The line was long, but the tantalizing aroma of slow roasting beef broth wafted in our direction, giving us the endurance to forge ahead. Blue Noodle Beef & Pork Bowls were destined to be!
Eating almost anywhere in Thailand is a guaranteed success. As one of the world’s most popular cuisines, from high-end restaurants to street vendors and everything in between, a meal in Thailand is amazing.
After we arrived in Chiang Mai, we dropped our bags at Awana House, and immediately hit the streets in search of a late lunch.
As it was a Sunday, our options were limited, but we spotted a small restaurant offering some of the typical eats; spring rolls and such, but also an amazing bite of spiced chicken steamed in a banana leaf. A perfect introduction to the town.
Throughout our week in town, we tried it all, with eats ranging from street stalls at the Sunday Night Walking Street to Italian and Mexican. Who knew?!
First Up
On night one we walked to the Sunday Night Walking Street, a mere two blocks from Awana House. We’re not sure exactly what we ate that night, although there were numerous street bites, all delicious, and many new to us.
The Thai Phae Sunday market is enormous, stretching on for multiple blocks, and featuring artisans, food stalls, and lined with foot massage stations.
In a town with so many options, we made a pact to never eat at the same place twice, forcing us to wander further afield, even though so many temptations were just steps from our door in our own little corner of the city.
Breakfast & Brunch
Truth: We did end up at the absolutely delightful coffee shop on the corner twice. But, honestly, who can blame us? Coffee by Zeam & Gain & Gail hangs right across from the Tha Phra Gate and offers up fantastic coffee, delicious breakfast options, a cute vibe, and some of the best people watching in the city.
Perch yourself on their patio and take it all in.
Perhaps our favorite breakfast in Chiang Mai was the delightful The Little Sunday Cafe. SO cute! Funny enough, we must have walked past this location on multiple locations as we crisscrossed the old city, but never paid attention until our final morning in town.
This lovely little restaurant hit all the marks: lovely setting, friendly staff, and delicious food.
Afternoon Delights
For a simple and tasty lunch, head over to…. Simple Thai Cafe.
Located not too far from Awana House, Simple Cafe was just that. Simply delightful. Iced coffees and basic dishes like pad thai, along with some of the best fruit juice drinks we found.
Lunch with the elephants. How often do you get to say that phrase?
Our afternoon at Elephant Nature Park included one of the best vegan buffets we encountered. What magic, to be enjoying tasty noodle dishes, along with some of the best fruit on the planet, all while surrounded by elephants and rescue dogs. Such fun!
Truth be told, some of the best food we ate in Chiang Mai was what we cooked at Akha Thai Cooking School. The day spent cooking and eating was pretty damn good, if I do say so myself!
Ethnic Vibes
We love Thai food. And by that, I mean we LOVE Thai food!
Having said that, we have always found that during longer trips, we relish seeking out alternate options as well.
As always, each member of our group take turns choosing where to eat dinner.
Jim’s evening found us at an enduring favorite cuisine~ Mexican! Now, honestly, we never expected to find a Mexican restaurant in Chiang Mai. And, we certainly never expected to find one that was actually decent.
Confident of a good time, we headed to La Casita, laughingly hoping for the best. We were pleasantly surprised. The chicken tacos were tasty, and Jim’s enchilada platter was just the ticket to satisfy his craving.
My ethnic choice du jour was, wait for it, Middle Eastern! Lucky for us, just around the corner from Awana House sat Hummus Chiang Mai, a delightful little restaurant at the end of the alley.
Tucked inside, we discovered all of my favorites: creamy hummus, crunchy falafel, fluffy pita, tabouli salad, and roasted cauliflower. Fantastic!
Within the restaurant, they even offered a small market with fresh veggies, along with some of their delicious hummus and olive oils for purchase.
Off to Italy! Dave was craving some Italian. Time to wander.
Fortunately, a short stroll outside of the city gates brought the world to our feet.
The color and vibrancy of the city greeted us full force with stunning gold highlights and colored lanterns. Soon, we arrived at Pulcinella da Stefano, feeding the people of Chiang Mai since 1996.
Our tour of Italy was done very well. We made sure to order four different options and tested and shared all around. From the wood-fired pizza to the stuffed ravioli to the freshest insalata caprese, each dish was expertly crafted.
Back to Blue Noodle
Blue Noodle was on our list from day 1 in town when we wandered by, but put off by the long line snaking down the sidewalk, we continued along our way. This extremely popular and casual restaurant opens at 9:00 am, but the lines of those in-the-know start to take shape around 8:30 am. Those lines don’t let up until they run out of food, something that normally occurs by 1:30 pm.
You will stand in line. Just accept it. Embrace it, even. You can thank me later.
In my opinion, the magic of Thai food is in the broth. Noodle bowls. Soups. Each seems more aromatic than the last.
I love to first breathe in the aroma of the base, packed full of garlic, ginger, and lemongrass. Each bowl was piled high with our choice of noodles, along with your choice of pork, beef, or both, in a variety of forms.
Moments later, it arrived, packed with flavor and accompanied with scallions. Hot sauce on the side optional.
This is my type of place. Totally unpretentious. Totally delicious. And totally filling for about 90TBT for a big bowl of magic.
Once again, the food of Chiang Mai did not disappoint.