Thai food is one of the most incredible cuisines on the planet. Eating Indian food every day while you're in Thailand is a little bit like going to Paris and spending your evenings at a McDonald's.
We recently did 8 days across Bangkok, Krabi, and Phuket โ and food was honestly one of the highlights. Here's everything we learned.
๐ซ Why Indian Restaurants in Thailand Are a Trap
Indian restaurants exist in almost every tourist area โ Ao Nang, Patong Beach, Khao San Road. And yes, they serve familiar food. But they charge significantly more than local Thai restaurants for the same quality (sometimes worse).
| Meal | Thai Restaurant | Indian Restaurant |
|---|---|---|
| Meal for two | 150โ250 THB | 600โ900 THB+ |
| Authenticity | โ Real deal | โ ๏ธ Often adapted |
| Value for money | Excellent | Poor |
๐ช 7-Eleven: The Real MVP of Eating in Thailand
7-Eleven stores in Thailand are nothing like what you're imagining from India. They're everywhere โ every 500 metres to 1 km in Bangkok โ and they stock surprisingly good, fresh, affordable food throughout the day.
๐ช What We Ate at 7-Eleven
Breakfast for two people: ~100 THB (โน240)
๐ Thai Street Food: What to Try
๐ Night Markets: Don't Miss These
- ๐ค Shrimp rolls โ fresh, light, excellent
- ๐ Full fish barbeque โ one of the best meals of the trip
- ๐ฅค Fresh juices and street snacks
- Small, manageable crowd โ great for sitting and people-watching
- ๐ Grilled seafood โ BBQ fish here is excellent
- ๐ฅญ Mango smoothies โ an absolute must
- ๐๏ธ Fashion stalls alongside food stalls
- Various Thai snacks and desserts
๐ฅ For Vegetarians: Navigating Thai Food
- Learn to say "Jay" (เนเธ) โ the Thai word for vegan/pure vegetarian. Saying this to vendors gets you dishes made without any fish-based sauces.
- Look for "Jay" signs โ some stalls and restaurants specifically cater to Jay eating and display it clearly on signboards.
- 7-Eleven is safe โ items are labelled clearly. Check for pork in sandwiches, but everything else is generally fine.
- Fruits are always safe โ Thailand has incredible fresh fruit. Mangoes, dragon fruit, rambutan, fresh coconuts are available everywhere and always vegetarian.
- Indian restaurants as last resort โ if you genuinely can't find vegetarian Thai food in a particular area, this is when they make sense.
๐ฐ Full Food Budget Guide
| Meal / Item | Cost (THB) | In โน (approx) |
|---|---|---|
| ๐ช 7-Eleven breakfast (2 people) | 100 THB | โน240 |
| ๐ฅฃ Greek yogurt + muesli | 20 THB | โน48 |
| ๐ฅค Fresh smoothie | 50โ60 THB | โน120โ145 |
| ๐ Pad Thai (local restaurant) | 80โ120 THB | โน190โ290 |
| ๐ฒ Tom Yum soup (serves 2) | 150โ200 THB | โน360โ480 |
| ๐ Grilled fish at night market | 150โ250 THB | โน360โ600 |
| ๐ฅญ Mango smoothie (street) | 50โ60 THB | โน120โ145 |
| ๐ Indian restaurant meal | 400โ900 THB | โน960โ2,160 |
| Daily food budget (couple) | ~400โ500 THB | โน800โ1,200/day |
The best meals of our trip weren't at restaurants with English menus and tourist photos on the wall. They were at a small local seafood place in Ao Nang with plastic chairs and a handwritten menu. At a 7-Eleven at 8 AM with coffee and a sweet potato bun. At the Patong Night Market, watching a whole fish get basted and handed to us wrapped in paper.
Stop looking for the familiar. Go find the real thing. It's right there on every street corner. ๐