If you’re a foodie, Bangkok is a verifiable paradise. You can’t turn a corner without the aroma of fried chillies and garlic drawing you in, and everywhere you go there’s a new temptation, from crispy Thai pancakes sizzling away to fragrant-yet-spicy papaya salad.
The food scene here is exceptional – and visiting food markets will allow you to discover just how diverse and delicious the local cuisine is. As well as fresh produce, these markets also sell an often-dizzying array of street food – from full meals and quick snacks to delicious sweet treats.
If you’re really hungry, you can dither over steaming bowls of pad thai, hot-and-sour tom yum soup, or aromatic green curry with roti. Only peckish? Why not try fried quail eggs, seafood griddle cakes, or grilled skewers? Or, if you fancy something sweet, some fresh-yet-creamy mango sticky rice might hit the spot – or what about crispy coconut milk cakes?
Whatever you fancy, there’s a good chance you can find it in Bangkok’s best food markets. So, whether you’ve booked a trip or are just looking to get inspired – here are eight mouth-watering food markets in Bangkok you can’t miss.
1. Yaowarat Road, Chinatown
Thai cuisine is so fantastic that the idea of arriving in Bangkok and heading straight for Chinatown may seem strange. But ask a local where to find the best street food in the city and, chances are, they’ll direct you toward Yaowarat Road. Thousands of years of immigration mean that Bangkok’s Chinatown has a history older than Bangkok itself, and the area is a melting pot (quite literally) of cultures, flavours, and traditions.
Yaowarat Road isn’t really a market; it’s a busy, neon-lit street edged by alleyways packed with stalls. It’s nothing like the food you might order from a UK takeaway; local favourites include kway jap (a peppery noodle soup), bird’s nest soup, fish maw soup (made from swim bladders), and meats sizzling over charcoal. If you have a sweet tooth, the doughnuts and toasted buns are a must-try. The latter are stuffed with your choice of filling, from chocolate to custard to sweet chilli jam.
2. Nang Loeng market
One of the most authentic food markets in Bangkok is Nang Loeng. At over 120 years old, walking through this market can feel like you’ve stepped back in time – and if you’d visited 50 years ago, there’s a very good chance you’d walk by the same old wooden stalls. You might even have walked past the same ladies who’ve been here, cooking the same dish, all their lives. Despite its charm – and central location – Nang Loeng has a real community feel to it, and is little visited by tourists.
In the centre of the market there’s a food court and, at lunchtime, it’s packed with locals enjoying dishes like grilled fish, roasted aubergine salad, rich coconut curries, and crab and pork noodles. These are often washed down by fruit shakes, so if you’re not sure what to order, just copy a local. Nang Loeng is especially known for its desserts; don’t miss the Thai crepes, pandan leaf cakes, steamed coconut cups, and bananas slow cooked in syrup.
3. Or Tor Kor
Or Tor Kor is one of Bangkok’s newer food markets. Known locally as a high-end market, it isn’t very traditional as far as food markets go – it’s bright, sleek, and sparkling clean – but absolutely worth visiting. Once ranked as the fourth best fresh market in the world by CNN, Or Tor Kor also sells packaged food products like spice pastes and sauces, as well as kitchen equipment like pestles and mortars, so it’s ideal for picking up food-based souvenirs, as well as cooked treats.
The quality of the produce is exceptional, and the fruit is so perfect in size, shape, and colour that it almost looks fake. The market also has a food court, and the dishes here are delicious – albeit a little more expensive than other markets. Local favourites include fried oyster pancakes, braised duck noodles, pork satay, chicken skewers, pad thai, and mouthwatering noodle soups. Green papaya salad is made to order, so it tastes incredibly fresh, and there are all kinds of fruit desserts for after.
4. Khlong Toei Market
Bangkok’s largest fresh food market isn’t slick or modern, and exploring it isn’t always a particularly pleasurable experience. But if you’re looking to experience a real, unvarnished Thai market, the sprawling Khlong Toey is unrivalled. From the moment you arrive, it’s a sensory overload: market vendors shout to lure you over, stalls groan with piles of bright, colourful produce, intense aromas (good and bad) swirl around you, and as for taste – well, that all depends on what you eat!
While Khlong Toey is best known for its fresh produce (it’s popular with chefs seeking top-quality ingredients), there are all kinds of foods you can try, from curries and meat skewers to fresh fruit juices. A word of warning to veggies: Khlong Toey sells live produce, and the sight of caged animals may be upsetting for some. The raw meat section can also be pretty confronting. But a visit is always eye-opening and enthralling – and a great insight into where your food really comes from.
5. Taling Chan Floating Market
Many first-time visitors to Bangkok are intrigued by the floating markets, and take tours to the most famous, Damnoen Saduak. But unfortunately, the market is mostly a tourist attraction, and there’s nothing much authentic about it left. Thankfully, that’s not the case for Taling Chan Floating Market – also called Klong Lad Mayom Floating Market. Located around 10 miles west of central Bangkok, this weekend market is the most genuine floating market in the area.
While few vendors speak English, menus often have photos, so you can point to what you’d like. Most of the boats (which are moored to the riverbank) serve grilled seafood, cooked on a barbecue, but there are plenty of options: choose from tempura vegetables, Thai crispy pancakes, fried pork with spicy dipping sauce, or an array of noodle dishes. After eating your fill, why not enjoy a refreshing coconut, frozen coffee, or fresh fruit smoothie – or treat yourself to a foot massage?
6. Wang Lang market
Another excellent authentic market is Wang Lang, just down the street from Siriraj Hospital. While it isn’t very popular with tourists, every day, thousands of locals eat here, including doctors, nurses, and students from the hospital. Like many traditional markets, it can be overwhelming at first; food vendors stretch for 300 metres along the main road and into the alleyways, and there’s so much choice, you might want to get a good look at it all before buying.
The ever-present meat skewers are particularly popular here, as is the fried teriyaki pork and grilled squid. Veggies can tuck into mung bean dumplings, green papaya salad, and khao lam – sticky rice grilled in bamboo. Wang Lang Market has a lot of dessert vendors, too, so save room for something sweet. The chai tea cakes, mango sticky rice, Thai coconut pancakes, and pandan hot cakes are all popular, but the market speciality is grilled bananas (pictured). They’re simple, but utterly delicious!
7. Thonburi Market
Thonburi Market Place only opened in 2022, but, just like Or Tor Kor, it’s made a name for itself as one of the more high-end markets – clean, modern, and sleek. The market is split into different sections: the first is dedicated to raw meat and seafood, while the second sells fresh produce. But the third zone is most exciting, and you’ll find all kinds of street food stalls here – as well as pop-up booths of restaurants, some of which, like Kluay Kaek Phraram 5, are Michelin-recognised.
The food court is particularly attractive, and you can enjoy your food sitting beneath an enormous, expensive-looking chandelier, or illuminated wooden sculptures of whales. There are all the food options you’d expect, as well as some fancier ones. An award-winning Phuket-based restaurant recently opened here, specialising in stir-fried oysters with vegetables and crispy pancakes, as well as giant plates of fried clams – so, if that’s your thing, Thonburi Market Place is well worth a visit.
8. Chatuchak Market
The Chatuchak Weekend Market isn’t just the biggest market in Bangkok, it’s the biggest market in Thailand. It sells all manner of clothes and handicrafts and, while it isn’t a specialty food market, it’s definitely worth visiting. Its sheer size (there are over 8,000 stalls!) means there are countless food options available, so if you’re looking to browse for souvenirs and trinkets while eating and drinking as you go, it’s the perfect place.
At Chatuchak, you’ll find all the customary food stalls, while others may come as a surprise…like a paella and sangria stall! There are also stalls catering purely to vegans, serving plant-based versions of traditional dishes like massaman curry and vegan chicken teriyaki. Chatuchak can get hot, so if you need to cool down, why not try the Thai ice cream, served in a coconut shell and smothered with all kinds of toppings? There are also more fruit and fruit smoothie stalls than you can count!
Final thoughts…
Thailand has one of the freshest and most delicious cuisines in the world – and Bangkok is arguably the best place to discover its diversity.
If you’re looking to try authentic Thai treats, meals, and snacks, a food market is the first place to stop. These markets are deeply ingrained in Bangkok culture, and they’re the best places not only to get a taste of the cuisine, but to get a real feel for the city too.
Whether it’s a sophisticated, modern market or a historic market that’s barely changed in half a century, visiting a food market is always an experience – and you may come away with plenty of ideas for what to cook at home!
Have you been to a Thai food market before? Are you planning to visit Bangkok, and if so, are any of these markets on your itinerary? We’d love to hear about your travel experiences in the comments below.