How times have changed. Only a few years ago, finding a proper bowl of khao soi in Bangkok was like searching for a snowflake in Sukhumvit. These days, as more and more skilled Northern Thai chefs make this wonderful city their home and innovative restaurateurs put their own spin on this beloved Northern dish, finding a decent bowl of the good stuff is easy.
A great bowl though? You’ll need this guide for that; here’s where to find the best khao soi in Bangkok.
Hom Duan, Ekkamai
Operating from a stylish shophouse in Ekkamai Soi 2 (with a second branch in Silom Complex), Hom Duan began life as a coffee shop before word of mouth transformed it into one of Bangkok’s most respected purveyors of Northern Thai food. The name, meaning ‘peppermint’ in the Northern dialect (and used to deter mozzies across the north), hints at the authentic Lanna experience within.
Hom Duan’s khao soi (80 baht), on the thicker end of the spectrum and robustly seasoned, maintains the ideal harmony between sweet and spicy notes, while the broader, budget Northern khao gaeng-style offerings (in huge bowls rather than Southern style gastronorms) have spawned queues since opening. The joint is particularly popular with students due to those low prices.
Everything is made in-house, from the nam prik noom (80 baht) to the tum kanoon (jackfruit mixed with pork crackling and spicy chilli paste, 60 baht). The Ekkamai branch’s exposed concrete floors and hanging ferns create a modern atmosphere that still feels authentically Northern. And true to its origins (and the burgeoning coffee scene in Chiang Mai), the coffee here is excellent. If you’re drinking, there’s Beer Lao, which is always welcome.
Open from 9am to 8pm every day except Sunday. Known to sell out of popular dishes, including the khao soi, by mid-afternoon.
Instagram: @homduanbkk
Address: klongtannuea (BTS, Ekkamai Rd, Phra Khanong Nuea, Watthana, Bangkok 10110, Thailand
Ong Tong Khao Soi, Ari
Awarded a Michelin Bib Gourmand in 2021 (which it has inexplicably since lost) and with four strategic locations across Bangkok (Ari, Rama I, Phahonyothin, and Central Eastville), Ong Tong leads the pack for accessibility and authenticity. Their recipe, passed down from the owner’s grandmother, uses key ingredients imported directly from Chiang Mai, where the first Ong Tong opened and still does a roaring trade to this day.
Their signature chicken khao soi (89 baht) features a luxuriously creamy coconut-based broth that’s not overly spicy, matched with a fork-tender chicken drumstick, its skin wibbly-wobbly, fatty and silky, and its flesh dark brown, both in the best possible way.
The Ari branch, their original location and our favourite of the four, spans two floors and maintains a modest wooden aesthetic that adds to its charm. Don’t miss their homemade sai ua (129 baht) or their Mini Khantoke set (399 baht) which offers an excellent sampling of Northern dishes. There’s also great laab muang here – a rare find in the Thai capital.
Open daily from 9:00am to 8:30pm Tuesdays. Peak hours run from midday to 2pm when Ari’s always hungry office crowds descend en masse.
Instagram: @ongtongkhaosoi
Address: 31 Phahonyothin Soi 7, Phaya Thai, Bangkok 10400, Thailand
Khao Soi Chiang Mai Supab
Close to the Chao Phraya, just a five minute stroll from Thewes Pier in Bangkok’s historic Phra Nakhon district, Khao Soi Chiang Mai Supab offers an all-halal take on khao soi.
Here, the bowl is of the Muslim style of khao soi. In the words of esteemed food writer, photographer, and Thai food expert Austin Bush, this version “closely resembles the dish’s likely Burmese origins. That is, a thin, coconuty broth that carries subtle hints of dried spice powder.”
It’s the beef variation, featuring tender striped shank meat, that truly stands out at Supab. The kitchen maintains a masterful balance in their broths – light enough to finish the entire bowl without heaviness, yet satisfying in their subtle complexity and with minimum greasiness – true markers of an old school, Muslim version of the dish. It’s much less sweet and assertive than some of the other bowls on our list, too.
Beyond khao soi, the menu branches into other Thai Muslim specialties including aromatic, turmeric-hued chicken biryani and some great satay sticks. All you need now is Palestine Cola to wash it all down.
Address: 283 Samsen Rd, Wat Sam Phraya, Phra Nakhon, Bangkok 10200, Thailand
Khao Soi Nam Ngiao, Phrom Phong
Hidden away down an unassuming alley, in a parking lot in the midst of the ever bustling, ever burgeoning Phrom Phong – and just seconds from its BTS station – Khao Soi Nam Neow offers what many locals consider Bangkok’s most satisfying khao soi experience. What sets the bowls here apart (just 60 baht, or 80 for a larger version) is the careful balance of rich curry broth that manages to be both satisfying and light enough to warrant repeated visits – no small feat in Bangkok’s tropical climate. Or, indeed, a dish that often runs the risk of being cloying…
The restaurant’s hidden location adds to its charm, making it feel like a genuine discovery in an area otherwise dominated by high-end eateries. Sides (the essential shallot, lime and pickled mustard greens) are self-service, as is crockery, adding to the charm of the place – flying in the face, somewhat, of the slick surrounds of this flash part of the town.
As with many of the other khao soi joints on our list, peak hours tend to be in the lunch time rush hour, when office workers slurp with the kind of hurried, reckless abandon that represents a serious danger to their starched white shirts. That’s not if those shirts aren’t already sodden with sweat – there are fewer places more humid than Khao Soi Nam Neow during a busy spell.
True to the name of the restaurant, the nam ngiao is ace, too. To order, write your table number, item number, and quantity on a piece of paper at your table and hand it to the staff at the entrance. Then, pay the bill at the end of the meal.
Address: 283 Samsen Rd, Wat Sam Phraya, Phra Nakhon, Bangkok 10200, Thailand
North Restaurant, Phrom Phong
From the humble to the haute…
Across the other side of the tracks on one of Bangkok’s finest streets for restaurants, Soi Sukhumvit 33, North Restaurant offers a wholly different take on this beloved dish.
Housed in a stunning century-old heritage building, North aims to take khao soi to remarkable new heights. The dining room, with its floor-to-ceiling windows offering sweeping city views, sets the stage for what’s to come.
The restaurant offers two distinct khao soi experiences. During lunch service, you’ll find a substantial à la carte menu featuring variations from organic chicken (288 baht) to Kurobuta chashu pork (388 baht). It’s their wagyu A5 beef version (558 baht) that truly steals the show, though the jumbo crab meat variation (588 baht) offers an interesting seafood twist. It’s a twist that is, admittedly, not for us…
For dinner (6pm to 11pm), khao soi might appear as the opening act in their 9-course tasting menu (2,888 baht++), or later down the line, in miniature, in the restaurant’s main Khan-Toke spread. Do be warned that right now, khao soi isn’t a part of the tasting menu, so lunch is your best bet to try this inimitable version.
North’s Lampang-style khao soi stands apart for its innovative use of loads of smokey, anise-adjacent black cardamom instead of traditional curry powder, lending a distinctive piquancy to the dish that more closely resembles Yunnan versions of khao soi than its Chiang Mai counterparts.
Reservations are essential for dinner and recommended for lunch, particularly for the two private dining rooms which offer balcony views.
Website: north-restaurant.com
Address: 8 Sukhumvit 33 Alley, Khlong Tan Nuea, Watthana, Bangkok 10110, Thailand
Khao Soi Ni Kala, Thonburi
A relatively new addition to Bangkok’s Northern Thai scene, Khao Soi Ni Kala – not so far from both Krung Thonburi BTS and the always popular IBIS Riverside hotel – has quickly established itself as one of the city’s premier khao soi destinations. The usual chicken and beef versions are available here, and there’s a rare appearance for a pork variation, too. All are priced under 100 baht.
Beyond the signature khao soi, Khao Soi Ni Kala offers an impressive array of Northern Thai classics, including khanom jeen nam ngiao, nam prik noom, nam prik ong, hang lay curry, and an excellent naem (fermented pork) and egg stir-fry. What sets them apart is their dedication to traditional, ultra-savoury Northern flavour profile while maintaining consistency that’s hard to find outside Chiang Mai. Oh, and the house fruit juices are hard to beat on a hot Bangkok day…
We’ve always visited Khao Soi Ni Kala at lunch time, so can’t speak confidently about whether they’re open for dinner!
Address: 1345 Charoen Nakhon Soi 21
Khao Soi Lam Duan Fa Ham, ICONSIAM
A true piece of Northern Thai culinary history, Khao Soi Lam Duan Fa Ham traces its roots back to 1941 in Chiang Mai’s Fa Ham district, where the original restaurant still operates today. The Bangkok branches at Vipawadee-Rangsit and ICONSIAM are run by the founder’s daughter, maintaining the family’s exacting standards.
Their khao soi recipe has been perfected over 80 years. The broth is notably denser, spicier, and saltier than many other Bangkok versions, featuring a higher ratio of coconut cream and a specific masala spice blend that’s become their signature.
The Vipawadee-Rangsit location (open every day from 8:30am to 4pm) is quite some distance from the heart of the Bangkok action, close to Don Mueang airport, and maintains a more traditional vibe. The ICONSIAM outpost, open from roughly 10am to 10pm, is tight and compact, but efficient in its delivery. Both locations tend to fill up during lunch hours.
We’ve named Khao Soi Lam Duan as one of our favourite bowls of khao soi in Chiang Mai, and we’re equally as enamoured with the Bangkok versions.
Address: Icon, Khwaeng Khlong Ton Sai, Khet Khlong San, Krung Thep Maha Nakhon 10600, Thailand
Maan Muang, Sammakorn Village
Operating from a charming wooden house in Sammakorn Village, Maan Muang recreates the essence of Northern Thailand in Bangkok. Owner Anchalee Prommart’s family recipes have earned the restaurant consecutive years of Michelin recognition, with the khao soi being a particular highlight.
The wooden aesthetic and traditional Thai furniture create a faithfully rendered Northern atmosphere, complete with staff dressed in regional attire speaking in Northern dialect. They offer between 30-40 different curries daily, with a self-serve fresh vegetable station. Their khao soi can be ordered with extra crispy noodles for additional texture.
Open from 9am to 9pm every day, Maan Muang is located quite far from central Bangkok (about 45 minutes by taxi), but the journey is worth it for serious Northern Thai food enthusiasts. Prices are higher than typical Northern Thai establishments, but the quality justifies the cost.
Address: 165/7 ถนน รามคำแหง Saphan Sung, Bangkok 10240, Thailand
Krua Jiangmai, Thonglor
Founded by Chiang Mai native Chinnanan Sethachanan, Krua Jiangmai brings authentic Northern flavours to Thonglor. Starting as a delivery service during those challenging times of the turn of the decade, it’s now the area’s only dedicated Lanna cuisine establishment. Their beef khao soi (150 baht) features perfectly braised beef shank with an ideal ratio of meat to fat, swimming in a beautiful red curry broth.
Most ingredients are freshly sourced from the north, with sai ua and relishes made from scratch by Sethachanan’s family in Chiang Mai. The menu features rare Northern dishes like pork rib soup with chiang da, a Northern Thai vegetable known for its antioxidant properties. Prices are pocket-friendly by Thonglor standards.
Instagram: @kruajiangmai
Address: 125 24 Thong Lo, Khlong Tan Nuea, Watthana, Bangkok 10110, Thailand
Maze Dining, Phaya Thai
For those seeking a contemporary twist on this traditional dish, Maze Dining in Phaya Thai offers an innovative take under the guidance of chef Phattanat ‘May’ Thongthong, runner-up in Top Chef Thailand’s first season. Here, khao soi appears in their Northern tasting menu (2,900 baht++) as ravioli filled with a fully-flavoured Northern curry sauce. Though it’s only a couple of bites of a dish we prefer to dive deep into and metaphorically bathe in, they’re damn good bites, capturing the essence of the famous dish in an intriguing, thoughtful way.
The restaurant occupies a sleek space with an open-bar kitchen and counter seating, plus a private room upstairs seating 10. Lunch served 11:30am to 2:30pm, dinner 5:30pm to 10pm.
Instagram: @mazedining
Address: 114/3 Setsiri R, Samsen Nai, Phaya Thai, Bangkok 10400, Thailand
Hann Khao Soi, Phaya Thai
Nestled between BTS Ari and Saphan Kwai stations on a bustling Phaya Thai thoroughfare, Hann Khao Soi has carved out a reputation among office workers and students alike for its authentic northern Thai offerings. Their beef khao soi achieves an impressive depth of flavor, with a rich, umami-laden broth that eschews excessive creaminess in favor of complexity – though the beef itself could benefit from longer braising.
However, it’s their khanom jeen nam ngiao that emerges as the unforeseen star: a masterful composition of spicy, tomato-based broth ladled over perfectly fermented rice noodles that even outshines celebrated versions in Chiang Mai. The air-conditioned dining room provides a clean, comfortable setting for exploring their broader menu of northern specialties, including khao mok gai and khanom jeen gaeng gai, making it an ideal refuge for those seeking authentic Lanna flavors in the heart of Phaya Thai.
Address: 303 Saliratthawiphak Rd, Samsen Nai, Phaya Thai, Bangkok 10400, Thailand
Khao Soi Etiquette
- The best time to visit these spots is during lunch hours (11:30am-1:30pm) when the broth is freshly made and at its most flavourful. Once it’s boiled for too long, something’s most certainly lost – it becomes a little cloying and too thick.
- Essential condiments for customising your bowl: pickled mustard greens, shallots, lime wedges, and ground chilli paste.
- Many establishments close early, typically by late afternoon.
- Those wearing white shirts should be careful – the turmeric-rich curry broth can stain something rotten.
- Some venues offer ‘dry’ versions (khao soi haeng) which are worth trying for a different take on the classic.
Whether you’re a first-time visitor or a Bangkok resident, these establishments offer some of the finest khao soi experiences outside of Northern Thailand. From traditional recipes passed down through generations to modern interpretations that push culinary boundaries, Bangkok’s khao soi scene has something for every palate and price point.