Kantoke Dinners provide a good way to get to know both the Northern food and culture at the same time. At this event, visitors are seated in the floor around a circular tray with Northern dishes on it and eat while watching traditional Thai and Northern dances and hill tribe culture shows. Savour the delicate flavours of a traditional Kantoke Dinner, with all the customary dishes that have enlivened the cuisine of the Lanna for generations.

And then, of course, there are the Northern Thai dishes that every visitor who truly wants to experience Chiang Mai must try....

Most Thai dishes have a strong and spicy taste. Thai food, as Thai culture, is a blend of different tastes and spices from several countries. Ingredients from India and China have been mixed and matched through the passage of time into what is now known as Thai food.

Northern food offers a variation from Thai food. It is a blend of both local and Burmese tastes. Most of the spices used in Northern dishes originated in Burma, thus giving Northern dishes a distinct smell and taste.

Some of the popular Northern dishes include the following: Nam Prik Ong, which has a sweet, sour, and spicy taste, is made from minced pork, mixed with pepper sauce, and tomatoes; Nam Prik Num, stronger in taste and made from barbecued peppers and anchovies; Larp Koi, made from minced pork or beef, mixed with peppers and other spices, is eaten with fresh vegetables; and Khow Soy, a Chinese - Muslim egg noodle dish filled with chunks of beef and chicken and lightly sprinkled with coconut cream and garnished with garlic and crispy noodles.

As most Thai people prefer to eat breakfast at home, the majority of restaurants and shops remain closed until later in the morning. In the downtown area, there are some restaurants which serve early breakfasts, and almost all of the hotels do provide a breakfast service.
There are also numerous shops and vendors that sell X shaped pastries called 'patangkoh' and a porridge called 'joke' as local Thai breakfasts. In addition, markets and shops sell breads and fruits along with Thai and Northern foods.

Lunch time offers a variety of choices for dining. All-you-can-eat buffets at large hotels feature Western, Chinese, and Japanese foods. There are also many restaurants featuring foods of all types. And of course, there are the noodle shops located almost everywhere throughout the city.

It is the time when almost all the restaurants around the city are in full swing. Whether you plan to dine Italian or Indian, Chiang Mai's dinner- time restaurants provide the array of dishes to satisfy your tastes. At this time there are also food gardens which offer a variety of dishes among a pleasant atmosphere of both light and live music. A little note on the dress—in Thailand you are not expected to dress up for dinner at a restaurant, although you may certainly do so if you wish.