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What to eat in Northeastern Thailand? Top 5 Northeastern Thai Foods

Last update: Sun Feb 16 2025
Top 5 Northeastern Thai Foods
TABLE OF CONTENTS

Best Northeastern Thai Foods

01

Chicken Dish

NORTHEASTERN THAILAND, Thailand
4.5
Kai yang
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Kai yang is a poultry dish made by grilling or barbecuing a whole, marinated chicken. Although the dish has origins with the Lao people of northeastern Thailand, today it is extremely popular and commonly eaten throughout the country. The chicken is typically paired with sticky white rice, dipping sauces (sweet sauce in the Central region, sour sauce in the Northeast), and a vegetable salad called som tam.


It can be found at numerous street stalls all over Thailand. Kai yang differentiates itself from other grilled chicken dishes by its marinade, which is made from numerous ingredients such as soy sauce, ginger, white pepper, fish sauce, vinegar, hoisin sauce, and herbs such as cilantro, lemongrass, and garlic. 

MOST ICONIC Kai yang

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02

Sausage

NORTHEASTERN THAILAND, Thailand
4.0
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Sai krok Isan is a fermented sausage from the Isan region. It is made with a mixture of ground pork meat and fat, combined with garlic, sticky rice, salt, and pepper in a natural encasing. The sausage is then allowed to dry and ferment for several hours or sometimes even for up to 2-3 days in a blazing hot sun, a method that provides this sausage with its unique sourness.


Salty with a hint of sourness, these flavorful sausages are usually grilled or fried and served alongside raw chilis, fresh ginger slices, garlic, and fresh vegetables. Thais consume them for breakfast or buy them from local street carts as delicious snacks that are grilled on a stick and consumed on the go.

MOST ICONIC Sai krok Isan

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03

Salad

NORTHEASTERN THAILAND, Thailand
3.0
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Mu nam tok is a traditional grilled pork salad originating from the northeastern parts of the country. The salad is usually made with a combination of glutinous rice, pork, oil, shallots, mint, scallions, coriander, cabbage, and extra herbs. The pork is marinated in a mixture of sugar, fish sauce, and black pepper before it's grilled and thinly sliced.


The ingredients are tossed together, and the salad is then dressed with a combination of fish sauce, sugar, chili flakes, and lime juice.

04

Beef Dish

NORTHEASTERN THAILAND, Thailand
n/a
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Also known as the crying tiger, this classic Thai dish consists of grilled slices of spicy marinated beef brisket that is served sided with sticky rice. The dish is typically accompanied with a spicy dipping sauce made with Thai chilis, garlic, fish sauce, lime juice, coriander seeds, and cane sugar.


Suea hong hai is traditionally associated with northeastern Thai regions, and it is best enjoyed hot off the grill.

05

Shrimp/Prawn Dish

NORTHEASTERN THAILAND, Thailand
n/a
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Goong ten, also known as "dancing shrimp", is a traditional and adventurous street food specialty from Northern Thailand.


It features small, live freshwater shrimp as its main ingredient, typically sourced from freshwater. The dish includes a mix of fresh herbs such as cilantro, mint, and lemongrass, along with Thai chili peppers for heat. Lime juice adds a tangy flavor, while fish sauce provides a salty, umami taste. 

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Northeastern Thai Food