If you have already tried pad Thai and tom yum kung, there is plenty more to find. In Chiang Mai, sticky rice comes with sausage, vegetables and a dipping sauce, while in Isan people enjoy a crunchy papaya salad and sour fermented dishes. Some foods, like the noodles and snacks of Phuket, change from city to city. Just as you might compare regional specialities at home, try finding a new flavour in the city you visit.
If Thai food is new to you, start with a curry or a bowl of noodles to eat with rice. If you are with friends or family, order several dishes to share and enjoy the different flavours together.
In the central region, rice is served with curries and a range of other dishes. The richness of coconut milk, sourness, sweetness and heat come together differently in each dish. If you eat tom yum kung and green curry in Bangkok, you will taste that mix of flavours.
In the north, sticky rice and vegetables are eaten with nam prik, and there is sai ua, a herby sausage. Chiang Mai’s khao soi puts noodles and curry broth in one bowl. Not all northern food is mild, so ask about spice when you order.
In Isan, try som tam and larb with sticky rice. Some dishes use pla ra, a fermented fish seasoning. Even within Isan, som tam differs in the chillies and seasonings used, so the flavour changes from place to place.
In the south you will find spicy food, and also noodles and snacks that differ from city to city. Phuket has dishes shaped by Chinese and Malay food culture, and the Songkhla area has the food of its Chinese and Muslim communities side by side. Choose the city you are visiting and look at its signature dishes.
Some dishes, such as desserts, are not spicy, and others do not stress heat. You cannot tell how hot a curry or dipping sauce is from its colour or name alone, so it helps to ask before you order.
Many have spread and are eaten across the country. This guide explains how a dish connects with regional food culture. It does not claim where a dish began or that it is sold only in one area.
Not necessarily. Animal-based seasonings such as fish sauce and shrimp paste are sometimes used. If you have dietary requirements, ask for the actual ingredients, including the seasonings.
Sour tamarind meets sweet and salty notes. Soft noodles, then the crunch of beansprouts and the richness of peanuts as you chew. Where dried chilli flakes are served on the side, you can add as much as you like.
Pad Thai: flavour and how to eat it →
The broth carries the flavour of prawns, with sourness and heat on top. Lemongrass, galangal and kaffir lime leaves give tom yum its distinctive aroma. It can be made with a clear broth or a rich one, so dishes with the same name can taste a little different.
Tom Yum Kung: flavour and how to eat it →
Behind the rich, smooth coconut milk you can feel the heat of the curry paste. The herb aroma is clear too, so it tastes quite different from a typical curry-house curry. Spoon a little curry and its pieces over your rice at a time.
Green Curry: flavour and how to eat it →
The aroma of spices such as cinnamon, cardamom and cloves runs through the curry. Eating it beside a green curry, where herbs stand out, makes the difference between the two easy to taste. Have the rich sauce with your rice a little at a time.
Massaman Curry: flavour and how to eat it →
The crunch of papaya meets a sour and spicy dressing. Versions that use pla ra, a fermented fish seasoning, also bring a fermented aroma. Even the same som tam changes in flavour with the seasonings and chillies used.
Som Tam: flavour and how to eat it →
The sweetness of mango is joined by the richness of coconut. The sticky rice is chewy, so the texture is different from eating the fruit alone. Taste the mango and the rice separately, then bring them together on one spoon.
Mango Sticky Rice: flavour and how to eat it →If you would like to read more about the food and the regions behind it, these sources are worth a look. Ingredients and cooking methods can vary from one cook to the next.
