Chiang Mai’s Famous ‘Cowboy Hat Lady’ and the Delights of Lanna Cuisine

Are you ready to embark on a culinary adventure through the flavors of Chiang Mai’s Lanna cuisine?

The iconic ‘Cowboy Hat Lady’ of Chiang Mai has gained worldwide fame thanks to Anthony Bourdain, but there’s so much more to the city’s culinary scene. Exploring the unique flavors of Lanna cuisine is a must for any food lover.

The ‘foreign person’ responsible for the rise in popularity of Chiang Mai’s ‘Cowboy Hat Lady’ is the late TV presenter Anthony Bourdain, who visited her street-food stall back in 2014. Now, tourists from around the world flock to taste the iconic dish of khao kha moo, slow-braised pork served over rice, with pickled mustard greens and an egg. But are there other equally delicious food stalls in Chiang Mai?

Local guide Kiki thinks so. She believes that many stalls in Chiang Mai serve food just as good as the famous ‘Cowboy Hat Lady’, but lack the international recognition. So why aren’t there hordes of tourists at those stalls? One reason may be the lack of exposure to Lanna cuisine, the unique flavors of northern Thailand that draw influence from China and Myanmar.

To correct this imbalance, I embarked on a mission to explore the culinary delights of Chiang Mai. My first stop was the renowned Khao Kha Moo Chang Phueak stall, where I savored the tender slow-braised pork and flavorful master stock. But my food journey didn’t end there.

Accompanied by my guide Kiki, I ventured to Han Teung Chiangmai, a local favorite among young Thai foodies. This casual restaurant offers a crash course in Lanna cuisine, with a menu featuring noodle soups, ant-egg specialties, curries, frog dishes, and sun-dried meats. Of course, I couldn’t miss out on trying the famous khao soi, a bowl of egg noodles in a rich curry broth topped with crunchy fried noodles and pickled mustard greens.

Other notable dishes on the menu included gaeng hung lay, a ginger-heavy curry of pork meat and spices, sai oua sausages packed with lemongrass and galangal, and nam prik num, a sambal of roasted green chilies with garlic and shallots. And let’s not forget the staple of sticky rice, a beloved obsession in northern Thailand that sets it apart from the south.

Chiang Mai’s culinary scene isn’t limited to traditional Lanna cuisine. The city boasts a passion for coffee, with numerous cafes scattered throughout. Fine dining is also on the rise, as evident from the crowd at Mai Restaurant, a modern Thai eatery in the Melia Chiang Mai hotel. And there’s even a citywide fascination with shabu shabu, the Japanese hot pot specialty. Whether famous or flying under the radar, the food in Chiang Mai is undeniably good.

• Chiang Mai’s ‘Cowboy Hat Lady’ and her stall Khao Kha Moo Chang Phueak have become famous thanks to Anthony Bourdain
• The cuisine of Chiang Mai and northern Thailand differs greatly from the popular dishes of Bangkok and the south
• Han Teung Chiangmai is a local favorite for exploring the flavors of Lanna cuisine, including the famous dish khao soi
• Coffee, fine dining, and shabu shabu are also popular in Chiang Mai

Chiang Mai’s ‘Cowboy Hat Lady’ may have put the city’s food scene on the map, but there’s so much more to discover. Exploring the unique flavors of Lanna cuisine, trying dishes like khao soi and gaeng hung lay, and indulging in the city’s coffee and fine dining offerings are all essential experiences for any food lover. Don’t miss out on the culinary delights of Chiang Mai.