Bangkok: Dream City or Urban Jungle?

Thailand’s capital leaves no one unmoved. You either love the “City of Angels” or hate it. With its many high-rises, this global metropolis is steadily losing its distinctive character and the charm of old “Siam” to the sameness of modern architecture. But beyond the palaces and temples, there are still plenty of places amid the traffic that have preserved the charm of the old kingdom.

Street Food: A Culinary Adventure

Bangkok is the street food capital of the world. And rightly so! Street food culture dates back to the 1960s, when the city was bursting at the seams. Many people could no longer go home for a meal between errands, so they bought something from a street stall instead. The dishes are all familiar to ordinary Thai people from their home cooking.

Street food hubs have sprung up all over the city. They’re usually on side streets off major roads such as Sukhumvit, Yaowarat and Petchaburi Road. Street food vendors have spread out so much, however, that they often completely block the sidewalks. Since 2017, the city administration has tried to clear street food vendors from many roads. The reasons given include hygiene concerns and the unchecked spread of food stalls on sidewalks. Street food is now supposed to be allowed only on selected streets (such as Yaowarat), under strict controls. Clearly, though, this also means losing a considerable part of the charm and culture of street food as a neighborhood dining experience.

There are plenty of guides to the various street food streets, as well as guides to specific dishes and special stalls. For example:

Streets of Food: Best Street Food in Bangkok

Top 16 Bangkok Street Food Sanctuaries by Mark Wiens, who I consider Thailand’s best food blogger!

List of street food dishes offered by Sethlui.com

Bangkok street food map, where you can find the exact locations.

Richard Barrow, perhaps Thailand’s most important blogger, tested street food for 100 days every year and tweeted his findings! Great!

Explore Bangkok by bicycle or e-scooter

This is possible now, too. Years ago, I started exploring the city on guided bike tours. To start with: the routes you ride are safe! And you'll see Bangkok through different eyes. It takes less effort to duck down an apparently uninteresting side street, only to discover historical treasures.

There are now some really good e-scooter tours, too. There are even rental stations!