Travel Tips

Must-Try Foods in Thailand

The popular country of Thailand in South-East Asia is famous for its friendly locals, the marvellous landscapes and its abundance of good food. Whether you’re a peanut allergic, a vegetarian or a meat lover, Thai cuisine offers tasty dishes for everyone. On your journey through Thailand, you should try both popular street foods and the delicious recipes from the restaurants.

Good to know

Thai food is highly customisable: Almost every dish can be altered, you can ask to add veggies or meats to your liking. If you’re allergic to something, be more careful. Almost all sauces are fish-based (most dishes use either fish sauce, oyster sauce or shrimp paste), and many dishes contain traces of nuts (peanut oil is used for frying, many dishes include cashews or peanuts). Common practice amongst travellers with allergies is preparing a piece clearly stating them in Thai language, which you can show to waiters.

Panang Curry

The best thing of a Panang curry is the perfect blend of all the spices, topped off by the intriguing taste of lemongrass. This mild-curry with meat and vegetables is a finger-licking dish with peanuts, chili, lime zest, coriander, garlic and cumin.

Pad Thai

We just couldn’t leave this dish out of the list – the famous Pad Thai consists of rice noodles, bean sprouts, peanuts, and meats or shrimps. Most restaurants let you choose whether you want meat or seafood or a vegetable-only dish, but all of them have one thing in common: They fill you up and leave you happy.

Tom Yum Soup

The hot and slightly sour Tom Yum soup is prepared with different vegetables and meats or seafood, it also can be a rather spicy or a mild affair. It’s usually a shrimp soup and one of the most common dishes in Thailand. You’ll find it on almost every menu, as it’s very popular.

Kai Med Ma Muang

This delicious dish with stir-fried, succulent chicken and cashew nuts definitely earns a place on the list. We love the Thai cuisine for cooking with nuts on a regular basis, as they give their dishes an additional level of taste and texture.

Kao Na Phet

Roasted duck with rice is what hides behind this sonorous name. You’ll mostly find this speciality in the better Thai restaurants, as duck meat is more expensive. The meat comes roasted, which gives it a full, mouth-watering flavour, and the additional rice fills you up.

Kao Niew Moo Yang

A popular and typical street food that you’ll find everywhere in Thailand are pork skewers. Whether you’re running late or you just want a small bite, the very affordable skewers are usually grilled by small stalls directly over the fire. A staple dish in Thailand for sure!

Khao Pad

Not into experiments? If you’re looking for a simple, always-good dish to devour in Thailand, Khao Pad is your choice. The basic fried rice usually comes with various options to add, so you can create a dish to your liking. And if you’re having a hangover or a stomach bug, it’s a great way to get better fast.

Guay Teow Nuaa (Sen Lek)

Thais love their soups, and this rice noodle soup with a flavourful broth, pieces of meat and vegetables is no exception. Almost everywhere you’ll be able to add chili flakes to it, so if you’re into rather spicy dishes, you can pimp it up to your liking.

Kao Niew Ma Mung

Of course we also include a dessert in our list of must-try Thai foods: the famous sticky rice with mango. You’ll get it everywhere, every time of the day, and it’s a true Thai favourite food for both locals and tourists alike.

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