Eating Khao Soi in Chiang Mai

Eating Khao Soi In Chiang MaI

Where To Find Some Of The Best Food In Thailand

Updated: October 22, 2018

Looking for the best Khao Soi in Chiang Mai? Check out our list below to discover the top five places in Chiang Mai to try one of Thailand's best meals, Khao Soi!

Move over pad thai! There’s a new favorite Thai dish in town. Khao Soi is the SOUP OF DREAMS. Curious as to what food you cannot leave Thailand without trying? This little darling is at the top of the must try list for Thailand’s best foods! Flavors harmoniously blend into a savory profile that’s a bit curry-esque, a little coconutty, full of zesty spice and tongue tingling sweetness; it’s a dance of all that is delicious in the culinary world. Where is the best place to grab a bowl? Undoubtedly, Chiang Mai. Where is the best place in Chiang Mai to eat Khao Soi? Read on for a list of our recommendations! Enjoy!

Let’s begin by attempting to answer the question of what is khao soi? Fresh ingredients are pummeled into a paste with a flavor similar to red curry. The broth is a medley of rich spices; coriander, lemongrass, chilies, cumin and turmeric combine to create khao soi’s distinct spicy nuances. In Northern Thailand, coconut milk is the added ingredient that most distinguishes this version from other regional variations. Mouth watering yet? Here comes the reallllyyyy good stuff; it’s all about the noodles baby! That’s right. Plural Noodles. In khao soi, two types of noodles steal the show. Stretchy egg noodles soak in all that curry ambrosia. Ah, just perfection! Fried noodles serve as the beacon of khao soi, perched on top and basking in golden freshness. It would not be a proper bowl of khao soi unless accompanied by the trusty sidekicks of fresh cilantro, lime wedges, shallots and pickled cabbage.

We are lucky to already be familiar with this delicious dish, due to our earnest patronage to beloved Lampoei’s in Hood River, Oregon. At Lampoei’s, khao soi is served only once a week; it’s pretty much the only thing besides wind that we let determine the schedule of the day when we are home. If it’s 11 AM on Saturday, it’s time to pick up a steaming bowl before they run out. Luckily, in Chiang Mai we didn’t have to wait until Saturday for khao soi, though showing up early at the recommended spots will definitely pay off as some places can sell out early. Khao soi is plentiful within Chiang Mai. But, don’t for an instance think it’s ‘same same’ everywhere! There are many variations throughout the city. Each bowl of khao soi in Chiang Mai features varying sweet and spicy flavor profiles, with some broths being creamier and thicker than others. Don’t worry, we’ve done the hard work of eating our way through some of Chaing Mai’s best khao soi (a true labor of love) and want to share with you some of our favorites! Keep reading to see helpful tips for ordering khao soi and to discover where we found some delicious bowls in Chiang Mai, Thailand.

Ordering Protein Options In Thai

Chicken: gai

Beef: neu-a wua

Pork: moo

Vegan: jay

*”jay” directly translates to no animal byproducts, however please be aware fish sauce is a very common flavoring in Thai cooking.

How To Order Spice Levels In Thai

Spice levels in Thailand are usually toned down for tourists; to ensure your meal is as mild or fiery as you like, try out these helpful Thai phrases when ordering your meal!

Not Spicy: mai pet

A Little Bit Spicy: pet noi

Very Spicy: pet mak

Khao Soi Mae Sae

Located north of the old city, this place is worth the trip regardless of where you are based in Chiang Mai. Popular with locals and tourists for very good reason, it’s rumored far and wide to be the best khao soi in Chiang Mai. At Khao Soi Mae Sae we were especially stoked on the tenderness of the chicken here. With a simple loving prod of a chopstick, the meat fell off the bone. The egg noodles here were the freshest we experienced in Chaing Mai. Soft and chewy, delightfully delectable; these are the stuff dreams are made out of! Prepare to arrive and enjoy the hustle and bustle of this wonderful shop. Most tables have small pieces of paper to scribble in your khao soi dreams and order up a steaming bowl.

Coconut Shell

Khao soi is so delicious, it could be served in a bucket and still make you salivate. Served in a super cute halved coconut shell, and it quite possibly may be one of the most adorable sights your eyes have ever seen. At Coconut Shell, true to its namesake, it’s brought to you in such a fashion. Behold one of our favorite bowls of khao soi in Chiang Mai. A convenient location on the Eastern side of Old City, Coconut Shell serves, in our opinion, the biggest bowl of khao soi in the city. The portions here are hugggeeee. The broth? One of the creamiest we tried. An excellent blend of sweet and spicy, it will have your sinuses running and eyes crying out of pure joy. While most khao soi in Chiang Mai comes with a leg of chicken, the khao soi at Coconut Shell is juicy pieces of chicken breast. The noodles here tended to be a bit more al dente than at other spots in town, and are slightly harder versus the typically softer nature of khao soi egg noodles. Don’t forget to order one of Coconut Shell’s fruit smoothies. They come icy cold and in a fun little bowl that you won’t want to set down. Coconut Shell is your best bet for post-lunch khao soi if you get a craving past late afternoon when most other spots are sold out. During our multiple visits we never saw them run out of khao soi. The menu here is expansive and they keep the goods well stocked!

Khao Soi Arak

If you’re planning a visit here, it’s best to show up early. We tried on three separate occasions to visit this place and were foiled until the third time when we showed up as they were opening. Come early, by 12:00 or so, and don’t come on Sundays! We read they were open and made the journey for delicious khao soi but indeed they were closed on Sunday, as many khao soi eateries are in Chiang Mai. If you hear of a khao soi place open on a Sunday and are willing to make the trek, having a back up place to eat or a flexible mindset will come in handy! Overall, Khao Soi Arack was worth the wait. The khao soi at Khao Soi Arak is wonderfully fresh and clearly made with a lot of love. The settings are humble; you feel like a part of the family as you eagerly wait at the small plastic tables set up in front of the owner’s home. At 30 baht, the portions were smaller than other bowls throughout the city but more than fair considering the price. The fried noodles on top, (oh lovely cherished beacons of khao soi!) were some of the crispiest we enjoyed. The broth plays slightly more on the mild side and is less creamy than other variations around the city but expertly spiced by true artists of the trade. Craving creamy? Order up everyone’s favorite orange delight, Thai tea! This small, family-run operation will have you perched alongside locals, smiling your way through a wonderful meal and debating ordering seconds.

Khao Soi Khun Yai

One of the most frequented Khao Soi locations in the city, prepare to hang out with locals and tourists alike as you wait temple-side for your khao soi. Next to Wat Kuan Kama Temple, this spot near old city’s north gates serves up an astounding number of orders a day. Portion sizes and prices are spot on compared to other bowls in the city. The broth here was our favorite aspect about the khao soi at Khao Soi Khun Yai. Less sweet than other locations, it had a tasty spicy flavor profile that balanced brilliantly with the soup’s curry creaminess.The pieces of dark meat chicken here were tender, but not as juicy as other locations where khao soi gai typically includes chicken on the bone versus small portioned pieces. Overall, it’s a great location to channel some inner peace and zen out food-style.

Khao Soi Shout Outs

Unfortunately we were unable to make it to all of the khao soi locations on our list (we blame it on our khao soi-filled bellies and khao soi-induced need to chillax). Other locations that we have heard to have amazing khao soi in Chiang Mai are listed below!

Khao Soi Mae Sae

Coconut Shell

Khao Soi Arak

Khao Soi Khun Yai

Khao Soi Nimman

Khao Soi Islam

Khao Soi Samer Jai

Eating Khao Soi At Chiang Mai's Street Markets

Khao soi at one of Chaing Mai’s street markets can be hit or miss. As with eating any street food in Thailand, keep an eye out for stalls frequented by locals. Don’t be bashful in checking out the goods! Does the food look hot? The noodles and herbs fresh? Spending some time surveying the food scene can greatly help determine the quality of the food.

Looking for food you absolutely must try during your visit to Chiang Mai, Thailand? Khao soi is one dish you shouldn’t receive your exit stamp without having tasted. Don’t do yourself the disservice of trying just one, either! Virtually every hop, skip and jump away is a delicious khao soi adventure awaiting you in Chiang Mai. We were stoked to embrace khao soi for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Of course, if you are planning a very short trip into Chiang Mai, it might be necessary to also include second breakfast and elevenses in your daily meal plan. That’s right. Khao soi is that good. Consider adding it to your list of must try food in Thailand. Trying khao soi anywhere is a treat, eating the dish in the city that’s known for making it is a special experience that must be on your Chiang Mai bucket list.

Aloha, friends! We hope you enjoyed our article on exploring khao soi in Chiang Mai, Thailand. All of these opinions are our own. The only incentive we received was full bellies and hearts full of bliss. May this information stoke your khao soi dreams and encourage your taste buds to discover new joys!

Did we miss a khao soi place you love? Reach out and let us know where you think has the best khao soi in Chiang Mai! Feel free to contact us with any thoughts, questions, comments or concerns.