Best Vegetarian Restaurants in Chiang Mai Old City

Sep 11

Written By Louise

Chiang Mai, an ancient city situated in northern Thailand, might be the country’s most vegetarian-friendly city. There is an abundance of vegan restaurants, and you’d be hard-pressed to find a restaurant that doesn’t have a vegetarian option on the menu.

Not only is Chiang Mai vegetarian-friendly, it’s also budget-friendly. Little hole-in-the-wall jae* vegan restaurants serve dishes for the equivalent of 1 euro. Even at the more “expensive” places, most everything is under 10 euro.

*Jae food is (usually) vegan, but has some extra rules, like no pungent or really spicy ingredients, so they don’t use garlic or onions in jae cooking.

I used to spend a lot of time in Chiang Mai when I lived in Bangkok, so I tried a lot of vegetarian restaurants. Unfortunately with the covid shutdowns of the past few years, there have been a lot of changes to the dining scene in Chiang Mai. While some old favorites closed, some great new places have opened up, as well.

Since most tourists to Chiang Mai spend a lot of time in the Old City, I decided to put together a guide to the best vegetarian and vegan restaurants in the area.

As of September 2022, 1 euro = 35 baht.

Ming Kwan

Price for a main: 30-40 baht

Cuisine: Jae Thai

Ming Kwan is a classic cheap jae vegan spot located in the middle of the Old City. They have ready-to-eat food as well as made-to-order dishes like khao soi and noodle soups. They also have a variety of imitation meats, including some based on Isaan sausage. It’s a popular spot for both locals and tourists.

Mr. Green

Price for a main: 80-100 baht

Cuisine: Vegan Thai

Mr. Green is a reasonably-priced restaurant in the northeast part of the Old City serving vegan versions of Thai dishes, including northern favorites like khao soi and larb. Unlike the cheap jae restaurants, they do use garlic and onions, so if you’re a big allium fan like me you will be very happy at Mr. Green.

Goodsouls

Price for a main: 130-250 baht

Cuisine: International, Thai

Goodsouls is a modern vegan restaurant near the North Gate of the Old City. They have both international, Thai, and fusion cuisine, but I particularly like their Thai dishes like dumplings in tom yum soup and khao soi. They have a second location in Chiang Mai to the east of the Old City, as well as a location in Bangkok.

Reform Kafe

Price for a main: 130-250 baht

Cuisine: International, Thai

Like Goodsouls, Reform Kafe has an assortment of both international and Thai dishes. And, like Goodsouls, I prefer their Thai dishes. I especially like their salads. Reform Kafe also has the benefit of a peaceful garden setting.

Rad Rabbit

Price for a main: 130-250 baht

Cuisine: Vegan Pizza

Rad Rabbit is a vegan pizza joint in the northeast corner of the Old City. They have basics like margherita pizza, but also more creative options like Texas BBQ.

Paa Yawd Shan Food

Price for a main: 40-50 baht

Cuisine: Vegetarian Burmese

This was a great new find the last time I went to Chiang Mai. It’s located next to Jay Mai, so just across the street from the Old Town’s northeast corner. I absolutely love Burmese food, so I was delighted to discover Paa Yawd Shan Food, which is not just Burmese, but vegetarian Burmese! I wish I lived in Chiang Mai just so I could eat here every day. I highly recommend the Shan noodle dishes!

Jay Mai

Price for a main: 50-70 baht

Cuisine: Jae Thai

Jay Mai is across the street from the Old City’s northeast corner. While there are a lot of jae restaurants in Chiang Mai, this one stands out because of the wide selection of dishes available, especially noodle soups.

V. Napaphud

Price for a main: 50-70 baht

Cuisine: Jae Thai

V. Napaphud is just across the street from the Old City down towards the southeast corner. There are a couple reasons this place stands out from the other jae vegan spots: 1. They have some vegan versions of northern Thai dishes you don’t see that often, like chili dip and various stews, and 2. They have air conditioning! It’s a clean, calm place where you can sit in comfort and have some reasonably-priced jae food.

Have you been to any of these restaurants? What’s your favorite veggie spot in Chiang Mai?