Our Favourite Local Places to Eat in Yaowarat
Street food in Chinatown is one of the highlights of visiting Bangkok. In the evening, Yaowarat Road turns into a busy food street, packed with small carts, local restaurants, and smoky woks. Some stalls have been around for decades and are still run by the same families, cooking just one or two dishes the same way every night.
Weโve explored many of them over the yearsโfamous places like guay jub (peppery rolled rice noodle soup), grilled squid with seafood sauce, fresh oyster omelettes, pad Thai with prawns, mango sticky rice, and even simple Chinese doughnuts. Some are easy to spot with long queues, but others are hidden in backstreets or tucked behind old shophouses.
This page shares all the places weโve personally visited and tasted. Nothing here is sponsored or copied from other blogs. We try one restaurant at a time and add new names as we discover more, especially in the small lanes around Yaowarat and the night markets nearby.
Hagow Yaowarat
Hagow Yaowarat is a well-known restaurantย in the heart ofย Bangkokโs Chinatown. Its bright red LED lights and unique exterior make it stand out along Yaowarat Road. Whether youโre just passing through or searching for delicious dumplings or Chinese food, this place certainly attracts you.
Cuisine: Chinese
Phone: 063 956 2752
Hours: 8 am โ 10:30 pm
Price: Reasonable
Map: Click Here
Ba Hao Tian Mi
Ba Hao Tian Mi is a tiny little dessert bar tucked inside Soi Nana, just off Yaowarat Road. Youโd probably walk right past it if you didnโt know what it looked like. The exterior exudes a low-key, cosy vibe with warm lighting and vintage Chinese decor. We dropped in after dinner one night, mostly out of curiosity because weโd heard people rave about their desserts. And yeah, now we get it.
Cuisine: Thai/Chinese Dessert
Phone: 097 995 4543
Hours: 10 am โ 10 pm
Price: Moderate
Map: Click Here
Nai Ek Roll Noodle
Michelin Restaurant |
Nai Ek Roll Noodle (เธฃเนเธฒเธเธเธฒเธขเนเธญเธ เธเนเธงเธขเธเธฑเนเธเธเนเธณเนเธช) is a small but very popular restaurant on Yaowarat Road, in the heart of Bangkokโs Chinatown. It started as a simple food cart in the 1960s and moved into a permanent shop in 1989. Since then, it has become one of the busiest places to eat, attracting locals and tourists. The restaurant received the Michelin Bib Gourmand award in 2018 and 2019.
Cuisine: Thai/Chinese
Phone: 02 226 4651
Hours: 8 am โ 12:30 am
Price: Cheap
Map: Click Here
Lek Seafood
Lek Seafood (Lek & Rut) is one of those iconic places in Bangkokโs Chinatown that many travellers remember long after their trip. Itโs loud, itโs busy, and it feels slightly chaoticโbut thatโs what makes it special. Sitting right at the corner of Yaowarat Road and Phadung Dao (also called Soi Texas), this street seafood spot has been attracting locals and tourists for years with its fresh seafood and fast-paced service.
Cuisine: Thai Seafood
Phone: 086 514 5328
Hours: 3 pm โ 2 am
Price: Reasonable
Map: Click Here
Tanbo Chicken Rice
Tanbo Chicken Rice is a small and humble restaurant right on Yaowarat Road in Bangkok Chinatown, next to the famous Hua Seng Hong. Itโs easy to miss, but locals and visitors line up for their chicken rice, especially in the evenings.
Cuisine: Chicken Rice
Phone: 065 058 5505
Hours: 7 am โ 11 pm
Price: Cheap
Map: Click Here
Krua Porn La Mai
Right in the middle of Bangkokโs Chinatown, Krua Porn La Mai is one of those places everyone seems to know โ and yeah, itโs popular for a reason. Theyโve got three branches just along Yaowarat Road: an open-air spot for that classic street-side buzz, a quick street stall if youโre on the go, and an A/C one if you want to chill out and escape the heat. Same menu, just different vibes.
Cuisine: Thai/Chinese
Phone: 099 249 5414
Hours: 11 am โ 2 am
Price: Cheap
Map: Click Here
Lim Lao Ngow Fishball Noodle
Michelin Restaurant |
Lim Lao Ngow is one of our favourite street food stops in Bangkokโs Chinatown, and even though itโs not right on the main Yaowarat Road, itโs just a short 150-metre walk into a small side street. Itโs easy to miss if you donโt know itโs there, but the Michelin Bib Gourmand sign hanging out front is a good clue โ theyโve held the title for nine years in a row.
Cuisine: Noodles
Phone: 081 640 4750
Hours: 4:30 pm โ 9 pm
Price: Cheap
Map: Click Here