Kiti Panit

Kiti Panit occupies one of the older buildings on Tha Phae Road, a short walk east of Tha Phae Gate. The owners have turned their great-great-grandparents' mansion, built in the 1880s, into a restaurant serving traditional Lanna cuisine with a modern touch, and the restaurant also goes by the name Kiti Panit General Store. It is included in the 2026 MICHELIN Guide Thailand.

The menu focuses on northern Thai cooking. The MICHELIN inspectors single out the hang le curry, an intense and complex northern curry, and its pork version, hang le mu, which is rich and best eaten with plenty of rice. A grilled chicken salad with coriander and a stir-fry of beef with prickly ash, described as spicy, aromatic and very tender, are other recommendations. Ordering several dishes to share is the best approach, as it would be at a family meal.

The setting is a large part of the appeal. Eating in a building of this age, rather than a modern shophouse, gives a sense of Chiang Mai's merchant history, and the restaurant is comfortable, with air conditioning and card payment. It suits couples, families and small groups who want a sit-down introduction to Lanna food at a mid-range price.

Kiti Panit is open Wednesday to Monday and closed on Tuesdays. Lunch runs from 11:30 to 15:00 and dinner from 17:00 to 22:00, with last orders at 21:30. The restaurant manages its own reservations, so book directly by phone or email for dinner, particularly at weekends or for larger groups. Pets are allowed only in the outdoor area.

Because it is on Tha Phae Road, Kiti Panit is easy to fit around sightseeing. Tha Phae Gate and the Old City temples are a short walk to the west, and the Night Bazaar on Chang Khlan Road is close enough for an after-dinner wander. On Sundays you can eat here before the Sunday Walking Street gets going at the gate.

Ask staff to recommend dishes based on how much spice you can handle, and order rice to go with the curries. Leave time before or after the meal to look at the building itself.