Chiang Mai dining is a major attraction by itself; Chiang Mai probably has a great assortment of restaurants only comparable with Bangkok, the choices for dining in the city are endless as the number of restaurants in the city is just amazing.

In Chiang Mai one has the change to sample other cuisines such as Northern Thai, Lanna, Thai, South East Asian, French, German, Japanese, Western, Chinese, British, Japanese as well as some fusion cuisines. The northern Thai cuisine draws heavily on influences from Burma, India and China giving as a result fantastic flavors ready to satisfy the most refined palate.

There is a good selection of different restaurants scattered throughout the city, most of them are tourist-oriented, ready to offer the best of facilities and service to their visitors. Beware of some guesthouses that serve a typical menu of western food with pseudo-Thai dishes. If you want taste the authentic Northern Thai Cuisine, you must search the places frequented by Thais.

The food is superb and cheap in Chiang Mai; many restaurants offer a unique atmosphere in elegant and tranquil settings; in fact, some of the restaurants are better than their Bangkok counterparts. The area between Tha Phae Gate and the Ping River has a high concentration as well as the night market area located just west of Chiang Mai. Another good option for delicious and inexpensive food are the Food Courts, where you can find various stalls and carts serving noodles, seafood, curries and other dishes, they are found in the two main shopping malls at the Central Airport Plaza at Kad Suan Kaew shopping center.

A major attraction of the restaurants in Chiang Mai is the �Khan Toke Dinner�, that requires that the customers to get seated on the floor around a small round table having several small Northern Thai dishes, the people use their hands instead of spoons to pick up food while watching the traditional Thai and Northern dances along with hill tribe performances. Khan Toke dinner is the best time to get to know about both the northern culture and food.

In Chiang Mai most dishes are spicy in taste, the most popular is Khao soi, this dish is made with yellow wheat noodles, sometimes like linguine, served in a hearty curry with either chicken or beef. There are many shops selling only Khao soi. Another local Thai specialties are pork curry casserole with ginger, peanuts banana palm curry, sticky rice, chili paste with minced pork and tomatoes and spicy salads (referred as Yam).

Chiang Mai loves the night, you will find small bars perfect for a quiet drink, Irish pubs, college bars, reggae bars, and discotheques, nightclubs and cabarets. Most bars and pubs are located along Loi Kroh Road and Moon Muang Road. Chiang Mai pubs are populated by a mix of travelers, university students, businessmen and expatriates that makes a wonderful mixed scene

Chanchao's Chiang Mai Food Reviews provide exhaustive information about the culinary scene in and around Chiang Mai.

Next a very short list of options:

Brick Road Caf�
Address: Ratchadamneon Road
Telephone: +66 (53) 272 012

Kantoke Palace
Address: 288/19 Chiangklan Road, Chiang Mai. 50100
Telephone: +66 (53) 272 757, +66 (53) 204 790-1

The Riverside Bar & Restaurant Address: 9-11 Charoen Raj Road, Chiang Mai 50000
Telephone: +66 (53) 243 239, +66 (53) 246 323

The Good View
Address: 13 Charoen Raj Road, Watgate, Muang, Chiang Mai 50000
Telephone: +66 (53) 302 764, +66 (53) 241 866

Huen Phen is an authentic northern Thai restaurant serving local Cuisine.
Address: 112 Ratchamangkha Road, Chiang Mai 50200
Telephone: +66 (53) 277 103

Khun Churn is a Thai vegetarian restaurant, open 09:30 to 14:30 and 17:30 to 22:00
Address: 120/2 Nimmanhemin Road, Soi 7
Telephone: +66 (53) 224 124

The Dukes has excellent American style dishes and desserts.
Address: Along the river near The Thailand Tourist Authority
Telephone: +66 (53) 249 231

Alois Bavarian Restaurant
Address: 103 Phapokklao Road Soi 8, Prasingh Muang, Chiang Mai 50200
Telephone: +66 (53) 278 515

Arcobaleno Italian Restaurant
Address: 60 Infront of Watket Temple, A.Muang Chiang Mai 50000
Telephone: +66 (53) 306 254

Le Coq d'Or has excellent atmosphere, food, and service.
Address: 11 Soi 2 Koh Klang Road, Nong Hoi, Amphur Muang Chiang Mai 50000
Telephone: +66 (53) 282 024, +66 (53) 801 501

The Fillmore East
Address: 529 Charoenrat Road, Wat Gate, Chiang Mai 50000
Telephone: +66 (53) 262 418

Le Grand Lanna Garden Restaurant is the most opulent traditional Thai restaurant
Address: 51/4 Chiang Mai-Sankampaeng Rd, Chiang Mai
Telephone: +66 (53) 262 569

Old Chiang Mai Cultural Center is the first commercial Khantoke Dinner in Chiang Mai.
Address: 185/3 Wualai Road, T.Hayya, Muang District Chiang Mai 50100
Telephone: +66 (53) 202 993-5

Fuji is a good Japanese restaurant at reasonable prices.
Address: 1st branch Central Airport Plaza, 2nd branch Panthip Plaza
Telephone: +66 (53) 202 684

Sakae Sushi serves mainly sushi as the name implies.
Address: Unit No. G.02/2, Kad Suan Kaew Shopping Centre, Huay Kaew Road Tumbol Suthep, Amphur Muang Chiang Mai 50200
Telephone: +66 (53) 894 497

Genki Ramen and Japanese Food
Address: 49/3-4 Nimmanhaemin Road, T.Suthep, A.Muang, Chiang Mai 50200
Telephone: +66 (53) 220 820

Tuskers is a bar and restaurant with high standards of service.
Address: Chaiyaphum, Soi 1, Chiang Mai
Telephone: +66 871 804 665

The Pub has great selection of food and drinks.
Address: 189 Huay Kaew Road (near Amiri Rincome Hotel), Chiang Mai 50200
Telephone: +66 (53) 211 550

Half Moon Pub has excellent music and friendly atmosphere.
Address: Moonmuang, Soi 2 (around the corner from Top North Guesthouse), Chiang Mai
Telephone: +66 871 805 143

The Garden has a beautiful garden, great food and well stocked bar.
Address: 139, Ratchadamnoen, T.Pra Singh, A Muang, Chiang Mai, 50200
Telephone: +66 (53) 277 129