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Food tours in Chiang Rai: what to eat and which tour to book
Chiang Rai is Thailand's northernmost province capital, a smaller and calmer city than Chiang Mai, and it eats northern (Lanna) food: curry noodle soup khao soi, the tomato-and-pork noodle soup nam ngiao, herby grilled sausage sai ua, chilli dips eaten with vegetables and sticky rice, and the rich Burmese-influenced pork curry kaeng hang lay. The hills around the city add coffee from growing areas such as Doi Chaang and oolong tea from Doi Mae Salong, where the Yunnanese Chinese community also brings noodle and dumpling dishes. Most visitors eat at the night bazaar and the weekend walking-street markets, and at noodle shops and rice-and-curry stalls in the morning.
Use this page to know what to order and where, with rough 2026 prices in baht and euros (about 36–39 THB to €1; rates move). The tours shown are real GetYourGuide listings, with prices as seen when we checked; confirm the price and meeting point on the booking page before you pay.
What to eat in Chiang Rai
| Dish | What it is | Where to eat it | Typical price* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northern curry noodle soup ข้าวซอย (khao soi) | Egg noodles in a coconut curry broth with chicken or beef, topped with crispy fried noodles, served with pickled mustard greens, shallots and lime on the side. | Dedicated khao soi shops around the city, open mostly from morning to mid-afternoon; some Muslim-run shops serve chicken or beef versions. | roughly 50–80 THB (€1.30–2.20) a bowl |
| Spicy tomato pork noodle soup ขนมจีนน้ำเงี้ยว (khanom jeen nam ngiao) | Fresh rice noodles in a tangy broth of tomato, pork and pork blood cubes, flavoured with dried red cotton-tree flowers. Eaten with fresh herbs and crispy pork rind. | Morning noodle stalls and markets. | roughly 40–60 THB (€1.10–1.70) a bowl |
| Northern Thai sausage ไส้อั่ว (sai ua) | Coiled pork sausage packed with lemongrass, kaffir lime, galangal, chilli and herbs, grilled over charcoal. | Market stalls, the night bazaar and walking streets; sold by the piece or weight. | roughly 30–60 THB (€0.80–1.70) a portion |
| Chilli dips with vegetables น้ำพริกอ่อง / น้ำพริกหนุ่ม (nam prik ong / nam prik noom) | Nam prik ong is a minced pork and tomato chilli dip; nam prik noom is a smoky dip of roasted green chillies, garlic and shallots. Both are eaten with raw and boiled vegetables, pork crackling and sticky rice. | Northern restaurants, markets and as part of khantoke-style set meals. | roughly 40–80 THB (€1.10–2.20) a portion |
| Burmese-style pork curry แกงฮังเล (kaeng hang lay) | Slow-cooked pork belly in a dark, mildly spiced curry with ginger, garlic and tamarind; rich rather than hot. | Rice-and-curry shops (khao gaeng) and northern restaurants. | roughly 50–100 THB (€1.40–2.70) with rice |
| Northern larb ลาบเมือง (larb muang) | Minced meat, usually pork, mixed with a dry spice blend that includes long pepper and other spices, plus herbs; often served cooked, sometimes raw. Different from the lime-and-fish-sauce larb of the north-east. | Northern restaurants and larb specialists. | roughly 60–120 THB (€1.70–3.30) a plate |
| Local coffee and Mae Salong tea กาแฟดอยช้าง / ชาอูหลง | Arabica grown in the hills of Chiang Rai province, served in the city's many cafés, and oolong tea from Doi Mae Salong, a hill village settled by Yunnanese Chinese. | Cafés across Chiang Rai; tea shops and tastings at Doi Mae Salong, about 1.5–2 hours away. | roughly 50–90 THB (€1.40–2.50) a coffee |
Where to eat: markets and neighbourhoods
Chiang Rai Night Bazaar
Nightly market near the old bus station with souvenir stalls and an open food court where you order from stalls and sit at shared tables, sometimes with a stage show. Convenient for trying several northern dishes.
Saturday Walking Street (Thanalai Road)
Weekly street market closing Thanalai Road to traffic, with crafts and long rows of food stalls: sai ua, grilled meats, noodles and sweets. Busy with locals.
Sunday Walking Street (San Khong Noi Road)
Sunday-evening market south-west of the centre, more local and food-focused than the night bazaar.
Municipal market and morning stalls
The fresh market in the centre sells produce, curry pastes, sausages and northern snacks; nearby stalls serve noodle soups and rice-and-curry from early morning.
Doi Mae Salong
Hill settlement with tea plantations, tea shops offering tastings, and Yunnanese food such as noodles, steamed buns and braised pork.
Food tours in Chiang Rai compared
Every tour below is a real listing on GetYourGuide or Viator, checked on 2 Oct 2026. Prices move with season and group size, so treat them as a guide and confirm on the booking page.
| Tour | Length | Price* | Group | Best for | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chiang Rai: Jungle Adventure-Group Trekking & Bamboo Cooking | 1 day | from €66 per person | — | Travellers who want to cook the dishes again at home; easiest option for dietary needs, since you control the ingredients. | Check dates |
| Chiang Rai:Lanna Home Cooking Class at Give Green Farm House | 4 hours | from €47 per person | — | Travellers who want to cook the dishes again at home; easiest option for dietary needs, since you control the ingredients. | Check dates |
| Chiang Rai: 7 Must-See Spots Tickets & Lunch Buffet | 10 hours | from €58 per person | max 9 | First-timers who want a broad tasting of the classics with a local guide. | Check dates |
| Chiang Rai Ultimate Day Tour: 7 Iconic Places & Thai Buffet | 1 day | from €38 per person | max 10 | First-timers who want a broad tasting of the classics with a local guide. | Check dates |
| Chiang Rai: 7 Major Sightseeing Tour with Thai Buffet Lunch | 1 day | from €36 per person | max 9 | First-timers who want a broad tasting of the classics with a local guide. | Check dates |
| Chiang Rai: Night Walking Tour - Local Market & Food Tasting | 4 hours | from €53 per person | max 9 | Evening eaters who want dinner and drinks rolled into one, plus the city after dark. | Check dates |
Chiang Rai: Jungle Adventure-Group Trekking & Bamboo Cooking
On GetYourGuide · run by Scorpions Tours Chiang Rai
- Length
- 1 day
- Price
- from €66 per person
- Rating
- 4.9 ★ from 187 reviews (on 4 Oct 2026)
- Suits
- Travellers who want to cook the dishes again at home; easiest option for dietary needs, since you control the ingredients.
Chiang Rai:Lanna Home Cooking Class at Give Green Farm House
On GetYourGuide · run by MOONG TOUR
- Length
- 4 hours
- Price
- from €47 per person
- Rating
- 5.0 ★ from 94 reviews (on 4 Oct 2026)
- Suits
- Travellers who want to cook the dishes again at home; easiest option for dietary needs, since you control the ingredients.
Chiang Rai: 7 Must-See Spots Tickets & Lunch Buffet
On GetYourGuide · run by MOONG TOUR
- Length
- 10 hours
- Price
- from €58 per person
- Rating
- 4.6 ★ from 70 reviews (on 4 Oct 2026)
- Group size
- max 9
- Included
- Transportation Entry tickets Guide Insurance Lunch Water Beverage
- Suits
- First-timers who want a broad tasting of the classics with a local guide.
Chiang Rai Ultimate Day Tour: 7 Iconic Places & Thai Buffet
On GetYourGuide · run by SoGood Travel
- Length
- 1 day
- Price
- from €38 per person
- Rating
- 4.9 ★ from 17 reviews (on 4 Oct 2026)
- Group size
- max 10
- Suits
- First-timers who want a broad tasting of the classics with a local guide.
Chiang Rai: 7 Major Sightseeing Tour with Thai Buffet Lunch
On GetYourGuide · run by R U tour and trek
- Length
- 1 day
- Price
- from €36 per person
- Rating
- 5.0 ★ from 4 reviews (on 4 Oct 2026)
- Group size
- max 9
- Suits
- First-timers who want a broad tasting of the classics with a local guide.
- Starts
- Mueang Chiang Rai, Mueang Chiang Rai District, Chiang Rai, Thailand
Chiang Rai: Night Walking Tour - Local Market & Food Tasting
On GetYourGuide · run by Black Dragon Tours
- Length
- 4 hours
- Price
- from €53 per person
- Rating
- 5.0 ★ from 3 reviews (on 4 Oct 2026)
- Group size
- max 9
- Included
- Private local guide Visit to local night markets Traditional snacks and street food Visit to Wat Rong Suea Ten (Blue Temple) Visit to Wat Huay Pla Kang Personal expenses
- Suits
- Evening eaters who want dinner and drinks rolled into one, plus the city after dark.
Some links on this page are partner links. If you book through them TonyPlan earns a small commission — the price you pay is exactly the same.
Street food, sit-down or a cooking class?
Street food
Street food is the main way to eat: morning noodle and rice-and-curry stalls, sai ua and grilled meats at markets, and the night bazaar and weekend walking streets in the evening. Stalls rarely have English menus; pointing works.
Sit-down meals
Sit-down northern restaurants serve shared plates — nam prik with vegetables, kaeng hang lay, larb, sticky rice — and are usually informal and cheap. Khantoke dinners (set northern meals on low trays, often with a dance show) are aimed at visitors. Dinner is early; many local places close by 21:00.
Cooking classes
Cooking classes in Chiang Rai usually include a market visit and teach curry paste, khao soi, larb and a few central Thai dishes. Many run from farms or gardens outside the centre with transport included; check pick-up details.
How much to budget for food
| Style | Per person, per day* |
|---|---|
| Budget (street food, markets) | 300–500 THB (about €8–14: noodle soups, market food) |
| Mid-range (one sit-down meal a day) | 700–1,200 THB (about €19–33: northern restaurants, cafés, a drink) |
| Splurge (tasting menus, wine) | 2,000+ THB (about €55+: resort dining or a khantoke dinner with drinks) |
Vegetarian, halal and gluten-free
Vegetarian & vegan: Workable with care. Northern dishes are often pork-based, and fish sauce and shrimp paste are everywhere, including in nam prik dips. Say 'gin jay' for vegan (jay) food, and look for yellow flags with red letters that mark jay stalls. Cafés and traveller restaurants have vegetarian options.
Halal: Better than in many Thai cities: there are mosques and a Muslim community, and some Muslim-run restaurants serve halal khao soi with chicken or beef. Look for halal signs; elsewhere pork is the default meat.
Gluten-free: Rice and rice noodles help, but soy and oyster sauces contain wheat, and khao soi uses egg (wheat) noodles. Grilled meats, sticky rice and many curries are safer; communication is the main difficulty.
Food scams and tourist traps to avoid
- Unpriced food at night-market stalls with a higher 'tourist' price charged at the end. Ask the price before ordering, or buy from stalls with prices shown.
- Tuk-tuks or drivers offering cheap trips that include stops at shops or tea outlets where they earn commission. Agree the stops and price in advance, and decline extra shop visits.
- Khantoke dinner packages sold as 'authentic local dinners' at high prices. Treat them as a show. For everyday northern food, eat at local restaurants and markets for a fraction of the price.
Top tours & activities in Chiang Rai
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Staying near the markets saves time and taxi money — most food tours start in the old centre.
Common questions
Is street food in Chiang Rai safe?
Generally yes. Choose busy stalls where food is cooked to order and served hot, and be a little more careful with raw dishes such as raw larb. Drink bottled or filtered water; ice in restaurants is usually factory-made and fine.
When are the night markets?
The Night Bazaar runs every evening from about 18:00. The Saturday Walking Street is on Thanalai Road on Saturday evenings, and the Sunday Walking Street is on San Khong Noi Road on Sunday evenings, both from late afternoon to about 22:00. Arrive early for the best food choice.
Do I need to tip?
Tipping is not expected at stalls and local restaurants. In sit-down restaurants, leaving small change or about 20–50 THB is appreciated, and check whether a 10% service charge is already on the bill. On food tours or cooking classes, 100–200 THB per person for a good guide is common.
Where can I try khao soi?
At dedicated khao soi shops around the city, most of which open in the morning and close by mid-afternoon. Some are Muslim-run and serve halal chicken or beef versions. It is also sold at the night bazaar, though usually better at specialist shops.
How much should I budget for food per day?
Chiang Rai is cheap. About 300–500 THB (€8–14) a day covers noodle soups and market food; 700–1,200 THB (€19–33) covers northern restaurants, coffee and a drink. Resort restaurants and khantoke dinners cost much more.
Can I visit coffee or tea farms?
Yes. Coffee-growing hill areas such as Doi Chaang and the tea plantations of Doi Mae Salong are day trips from the city, usually by car or tour. Tea shops in Mae Salong offer free or cheap tastings, hoping you'll buy.
* Prices are approximate, gathered on 2 Oct 2026 from menus, markets and the booking pages linked above. They change with season and exchange rates.