1 / 4Khao soi is the dish Chiang Mai is known for: egg noodles in a rich, coconut curry broth, topped with a nest of crispy fried noodles and served with pickled mustard greens, shallots and lime on the side. A bowl costs 50 to 120 THB, most shops serve it from breakfast until they run out, and many are sold out by 14:00. Eat it for lunch, eat it more than once, and compare.
What it is
Khao soi belongs to northern Thailand, and its roots run further north. The dish is linked to the Chinese Muslim traders, the Chin Haw, who brought caravans down from Yunnan into Lanna, and to the noodle soups of Myanmar and Laos. Over time Chiang Mai made it its own. The version you will eat here is a northern Thai curry: red curry paste with dried spices such as turmeric, coriander seed and cardamom, cooked down with coconut milk and stock until it is thick enough to coat the noodles.
Two kinds of noodle go in every bowl. The soft, flat egg noodles sit in the broth; a handful of the same noodles, deep-fried until crisp, goes on top. The contrast between the two is the point. The meat is usually slow-cooked until it falls apart, most often a chicken drumstick or thigh on the bone, or chunks of stewed beef.
There is also a second, less famous khao soi in the north, a clear broth with rice noodles and minced pork and tomato, found more in Chiang Rai and Nan. If a shop in Chiang Mai simply says khao soi, it means the curry version.
How to order
Ordering is simple. Most shops have a short menu on the wall, often only in Thai, with khao soi at the top. Say the dish and the meat:
- Khao soi kai (chicken): the classic and the safest first bowl. Usually a whole drumstick, tender enough to pull apart with a spoon.
- Khao soi neua (beef): stewed beef, deeper and richer. The Muslim shops are known for it.
- Khao soi moo (pork): pork, less common but on many menus. It is not served at halal shops.
When it arrives, finish it yourself at the table. Squeeze in the lime, add a spoonful of the pickled mustard greens and the raw shallots, and stir. There is usually a pot of chilli fried in oil on the table: add a little at a time, because it is hot. A few shops also put out fish sauce and sugar for you to balance the bowl. Eat with a spoon in one hand and chopsticks in the other.
Prices sit in a narrow band. A plain bowl at a market stall or old family shop is at the low end of 50 to 120 THB; a bigger bowl with more meat, or khao soi at a sit-down restaurant in Nimman, is at the top. Extra noodles or extra meat cost a little more.
Where to eat it
These five cover the main styles and parts of town, from Old City classics to the market near the airport. Opening hours change, so go before 14:00 to be safe.
- Khao Soi Khun Yai, Old City. A small family shop near the north side of the moat, busiest at lunchtime. A light, fragrant broth and chicken on the bone. Low end of the price band.
- Khao Soi Mae Sai, Chang Phueak. A local favourite on Ratchaphuek Road in Chang Phueak, north of Nimman, with a thick, spicy broth and a queue at lunch. Low to middle of the band.
- Khao Soi Lamduan Faham, Faham. On the east side of the Ping River, in the street long known for khao soi. One of the oldest names in the city. Middle of the band.
- Khao Soi Islam, Night Bazaar area. A halal shop in the small Muslim quarter by the Night Bazaar, known for beef khao soi and for the dish's Yunnanese Muslim roots. Low to middle of the band.
- Mae Hia community market, Mae Hia. The morning market by the airport, 06:00 to 09:00, where vendors sell khao soi to local families on their way to work. The cheapest bowl on this list and the most local. Pair it with a morning at Wat Phra That Doi Kham or a coffee at one of the rice-field cafes nearby.
Staying in Mae Hia puts you 25 minutes from the Old City shops and a few minutes from the market, so you can try both styles in a day. The 3-day itinerary builds khao soi into the Old City lunch on Day 1 and the Mae Hia market on Day 3.
Other northern dishes to try
Khao soi is the start. Northern Thai food is different from the dishes you know from Bangkok: less coconut, less sugar, more herbs, more grilled meat and sticky rice eaten with the hands. Look for these at the same shops and markets:
- Sai oua: grilled northern sausage, packed with lemongrass, kaffir lime and chilli. Sold by the coil at every market.
- Nam prik noom: a smoky dip of roasted green chillies, eaten with pork crackling, raw and steamed vegetables and sticky rice.
- Nam prik ong: a mild, red dip of minced pork and tomato, the friendly cousin of nam prik noom.
- Kaeng hang lay: a dark, sweet-sour pork curry with ginger and garlic, a dish with Burmese roots.
- Khanom jeen nam ngiao: rice noodles in a spicy tomato and pork broth, with blood tofu and dried flowers.
- Larb khua: northern-style minced meat salad, fried with dry spices rather than lime, more bitter and smoky than the version from Isan.
- Kap moo: pork crackling, the snack that goes with everything and the classic edible souvenir.
For a sit-down northern meal, most Old City restaurants serve a set of these dishes together. For the cheapest and best, go to a morning market such as the one in Mae Hia, where vendors sell them in small bags to take away.
FAQ
What is khao soi?
A northern Thai curry noodle soup with coconut broth, soft and crispy egg noodles, and pickled greens, shallots and lime on the side.
How much does khao soi cost in Chiang Mai?
Usually 50 to 120 THB a bowl, cheaper at markets and old shops, more in Nimman restaurants.
What time should I eat khao soi?
At lunch. Many shops open in the morning and sell out by 14:00.
Is khao soi spicy?
Mildly. The broth is rich more than hot, and you add chilli oil at the table to taste.
Where can I eat khao soi near Chiang Mai airport?
At the Mae Hia community market, 06:00 to 09:00, a few minutes from the airport.
