Chiang Mai Food Markets: 5 Popular Spots to Eat

If I live in Chiang Mai (which I kinda do now), I honestly don’t see why I’d ever need to cook. You’re spoiled with food options here, across all kinds of cuisines and price ranges. Sure, every few metres you can find a decent Thai restaurant, but while most of them are good, I find eating at the markets much more interesting because you can try a little bit of many different things in one place.

Here are five popular food markets in Chiang Mai I keep coming back to.

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Chiang Mai Walking Street

This is probably the biggest market in Chiang Mai, held every Sunday. It stretches from Tha Pae Gate all the way to Wat Phra Singh – if you walk the whole route, it’s around 1 km long. Most vendors sell handcrafted items, clothes, and souvenirs, but you’ll also find lively food markets inside the courtyards of two temples along the way. Once your tummy is full, you can browse the shops or surrender to the joy of a foot massage which you can find right outside the temples – like….a whole street of pop up foot massage chairs.

🍜 Food and drink highlights: chicken and pork skewers, grilled oyster mushrooms, pad thai, longan juice
💵 Prices: 10 – 150 baht
⏰ Opening time: Every Sunday, 4pm – late
📍 Location: Chiang Mai Old Town – walk from Tha Pae Gate
🚽 Toilet: At the temple entrances (bring a 5-baht coin)

Chiang Mai Walking Street, image credit: Destino Chiang Mai

Lanna Square

Still in the Old City area, there’s this outdoor food court – a good starting point for beginners, hehe. Why beginners? Because it’s more geared towards tourists; prices are slightly higher, and the food selection is more international, not just Thai. You’ll find everything from Japanese dishes and Western comfort food like beef brisket and loaded fries, to ice cream. There’s even Burmese cuisine I’ve never tried before. There’s also live music on the front stage, which adds a nice atmosphere. It’s usually busy, but in a comfortable way – not too hectic and not overly loud. It does get a bit quieter when the Chiang Mai Walking Street market is on.

🍜 Food and drink highlights: prawn pad see ew from Thai Taste, black sesame mochi, chicken satay
💵 Prices: 60 – 300 baht
⏰ Opening time: Every day, 5pm – midnight
📍 Location: Chiang Mai Old Town – 5 Ratvithi Rd Lane 1
🚽 Toilet: At the entrance of the market (bring a 5-baht coin)

A busy night at Lanna Square, Image credit: Lanna Square Facebook page

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Kalare Night Bazaar

Every time I come here or bring friends along, I have one very important mission: to eat the crispy pork belly from this stall right in the centre of the market. There are plenty of other tasty options too, but from what I’ve observed, many people come here for the seafood feast. It can get quite busy around dinner time and seating is limited, but if you’re patient and keep an eye out, you’ll eventually find a table. The market is part of the Night Bazaar, so it’s also a great area to wander around and do a bit of shopping afterwards. And in case this helps with planning, there are a few five-star hotels nearby, including Marriott and Mövenpick.

🍜 Food and drink highlights: crispy pork belly, chicken and pork gyoza, pad see ew, fruit smoothies
💵 Prices: 50 – 250 baht
⏰ Opening time: Every day, 5pm – midnight
📍 Location: 2 Changklan Rd, Chang Khlan Sub-district
🚽 Toilet: Inside the market (bring a 5-baht coin)

The lively ambiance at Kalare Night Bazaar

One Nimman Street Food Market

This market is located in an open-air shopping space called One Nimman. They have a backyard area that regularly turns into markets and events; from vintage markets and wine festivals to flower festivals. On weekends, it usually hosts a street food market. If you’re going with friends or a group, I like how convenient the place is: some people can sit and eat in the market area, while others can explore the food stalls first and then grab coffee at one of the cafés afterwards.

🍜 Food and drink highlights: steamed buns, pizza, gyoza, Thai tea
💵 Prices: 50 – 200 baht
⏰ Opening time: Friday – Sunday, 3pm – 10pm
📍 Location: 1 Nimmanhemin Road, Suthep, Mueang Chiang Mai
🚽 Toilet: Within the shopping centre

There’s also live entertainment at One Nimman Street Food Market

Coconut Market

Just when you think you’ve already been to all the food markets in Chiang Mai, there’s the Coconut Market. At first, I assumed everything there would be coconut-based (which I don’t really like – ironic, I know). But it turns out it’s just a regular market, though yes, coconuts and coconut ice cream do make their expected appearances. I think the name simply comes from the setting: an open field surrounded by coconut trees.

🍜 Food and drink highlights: tom yum noodles, som tum salad, grilled chicken, watermelon slushies
💵 Prices: 20 – 100 baht
⏰ Opening time: Saturday & Sunday, 8am – 3pm
📍 Location: 94 Soi Ban Tong 2 Mu 3, Fa Ha, Chiang Mai
🚽 Toilet: Inside the market

The relaxed weekend vibe at Coconut Market

Food markets are honestly one of the best ways to experience Chiang Mai. They’re lively, affordable, and full of little discoveries – whether it’s a new snack you’ve never tried before or a stall you keep coming back to for that one dish you can’t stop thinking about. If you’re visiting the city, try to explore at least one or two of these markets. Hope you find this information useful, and thank you for reading! 🙂