Khao Soi Khun Yai

Khao Soi Khun Yai, Grandma's Khao Soi, is a small stall on Soi Sri Poom 8 in the northern part of the Old City, off Sri Poom Road just inside the moat. It sits between Wat Rajamontean and Wat Khuan Khama, and the entrance looks like a driveway into temple grounds, so it is easy to miss if you are walking from the east. It has been serving the same simple menu from the same spot for many years and is regularly named among the best places in the city for khao soi.

The menu is short. Khao soi gai comes with chicken and khao soi moo with pork. If you want something more local and lighter, try khanom jeen nam ngiao, a Shan-style rice noodle soup with a tart pork-based broth, cherry tomatoes, bean sprouts and cubes of blood jelly. Many regulars come back to try both on different days.

This is a breakfast and lunch place, open from late morning until early afternoon, Monday to Saturday, and closed on Sundays. Food can run out early, sometimes by around 13:00, so it is best to arrive close to opening.

The stall suits budget travellers, solo diners and anyone looking for a low-key local meal rather than a restaurant experience. Keep expectations simple: this is about the food, not the setting. There is no booking.

Because it is inside the moat, Khao Soi Khun Yai is easy to reach on foot from most Old City guesthouses, and it makes a good first stop on a morning of temple visits. Wat Chiang Man and Wat Chedi Luang are both inside the Old City and within walking distance.

Combine your visit with a morning walk along the northern moat or a visit to the Old City temples, so you arrive hungry before the stall runs out. If you are travelling with someone, order both the khao soi and the khanom jeen nam ngiao and share them, which is the easiest way to compare two classic northern noodle dishes in one sitting. Look out for the Wat Rajamontean and Wat Khuan Khama temples as landmarks.