How to Eat at a Thai Street Food Stall

Street food is one of the best reasons to visit Thailand. Some of the country's most loved cooking happens on a cart, a folding table or a shophouse front with a few plastic stools on the pavement. Jay Fai, the Bangkok cook famous for her crab omelette and ski goggles, became internationally known after her small shop received a Michelin star in 2018, proof of how seriously this kind of cooking is taken.

For a first-time visitor, though, the stalls can be confusing. Menus are often in Thai only, there may be no menu at all, and everyone else seems to know exactly what to do. A few simple habits make it much easier.

Choosing a stall

Most stalls do one thing, or a small group of related things. A cart with a glass case of hanging ducks sells duck noodles or duck rice. A big steaming pot of broth means noodle soup. A charcoal grill with skewers means grilled pork or chicken, usually with sticky rice. A mortar on the counter means som tam.

The best signs are simple:

• A steady queue or full tables, especially of locals and office workers.
• Fast turnover, so food is cooked fresh or has not been sitting long.
• Ingredients kept covered or chilled, and cooked food kept hot.
• A cook who is clearly specialised: one dish, done many times a day.

Timing matters. Many stalls serve breakfast or lunch only and pack up by early afternoon, while others appear only in the evening. If a famous stall is closed, try again at another time rather than assuming it has gone.

Ordering without a shared language

Pointing works almost everywhere. Point at what someone else is eating, at a photo, or at the ingredients in the case. A few Thai words help a great deal and are always appreciated:

• Ao an nee: I would like this one.
• Mai phet: not spicy. Phet nit noi: a little spicy.
• Mai sai...: do not add... (for example, mai sai pak chee, no coriander).
• Gin tee nee: eat here. Glap baan or sai tung: to take away.
• Aroy mak: very delicious.
• Khop khun krap (said by men) or khop khun ka (said by women): thank you.

If you have an allergy, particularly to peanuts or shellfish, carry it written down in Thai. Fish sauce, shrimp paste and dried shrimp turn up in many dishes that do not look like seafood.

Noodle shops

Noodle stalls can seem complicated because you are expected to choose the noodle, the style and sometimes the meat. Once you know the main options it becomes quick:

• Sen yai: wide, flat rice noodles.
• Sen lek: thin, flat rice noodles, the kind used in pad Thai.
• Sen mee: very thin rice vermicelli.
• Ba mee: yellow egg noodles.
• Nam: with soup. Haeng: dry, with the broth served on the side or left out.

So an order might be as simple as "sen lek nam", thin rice noodles in soup. The cook will season the bowl lightly and leave the rest to you, using the rack of fish sauce, sugar, chilli flakes and chilli vinegar on the table. Taste first, then adjust.

Rice and curry shops

Rice and curry shops (khao gaeng) display a row of trays and pots: curries, stir-fries, omelettes, braised dishes and soups. You choose one, two or three, and they are spooned over a plate of rice. Simply point at each one you want. This is one of the easiest ways to try several dishes in a single meal, and it is how many Thai people eat lunch on a working day.

Made-to-order stalls (often called aharn tam sang) work differently. You name a dish, such as pad kra pao or fried rice, and it is cooked for you in a wok. A fried egg (khai dao) on top is a popular addition.

How to eat

Thai table manners are relaxed but have a few patterns worth knowing:

• Rice dishes are eaten with a spoon and fork. The spoon goes in the right hand and does most of the work; the fork in the left pushes food onto it. The fork does not usually go in the mouth.
• Noodle soups are eaten with chopsticks and a spoon. Stir-fried noodles such as pad Thai are often eaten with a fork and spoon.
• Sticky rice is eaten by hand. Pinch off a small piece, roll it into a ball and use it to pick up food or soak up sauce.
• Shared dishes go in the middle. Take a little at a time onto your own rice rather than piling your plate.

Tables are often shared at busy times. A nod and a gesture at the empty stool is enough to ask whether a seat is free.

Paying and practicalities

At most sit-down stalls you pay at the end. Catch the cook's or server's eye and say "gep tang" or "check bin" to ask for the bill. At carts and takeaway stalls you usually pay when you collect your food. Cash is still widely used, and small notes and coins make life easier for everyone, although many stalls now also accept QR code payments.

Tipping is not expected at street stalls. Bottled water is cheap and easy to find, and many stalls offer free drinking water or iced tea from a jug. Napkins come from a small tissue box on the table, so it is worth carrying a packet of your own.

Most of all, take your time and be curious. Order something you do not recognise, watch what the regulars add from the condiment rack, and come back to the stalls you like. Street food rewards repeat visits, and a cook who recognises you may well start your order before you sit down.