“ It was genuinely a surreal, beautiful, intimate, and delicious experience.”
— Jeremy, 2026
01 Food tours
Original food tours, curated with our local tastemakers to showcase the neighbourhood kitchens, markets and family-run eateries that define Chiang Mai.
Lanna Kingdom
Chiang Mai
Eat Chiang Mai at lunchtime — khao soi, sai ua and nam prik ong.
Northern Flavours
Chiang Mai
Discover northern Thai — khao soi, sai ua herbal sausage and sticky rice from bamboo.
02 Meet the tastemakers
The local food experts who help us research, refine and lead every A Chef's Tour.
Khao soi curry noodles crowned with crispy shallots, sai ua herbal sausage, nam prik ong tomato dip, sticky rice from bamboo baskets. Northern Thai cooks with more ferment and less chilli than Bangkok.
04 The pantry
- Nam prik, table chilli pastes that anchor every northern meal
- Sticky rice, glutinous grain steamed in bamboo baskets
- Sai ua, herbal Chiang Mai sausage packed with lemongrass and galangal
- Makhwaen, prickly-ash berries that give northern curries their citrus lift
- Thua nao, fermented soybean discs used like miso in the hills
05 In the kitchen
- Grilling meats and river fish over long banana-leaf smoke
- Fermenting soybeans into thua nao discs for the pantry
- Pounding nam prik from grilled shallots, garlic and chillies
- Simmering khao soi curry broth with hand-cracked spices
- Serving rice from woven baskets to be eaten by hand
06 Eat this first
- Khao soi, curry noodles crowned with crispy shallots and pickled mustard greens
- Sai ua, herbal sausage grilled over charcoal
- Nam prik ong, tomato and pork dip eaten with raw vegetables
- Kanom jeen nam ngiaw, rice noodles in a rich pork and tomato broth
- Gaeng hang lay, slow-braised Burmese-influenced pork belly curry
What happens inside a hammam kitchen
A morning with the cooks who feed the neighbourhood before dawn. Charcoal, dough, the smell of a bakery working its second oven.
09 Recipes
A collection of authentic recipes we couldn't leave behind.
A thick potato-and-egg omelette sandwiched inside soft roti or crusty bread with chili sauce. Bangkok's Muslim-quarter breakfast snack.
Butterflied chicken marinated in garlic, coriander root, fish sauce and palm sugar, then grilled hard over charcoal. Isaan's roadside classic, served with sticky rice.
Clear beef broth over rice noodles with slow-braised beef shin, meatballs, bean sprouts and fresh coriander. Bangkok's iconic noodle lunch.
A pile of shaved ice drenched in sweetened coconut cream, topped with a customer-chosen selection of jelly, tapioca pearls, sweetened beans and jackfruit. Bangkok's summertime cooler.
Soft rice paper rolls filled with lettuce, coriander, cooked prawn, glass noodles and sweet Chinese sausage, dipped in a tangy plum-tamarind sauce. Bangkok's lightest starter.
Fresh corn kernels pounded with garlic, chili, palm sugar and lime instead of green papaya — a modern Bangkok variation of the classical som tum.
10 Field Notes
Quick field notes to help you get accustomed to Chiang Mai.
Weather
Cooler than the south year-round. The November–February dry season is pleasant (20–28°C), March–April is hot and smoky (crop burning), and June–October is warm and wet.
Currency
The Thai baht (THB). Cash for markets, tuk-tuks, and street food; cards in restaurants and cafés. ATMs are common in the old town.
Language
Thai is universal. Northern Thai (kham mueang) is heard among older locals. English works well in the old town and Nimman.
Etiquette
Cover shoulders and knees in temples; the same rules as elsewhere in Thailand. The old-town temples are active. Be quiet and respectful during ceremonies.
Getting around
The old town is compact and walkable. Songthaews (red shared trucks) cover the wider city cheaply. Grab works, renting a scooter is common but only if you're licensed and confident.
Prayer
Deeply Buddhist. Over 300 temples in the city. Monks collect alms at dawn, and Doi Suthep on the hill is the spiritual heart. Dress modestly for temple visits.