Chiang Mai's restaurants offer a wide range of food, second only to Bangkok. Naturally it's a good place to sample northern Thai food: in particular, hunt down some khao soi, yellow wheat noodles in curry broth with chicken or beef. For those tired of eating rice or noodles there's also a wide range of excellent western food restaurant in Chiang Mai, from cheap hamburger stands to elaborate Italian eateries.

Dress Code: You are in a tropical country so daytime wear of shorts, T-shirt, etc. is quite OK; however you'll earn bonus points if you look clean and tidy. Thai people (even the poorest) take pride in personal cleanliness and appearance (look at school kids and college students) so the "unkempt" style of some visitors is not appreciated. In the evenings long trousers (dress or skirt for ladies) with a neat shirt/blouse, shoes with socks for men and nice shoes for women (no flip-flops) are a must if you wish to enter a nice restaurant and get a good seat. The nicer you dress the better the table and service. If not you might get a table next to the bathroom, in a corner away from the view or in front of a loud music speaker.

Chanchao's Chiang Mai Food Review is a good source of information on the fast-changing culinary scene, though it has not been updated for some time.

Budjet

Thai:

• Anusarn Market, Chang Khlan Road (same side of road as "Galare Food Centre" but much further up beyond Loi Kroh crossroad towards Sri Dornchai) is a busy outdoor night market with lots of little Thai restaurants and food vendors. Great atmosphere and cheap. Galare Food Centre, Chang Khlan Road (opposite the Night Bazaar Building), has a large open-air food court, featuring free Thai classical dance performances nightly. All food is paid for with coupons; most mains 20-50 baht. Kuaytiaw Reua Koliang, Moon Muang Road (near Ratchamankha Road; no English sign) serves authentic kuaytiow reua (literally "boat noodles", rice noodles in dark broth with beef). It's good stuff anyway at 25 baht a pop.
  
  
• Re-Feel Cafe, 48/4-5 Rachavithi Road offers great (cheap) Thai food, good atmosphere, friendly staff and free billiards.
  
  
• Khan Khantoke Restaurant
  This is a restaurant where tourists eat but the locals bring their foreign friends because it showcases real Chiang Mai art and momuments. It has a man made moat for the Khantukes (which means the floats).
  
  There are women carving traditional melon bowls and khantukes which I was told was what young Thai youngsters learn in school.
  
  Would go at least 15 minutes early to just wander around.
  
  The traditional singing and dancing show at the end is also great.
  
  
• Krua Phech Doi Ngam Restaurant
  This is a good example of a restaurant that only locals go to. Their menus are only in Thai so I would just tell them to go ahead and give you a taste of some of their best dishes. Have a concierge at the hotel or a local write these instructions for you as the people at the restaurant definitely did not seem to speak any English.
  
  
• The GoodView Bar and Restaurant
  This is a nice hang out for travelers and locals. There's a live band playing Rock music and Top 40. The Thai singers were great and we could tell had a lot of practice at Karaoke. They could almost be contestants on the show, Rockstar INXS. The female bartenders come and "shake the drinks" for you if you order a cocktail drink. But it's not a meat-market and families can even go (at least that's what it seems like to me).
  
  
• Palaad Tawanron
  Directions: Top of Suthep Road behind Chiang Mai University, entrance via rear gate to Chiang Mai.
  Great food and great view. It serves local food but designed for tourists (so it's clean, the menus are in English, and it's sanitary) the best of all worlds.
  The views of Chiang Mai are also great.
  
  
  

Western:

• Mike's Hamburger Stand, on the corner of Chaiyapoom Road and Chang Moi Road (along the east side of the moat) and on Nimmanhaemin Road (across from Soi 11) are brightly-lit, "old-school" joints - just stools and a counter in an open shop. Real good hamburgers for 60 baht, excellent onion rings. If you're tired of rice and noodles this is nice place to stop for lunch while walking around town, and an even better place to fill your stomach on the way home from the bars. Bacon, or ham and egg sandwiches on the breakfast menu. Open 09:00-15:00.