive chefs will create Thai, Chinese and Western dishes for your dining pleasure. Open from 6:00 am to 1:00 am, visit between 7:00 pm and midnight for the almost-as-famous band that plays there every night.

The Salong Kum Restaurant also serves tasty Chinese, European, and Thai food.

Siam Corner lies on Thanon Jet Yot and has very good Thai food, with some farang food thrown in for good measure.

Take a short stroll from Shin Shan GH along the main road towards Chiang Rai city. On the right, you'll pass 7-11 and you should find a tiny restaurant serving perfect Yunnanese noodle soup. This dish consists of thick noodles in a spicy broth with vegetables.

Muang Thong has great food. A typical Thai/Chinese restaurant with a large variety on the menu, it can get overwhelming busy at night, but can be worth the effort. Find it on the corner of Phahonyothin Road and Sanpannat Road, not far from the Wiang Inn.

Further out, closer to the Golden Triangle, if you stop by the Anantara Spa, you can experience some fantastic food. The Baan Dahlia restaurant has a contemporary setting, a gorgeous patio, and breathtaking views of the Mekong Valley. Serving Italian dishes with specially selected wines from vineyards over the globe. Top class food and service. Their Sala Mae Nam restaurant opens for an international cuisine buffet breakfast, serves snacks in the afternoon, and by dinner time they serve up the utmost in Northern Thai dining.

The Dusit Island Resort, located on the unique spot of an island in the Mae Kok River, has four restaurants and a wide selection of international dishes. The Chinese restaurant, known as Chinatown, comes complete with river views and Cantonese cuisine from dim sum to beyond. Seating 120 people for lunch from 11:30 am to 2:30 pm, and then dinner from 6:30 pm to 10:00 pm, there's no need for reservations. The Island Café offers both a la carte dining and buffet style dining all day long with a wide variety of international dishes in a casual setting. The Island Café opens from 6:00 am to 2:00 am daily. The Peak provides succulent steak in a gourmet style dining room, seating 70 on the 10th floor of the hotel. Visit for the amazing views from the rooftop.

The Larn Tong Thai Pavilion lies adjacent to the Dusit Island Resort, and they serve excellent northern Thai cuisine in an elegant wooden teak setting.

The Golden Pine Resort lies 25 minutes from the Chiang Rai town, only 10 minutes from the airport. With two restaurants, they offer a range of international and Thai cuisine. The Sang Chan Restaurant features international and Thai dishes, snacks, and has a fully stocked bar. Enjoy the air conditioning inside, or appreciate the outdoors on the terrace. Every night, live entertainment such as music or dancers will be there to enhance your dining pleasure. The Sang Tawan Restaurant offers both national and northern Thai food in a variety of delicious meals.

The Legend Chiang Rai Resort lies on the Mae Kok River, only a few minutes from the Chiang Rai city centre. The Sala Rim Nam Thai Restaurant lies within the resort, seating 80 people and featuring both western and Thai cuisines. The ambience feels casual yet elegant, thanks to the Lanna influences. The expert chefs will prepare your meals in front of your very eyes, with a range of primarily grilled items, cooked in the outdoor kitchen. For a more intimate evening, try the 25 seat restaurant known as Ou Kao Classic Thai Restaurant, with both an indoor area and outdoor terrace seating. Offering six set menus, it's perfect for those wanting to gain more familiarity with Thai cuisine. Using only the best local ingredients, this tiny restaurant makes a delightful trip.

The Wangcome Hotel lies on Pemawibhata Road in Chiang Rai and has two excellent food facilities. The Yoong Thong Restaurant serves international dishes daily in a casual ambience, yet with the utmost in comfort. Open from 6:00 am to midnight daily. The Sitsip Bar and Coffee House provides a warm and cosy atmosphere, and serves primarily drinks and snacks. Open from 8:00 am until midnight daily.

Some other recommended restaurants for Thai food follow:

• Aye's Restaurant makes another restaurant to be found opposite the Night Bazaar.
• Chay Nam Music & Restaurant provides excellent entertainment, and dining of course, on Kwaewai Road.
• Chiang Rai Island Restaurant for international food, in the Chiang Rai Island Resort.
• Ek Ocha for Thai/Chinese food on the Mae Yang-Chiang Rai Road.
• Gara Garon for Thai food on the main road in Chiang Rai.
• Krua Arome Dee Restaurant lies opposite the Amorn Inn.
• La Antina on Banphaprakan Road for European food.
• Mekong Balcony for its amazing location on the Mekong River. This restaurant opens for lunch and dinner.
• Restaurant Chiang Rai Lotus on the main road (Phaholyothin Road).
• Saban Nga Kkantoke on Sankhong Road for Thai food, with dance entertainment.
• Slung Kham for Thai and other local foods, on the main road in Chiang Rai.
• Yunan on Khwae Wai Road, for delicious Chinese food.

256-bit encryption

Secure Bookings
Privacy Policy