Several Thai street food eateries earn spots on 2023 Michelin Guide list

Thailand’s culinary scene is making waves. It was announced yesterday that 189 street food eateries across the kingdom have made it to the 2023 Michelin Guide’s Bib Gourmand list.

Out of the 189 restaurants and eateries that made it to the list, 84 were street food eateries, and 105 were restaurants.

Michelin Guide’s international director, Gwendal Poullennec, said the high proportion of street food eateries on the list reflects Thailand’s “quintessential culinary scene as an ultimate street food haven for budget-savvy diners.”

Poullennec noted that street food provides a “cultural adventure” into Thailand’s culinary tradition, on top of an authentic Thai eating experience. She added that the recent Bib Gourmand selection would help boost Thailand’s gastro-tourism, particularly in the northeast region, to which Michelin has just expanded its coverage this year.

82 of the selected restaurants and eateries are located in Bangkok and its surrounding provinces.

Another 33 restaurants and eateries are located in Thailand’s northeast region. This includes 11 in Khon Kaen, nine in Nakhon Ratchasima, seven in Udon Thani, and six in Ubon Ratchathani.

27 restaurants and eateries are located in Chiang Mai, 23 are in Phuket, and 11 are in Phang Nga.

Michelin’s Bib Gourmand list recognises restaurants and street food eateries for offering high-quality food at budget-friendly prices of no more than 1,000 baht — for a three-course meal, exclusive of beverage.

Thailand’s dining scene has been making headlines this year. In July, a restaurant in Bangkok was ranked 39th in the World’s 50 Best Restaurants 2022. The restaurant, Sorn, has won two Michelin stars. A hotspot for fine dining, Sorn serves traditional southern Thai cuisine.

Sorn focuses on serving old recipes that have been lost in the modern age. It also has a focus on “local culinary wisdom” and ingredients are sustainably sourced from a trusted network of farmers and fishermen.

Last year, UNESCO named the central province of Petchaburi a Creative City of Gastronomy. The city continues to draw income from food tourism and locally produced ingredients.

The dish that originally put Petchaburi on UNESCO’s map is toddy palm curry, in Thai known as Gaeng Kua Hua Tan. A local woman who makes it uses a traditional recipe with fresh galangal, finger roots, lemongrass and red chillies mixed with coconut milk.

Thailand’s culinary landscape is preserving the country’s heritage, and promoting Thailand to the world.