What is Northern Thai food?
Northern Thai food is the regional cuisine of Thailand's northern provinces — Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Lampang, Lamphun and their neighbours. For around 600 years this area was the Lanna kingdom (“the land of a million rice fields”), with its own language, Kham Mueang, and its own way of cooking.
The North is cool, mountainous and far from the sea, so the cooking leans on what grows there: sticky rice, wild herbs, galangal, dried and grilled chillies, pork, river fish and fermented flavours. Spices such as turmeric, ginger and dried spice blends arrived over centuries with traders from Myanmar and Yunnan, giving dishes like Haeng Lay their warm, curry-like depth.
How is it different from “regular” Thai food?
Most Thai restaurants abroad cook Central Thai food — the style of Bangkok. The differences are easy to taste:
- Less coconut and sugar. Northern curries are usually water- or broth-based, savoury and spice-driven.
- Sticky rice, not jasmine rice. In the North, glutinous rice is served in a woven basket and eaten by hand.
- Chilli dips are the centre of the meal. Nam prik dips are served with vegetables, herbs and pork crackling.
- Grilled and smoky. Chillies, shallots and garlic are often charred over coals before pounding.
- Herb-heavy and fragrant. Lemongrass, kaffir lime, galangal and local herbs shape the flavour more than sweetness.
8 Northern Thai dishes to try (and what they cost at At Chiang Mai)
Khantoke Platter ขันโตก
$39.90A khantoke is a low round tray used for Lanna feasts, set with many small dishes for everyone to share. Our Khantoke Platter is the easiest way to taste a range of Northern Thai flavours in one order.
Haeng Lay Pork แกงฮังเล
$24.90Chiang Mai's best-known curry: pork belly slow-cooked with warm spices, tamarind and ginger until rich, sweet and tangy. No coconut milk. Contains peanut.
Sai Aua ไส้อั่ว
$21.90Northern Thai pork sausage loaded with herbs and spices like lemongrass, kaffir lime and chilli, then grilled. Fragrant, juicy and a little spicy.
Nam Prik Noom น้ำพริกหนุ่ม
$14.90A smoky green chilli dip of charred young chillies, shallots and garlic pounded together. Eat it with sticky rice, vegetables and Khaep Moo.
Nam Prik Ong น้ำพริกอ่อง
$14.90A mild, savoury tomato and minced pork chilli dip — often the favourite for first-timers and kids.
Khaep Moo แคบหมู
$7.90Crispy pork crackling, made in-house. In Chiang Mai it's the edible spoon for every nam prik.
Jin Neung Nam Prik Kha จิ๊นนึ่งน้ำพริกข่า
$24.90Steamed beef (jin means meat in Kham Mueang) served with a fragrant dip of galangal and dried chillies.
Sticky Rice ข้าวเหนียว
$4.00The foundation of every Northern Thai meal. Order one per person — then probably another.
Want something from the grill? Try Kor Moo Yang (grilled pork cheek) or Gai Yang chicken skewers with a Thai beer.
How to eat Northern Thai food like a local
- Order to share. Pick several dishes for the middle of the table — a dip, a curry, something grilled and a salad.
- Use your hands for sticky rice. Pinch off a small ball, press it flat with your fingers and use it to scoop dips and curry.
- Balance the flavours. Pair smoky dips with fresh vegetables and crackling, and rich curries with something sour or spicy.
- Ask about heat. Many Northern dishes are mild; papaya salads and larb-style dishes can be very hot.
Where to eat Northern Thai food in Melbourne
At Chiang Mai is a Northern Thai restaurant at 132–138 Little Bourke Street, Melbourne CBD, run by a chef who grew up in Chiang Mai. Alongside its Special Lanna menu it serves Thai favourites such as Pad Thai, Tom Yum and whole crispy barramundi, plus Thai beer on tap and cocktails. It's a short walk from Parliament Station and Melbourne Central, and is open 7 days: Monday–Thursday 5pm–10pm, Friday–Saturday 11:30am–11:30pm and Sunday 11:30am–10pm.
Read how At Chiang Mai began, or browse the full menu with prices.
Quick answers
What is Lanna food?
Lanna food is the traditional cuisine of Northern Thailand, named after the Lanna kingdom whose capital was Chiang Mai. It is known for sticky rice, chilli dips (nam prik), herb sausages like Sai Aua, and spiced curries like Haeng Lay.
Is Northern Thai food spicy?
Some dishes are, but many are mild and savoury. Nam Prik Ong, Haeng Lay curry and Khaep Moo are gentle, while green chilli dips and Northern salads can be hotter. Restaurants like At Chiang Mai can adjust the heat.
Where can I find authentic Northern Thai food in Melbourne CBD?
At Chiang Mai at 132–138 Little Bourke Street, Melbourne, serves a dedicated Northern Thai (Lanna) menu cooked by a chef from Chiang Mai, including Khantoke platters, Haeng Lay pork curry, Sai Aua sausage and Nam Prik Noom.
What is a Khantoke dinner?
A Khantoke dinner is a traditional Lanna-style meal where many small dishes are served on a low round tray (the khantoke) and shared by everyone at the table, usually with sticky rice.
Why is sticky rice eaten with the hands?
In Northern and Northeastern Thailand, sticky rice is rolled into small balls with the fingers and used to scoop dips, curries and meats. It's the traditional and most practical way to eat it.
Taste it for yourself
132–138 Little Bourke St, Melbourne · Open 7 days · Lunch Fri–Sun