Sweet, bitter, salty, spicy and sour, Thai food is a feast of flavor featuring a balance of tastes and strong aromatic elements. Thai restaurants can be found worldwide, from high-end New York neighborhoods to down-to-earth districts of Tokyo. Influenced by the cuisine of various Asian countries, Thai food nevertheless has a unique flavor which attracts food lovers around the world to make pilgrimages in search of the authentic tastes of Thailand. Thai cuisine can be divided into four regional traditions: Northern, Northeastern, Central and Southern.

Northern

This region shares borders with Laos and Myanmar, while being separated from the rest of Thailand by mountains. As a result, the region's cuisine is very distinctive compared with that of other regions. Northern Thais prefer steamed, sticky food served with a variety of sauces, an influence derived from Myanmar. Northern curries also taste lighter than those of other regions. A traditional northern dinner is called Kbantok, which involves guests sitting on the ground and dining at a low, round table.

Kaeng Hang Le

Influenced by the cuisine of Myanmar, this curry is common in northern Thailand. Made of pork, turmeric, ginger and tamarind and featuring a sweet and sour flavor,  the dish is served with a ball of sticky rice.

Kbao Soi

A soup-like dish made with deep-fried crispy egg noodles or egg noodles boiled in curry soup and meat, and topped with onions and lime. Sometimes coconut milk will also be used. Rarely found in Thai restaurants overseas, this is a common street food in northern Thailand. 

Naem

Limited to the north of Thailand, this dish features pickled sausage wrapped in deep-fried pork, and is normally served with sticky rice.

Lamyai

A fruit of the Longan tree, which originated in China and grows widely in Thailand. The fruit has a sweet, fresh taste similar to lychee.

Northeastern

Known as Isan by Thais, and bordering on Laos and Cambodia, northeast Thailand is not widely visited by tourists. Like northern Thais, the people of this region are also fond of sticky rice and use it widely in appetizers. Water fish and shrimp are also popular, often cooked with spices.

Som Tom

The fresh flavors of papaya salad make it one of the most popular Thai salads worldwide. Often served with sticky rice.

Kai Yang

Originating from Laos and northeast Thailand, this grilled chicken dish is a standard street food. Eaten with raw vegetables and often dipped in spicy sauces.

Central

Central Thailand is a major agricultural region, and rice is an essential element of every meal here. Various spices are used in central Thai cooking. As the cultural, economic and political heart of the country, the region draws on culinary influences from various countries, and many world-famous Thai dishes originate from this tradition.

Tom Yum

One of the best-known Thai dishes, spicy and sour Tom Yum is made with shrimp, fish, chicken, lemongrass and chillies.

Kaeng Kaew Wan

Better known as simply "green curry," this dish contains coconut milk, green curry paste, eggplant, sugar, fish sauce, kaffir lime leaves and Thai basil leaves.

Southern

Southern Thai cooking is abundant with fresh seafood and flavored with coconut and spices. The majority of Thailand's Muslims live in this region, bringing another influence to the area's cuisine.

Kaeng Lueang

Spicy and sharp, this is more commonly known as "yellow" or "sour" curry.

Kaeng Massaman

This light curry is made with meat, peanuts, cinnamon and cloves, although ingredients used often changes with the seasons.

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