Cheap restaurants and dining options near Khao San Road in Bangkok
Khao San Road - within the world's backpackers' community, this street is renowned for being the center of all happenings and entertainment. This well-known area is probably the largest backpacker hub in Southeast Asia. After dusk, crowds of thousands of party lovers flow through this street without stopping. In contrast with young teenagers looking only for loud decibels, cheap Beer Chang, and seeking some attention from the opposite sex, even ordinary tourists and travelers are thrilled to visit this zone as well. Generally speaking, the area surrounding Khao San Rd is mainly focused on foreign tourists and offers a wide range of services and tourist infrastructure. Here you will find all types of accommodation, hostels, travel agencies, restaurants and night bars with loud live music.
Thanks to the massive invasion of tourists and seemingly high prices, it may seem a bit difficult at first to find a nice and cheap restaurant right on Khao San (or close by).
After a daylong Bangkok sightseeing marathon, you have finally come back to the hotel and would welcome helpful tips on where to eat well and inexpensively near Khao San Road?
Restaurant One
Just a stone's throw away from the eastern entrance to Khao San Rd, look for a simple, but cozy canteen Restaurant One - Vegetarian Restaurant and Thai Food (map) in one of the nearby narrow alleys (Thanon Tanao). The lovely and energetic lady owner together with her friends are in charge of the business. They will bring you a thick menu with a great meal selection to choose from: American breakfast (85 THB), vegetarian meals, pasta, Thai and Chinese cuisine, etc. You can finish off your lunch with Chang beer (85-90 THB), ice tea (20 THB) or fruit shake (30-40 THB).
Due to low prices compared to the pricey competition, Restaurant One is unbeatable. The quality and price level ranges somewhere around the level of communist Czech milk bars. Sure, small servings are likely to be insufficient for a grown man, but you can ask for two meals instead. The price of meals starts at about 45 THB and does not usually exceed 60-70 THB (2.20 USD).
Garlic Pork, 60 THB
Mix Pad Thai with bamboo sprouts and peanut crumble, 60 THB -same price as at street stalls, the quality is noticeably higher
Pork Sweet & Sour, 60 THB
Vegetable soup with coconut milk and rice noodles, 45 THB
Pork curry with kale, 60 THB
Rice dough roll filled with vegetables, sprinkled with crushed peanuts and topped with soy sauce, 70 THB
Street stalls
At night, along Khao San Rd, you might have troubles to choose from a variety of deliciously looking street food. The offer is extensive: Pad Thai (vegetarian, chicken, pork, shrimp, 45-60 THB), grilled corn (20 THB), wraps (50 THB), grilled chicken (half for THB 60, map) all kinds of skewers (vegetables from 12 THB, chicken around 20 THB per piece), grilled meats (pork steak 150 g for 70 THB), soups (40 THB), various traditional dishes such as braised pork hock on rice and vegetables (40 THB ).
Beef soup with mixed dumplings and rice noodles, 40 THB, stand selling soup and braised pork hock here
Hong Kong Noodle House
If you feel like discovering the true flavors of exquisite Chinese cuisine served in Hong Kong Noodle, you will definitely want to come here. The 10-minute walk from Khao San Rd is definitely worth the effort. That you arrived, you know by seeing hanging cooked ducks displayed right in the window at the main entrance. Don't be misled by the outside appearance, the interior of the restaurant is modernly furnished, and the premises are clean. Of all the canteens, stalls and restaurants around Khao San, we enjoyed Hong Kong Noodle the most. The flavors are authentic, the food is delicious, and the prices are just a little bit above average. They serve soups, duck, noodles, dumplings, rolls, desserts. Take a look at the goodies on the menu!
Wontons Soup with Duck - set menu, 41 THB
Roasted Duck and BBQ Pork over rice, 109 THB
Pork Dumplings, 45 THB
Supermarket 7-eleven
For low-cost travelers counting every dollar, I have a solution. Eventually, you might not be as much limited by finances, as you are simply looking for alternatives and 7-eleven supermarkets are a good choice. There are 3 stores on Khao San and run nonstop. The selection is limited, however, offers a bit of everything, e.g., cheap breakfast, snack or dinner.
Buy a filtered coffee (12 THB), drink (1.5 l water 6,5 THB, 1.5 l cola for 12.5 THB, yogurt drink 22-36 THB), ice cream, toast - sandwich (THB 13 - 25, they can warm it up for you), hot sausages, burgers (30 THB), sweets, packed meals of different kinds (from THB 40, warm upon request). All this for a few bucks (web )!
Burger King
Hamburgers and menus are not cheap at Burger King in Bangkok. We also enjoyed a deal combo of Sundae (19 THB) and freshly brewed coffee (29 THB) for a quick snack. Discover discounts and offers right here.
Quick Bites
If you happen to get cravings for something small during the night on Khao San, you won't have troubles to get something very authentic at the local street stalls - something very Asian. Try it! I will not reveal how it tastes, let yourself be surprised!