Ran Lab Sanam Keela (ร้านลาบสนามกีฬา) is one of the most locally popular restaurants in Chiang Rai.
When you arrive, youll probably notice a traffic jam of trucks parking in the grass outside the restaurant and everyone is there to get some of the best food in Chiang Rai.
The restaurant is well known throughout the city for their local northern food, especially their meat filled dishes. I enjoyed everything we ate, and was particularly excited with the jeen neung (จิ้นนึ่ง), steamed beef, the tasty tom sab moo (ต้มแซ่บหมู), and their take on pla tabtim tod kratiem (ปลาทับทิมทอดกระเทียม) OK everything was delicious.
All I can say, is that if you love food, when youre in Chiang Rai, you dont want to miss a meat filled meal (or a few) at Ran Lab Sanam Keela (ร้านลาบสนามกีฬา).
Ran Lab Sanam Keela (ร้านลาบสนามกีฬา)
Address: 123 Moo 22, Tambon Robwiang, Amphoe Mueang Chiang Rai
Phone: 087-173-2498 , 080-134-7877
Open hours: 10 am 9 pm daily
Prices: Our total bill came to about 500 THB, which considering the amount of meat we ate, was a pretty decent deal. Restaurants in Chiang Rai are generally a very good deal for what you get.
ที่อยู่ 123 หมู่22 ตำบลรอบเวียง อำเภอเมืองเชียงราย เชียงราย
โทร. 087-173-2498 , 080-134-7877
เปิดบริการทุกวัน 10.00 21.00 น.
//www.eatingthaifood.com/2014/10/chiang-rai-restaurant-lab-sanam-keela/
Lee O Cha
You can tell that this restaurant serves traditional Chinese cuisine by the red lanterns hanging in the front. The owner, not a Chiang Rai native, was a chef in Bangkok, before relocating to Chiang Rai over 30 years ago to open his own restaurant. Serving a whole range of Chinese fare, from simple rice porridges with side dishes to a full-on Chinese banquet menu, this casual eatery is a favourite among local diners and out-of-town visitors, as it has garnered quite a reputation across town. Try the signature dishes, including crispy whole chicken, steamed freshwater goby in soy sauce and Chinese-style seafood hotpot.
- Opening Hours: 06:00 22:00
- Location: Banpaprakan Road, immediately west of Clock Tower
- Cuisine: Chinese
- Price Range: Budget-Affordable
Phu Lae
Brightly lit and easy to spot from the street, this casual eatery is popular among local diners. The interiors are loosely decked out in natural teakwood tones, with splashes of red from the wall and paper lamps. It serves an eclectic selection of northern, western, central Thai and seafood dishes, from northern-style curries and local beef steaks (pon yang kham) to deep-fried German pork knuckle and herb-infused New Zealand mussels. The atmosphere is laid-back and informal, with soft music in the background.
- Opening Hours: 11:00 23:00 daily
- Location: Thanalai Road, opposite PDA Chiang Rai
- Tel: +66 (0)53 600 500
- Cuisine: Northern and central Thai
- Price Range: Affordable
Baan Chivit Mai
This lovely café-bakery is part of a charity founded by Swedish missionaries, in an effort to provide vocational training to ethnic hill-tribe children as well as to help support their social welfare (Baan Chivit Mai means Home for New Lives). The warmly lit interiors look inviting from the outside. Step in and find a small ceramic corner on your left and, to your right, a cute display counter for cakes, baguettes, cookies and pastries of the day a delightful place to stop for an espresso and freshly baked cookies. Natural wood and chequered table cloths add a warm, homey feel to the seating area, which overlooks the main bus terminal and southern entrance of Night Bazaar from the floor-to-ceiling windows. Along with the bakery, Bann Chivit Mai offers a small but tasty Thai and western dishes selection, plus set breakfasts and sandwiches.
- Opening Hours: 08:00 - 21:00 (Mon - Sat)
- Location: Prasobsuk Road, opposite the bus terminal
- Tel: +66 (0)53 712 357
- Cuisine: Thai, European, Swedish bakery
- Price Range: Affordable
Cabbages & Condoms (C&C)
What strikes you upon entering this homey restaurant is a pair of mannequins decked out in hundreds of vibrantly coloured condoms. Worry not, you are not walking into a freak house but rather a dining establishment founded as a part of PDA Chiang Rais social development activities. Serving a delectable range of northern and central Thai dishes, with a few imaginative names like spicy condom salad and C&C steak to pique your curiosity, the restaurant has loyal fans among local politicians and business owners. Seats are spread over the three partitioned zones. Enjoy live music mostly Thai and English songs from the 80s with your lunch and dinner. Profits generated by the restaurant are used to support PDAs family planning initiatives.
- Opening Hours: 10:00 midnight (live music 12:00 14:00 and 19:00 midnight)
- Location: Thanalai Road, first floor of the PDA Chiang Rai building
- Cuisine: Northern and central Thai
- Price Range: Affordable
Salung Kham
Housed inside a lovely country house, this family-run establishment has been in business for almost two decades. With a passion for cooking, the owner a Chiang Rai native has created a menu of authentic northern Thai dishes from her grandmothers secret recipes. The northern-style sausage (sai aua) here is a must-try, along with green chili paste (nam prik nume) with seasonal vegetables and garlic-fried frogs legs. Relaxed and informal, you can choose to sit in the shaded garden or the living room. Occasionally, you might run into local politicians or visiting dignitaries here, as this is one of the places where the city receives its honourary guests.
- Opening Hours: 10:00 22:00 daily
- Tel: +66 (0)53 717 192
- Cuisine: Northern and central Thai
- Price Range: Affordable Pricey
- How to get there: Phahol Yothin Road (Highway 1), about 400 metres north of King Mengrais Monument
The Old Dutch
Only a few restaurants in the city centre ooze the kind of cosy vibe that instantly draws you inside but The Old Dutch is definitely one of them. From the relaxed, sidewalk café-style seating to the heartwarming European living room-style interiors, this pleasant dining venue makes you feel right at home. Owned by a Dutch chef with over 18 years experience under his belt, the restaurant features nearly 300 items on its menu, which covers just about every major world cuisine. Expect to find traditional European dishes as well as regional specialties, such as Swiss cheese fondue, New Zealand oysters, Mexican tacos, German sausages and even Indonesian curries. Another highlight here is its extensive drinks list, featuring an assortment of imported European beers (Chimay, Warsteiner, Kwak Dark, and Guinness), whiskeys, spirits and wines.
- Location: About 100 metres south of the Clock Tower, on Phaholyothin Road
- Tel: +66 (0)53 714 282
- Cuisine: European, Thai and seafood
- Price Range: Pricey
Rod Yiem Beef Noodle Soup
Housed inside two typical shop-houses with no interior décor, this busy eatery claims to be the only noodle shop in Chiang Rai that serves top quality beef which is by no means an overstatement. It has been in business for over three decades, offering a simple menu of rice noodles, beef soup, with options of meat balls, braised beef or beef chunks, as well as rice curry, Chinese-style pork knuckles and homemade pandanus-flavoured ice cream. If you come at lunchtime, expect to wait a few minutes for a table, but you will soon find that the delightfully tender beef and mouthwatering broth make the wait worthwhile.
- Opening Hours: 07:00 15:00
- Location: Banpaprakan Road, immediately west of Clock Tower
- Cuisine: Beef noodle soup
- Price Range: Budget
//www.thailand-guide.com/chiangrai/restaurants.htm
