For a taste of Southern Thailand, look no further than this recently renovated eatery set on the outskirts of town. The menu is stuffed full of regional specialties like stir-fried malindjo leaves with egg, pork in shrimp paste with stink beans, and, of course, gaeng tai pla (fermented fish organ curry). The kitchen presents as boldly flavored and ear-ringingly spicy a glimpse into Southern Thailand as is humanly possible without an actual plane ticket to Hat Yai. Note: The second branch, listed here, is superior to the first.

Think of this market as your go-to Thai food wonderland. Apart from a fresh produce section, the space also features cooked food and desserts you can try in the open-air food court. For central Thai cuisine, line up at the Samran Gaeng Thai stall, and follow up with a bowl of shaved ice. Other highlights include cooked seafood, pork satay, fresh durian, and mangoes.

A descendant of the now-defunct stall at the Chatuchak Weekend Market, Prik-Yuak now lives in comfy, air-conditioned digs on Pradipat Road, a part of town chock-full of under-the-radar cafes and bars. Despite the elevated setting, the kitchen has maintained its high standards when it comes to the food; the kanom jeen sao nam (rice vermicelli with fresh coconut milk), rice with shrimp paste, and even the simple kai pullo (five-spice pork belly and egg stew, a typical elementary school dish) are as good as ever.

Krua Apsorn has several locations around Bangkok’s more picturesque, old school neighborhoods, making it a great place to go for a hearty Thai meal while strolling around. The decadent crab omelet is an all-time favorite; round out an order with stir-fried crab with string beans and yellow chilies, river prawns with garlic, and a bowl of sour lotus stem and prawn soup. Do not skip the signature coconut sorbet for dessert. If you have a choice, try the Samsen Road location, where the chef herself, Pa Dang, spends the most time.

Many Northern Thais don’t really leave their home region, which is why the Northern Thai food in Bangkok is usually abysmal. This open-air eatery in suburban Bangkok is a rare exception, thanks to its accurate renditions of regional favorites. Originally run by a family from Lampang, Maan Muang has since taken on new owners who stay faithful to the old recipes, including a great gang hang lay (Burmese-style pork belly stew), sai oua (Northern Thai sausages), and the best saa pak (a vegetable salad that has to be ordered ahead) south of Chiang Mai.

A charming old-school cafe that has been around for more than 60 years, the original Hia Tai Kee retains its vintage ambience, even after opening in multiple locations. Sip freshly brewed Thai-style coffees (served with condensed milk and complimentary Chinese tea) at round marble-top tables, or try one of the newer drinks like an iced latte. If you’re hungry, try the delightfully greasy Chinese Western breakfast of fried eggs and Chinese sausages cooked and served in a pan, which comes with kanom pang yad sai (stuffed bread) filled with Chinese sausage and butter.

Chef “Tam” Chudaree Debkhakam has steered this restaurant, which operates out of her aristocratic grandmother’s home, to two Michelin stars in a breathtakingly short amount of time. Her food, refined yet personal, revolves around traditional recipes made with sustainably farmed local produce. Guests are led on a garden tour before settling down to a seven-course meal that changes seasonally. Most tables are in view of the large open kitchen, where you can watch Tam herself craft dishes that manage to walk a tightrope of interesting flavors — showcasing how fun Central Thai food can really be.

Roast pork and duck are available just about everywhere in Bangkok. But once you’ve tried the versions at the century-old Jib Kee, you won’t want to go anywhere else. The pork is crispy and rich, the duck fragrant and meaty. Delicious food aside, eating at this open-air shophouse feels like living out a part of Bangkok history, replete with octogenarian servers and a similarly aged crowd of diners. Don’t forget to order the side of stewed duck soup to go with your rice.

This old-timey relic next to the Democracy Monument once held a Michelin star, but that’s not what this restaurant is really about. With its cruise ship-inspired interiors, servers dressed like sailors, and singers warbling 1950s and ’60s Thai standards, Methavalai Sorndaeng is a snapshot of a bygone age. This extends to the menu, which continues to offer what was once the height of midcentury glamor: old-fashioned dishes like kratong tong (minced prawn in a pastry shell), khao tung na tung (rice crackers with a creamy pork-prawn dip), and mee krob (crispy sweet noodles).

A one-star nod by the Michelin organization has made this once relatively quiet shophouse restaurant into one of the most famous eateries in Bangkok. It’s all about decadence here, with the seafood-packed stir-fries; immense, crab-stuffed omelets; and rich soups still prepared by owner Supinya Junsuta (nicknamed Jay Fai). These days, a visit requires waiting hours. Come as early as 10 a.m. to cut down on time spent glaring angrily at diners lingering over their meals.

Kor Panich was once the go-to for the best sticky rice with ripe, sweet mangoes. Several decades later, there are now tons of choices in Bangkok, but the small shop remains an institution. Kor Panich at Prang Phuthorn mostly offers staples to go, but visitors can pop in just to enjoy the iconic mango sticky rice at the one and only table inside.

Located on the outskirts of Bangkok’s Chinatown, On Lok Yun has become a famous backdrop for selfies with its wooden booths, cracking floor tiles, and stained walls. Visitors also snap plenty of pictures of the all-day old-style Western breakfast (think greasy plates of fried eggs, ham, and Chinese sausages). Another big draw is the restaurant’s signature fat-loaded, pillowy white bread, which can be ordered on the side with chunks of butter, condensed milk, and gaya, a sweet, egg-based spread.

Eathai delivers Bangkok’s best street food without the outdoor heat. This themed food court in the basement of the posh Central Embassy has become a favorite for its delicious variety, as well as its more affordable prices, air conditioning, and comfortable ambiance. Try the fish-ball noodles and the Vietnamese rice vermicelli with grilled pork, as well as the desserts and iced tea. Bangkok Bold Kitchen, a recipient of a Michelin Bib Gourmand award and an offshoot from the Bangkok Bold Cooking School, holds court in the same space. 

Rice porridge in Thailand is for three kinds of people: sick patients, dieters, and late-night partiers. Open until the wee hours of the morning, this century-old rice porridge shop in Chinatown is decidedly for the last group, as well as a favorite haunt for after-hours chefs. Whatever is fresh that day is displayed in front so that patrons can choose what they’d like and how they’d like it cooked. Although ingredients change from time to time, some dishes remain constant, like the tea-smoked duck and the clear soup with pickled plum.

The somewhat unwieldy name belies this petite 50-year-old khao gaeng (curry rice) stall with a well-edited menu. There’s a section of stir-fries, including the popular catfish in chile paste, a section of curries, including the hard-to-find gaeng kii lek (cassia leaf curry), and a selection of chile dips. All are on offer by 7:30 a.m. in time for workers to drop by on their way to the office. While the deep-fried son-in-law eggs and salted egg yolk in pork-and-crab mince dazzle, the most popular dishes hands down are the simple salted pork and sweet pork.

It’s not fancy and it doesn’t appear on international must-eat lists, but Sa-nguan Sri has been a local favorite for over four decades. Small, crowded, and a bit run down, this was the place where many of today’s celebrity chefs learned modern and traditional Thai recipes. Diners can reminisce about the old no-frills Thai way of eating while enjoying green curry with fish balls, kai palo (braised eggs and pork belly), and crispy fish preserves. From March until May, be sure to drop by for the gorgeous khao chae (Thai summertime rice).

Most Bangkok Thai restaurants excel in one or two dishes, so you rarely encounter a menu where every dish is a star. But good luck finding a single dud at this stylish place, which specializes in the herb-forward, seafood-focused cuisine of Bangkok’s eastern seaboard. Don’t miss the deep-fried fish, piled high with garlic and turmeric, or the assertively herbaceous stir-fry of chicken thighs and Siamese cardamom.

Thanks to the arrival of Michelin, Bangkok is awash with fine dining restaurants, all angling for their own shot at the Red Book. This one, already the recipient of a star and helmed by chef “Tap” Supasit Kokpol, follows the standard fine dining template by serving Thai food in Western-style courses and reinterpreting standard Thai dishes. Yet unlike most, Tap’s food never feels forced, cynical, or bland. The menu changes with the seasons, but look for interesting takes on dishes like drunken noodles, green papaya salad, and massaman curry.

The area around Sam Yan Market – known today for catering to nearby university students – used to be famous for its seafood restaurants. These grandes dames of cuisine were often helmed by Thai Chinese cooks with a talent for melding fresh Thai ingredients with Chinese cooking methods such as steaming and stir-frying. Most of the big names have since moved on to more glamorous neighborhoods, but Nakorn Phochana remains, churning out the same stir-fried curried crab, tom yum (spicy lemongrass) soup, and langoustine tails that first charmed diners 50 years ago. Look out for the restaurant’s version of fried rice with Chinese olives, studded with fresh chilies, cashews, and slivers of lime.

In spite of its location in a dimly lit back alley, Charmgang (loosely translatable to “curry bowl”) has quietly gained a loyal following based on word of mouth over the past three years. Run by a trio of chefs who once worked under David Thompson at Michelin-starred Nahm, the menu — which changes every month — features Thai dishes that have been tweaked to evolve with the times. As a result, you get inventive appetizers like grilled scallop salad on rice crackers and an ever-evolving array of chile dips. Of course, the curries are reliably delicious.

Took Lae Dee (literally “Cheap and Good”) is like Bangkok’s all-day diner. People come here to tuck into Thai, Asian, and Western food at all hours. It’s great after a night out or when jet lag leaves you craving something substantial, like a burger, fried rice with deep-fried chicken drumstick and egg, or pad kra praw (rice stir-fried with spicy meat and basil). Try to snag a seat at the counter with a view of the bustling open kitchen.

Named after a traditional three-wheeled rickshaw, this tiny shophouse on Charoen Krung Road, run by husband-and-wife team Napol (Joe) Jantraget and Saki Hoshino, has made a big splash in the dining scene. Boasting a menu of kap klaem, Thai drinking favorites, Samlor offers both seasonal tasting menus and a la carte options featuring whatever is good in the market that day (chef Jantraget’s Thai-style omelet is a particular standout). Even better, chef Hoshino’s inventive dessert concoctions blur the edges between Thai, Japanese, and Western flavors (think matcha and sweet potato mille-feuille, or pink guava cake). Note: If you prefer the set menu, book ahead.

Chef Prin Polsuk, formerly of Michelin-starred Nahm, has brought his encyclopedic knowledge of Thai food to this intimate chef’s table tucked away in a quiet neighborhood off of one of the city’s busiest streets. Styled after a Japanese kappo, Samrub Samrub features Polsuk doling out creations inspired by the cuisine of Thailand’s micro-communities, while his wife, Thanyaporn “Mint” Jarukittikun, handles front-of-house duties and helps with menus. There are a few tables, but the best seats are obviously at the counter, where all the action is.

Pioneering fine dining spot Bolan — a mash-up of the names of the married chef-owners — has returned under the full control of Bo Songvisava and Dylan Jones. Set in a comfortable renovated home in the trendy Thonglor neighborhood, the restaurant retains its focus on showcasing the best produce that Thailand has to offer, via thoughtfully crafted menus and painstakingly researched dishes. You can even take the best of Thailand home with you: Bolan’s fish sauces, shrimp pastes, and vinegars are for sale in the grocery in front of the restaurant.

Run by descendants of Thailand’s most famous cartoonist and columnist, the late Prayoon Chanyavongs, Taling Pling serves time-honored Thai family recipes in a modern, colorful house. While the restaurant has a few other locations in Bangkok, local connoisseurs prefer the original for namprik rong reur (chile paste with salted egg), stir-fried dok kajorn with eggs, lemongrass salad with crispy fish, rice vermicelli with coconut milk, and custard apple ice cream.

Out of all of the high-end Thai restaurants in Bangkok, Sorn may be the buzziest, thanks to its much-publicized three Michelin stars, a first for a Thai restaurant. But even before the restaurant won international plaudits, chef Supaksorn “Ice” Jongsiri had been packing his 20-seat restaurant daily, luring Thais with innovative five-course sharing menus centered on the cuisine of his native Southern Thailand. Although the menus change on a seasonal basis, the Gems on Crab Stick — a steamed jumbo crab leg dipped in crab roe and chile paste – remains a perennial favorite. International travelers need to email the restaurant to make a reservation.

This place doesn’t have the best food or drinks in Bangkok, but you won’t care. Set in a rickety shack with front-row views of the Chao Phraya River, friendly service, and lively clientele, Jack’s Bar will remind you of what bars in Bangkok used to be: simple, carefree spots to enjoy a stiff drink or three with decent grub and the wind in your hair. All the standard kap klaem (Thai drinking dishes) are here, but the standout is the delightfully spicy goong cha nam pla (Thai shrimp ceviche with fish sauce and chiles).

Run out of a goat and mutton butcher shop, this low-key street-side eatery just down the road from the much-lamented Muslim Restaurant also serves great Thai Muslim dishes. Expect delicious massaman curry, a sharp and spicy oxtail soup, and a killer goat biryani (if you get there early enough). Thai standards like pad kaprao (holy basil stir-fry) are also lovingly made, and if you miss out on the goat biryani, there’s always chicken (khao mok gai) paired with a generous cucumber relish (ajad).