Viewdoi 艺术度假村

This spacious restaurant balances scale with efficiency, accommodating 200 diners in the air-conditioned room, VIP room and out on the terrace. Locals and visitors flock here for home-style Northern Thai food, cooked to order and piping hot. Highlights include stir-fried termite mushrooms with aromatic herbs, and the fresh and flavoursome saep pork rib. The wooden Lanna-inspired structure has character, making this a welcoming spot for families and groups.

Established in 1977 and a local favourite at Thongkam Market, this spot offers tasty and affordable khanom chin (fresh rice vermicelli) with various curries. Try the nam lo, a mix of spicy pork and chicken curry sauces. If noodles aren’t your thing, swap them for rice. Not only are the street food dishes here delicious, but they’re great value too – especially when you consider that side vegetables are unlimited.

For decades, this spot has been drawing in loyal fans with its tue ka ko – crispy deep-fried taro with sweet chilli sauce and peanuts. Light, fresh and never greasy, each batch is made to order. The fried tofu is also worth trying. Open only until they sell out, so come early.

Located opposite Wat Ket Karam, this humble gem of a shop specialises in khao kriap pak mo – steamed rice dumplings with a truly generous drizzle of fresh coconut milk – and neatly wrapped tapioca dumplings brimming with sweet and savoury pork and peanut.

A 10-minute drive is all it takes to escape the city for heartening Italian food, surrounded by plenty of greenery. Despite its industrial design, it’s a casual setting with an expansive view of the garden. The pizza dough, gnocchi and fettucine are all homemade. The squid fettuccine has an enlivening ponzu dressing; and the baked snow fish in a buttery fish broth beats all expectations with large, slow-cooked pieces that are meltingly soft in a sweet, homemade broth.

This charming wooden building down a narrow alley has been serving delicious lap for years. The spicy minced buffalo meat and zesty cooked minced pork are sure to impress. With surprisingly affordable prices, this is a gem worth seeking out.

A recent addition to downtown Chiang Mai's dining scene, this vegetarian eatery channels the spirit of Mae Tang. In a charming 100-year-old Colonial Lanna house, green walls and cotton flags make for a serene and calming space. The veteran chef brings Buddhist philosophy to a deep understanding of ingredients, crafting MSG- free dishes that are rich in natural umami. Don't miss the pad thai with banana-flour noodles – tender, saucy and truly one of a kind.