Last updated on March 18th, 2024 at 03:55 pm

Where to Stay in Bangkok – A Guide for Foodies – Huai Khwang

This is a guide for all the die-hard foodies looking for delicious local Thai eats in Bangkok. It is a recommended read for anyone familiar with traveling around Bangkok. If this is your first visit to Bangkok check you’ll find this blog post more helpful.

Nevertheless, if you already know the ins and outs of Bangkok. And confident enough to travel around and explore on your own, read on!

I wish I could tell you that there’s only one area of Bangkok where you can find great local Thai food. I’m not talking about Thai food made for foreign tourists and priced for foreign tourists.

I will point you to areas in Bangkok with amazing, authentic Thai foods where you’ll be eating shoulder-to-shoulder with the locals. It’ll be an authentic Thai eating experience.

On top of that, you’ll find out where to stay in Bangkok near all the best local eats!

There is a simple answer to the simple question of “Where to find the best local eats?”

You go where the locals go!

Huay Khwang – Popular Local Neighborhood in Bangkok

It can’t get any more local than this. Huay Khwang is a district, located just north of central Bangkok. There are two MRT subway stations in this location:

1. Thailand Cultural Centre MRT
2. Huai Khwang MRT

Thailand Cultural Centre and Huai Khwang station are the next stop from each other. It is a super popular local area with many shopping centers such as the Street Ratchada which is partially open 24 hours with cafes and supermarkets. Around late evenings a night market appears outside the Street Ratchada’s parking lot.

And you can check out the newly renovated Big C shopping center and pick up some Thai snacks. There is also an updated food court and fast food restaurants serving a wide variety of Thai foods and snacks.

To take advantage of the convenience of this location I recommend Prom Ratchada Hotel. It’s right behind the Big C shopping center. A standard room costs about 1300THB a night, which is an excellent value for the location.

And many local Thai hawkers stand where food is delicious and affordable!

One popular Thai restaurant I can highly recommend is Zabb One Restaurant. I’ve been eating there for nearly 15 years. And back then it was just a dark humble shack. They mainly serve Issan food, a region in northeast Thailand.

Today, they’ve expanded their current location so there’s more space for customers to dine comfortably. Matter of fact they’ve become so popular they’ve even opened another location. It is only 600 meters on the opposite side of the Ratchadpisek Road called Zabb One Soi 5, here’s the location.

I like salty foods so for me Somtom with salted egg (ส้มตำไข่เค็ม) is my go to choice for that spicy papaya salad Thailand is famous for. And of course, some grilled pork collar (คอหมูย่าง) and grilled chicken (ไก่ย่าง) with sticky rice round out the meal.

I also highly recommend catfish with green mango salad (ยำปลาดุกฟู) and Tom Saap (ต้มแซบ) another version of Thai hot and spicy soup usually with pork but beef is also an option.

Zabb One Ratchada is popular, especially with the lunch and dinner crowd. I recommend going in before lunchtime and after lunchtime, if you want to eat comfortably. Because it gets busy as it is a very popular local som tam restaurant.

Another Great Huai Khwang Spot for Local Thai Food

A little further up north closer, to Huai Khwang MRT station is another area I recommend for local Thai food in Bangkok.

There’s a street called Pracharat Bamphen Road located east of the Huai Khwang junction, with Huai Khwang MRT station entry/exit #1 leading right to the road. This often congested 600-meter-long narrow road is home to Bangkok’s new Chinatown.

Bangkok’s Second Chinatown

This is an area where a small wave of Chinese immigrants gradually settled. Operating restaurants and other businesses catering to Chinese tourists.

You will see the signage of this road spelled Pracha Rat Bamphen Road. However, the word “Rat” alone might be off-putting.

This is why I rather stick with the spelling Pracharat Bamphen Road because it’s the way Google Maps has it spelled. And I don’t want to cause any confusion.

In this area, I recommend walking down to Soi 9 and there are a few places I think you will like. It is as local as it will ever get. You might see a few curious foreigners here and there.

Trust me, this place is strictly the local’s favorite spot to pick up a quick meal box.

And these shops don’t have names or signage. You will not find them on Google Maps.

That’s because they open early in the morning. And sell out by the afternoon. You won’t even know they were there as everything they brought is gone. Poof like magic.

And you won’t see them again until early next morning.

Look for Pracharat Bamphen Soi 9

Right at the entrance of Pracharat Bamphen Soi 9, in the morning you will find my favorite takeaway food hotspot!

Yes, only takeaway. There are no tables and chairs. But you can eat on the street in Thailand that sort of behavior is not frowned upon.

Or you can take it back to your hotel. I will recommend a few close to this area below.

Many locals living in this area come here for food. Mainly Thai office workers pick up a quick breakfast to eat at the office.

You will see customers standing in line and some even on their motorbikes ordering several boxes for takeaway.

They’ve got two dozen Thai classic food choices for you to pick from. Thai curries, Thai stir-fries, and stuff maybe you’ve never seen before.

I mean there’s stuff I’ve never seen before here either. But that’s the fun thing. You can eat here every single day without getting bored.

Cooked for Locals, Priced for Locals

You gotta give them credit for keeping food prices affordable. It’s not easy to cook up this quantity of food. Thai cooking requires lots of ingredients. They must be working from early morning to prep and cook these foods. While you are still dreaming comfortably in your bed.

• 1 Choice 30 THB
• 2 Choice 30 THB
• 3 Choice 40 THB

Some clarification for the 2 choices it’s still 30 Baht, they’ll just portion out appropriately. And if you want a bigger box with more portions they charge 40 – 50 Baht extra.

At the current exchange rate, 30 Baht is just under $1 US Dollar.

Everything is served on top of rice in a takeaway box. Bear in mind they do not cook everything on the spot. All of the foods are cooked in a separate location and transported to their location. Which means the food won’t be piping hot.

You can always bring it back to your hotel and ask them to reheat it.

I’ve tried at least 6 to 8 of their dishes. My favorite is their Thai-style fried chicken with cashew nuts. And be sure to try their fried boiled egg in tamarind sauce, it’s delish!

I recommend their Chicken Massaman and Green Curry Chicken. Two classic powerhouse Thai dishes and they cook it just right.

Thai Fried Donuts

Who doesn’t like donuts?! A fine donut made on a street corner is a beautiful thing in the morning!

Patongo (ปาท่องโก๋) are Thai-style fried donuts locals line up for and enjoy for breakfast. And there are two styles of these puffy delectable treats.

The version that looks like two sticks stuck together is the most common. You will see small containers of coconut pandan custard (สังขยาใบเตย) or a simple sweetened condensed milk for dipping the fried donuts sold separately. Each container costs 10 Baht.

If you plan on buying coconut pandan custard remember to consume it quickly. Coconut milk spoils easily.

Don’t Forget to Try Salapao

This vendor also fries up fresh Salapao (ซาลาเปา) which is a different version of patongo. The outside has a sweet taste with a soft, airy inside and crunchy inside. Not too overly sweet, though enough that it goes terrific with some black coffee with no sugar. Which is how I like my coffee.

I prefer salapao because it reminds me of the classic Italian zeppole! Just without the powdered sugar.

Each piece is only 3 Baht!

In Southeast Asia, when you see fried donuts like these, usually hot soy milk is sold beside it; this is because both are enjoyed together as breakfast.

Asians love to dip these fried goodies into soy milk.

Where to Stay Around Pracharat Bamphen Soi 9

CMYK Hotel is a newly renovated hotel on Pracharat Bamphen Soi 5. Only a 300-meter walk to Pratcharat Bamphen Soi 9 and a 250-meter walk to Huai Khwang MRT subway station.

CMYK rooms are on the small side, around 20 square meters. The upside is the room rates are affordable at around 1000 – 1300 Baht per night. You can read reviews and find discounts for CMYK Hotel on Agoda.com.

There are many other hawker stands and small Thai and Chinese-owned restaurants to explore here. And I just mentioned a few of my favorites that are not listed on Google Maps.

Here are a few local eats I like to recommend, that you can find on Google Maps

Por Charoenchai – Thai Chicken and Rice

One of my favorite chicken and rice shops open 24 hours, Por Charoenchai is again, super popular with locals in this section of Huay Khwang.

Their tasty boiled chicken is tender and they make a good fried chicken. I like to order both over chicken broth-soaked ginger-infused hot rice. And their house ginger, garlic, and chili sauce is on point.

Danchai Chinese Steam Bun

Fluffy steamed buns stuffed with delectable delights are a staple in Asia. I like to recommend this little shop on a corner right next to patongo hawker stand I mentioned on the corner of Pracharat Bamphen Soi 9.

This is a very old-school Chinese bakery. And the folks that make their fine buns look like they’ve been around forever. That’s why they are very well known in this neighborhood for steamed buns filled with sweetened black bean paste, minced pork with salted egg, red pork with salted egg, and sweetened cream bun.

One steamed bun costs 30 Baht, which sounds pricey. However, I think the price is justified because it’s handmade. And these folks producing these buns are elderly so let them charge what they want.

Get Out There, Explore, and Eat!

There are other places that I recommend on this post. But I covered the places that are hard to find when you don’t know where to look.

Check out these recommended places to eat in Bangkok yourself and have fun.

Eventually, as I find more places to eat in Pracharat Bamphen Road I will update this post. So I hope you can make it out here one day.

Whether it’s good or bad, I’d like to hear about your experience by commenting below 🙏