10 Best Restaurants in Chiang Mai, Thailand

Founder Lee Ayu Chuepa studied the art of roasting and brewing coffee in Italy, then brought his know-how back to his home village on the outskirts of Chiang Mai, where he grows organic coffee. The vibe is casual, with a few seats to hang out and enjoy your beverage. There is a B500 minimum charge for credit cards.

This airy shophouse-turned-café, art gallery, and boutique is the kind of warm homey space that makes you want to linger. The selection of pastries and cake are enticing, and the barista makes excellent coffee. The boutique carries coffee, honey, chocolate, local textiles, and ceramics with an emphasis on local community enterprises. Exhibitions in the upstairs gallery, featuring the works of contemporary Thai artists, change every few months.

This 50-year-old Lanna restaurant—opened by the late Kanong Yawikham, who cooked in his Thai boxing school before starting Daokanong—has tasty Northern Thai dishes for very reasonable prices. Try nam prik pla jee (spicy grilled fish dip served with steamed local vegetables) to explore new flavors.

In a beautiful, traditional, two-story teak house with a balcony overlooking a garden, Dash is one of the Old Town's best midrange restaurants. Guests receive a warm welcome from the Thai mother-son team, who returned to Thailand to open the restaurant after living for many years in the United States. Expect generous servings of classic Thai food from across the country. The khao soi (chicken curry noodle soup), gaeng hang lay (pork curry), and other Lanna specialties stand out. Those not in the mood for Thai can avail themselves of pasta and burgers.

A maverick in the area, this air-conditioned restaurant run by a German specializes in beer sausages, as well as cheese and cold cut platters. The restaurant also serves Greek salad, Norwegian smoked salmon, and tenderloin tournedos from Australia. The vibe is always homey, with brick walls, bamboo chairs, and timber galore. Whether you sit inside or outside, the place fills up in the evenings.

Tucked away in a corner of a former businessman's mansion, this small open-sided restaurant specializes in inexpensive curry dishes from India and Burma, with some creamy yellow khao soi noodle soups as well. Daily specials, accompanied by two varieties of rice or a selection of Indian breads like pillowy naan, are written on a blackboard. The tiny terrace overlooks the grounds of the mansion, whose present owners run the restaurant.

Owned by a Thai-Aussie couple, this cool little café in the Thapae Gate area serves excellent coffee sourced from local roasters, along with hearty breakfasts and healthy Aussie-style sandwiches and salads made with organic ingredients. The breakfast pizza paired with an iced coconut espresso is a treat for those up early with jet lag. There are always several vegetarian and gluten-free options. The café closes at 3:30 pm but occasionally reopens in the evenings for special events such as craft-beer, cocktail, or wine tastings.

There's also a branch on Nimmanhaemin Rd.

The dining menu at this tranquil teahouse is fairly short, with light breakfast bites, curries, and sandwiches, but the cool interior of this exquisitely restored century-old Chinese merchant's house is a wonderful respite from the bustle of the city. It doubles as a showroom of fine celadon pottery and has an adjoining courtyard, with a shop selling Lanna fabric and the pottery used in the restaurant. There are indigo dyeing, textile weaving, and ceramic painting workshops available here, too.

This light-filled haven with indoor and outdoor seating offers a long sprawling menu of breakfast dishes, salads, and sandwiches. For a mouthwatering treat, try the Noam's Special, which consists of grilled veggies, roast chicken, fried spinach, avocado, and rice. Just as tasty as the food are the fresh fruit smoothies and coffee. An abundance of plants and colorful Chinese lanterns add to the peaceful atmosphere, perfect for people-watching on the terrace.