One of the most ubiquitous foreign cuisines in the US and abroad, the scope of Thai food served outside the country is largely limited to dishes from Bangkok and central Thailand. But many diners consider these dishes wholly Thai without being aware of the various influences that created them. In fact, “Thai food” is a misnomer; the country’s food takes the form of regional cuisines from north to south. On our culinary walk of Bangkok, we explore Ko Ratanakosin, the artificial island that’s the birthplace of Thailand. We stop in at markets, stalls, restaurants, and malls to dive in to the various cuisines and cultures that have come to create Thai cuisine as exists in Bangkok today.

Below, Culinary Backstreets correspondent Austin Bush takes us behind the lens with photos on our latest food tour in Bangkok.

women make desserts in Thai market

Vendors on our stop at The Old Siam Plaza spin delicate egg desserts. Foi Thong, Thong Yip, and Thong Yod take their name from the Thai word for “gold,” symbolizing prosperity and good fortune – and good eats. These yolk-y desserts were introduced by the Portuguese, who were the first Europeans to have contact with Thailand when they arrived more than 500 years ago.

wild honey and wild comb sold at a Thai market

Speaking of gold, we spot it in liquid and solid form on the table of a street vendor selling wild honey and comb.

Man takes a break amidst Buddha statues

A street seller takes a phone break outside a Buddhist statue factory – one of many in this specific trade neighborhood of Ko Ratanakosin.

inside a 20th-century Bangkok restuarant

Forget your pad thai and green curry. At Ban Wannakovit, inside a restored 20th-century Ratanakosin-style home, it’s all about those rare, old-school dishes you won’t find anywhere else.

photo of food in market in Bangkok

Baskets of pla too, or short-bodied mackerel, await their hot oil future. Often fried until crispy and served with a spicy dipping sauce, they’re a ubiquitous sight at markets and food stalls.

 

a Thai woman makes tea with a large filter

Auntie Nit’s masterful pour of cha yen, Thai tea, is a welcoming sight. The blend of strong black tea and sweetened condensed milk is a solid pick-me-up and sugar rush – and a rather successful Thai export.

photo of plastic food delivery bag in Bangkok

We aim to keep our tours as sustainable as possible, but one thing that’s omnipresent in the Bangkok food world is the plastic bag. From fiery curries to drunken noodles to tea or cola, these single use babies are the delivery vehicle of choice.

photo of desserts at a food stall in Bangkok

Khanom tom is a traditional dessert made from sticky rice flour, coconut, and palm sugar. The colorful little bundles are often filled with sweet mung bean paste or coconut flakes.

photo of man selling food on Bangkok street

Winding through Trok Mor Market, a microcosm of Bangkok’s culinary origins, with Thai, northeastern Thai, Thai-Chinese, and Thai-Muslim vendors.

photo of man selling food on Bangkok street

Glossy roast pork, crispy pork belly, Chinese-style sausages and a vendor’s deft knife skills. This stall’s got it all.

photo of Thai food made of minded meat in Bangkok

At northeastern restaurant Kai Yang Boran, the laap is a flavor bomb of minced pork, herbs, chilies, and fish sauce. This fiery salad has its origins in northeastern Thailand and Laos, making its way to Bangkok with laborers in the ‘80s.

photo of pumpkin dessert food in Bangkok

Pumpkin spice lattes have nothing on sangkaya fug tong, a traditional Thai dessert of creamy custard steamed inside a pumpkin and topped with delicate threads of egg yolk.

Photo of a man making an offering of food and flowers at a Bangkok temple

Making an offering at San Chao Pho Suea, or the Tiger God Shrine. Featuring a Southern Chinese architectural style, it has been in the neighborhood for 140 years and is a popular place of worship for local Chinese and Thai people.

A man at a Bangkok food and dry goods shop

Hia Chai runs a Chinese-style dry goods shop in the market.

A man pushes a food cart in Bangkok

Even still, some of the best sights in Bangkok are vendors selling the simplest local produce.

monk at a food stall in Bangkok

A monk’s bright robes have a lot to compete with at Trok Mor Market.

We’ll be sharing more food photos and stories from Bangkok, so keep an eye out!

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Culinary BackstreetsAustin Bush

Published on January 30, 2025

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