Budget
Chabad House Kosher Restaurant
This restaurant is part of an international Hasidic chain with more than 2,000 branches all over the world. It is ideal for Jewish travellers that keep kosher. There is a large meat menu with the opportunity to taste some great kosher Thai cuisine. Or get a schnitzel with hummus. Finally something different than the usual pad thai that's on every street corner! They also have a synagogue services daily at 10:00 and a small store, where you can purchase packet soups, matza, and other kosher items.
Mr Yim's
Mr. Yim had to move out of his building and now sells his food as a permanent street vendor at the same corner, using the temple wall as the back wall of his place. Food is still a great value, with a wide selection of quality products, including veggie options. The big baguettes, and the breakfast, are well worth it.
Oh My Cod!
An ultra-clean and modern British cafe. It is inside the bricked courtyard at the entrance to Rambuttri Village Inn, where the noise of the alley fades away. There's plenty of food available, like burgers, steak, fish and chips, and eggs. They can also make a special order on request. They have plasma screen televisions and a friendly staff.
Roti-Mataba
This immensely popular eatery is one of the few in the area serving Thai-Muslim dishes, such as roti, mataba a kind of stuffed pancake and massaman curry. Sitting downstairs gives the best local experience, as you can smell the food being prepared and it feels very cramped. Upstairs has air-conditioning and is more comfortable. A bit of a downer is that the snacks are fairly small, so order two or more meals if you are really hungry.
Sakura House
A little hard to find Japanese restaurant, but definitely worth it once you do. It's popular among the locals for lunch and dinner, as visitors can sit at wooden tables the traditional Japanese way. For the rest, it doesn't look all that special, but it is cheap, the staff is nice and free water is served. The Japanese dishes are delicious; recommendations are listed on the menu. Try the okonomiyaki, it's good. Don't mistake this with Taketei restaurant, which will scam you and will overprice the not so special food with a very slow, rude service and no roll tray. Highly not recommended
Wild Orchid Villa
A good restaurant that offers green and red curries, and delicious tom yum soups at fairly low prices. Some of the curries can be spicy! It has a nice interior with either wooden chairs or lounge couches. Excellent for people-watching if you take a seat near the pavement. They could turn the volume of the music down a bit for lunch though. It is also a newly renovated guest house, and rooms go for 700-1,500 baht depending on facilities.
May Kaidee's 1
One of the best vegetarian restaurants in the area that has been serving hippie-types since 1988. Ordering is straightforward, as you can just pick a dish from the laminated placemat with photos. Try the papaya salad or go for something completely new. May Kaidee's 3 from the same owner is at the other side of Soi Bowonrangsi, just a 100 metres walk from this branch.
Popiang House
A typical Khao San Road restaurant that is actually on Soi Rambuttri. It's a street restaurant with red plastic chairs and cheap yellow tables. Mostly known by backpackers for delicious seafood; their grilled fish is a good option. It is also a great place to meet other backpackers while enjoying a cheap beer only 50 baht for a large one. As a result, it can be crowded on evenings.
Take-a-Seat
Simple and clean eatery with Thai and international dishes. The interior looks basic, but that's all you need to enjoy a good meal. Don't expect any English from the staff, but the menu is in English and has pictures, so you can just point to the dish of your choice. Try the green curry fried rice.
Midrange
Aquatini Bar & Restaurant
Part of the Navalai River Resort, this luxury restaurant with Thai and Western dishes has river views over the Chao Phraya River. The interior of the indoor bar has random postmodern touches. It's best to stick to outdoors though, as the deck gives the best views. The breeze, trees and light music make the ambience chilled out. Mostly foreigners visit this place, and the staff make it feel a bit like being inside a resort well, which you are. The kitchen sure knows how to keep their dishes true to the Thai tongue, though. Try the tom kha kai â it's whiter than white.
Ethos
This is a unique place with an attitude! No MSG, preservatives or artificial colours and flavours, instead you'll be eating organic dishes from Thai, Indian, Italian and Middle Eastern cuisine. A comfortable place that attracts crowds who are into spirituality and yoga. It has a free Wi-Fi hotspot. Also try the coffee and deserts. Some of the waiters can be rude, however.
La Casa
Italian restaurant with quite a professional outlook. It's interesting how they mixed Thai elements like Buddha images into the European interior. The pizzas are good, but skip the pastas. It must be said that compared to other restaurants, you get fairly little for what you pay. But at least you have views on Khao San Road itself. Try the Calzone, a pizza that's folded over before being cooked in the oven.
Mayompuri
Mayompuri is Khao San Road's most luxurious restaurant, although it is still affordable by any means. It's all about the interior, which is absolutely stunning â it looks like a five-star resort with waterfalls, ponds, and beautiful gardens. Visit the place after dark as that's when it looks best. The atmosphere is calm and relaxed music is played, which makes it feel far away from the busy chaos of the road. The food, while good, may be a little bland and simple. There are all kinds of international dishes available, such as spaghetti bolognese, steak, fish and chips, papaya salad and river prawn soup. A good way to experience the atmosphere without the food is to just have a beer at the bar.
Ranee's
Hidden amongst spas and small bars and restuarants down an alley that runs parallel to Khao San Road, this Italian restaurant offers the usual pizzas and pastas, though you will be better served making a selection from the Thai dishes. The curries are delicious but don't be surprised to find that the jungle curry is made on a watery base and not on a coconut base like other curries - this is normal for jungle curry. Serving sizes are sufficient but not large. When ordering pizza, a downer is that the cutlery will be served on top of the pizza, making it greasy. The Wi-Fi is free of charge.
Saffron
European-style interior with all the typical Thai dishes. It's also a bakery, and their pies are just waiting to be eaten try the carrot cake!. Just be warned that many of their dishes and drinks are low-fat and low-sugar, so Thai tea doesn't taste that good. Their menus are loved by vegetarians.
Tham Na
Many who are looking for May Kaidee's 2, but cannot find it, stumble across this gem. There's some excellent vegetarian and organic food here that even the most notorious meat eater would enjoy. There's a kind of homey and cosy feel with a nice staff. The owner lived in Chicago previously and speaks good English. Try the mushroom curry.
Tom Yum Kung
Named after Thailand's national dish, it is one of the best restaurants the area has to offer. It's gigantic neon sign may seem cheesy, but the restaurant itself is actually one of the classiest along Khao San Road. Its square is decorated in traditional Thai style, where the noise of the road cannot be heard. Try some of their authentic Thai dishes, like tom yam goong or som tam, or one of their excellent fish menus which get you stuffed for sure.
This guide uses the following price ranges for a typical meal for one, including soft drink: | |
Budget | Under 100 baht |
Mid-range | 100-500 baht |
Splurge | Over 500 baht |
Khao San Road offers some of the cheapest and most diverse food selections anywhere in Bangkok. Travellers from all over the world attend the road, so there is a high demand for all kinds of ethnic food. Alongside the usual Thai dishes, Indian, Italian and Jewish cuisine are especially well-represented, as are restaurants specialised in vegetarian food.
Street carts on the road sell decent pad thai fried noodles, quail eggs, roti like a pancake, falafel, hummus, various bugs and some sell just cocktails. However, it's worth noting that much of it is specifically geared for backpackers â even the local pad thai, especially the 10 baht variety, saves money on the ingredients and uses soy sauce instead of the traditional tamarind sauce.
As Khao San Road leaves its backpacker roots, standards and prices are rising. In the last ten years, many popular international food outlets have set up branches in Khao San Road, including Burger King, McDonald's and Subway. More mid-range restaurants are opened on a daily basis, but don't expect to splurge. Those looking for truly good food would be advised to head elsewhere, such as to Sukhumvit.Always keep an eye on the safety and fire exits. In April 2012 a tourist died in an illegalunregistered hotel because of a fire.