15 Thai Dishes You Have to Try When You Visit Thailand
Thai cuisine is famous worldwide for its fresh ingredients, perfect balance of flavors, and absolutely heavenly taste. With around 15,000 Thai restaurants spread across the globe, its popularity just keeps growing every day.
One of the biggest misconceptions about Thai food is that everything is super spicy — but that’s not true! Traditional Thai dishes masterfully blend five key flavors: spicy, sour, sweet, salty, and bitter, creating a delicious harmony that suits many tastes.
Whether you’re into curries, soups, noodles, or savory salads, there’s something for everyone. Just like many countries, Thailand’s food varies by region, influenced by neighboring cultures and local ingredients. So the Pad Thai you love in Chiang Rai will probably taste quite different from the one you get in Trang.
I’m a huge fan of Thai food myself, and even after almost eight years living here, I’m still discovering new dishes and experimenting with exciting flavors. At the end of this post, I’ve also included a list of the best Thai cooking classes to try and some useful Thai food vocabulary to help you on your culinary adventure.
So, let’s dive into my list of 15 classic Thai dishes you absolutely have to try when visiting Thailand!
- Tom Yum Gung: Hot and sour soup with shrimp
- Khao Pad: Thai Fried Rice
- Pad Thai: fried noodles
- Pad Ga Paow Gai: Stirred Fried Chicken with Basil
- Kaeng Khiao Wan: Green Curry
- Som Tam: Green Papaya Salad
- Gaeng Phed: Thai Red Cury
- Guay Teow: Spicy noodle soup
- Gai Pad med ma muang: Chicken with Cashew Nuts
- Penang Curry
- Tom Kha: Coconut Soup
- Massaman Curry
- Pad See Ew: Stir fried soy sauce noodles
- Larb: Spicy meat salad
- Yam Taley: Spicy glass noodle salad with seafood
- DESERT: Khao Niaow Ma Muang: Mango And Sticky Rice
1/ Tom Yum Gung: Hot and sour soup with shrimp
Tom Yum is a beloved classic in Thailand — it’s the go-to soup for many locals. The most popular version features shrimp (goong), but you’ll also find variations with chicken, other meats, or just vegetables. This soup is famous for its spicy kick balanced perfectly with a tangy, sour flavor. What really sets it apart is the fragrant blend of fresh herbs like kaffir lime leaves, lemongrass, and galangal that give Tom Yum its unmistakable aroma and taste. If you love bold flavors, this soup is a must-try!
2/ Khao Pad: Thai Fried Rice
Khao Pad is one of the most common and popular dishes in Thailand—think of it as Thai-style fried rice. It’s simple, tasty, and comforting. In Thai, Khao means “rice” and Phat means “fried.” You can get it with veggies, chicken, seafood, or other meats. It’s a perfect go-to meal any time of day and a great way to enjoy classic Thai flavors in a simple dish.
3/ Pad Thai: fried noodles
Pad Thai, or Phad Thai, is a classic stir-fried rice noodle dish you’ll find everywhere—from bustling street stalls to sit-down restaurants. You can enjoy it with shrimp, meat, or go vegetarian with tofu.
A fun fact: during World War II, Thailand faced a rice shortage caused by war and floods. To cut down on rice consumption, the government encouraged people to eat noodles instead. That’s how Pad Thai became the beloved dish it is today—full of flavor and history!
4/ Pad Ga Paow Gai:
Stirred Fried Chicken with Basil
Pad Ga Pao is a hugely popular dish among tourists and expats living in Thailand. It’s a flavorful stir-fry of minced meat—usually chicken—cooked with garlic, fresh basil leaves, and plenty of chili, served over rice. Simple, spicy, and absolutely delicious!
You can have this dish on its own with rice, but the most popular way is to have it with a fried egg. This classic combination is called “pad ga pao gai kai dao”, which simply means rice with chicken holy basil stir-fry and a fried egg.
5/ Kaeng Khiao Wan: Green curry
Green curry is one of the milder Thai curries, known for its rich and creamy flavor thanks to coconut milk combined with the subtle heat of green chilies. It’s fragrant, slightly sweet, and usually made with chicken or vegetables.
6/ Som Tam: Green Papaya Salad
My Thai family and friends absolutely love Som Tam — it’s almost always on the table when we eat. This vibrant salad is made from shredded unripe green papaya, tossed with a mix of fresh ingredients. There are many variations, but the original recipe comes from Laos, and its popularity has spread widely across Southeast Asia.
7/ Gaeng Phed: Thai Red Cury
Red curry is one of my favorite Thai dishes—I actually eat it several times a week! It’s usually the spiciest of the Thai curries, but that can vary depending on the region. If you’re not a big fan of heat, I recommend trying Penang or Massaman curry instead, as they are much milder and just as delicious.
8/ Guay Teow: Spicy noodle soup
Thai noodle soup, or Guay Teow, is one of the most popular dishes you’ll find almost everywhere in Thailand. It’s a versatile noodle soup that can be made with chicken, pork, or beef (though it’s rarely vegetarian-friendly), and you’ll usually find it served with either rice noodles or egg noodles. Vendors often add extras like wontons or meatballs to make it even tastier.
The best way to enjoy Guay Teow is by adding your own mix of condiments—sugar, dried chili flakes, lime juice, and fish sauce—to balance the flavors just how you like them. It’s great any time of day, especially as a comforting late-night snack.
9/ Gai Pad Med Ma Muang: Chicken with Cashew Nuts
This dish is super easy and colorful — perfect if you’re not a big fan of spicy Asian food or if you’re traveling with kids. It’s a tourist favorite because it’s mild, tasty, and fits nicely within the comfort zone of most Western palates.
If you’re a bit worried about trying Thai food, this is a great dish to start with. Usually made with chicken, it’s stir-fried with vegetables and delicious crunchy cashew nuts, then served with steamed rice.
10/ Penang Curry
Panang curry is a rich, thick curry that perfectly balances salty and sweet flavors with a nutty hint of peanut. While beef is the most common meat used in Panang curry, you can also find it made with chicken, pork, liver, or fish — whatever you prefer!
11/ Tom Kha: Coconut Soup
This classic Thai soup is spicy and sour with a creamy twist from coconut milk. Its rich, vibrant flavor comes from key Thai ingredients like lemongrass, fresh ginger, and lime juice. It’s usually made with chicken but sometimes with beef, too — perfect for warming you up and exciting your taste buds!
12/ Massaman Curry
Massaman curry stands out as one of Thailand’s more unique curries, blending Malay and Thai Muslim influences. It’s mild, aromatic, and usually cooked with tender beef or chicken and soft potatoes — a comforting and flavorful dish that’s definitely worth trying.
13/ Pad See Ew: Stir fried soy sauce noodles
Pad See Ew is another super popular stir-fried noodle dish you’ll see everywhere in Thailand. Unlike the sweeter, nuttier Pad Thai, Pad See Ew is more on the salty side with a hint of sourness and a delicious smoky, chargrilled flavor that makes it stand out.
14/ Larb: Spicy meat salad
Larb is a super popular dish from the Isan region in Thailand, originally from Laos but loved all over the country. It’s made with browned ground meat — usually beef or chicken — mixed with fresh mint, basil, and red onions, all tossed in tangy lime juice.
This dish is perfect for hot weather — spicy, crunchy, and light.
15/ Yam Taley: Spicy glass noodle salad with seafood
“Yam” means “mix” in Thai, but when it comes to food, it usually refers to a kind of salad. Yam Taley is a refreshing, often spicy salad made with glass noodles, fresh veggies, herbs, and seafood like squid, prawns, or crab. It’s light, flavorful, and perfect when you want something fresh and zingy.
Favorite Thai Dessert: Khao Niaow Ma Muang (Mango and Sticky Rice)
This classic Thai dessert is everywhere and loved by locals and tourists alike. It’s made with sticky rice, creamy coconut milk, a touch of salt and palm sugar, and of course, sweet fresh mango. If you’re a fan of mango or sticky rice, this delicious combo is a must-try when you visit Thailand!
5 Useful Tips For You:
1/
If you’re not sure how spicy you want your food, go for mild first—you can always add dry chillies or chili powder later to kick it up a notch!
2/
If you’re watching your sugar intake, just ask the restaurant or street stall to go easy on the sugar in your dish. You’d be surprised how much sugar is used in many Thai recipes to balance the flavors. Also, if you’re not into super sweet drinks, request your fruit shakes or Thai coffee without sugar — they can be really sweet otherwise!
3/
Unfortunately, on the smaller islands and in rural areas, vegetarian and vegan restaurants are still pretty rare. But most dishes are made fresh to order, so don’t hesitate to ask for a vegetarian version if that’s what you want. Just watch out for fish sauce, oyster sauce, and dried shrimp—they’re often added to dishes, so be sure to mention if you want to skip those for vegan options.
4/
Try to eat quietly — unlike in Chinese or Japanese culture, slurping isn’t seen as polite in Thailand. Thais usually keep things calm and neat at the table, so keeping the area clean is appreciated.
5/
Take part in a Thai cooking class while on holiday — they’re super fun and open to everyone! You’ll find amazing classes in Bangkok and Chiang Mai, but there are great cooking schools all across Thailand. Not only will you learn to make and eat delicious food, but you’ll also get a wonderful insight into Thai culture.
Here are some of the best Thai cooking schools across different regions of Thailand:
Bangkok: Chef Leez Traditional Thai Cooking Class
Chiang Mai: Thai and Akha Cooking Class in Chiang Mai
Phuket: Kata Thai Cooking Class
Krabi/ Aonang: Thai Charm Cooking Class
Koh Lanta: Lanta Thai Cookery School
Want to learn more about Thai food and the culture behind it?
Useful Vocabulary
Food:
- Khao pad – Fried rice
- Moo – Pork
- Moo daeng – Red pork
- Gai – Chicken
- Neua – Beef
- Talay – Seafood
- Gung – Prawn
- Pla – Fish
- Pak – Vegetable
- Kai dao – Fried egg
Food preferences:
Gin- Eat
Gin jay – Vegetarian
Mai sai namtang – No sugar
Gin tua mai dai – I can’t eat nuts
Gin kung mai dai – I can’t eat prawns
Gin talay mai dai – I can’t eat seafood
Mai ped – Not spicy
Ped mak mak – Very spicy
Mai sai prik – No chili
Drinks:
Beer – Beer
Nam – Water
Nom – Milk
Nam Som – Orange Juice
Gaffe yen/ron – Coffee iced/hot
Nam polamai – Fruit juice
Nam keng – Ice
Gaew – glass
Chai- Tea (chai yen- Ice tea)
Other:
Arroy – Delicious
Chob mak mak – I liked it a lot
Im mak mak – I’m very full
Hong nam yoo ti nai ka/kaap? – Where are the toilets?
Kop khun ka/kaap – Thank you
Sawasdee ka – Hello/Goodbye
Paying:
- Tow ry ka/kaap? – How much?
- Chick bin ka/kaap – The bill.
- Kit tang ka/kaap – The bill (slang).
- Mai sai tung ka/kaap – I don’t want a bag, thanks
