Hi friends! I’m finally back home after my amazing adventure in Thailand, Bali, and Australia! Doing a decent job of fighting the jet lag and getting reacquainted with my life back home. If you hadn’t noticed from all of my Instagram posts, I LOVED (and am now desperately missing) the food in Thailand! Food vendors line virtually every street in Bangkok, Phuket and Koh Samui selling fresh fruit & vegetables, local snacks, street meat and anything else you’d want to devour! I tried so much street food that I worried I wasn’t going to be able to get back into my jeans when this trip was over!
As I learned in my cooking class, Thai food is all about balance. For instance, if there is a lot of spice in a dish, it’s balanced with palm sugar. There is an observable yin and yang approach to the food here. Everything is so thoughtful, well seasoned and flavorful! If you love spicy food, this is your place. They have some chilis that will knock your socks off! The cool thing about Thailand is that anyone can travel here and eat well on a minimal budget. Good food is readily accessible and affordable, and I really appreciate that.
Here’s a rundown of my favorite places I ate while in Thailand that you can add to your itinerary:
Bangkok
- I took the BTS and ventured out to the Bang Rak Market area, which is known for its great street food vendors. As soon as you get off the train, the area is right there off to the left so you can’t get lost. I got Shrimp Pad Thai from a local vendor there that was made fresh to order while I waited in his outdoor seating area and it was by far the best I’ve had. Grand total? 90 Baht ($2.75).
- There is a pretty sizeable bazaar/flea market in this area that sells all sorts of goods. There were also tons of massage and beauty stalls (nails, waxing, eyelash extensions, etc.) inside the flea market area.
- I highly recommend having brunch at the Above Riva rooftop restaurant at the Riva Arun Hotel because the views are amazing and the prices were very reasonable considering the scenic location! I sat there for over 2 hours just taking it all in before venturing across the river to see Wat Arun. You get a very clear view of the Wat Arun temple from their rooftop.
Views from Above Riva
- The Coffee Club – Very good place if you’re looking for a traditional western breakfast with tons of healthy options. You’ll find The Coffee Club all over Southeast Asia & Australia. I ordered the blueberry crumble pancakes & scrambled eggs and it did not go to waste! They asked for a photo of me so you may see me on some random website one day! LOL
- Roast in the Commons (near Thong Lo BTS station) – This is where Brandon and I had brunch after our 2nd *fate* meeting! Very fresh and flavorful food with options for everyone. I got a Panzanella salad, with fries and a warm berry crumble with vanilla ice cream. No crumb was left behind! The Commons reminds me of a smaller version of the Epicenter in Charlotte, lots of restaurants and cafes together, with beautiful greenery all around. The mint lemonade is a must try!
- Holy Shrimp Louisiana Seafood in the Rathchada Night Market was INCREDIBLE! I was curious to see how the Thai chefs would handle the New Orleans seafood boil style cooking and they definitely delivered! However, due to the Thai’s love of spice, whatever your normal spice tolerance please choose a level below that! I got medium spicy and could not feel my lips for the rest of the night! Didn’t stop me from eating tho…LOL WHEW!!!
- W District Night Market in Upper Sukhumvit had amazing food options! Lots of locals and tourists hanging out in the outdoor seating area with music playing, and tons of options around the courtyard to choose from. Great place to kick back in the open air after a long day of exploring. I had the best veggie burger of my life there from 31 Burger. It was made from chickpeas and had wonderful flavor and texture. The shoestring fries were amazing too!
- MyFood Organic Market & Restaurant near the Phra Khanong BTS station was incredible! Fresh Japanese and local fare all sourced from family farms. I ordered the Japanese Salmonteri Don with miso soup and everything tasted so “clean” and fresh! The pineapple juice was simply fresh pineapples blended with ice and it had this amazing frothy top that was to die for. I’ve never had as many fresh juices as I’ve had in Asia!
Phuket
- Beyond Seafood Restaurant in Patong Beach – was incredible! I ordered the glass noodle soup with ginger, lemongrass, prawns and spices and the flavor was out of this world. Everything tasted exceptionally fresh, was reasonably priced considering the area and service was quick!
- Samero’s Gelato in Patong Beach – was the fanciest ice cream experience I’ve ever had LOL! The servers wear French maid outfits and you are served on a real plate with fresh fruit, a silver tray with a doily for your silver utensils and a surprise side of Pirouttes! I ordered the rum raisin gelato with a Belgian waffle and it was heavenly.
Koh Samui
• The Social – This place was awesome and quickly became my “Cheers” spot while on the island. The Social has a wonderful selection of food from local classics to Western/European options. The Social has great sunset views of the Golden Buddha, with bean bags and hammock-like seating by the outdoor bar. This is a great spot to take a date while in Koh Samui. It’s one of those places you can just go to chill for hours after having a great meal. I ordered the crab risotto and I left no crumbs! LOL. I also tried their loaded potato wedges appetizer, which came topped with fresh sour cream and pico de gallo and it lived up to the hype!
- Coco Tam’s – This is a very trendy spot located in Fisherman’s Village with beautiful views of Bophut Beach. They have swings, beach seating and a very relaxing atmosphere. They offer a wide range of items from wood-fired pizza to higher-end burgers, steaks and seafood fare. Their bar staff makes exquisite drink combinations whether you opt for alcohol or not. They also have a fantastic fire show every night starting at 9:30pm! Coco Tam’s is a bit more pricey than some of the nearby restaurants, but it’s all relative as you’ll still get a great bang for your (USD) buck in Thailand.
- Fisherman’s Village Night Market – If you venture to Koh Samui, I highly recommend that you visit Fisherman’s Village on Monday or Friday evening for their night bazaar where you will have access to plenty of amazing street food, fresh juices and smoothies, bar vendors, shopping and live music. The local cover bands were actually very good and there’s also a fire show that is really entertaining to watch that starts after the band performs! There are also a few Thai rolled (fried) ice cream vendors in the vicinity and this is a must try! For my last night, I ended my time in Thailand just as I started, with Shrimp Pad Thai and joy in my heart. ❤️
I really hope you enjoyed the roundup and photos of my favorite food I tried in Thailand! You will never have to struggle to find a great meal here. If you know what’s good for you, you’ll be booking a ticket to Thailand soon to have your own foodie adventure! As an added bonus, I’ll be compiling the recipes from my Thai cooking class and will be posting them on the site soon. Make sure you stay tuned so you don’t miss out! If you’re curious, I was able to fit into my jeans at the end of the trip. Thank God for all the walking I did!
Let me know what you think, if you found this helpful or if you have any questions in the comments! I would love to hear from you.
The Dope Bohemian 