Chiang Mai List 2026

A short list of places worth your time in Chiang Mai, created to help you explore and enjoy the magic of the city. Well-known favorites and hidden gems, gathered by people who love Chiang Mai and care about quality.

🧋Coffee

Chiang Mai has a vibrant coffee scene and is a great place for coffee lovers. There are many great cafés in the city, and this list offers a selection of world-class roasters and beautiful cafés.

☕️ Great coffee

Places focused on high-quality coffee, creative drinks, and coffee culture.

Zeit Roaster

📍 Near the River and Old Town

A great spot for serious coffee lovers, focused on specialty beans and precise brewing methods. The atmosphere is welcoming, with a clear focus on the coffee itself and the culture behind it.

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Roast8ry Lab

📍Nimman

A local Chiang Mai coffee brand with three cafés in Nimman, known for high-quality specialty coffee. Roast8ry Lab has a lively, almost bar-like atmosphere and a wide range of unique coffee drinks, including creative signatures.

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Ministry of Roasters

📍Between Old Town & the River

A modern, well-designed café focused on specialty coffee and unique flavours. A great place to enjoy high-quality coffee while discovering different beans, brewing methods, and the culture behind it.

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📸 Beautiful cafés

Cafés with beautiful design, unique atmosphere, and special places to sit and relax.

The Baristro at Ping River

📍 Riverside, ~10 min drive from Old Town & Nimman

A beautifully designed café by the Ping River, with a large outdoor area overlooking the water. The stylish building and relaxed seating areas make it a great place to enjoy the view.

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No.39 Cafe

📍10–15 min drive from Old Town & Nimman

A uniquely designed café built around a small man-made lake surrounded by trees. With wooden decks by the water, it’s also a popular Instagram spot for fans of this kind of setting.

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Fernpresso at Lake

📍About 15–20 minute drive from Old Town & Nimman

A spacious café set by a lake, with wide open views of the water and a clean, modern design. A great place to sit by the lake and enjoy the open surroundings.

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Khum Cafe

📍Old Town

A charming café set in a beautifully maintained garden beside an impressive historic building. The greenery and traditional architecture create a calm and lovely setting to enjoy coffee.

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Early Owls

📍 5–10 minute drive north of Old Town

A spacious café set in a wooden house with a large green garden and plenty of outdoor seating. A popular spot for good coffee and brunch, and a lovely place to sit outside on a nice day.

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Fern Forest Cafe

📍Old Town

A café with a lush green garden and a beautiful European-style building. Sitting here surrounded by trees and greenery is a lovely way to enjoy coffee with breakfast or something sweet.

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🍛 Thai Food

Chiang Mai offers a wide variety of Thai food, from Northern specialties to dishes from across the country. This list includes a mix of classic dishes and more creative options, all carefully selected to suit an international taste.

Always Thaifood

📍Old Town

 A local Thai restaurant with a large menu of classic dishes, from curries to fried rice and tom yum. Highly recommend trying some of their more creative curries, like pineapple or young coconut curry.

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Chef O Restaurant

📍Near Nimman (Jet Yod)

 A spacious Thai restaurant with a large menu of well-made classic dishes, from curries and stir-fries to fresh seafood. The menu also includes a wide variety of som tum and a few creative Thai dishes.

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It’s Good Kitchen

📍Old Town

A small and popular Thai restaurant in the Old City serving a wide variety of well-made classic dishes, from curries to stir-fries and soups. The food is simple, flavorful, and consistently good.

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Khao Soi Mae Sai

📍 Santitham (Old Town ↔ Nimman)

No list of Chiang Mai food would be complete without khao soi, the legendary noodle curry of Northern Thailand. This small local spot is famous for serving one of the best versions in the city.

 

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Grilled Chicken Nimman Soi 11

📍Nimman

A popular local spot in Nimman known for its delicious grilled chicken and classic Isaan dishes. You will often recognize it by the smell of chicken grilling over charcoal and the small line outside.

 

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Saiyut & Doctor Sai Kitchen

📍15–20 min drive from Old Town and Nimman​

This special restaurant feels like a step back into classic Thai dining from another era. The beautifully crafted dishes are well made, fairly priced, and offer one of the most unique Thai dining experiences in Chiang Mai.

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🍷Dinner

This list brings together some of the best dinner spots in Chiang Mai that balance a good evening atmosphere with well-made food, not too simple and not too fancy, just places that feel right for a good night out.

Sai Ping

📍Riverside, close to the Old Town

No dinner list in Chiang Mai would be complete without a riverside spot, and this is one of the favorites thanks to its beautiful lighting and lively atmosphere by the water. It serves classic Thai dishes with live music in a vibrant evening setting.

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Shine On

📍Between Old Town and Nimman

A Mediterranean restaurant and bar serving creative and unique dishes with a Thai twist in a warm evening atmosphere. A great place for dinner that often turns into a full evening with music, drinks, and a lively social vibe. Recommended to try the pinchos or the fish kebab.

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Maadae Slow Fish Kitchen

📍Between Old Town & the River

A seafood restaurant known for creative dishes made with fresh fish and bold Thai flavors. Set in a charming open passage, it also offers a good wine selection and Thai craft beer. The pomelo and fish spicy salad is highly recommended.

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Sushi Umai

📍Nimman

A local sushi chain known for high-quality ingredients, excellent service, and skilled sushi chefs. A good choice for a Japanese dinner, with the Holland Maki especially recommended.

 

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Dash

📍Old Town

A Thai restaurant with a modern local atmosphere and a large menu of classic dishes, from curries to fresh salads. Set in a beautiful wooden house with outdoor seating, it’s a great place for a relaxed Thai dinner.

 

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🥗 Vegan & Vegetarian

This list focuses on vegan and vegetarian places with great flavors and creative dishes, from Thai to international, places that feel good to visit even if you’re not vegan.

Reform Kafé

📍Old Town

A modern vegan restaurant with creative, well-made dishes and a relaxed atmosphere. The menu mixes Western and Thai-inspired plates, from smoothie bowls and fresh salads to burgers and pasta.

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Hummus

📍Between Old Town & the River

A Middle Eastern vegetarian restaurant known for excellent hummus and well-prepared dishes in a relaxed setting. The menu includes classic hummus plates, pita sandwiches, fresh salads, and a few creative options, all made with quality ingredients.

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Kinphak Cafe

📍 Santitham (Old Town ↔ Nimman)​

A vegan restaurant serving a wide range of Thai dishes in a simple setting. The menu includes both classic and creative options, including vegan khao soi and many plant-based versions of local favorites. Fast and friendly service.

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Aum Vegetarian Restaurant

📍About 5 minutes south of Old Town

A relaxed vegetarian restaurant with a cozy, alternative atmosphere, offering both floor seating and regular tables. The menu is large and varied, with a focus on Thai dishes in vegetarian versions.

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Anchan Vegetarian Restaurant

📍Nimman

A vegetarian restaurant serving mainly Thai dishes in a simple and pleasant setting. The menu focuses on curries, stir-fries, and local favorites, all made in vegetarian versions. The Indian yellow curry is highly recommended.

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Payod Shan Food

📍 Just north of Old Town

A vegetarian and vegan spot serving both classic and creative dishes in a casual, local setting. The menu is inspired by Shan cuisine from Myanmar, with noodles, salads, and regional flavors you

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🎂 Dessert

This list focuses on dessert spots, including local chocolate made with Thai cacao, as well as high-quality homemade pastries and sweets.

KanVela Craft Chocolate

📍Nimman

A local craft chocolate shop with a few branches in Chiang Mai, known for making chocolate from Thai cacao. The display of colorful pralines is the highlight, with many flavors to choose from and a clean, precise look. The chocolate drinks are also worth trying.

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Saruda Finest Pastry

📍Nimman

 A really unique local pastry shop with a few branches in Chiang Mai, known for its beautiful individual cakes. The desserts are the highlight, with changing designs that look like small pieces of art and taste just as good.

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Petit Jardin

📍Between Old Town & the River

A café and bistro with a selection of desserts in a beautiful European-style setting. A nice place to stop during the day for something sweet. The desserts are well made and nicely presented, and the macarons are especially worth trying.

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🎟️ Markets

This list includes some of the best markets, from food spots to places with local goods, handmade items, and crafts. The city is known for its art, creativity, and strong tradition of handmade work.

Night Bazaar

📍Between Old Town & the River

A large night market and a typical tourist market, with a mix of souvenirs, clothing, and stalls. It’s a lively place to walk around in the evening, with several food areas nearby, including PHAPLOEN Market.

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One Nimman

📍Nimman

A modern shopping complex with unique shops, craft stalls, and frequent events from the late afternoon into the evening. It has a central courtyard with cafés and small market-style areas, creating a lively and social atmosphere. There is also a small weekend market nearby (White Market).

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Baan Kang Wat

📍10–15 min drive from Old Town & Nimman

A small and peaceful artist village with a collection of handmade shops, local crafts, and cozy cafés. It’s a great place to walk around slowly, explore unique items, and enjoy a quiet and creative atmosphere. Best visited during the day.

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🏰 Weekend Markets

Jing Jai Market

📍5–10 minute drive from Old Town ​

A large and popular weekend market with a great atmosphere, offering local food, handmade products, second-hand items, a farmers market, jewelry, and a wide variety of goods. A great place to walk, try different dishes, shop, and enjoy a lively yet relaxed vibe. Best visited on Saturday or Sunday until the afternoon.

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Sunday Market

📍Old Town

A large and lively market in the Old City every Sunday afternoon and evening. It focuses mostly on handmade products and local crafts, with street performances along the way. It can get crowded, as it’s one of the most popular markets in Chiang Mai.

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Saturday Market

📍 South of Old Town

A Saturday night market (Wua Lai Walking Street) known for souvenirs, crafts, and clothing. You’ll also find food stalls. It’s also worth visiting Wat Sri Suphan (the Silver Temple) nearby, which looks especially beautiful in the evening.

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💡About this list

We’re a group of locals and expats who love Chiang Mai and feel connected to the city.
We created this list to help others explore and enjoy its unique charm.

No paid promotions. Just places worth knowing in Chiang Mai.

We hope you enjoy it and fall in love with the city, just like we did. 💛🙏🏼

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