Chiang Mai is a foodie heaven boasting some of the country’s finest restaurants, including David’s Kitchen, the very best in Asia according to TripAdvisor, and a dazzling array of affordable international options. But it is in the lively food markets dotted throughout Chiang Mai where the city’s food culture really comes alive.

The Night Bazaar remains the most famous shopping and dining area in Chiang Mai and is the spot to head to if you want to experience Thai food while enjoying people watching. The Night Bazaar is a sprawling collection of indoor and outdoor markets with separate sections solely devoted to food stalls, offering a tantalizing selection of gorgeous meals. This area provides visitors with a cultural insight into the country and is the perfect place to fill a few hours browsing the stalls and savoring the mix of aromas that follow you around.

One of the newer additions to Chiang Mai’s Night Bazaar is Ploen Ruedee Night Market, a vibrant area home to stalls from some of the city’s best street food innovators. This market has tons of local delicacies such as Khao Soi, a chicken noodle curry that is a staple dish across the north of Thailand, as well as juicy burgers, fresh sushi and decadent desserts to make it the city’s trendiest culinary market. Seafood is popular here as well, with several stalls devoted to serving up the finest crabs, prawns and salted fish you’ll find. Ploen Ruedee is also a popular place to enjoy a drink from one of the many cocktail and beer bars that flank the market, with live music performed most nights from some of Chiang Mai’s hottest bands, sure to get the crowd dancing. If your stomach is rumbling later on then treat yourself to a Sweet Thai Crepe, delicious sweet finger food straight off the grill and usually filled with a refreshing meringue.

At the weekend, the Saturday and Sunday Walking Markets are not to be missed. These markets are hugely popular with locals and visitors alike and an entire evening can be spend to wandering the 1km long market and the surrounding streets while picking traditional Thai snacks along the way.

The Night Bazaar and walking streets may be the most popular spots among visitors to sample traditional Thai favorites and international street food, but there are plenty of other markets to explore with authentic tasty treats.

The night markets at Chiang Mai Gate and Chang Puak Gate are located at opposite sides of Chiang Mai’s historic walled old town. Both markets are home to a huge selection of stalls and plenty of seating, overlooked by the atmospheric city walls. Both offer plenty of options for those used to Thai cuisine, those wanting to try staples such as Pad Thai for the very first time or to discover regional delicacies such as Khanom Jeen Nam Ngiao, a northern spicy noodle soup.

For any visitors who wish to experience more traditional food markets around Chiang Mai there are several options where you’ll be sitting alongside the locals in the know, sampling the freshest and tastiest food the city has to offer. The night market outside Kad Suan Kaew shopping center is open each Thursday, Friday and Saturday evening and is just a few minutes’ walk from Furama hotel. This market is a real favorite with locals with a focus on preparing simply yet delicious local food such as fried fish or Pak Krapow Gai, a spicy chicken dish cooked in Thai basil and lots of chilies and best accompanied with a fried egg on top!

Just outside Chiang Mai University on Suthep Road, a few minutes from the trendy Nimman area home to a huge variety of cafes, restaurants, bars and boutique shops, lies one of Chiang Mai’s hidden gems. The night market that sets up each evening outside the university gates is one of the most authentic food markets in the city and you won’t see many visitors here, just the occasional expat wandering down for dinner from their condo nearby. The stalls here are packed with university students and workers on their way home, eagerly tucking into their favorite Thai dishes. This market offers some of the cheapest street food in the whole city, with one of the most popular options being the stalls specializing in BBQ, where you can select whichever succulent meat, fish or vegetable kebabs take your fancy before they are grilled in a variety of sauces and brought to your table.

Once you have had your fill of grilled kebabs, make sure to cleanse your palate with a traditional dessert of mango sticky rice that is sure to get your senses tingling.

Thailand is home to some of the finest cuisine in the world and locals are incredibly proud of the reputation of the country’s delicious street food. Chiang Mai is home to a huge array of options for visitors who wish to head off the beaten track and discover their new favorite meal in one of the city’s vibrant and exciting food markets.