Best Street Food in Chiang Mai to Try - Khao Tom Yong ข้าวต้มย้ง Michelin BIB Gourmand
If you want to eat like local Thais (you know…like what you've seen on TV, big family table) and have a truly delicious and authentic street food experience. I highly recommend trying khao-tom-kui ข้าวต้มกุ๊ย dinner style!
Khao-tom-kui is influenced by Chinese culture (a large majority of Thai ancestors are from China, including mine). The dinner style includes boiled rice with a variety of dishes such as fried, stir fry, soup, or spicy salad.
Where to eat the best and most authentic khao-tom-kui in Chiang Mai?
One of my favorite places to go in Chiang Mai is Khao Tom Yong restaurant ข้าวต้มย้ง. Everything there is so good! The restaurant has been open for more than 20 years (since 1997) and has served many Chiang Mai locals. The restaurant also received Michelin BIB Gourmand which guarantees deliciousness!
Once you go in you will enjoy the local vibe, families, and friends gather together for dinner.
*My favorite dishes that I recommend you to try are;
Stir-fried sweet preserved radish with egg (Chai-poh-pad-khai ไชโป๊วผัดไข่)
A must-go to dish that combines the sweet and savory of egg, sweet preserved radish, and the aroma of garlic - such a perfect combination! At Yong, the radish has a very different taste from other restaurants, a very authentic Chinese-style radish that is hard to find these days. I ordered two of these dishes the last time I was at the restaurant. The dish might have an interesting look that you might not be accustomed to, but I think you will love it!
Stir-fried white Chinese chives with tofu and minced pork (Kui-chai-khao-pad--tao-hoo-moo-sub กุยช่ายขาวผัดเต้าหู้หมูสับ)
This Chinese chives taste is unlike the regular green chives, it has a delicious texture and taste that once stir-fried with fried tofu and minced pork is such a delicious taste!
You can order the white Chinese chives with tofu and no meat if you are vegan. Also good!
Chinese vegetable soup (Jub-chai จับฉ่าย)
I am so addicted to Chinese vegetable soup! The dish combines various types of vegetables cooked together like a western stew style. At home, it’s a dish that my family cooks when we want to clear out the vegetables in our fridge. The various types of vegetables offer a combination of a variety of tastes and are very healthy!
Crispy fried gourami spicy salad (Yum-pla-sa-lid ยำปลาสลิด)
You can have this dish as an appetizer or together with other dishes. The dish has sweet, spicy, salty, and sour with the meatiness of the crispy fish that is crunchy yet savory.
Don’t like crispy fish? Try it with a crispy pork belly spicy salad. (Don’t worry, we can exercise tomorrow haha)
How to order and eat Khao-tom-kui Thai-Chinese dinner style?
Usually we order a variety of dishes and share them together among our friends or family members (the higher the number of people, the merrier with more dishes that we can eat).
The mix should have the combination of fried, soup, stir-fry, spicy salad in one table and we eat along with a bowl of boiled rice (if you don’t like boiled rice, you can order jasmine rice). We eat with soup spoons and chopsticks!
Price: Average around 60-250 baht per dish
How to get there?
There are two locations
Suthep branch (Original branch)
Address: 257/5 Suthep Rd, Tambon Suthep, Mueang Chiang Mai District, Chiang Mai 50200
Google map: link
Phone: (+66) 053 277 942
Opening hours: Everyday from 16.00 – 23.00 PM
Facebook: link
2) Ruam Chok branch (2nd branch)
Address: 169/8 Moo 8 Tambon San Sai District, Chiang Mai 50210
Google map: link
Phone: (+66) 053 345 152
Opening hours: Everyday from 16.00 PM– 12:00 AM
Facebook: link
Feel like a lazy bear & don’t want to go to the restaurant?
You can order and have it delivered to your place if you are in the Chiang Mai city area. I usually order to eat at home. Available via food delivery apps such as GrabFood and Foodpanda.