Thai Dishes You Must Try — a Food Guide for Beginners

Pad Thai

Stir-fried rice noodles with egg, tofu or meat, bean sprouts, and peanuts — probably the most famous Thai dish outside Thailand.

Tom Yum

A sour-spicy soup with lemongrass, galangal, and kaffir lime leaves — comes in chicken, seafood, or vegetarian versions.

Som Tam

A spicy green papaya salad, very common in the Isaan (northeast) region — worth asking for adjusted spice level if you're sensitive.

Mango Sticky Rice

A classic dessert — sweet sticky rice with coconut milk and fresh mango slices. Seasonal, best when mango is at its peak.

More Dishes Worth Knowing

Pad kra pao is stir-fried minced meat with holy basil and chili, usually with a fried egg and rice, and a very everyday dish. Khao soi is a coconut curry noodle soup, one of the famous dishes of northern Thailand. Green curry and massaman curry are coconut curries with different flavors, the latter sweeter and milder. Larb is a chopped-meat salad with herbs from the Isaan region. Khao man gai is chicken with fragrant rice, simple and filling.

Among desserts and drinks you can try Thai iced tea and the fresh fruit served at stalls by the roadside — more in tropical fruits in Thailand. And if you're vegetarian or vegan, see the vegetarian guide.

How to Order and What to Watch Out For

If you're sensitive to spice, say 'mai phet' (not spicy) or ask for medium. It's worth knowing that not every dish that looks mild is, and that 'a little spicy' in Thailand is usually fairly spicy. Fish sauce and shrimp paste appear in many dishes, so anyone who is allergic or vegetarian needs to ask. You'll find safety and hygiene rules in the water and ice guide.

Small family restaurants sometimes serve the best dishes. And choose places full of locals, because that's a sign of freshness and a fair price.

Where to Eat and How to Continue

Night markets and street stalls are the natural place to taste a variety cheaply, and the street food guide details what to try. Anyone who wants to learn to cook the dishes themselves can join a cooking class. And for kosher-observant travelers there is a separate guide with places and solutions. And even if you bought just something small at the supermarket, 7-Eleven in Thailand has more than you'd think.

How to Eat and What's Tasty in Which Region

In Thailand people usually eat with a spoon and fork: the spoon in the right hand and the fork used to push food onto it, and it's not customary to put the fork in the mouth. Chopsticks are used mainly for noodles. Most dishes are served to share, so it's worth ordering several dishes for the center of the table alongside rice for each person.

Each region has its own dishes: in the north khao soi and spicy sausages, in the northeast (Isaan) som tam, larb and sticky rice, in the south spicy curry with fish and a strong sauce, and in the center pad thai and stir-fries. The trip is an opportunity to taste, and the comparison of north and south tells how the flavors change.

Keep reading

What to drink in Thailand: teas, coffee, shakes and how to ask for less sugar.

How to order Thai food: spice levels, leaving out ingredients and paying.