This city has become a food destination, not just because of the incredible number of restaurants, but the sheer quality, originality and character of so many. Check some out.
Viking Jungle Burger
We were going to write about this out of town burger joint because they were selling crocodile burgers. But apparently that special is off the menu as of February. But, being dedicated foodies that we are (read: hungry), we went along anyway and found a casual, fun little restaurant and bar serving what surely must be the biggest burger in the city. The Gangster Burger (1,234 baht) uses 1 kg of ground beef, 10 cheese slices and 10 slices of ham, all (kinda) contained in a huuuuge bun. This is not something to order on a date, as we can’t imagine anyone looking pretty after digging into this monster.
Sadly, weren’t THAT hungry! So we went for a more regular sounding burger, the triple cheese mix bacon and onion which went down a treat with the hot wings. Apparently their T-bone steaks are also succulent and tasty, so that will be for our next visit. Wash it all down with some cold beers.
Open 10am – 9pm (Closed on Mondays)
125 Mae Hia Sub-District
Facebook: vikingsjungle
094 939 9929
Mercato Wine Bar & Eatery
This is a true gem of a bistro wine bar with a fantastic selection of new and old world wines starting very reasonably under 1,000 baht a bottle and including some very special bottles which can’t be found anywhere else in Chiang Mai. But while you are sipping a fine nectar, you can also order some seriously stunning Mediterranean dishes from their little open-aired kitchen. Start with a colourful and playful antipasto of chef’s selected best while nibbling on the Moroccan spiced puffed chick peas, or let the lightly-grilled but perfectly flavoured oysters slither down your throat, tickling it with a follow-up of bubbly. The moist falafel with tabouleh and yoghurt raita is highly recommended. And because each dish is petitely portioned, make sure you save room for the en pointe pumpkin risotto with shiitake mushrooms and the dry aged rib eye and frites. We can’t recommend this little find enough.
Open 11am – 11pm
B1 Floor Maya Lifestyle Shopping Centre
Huay Kaew Road
Facebook: Mercatowinebar
063 493 6415
Yentoufo Bar
Yentoufo is a well-known noodle dish in Thailand, its bright pink soup distinctive to any lover of noodles. The owner of Yentoufo Bar chanced upon a restaurant in Singapore selling yong tau foo which she immediately realised was a cousin of our own yentoufo. Impressed with the dish, she managed to get the recipe for the Singaporean sauce (less pink, less artificial!) and has returned to Chiang Mai with a great concept — the Yentoufo bar. Simply tick on a form indicating which five ingredients from a list of 20 you wish, and you can have your very own custom designed yentoufo for 60 baht a bowl. More? Well for only 5 baht a pop you can keep adding more and more toppings to your noodle dish. This is a fun way to eat noodles, especially one which traditionally comes with lumps of blood. Simply don’t tick the box if you aren’t into this bloody ingredient.
Open daily 11am – 8pm
15, Nimmanhaemin Road, Soi 17
Facebook: YentoufoBarNimman
053 211 818