Our plan was to head into the middle of Bangkok and do some shopping at the MBK Centre and Siam Discovery. Besides the shopping we are always on the lookout for street food in Bangkok.
We arrived right in the middle of Bangkok at Siam BTS, which gives you access to a number of shopping centres in central Bangkok. Heading down the stairs from the elevated BTS station on our way to the MBK Centre, we spotted this little alleyway. It was pretty nondescript, no signs, just a couple of small food shops at the front.
Bangkok street food experience
I first noticed a little Vietnamese joint called Sawasdee and Benz Coffee at the entrance to the alleyway. I absolutely love Vietnamese food. After that, we stopped to check out what they were selling, which led us to look past and down the alleyway.
I turned to Bec and said, “I think we may have discovered a bit of a secret foodie hotspot here in Bangkok.” Then, we headed in to take a look at what was on offer and were surprised at how long the alleyway was and the amount of food stalls.
This Bangkok food street, well alleyway really, was filled with people, smoky woks, hanging ducks, pots of soup and the most amazing smells. As you walk, you find skewers with fish, meatballs, salad bagged up and ready to grab. They love the spicy papaya salad in Thailand. Not for me though, way too hot. There’s crispy pork hanging in thick strips, pots full of noodles and trays of sticky rice.
There’s duck being chopped behind glass. Bec is always drawn to that. She loves a good crispy duck. A bit further down there is fried chicken, mushrooms, and piles of chicken skins. I have to say i bought some of the chicken skins and they were just so tasty.
They were much like crispy pork skin, the type you can buy in supermarkets. Totally fattening but just so bloody yummy. It doesn’t stop. The alley stretches a long way down with stall after stall, each one slightly different, each one with something else to try. I wish we could have tried something from each stall.
There are cut papayas stacked bright orange. One thing about travelling in Thailand and Asia is everyone sells fruit smoothies. You can pick them up for about 40 baht with just about any fruit combination you can think of. Thai street food noodles, satay skewers cooking over charcoal and the popular chicken rice dish were selling for around 60 baht. A pot of what looked like boiled pork knuckle sitting in dark broth, Pad Thai and mango sticky rice were all on display being bought by people.
There are snacks too. Packets of biscuits, tubs of nuts, things to nibble on the go. Another bánh mì stall appears near the end, almost mirroring the one at the entrance. More chicken rice, blocks of tofu, minced pork ready to make pad kra pao and a tray of chopped liver that I’ll happily leave for someone else.
The alley opens up into a bigger seating area at the far end, rows of tables and people sharing plates. It’s simple, busy, and full from one end to the other.
Eating street food in Bangkok
I decided to go back to the bánh mì place at the entrance and order one. I love Vietnamese food — it always tastes so fresh with basil and coriander in it. The bánh mì was tasty and full of crispy pork, but it was pretty spicy. My fault — i forgot to ask them to go easy on the chili and Bec does not do spicy food. To be honest neither of us really like food that has a lot of chili in it. I find the chili takes away the flavour of the food.
Next we went for some chicken skins and chicken rice and some chopped crispy pork. It was all cooked to perfection and super tasty. This is Bangkok street food at its best.
There aren’t many Westerners. So, if you’re at Siam Discovery or you get off at the Siam BTS, you should definitely head in here and grab something to eat if you’re looking for cheap street food in Bangkok. Nothing I could see was over $5 Australian. A lot of it was $3 to $4 Australian and a really good choice of original Thai dishes.
Try and find this little alleyway near the Siam BTS station towards the MBK and tuck in. It doesn’t really have an address. The best way to find it is to search Benz Coffee on Google Maps — this will take you to the entrance just near the BTS station. If we lived in Bangkok i would be here every single day. No question about it.
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Where is the street food alley near Siam BTS in Bangkok?
The alleyway is located near the Siam BTS station, between Siam Discovery and MBK Centre. It doesn’t have a formal address but the easiest way to find it is to search for Benz Coffee on Google Maps — that will take you to the entrance right near the station. Look for the small Vietnamese joint called Sawasdee at the front.
How cheap is street food in Bangkok near Siam BTS?
Very cheap. Nothing in this alleyway was over $5 Australian. Most dishes — chicken rice, pad Thai, satay skewers, crispy pork — were around 60 baht, which is roughly $3 to $4 Australian. Fruit smoothies were around 40 baht. It is one of the best value street food spots we found in central Bangkok.
What food can you find in the Bangkok street food alley near Siam?
The alley has an enormous variety — crispy pork, duck, chicken rice, chicken skins, bánh mì, satay skewers, pad Thai, mango sticky rice, noodle soups, pork knuckle in dark broth, papaya salad, tofu, pad kra pao and fresh fruit smoothies. There are also snack stalls selling nuts and biscuits. Something for everyone except possibly the chopped liver.
Is Bangkok street food safe to eat?
Generally yes — Bangkok street food has a very good reputation and most stalls have high turnover which means food is freshly cooked. The usual common sense applies — look for busy stalls where locals are eating, avoid anything that looks like it has been sitting out for a long time, and if you have food allergies make sure you can communicate them clearly. Our Travel Medical Card Pack covers 13 languages and is useful for exactly this situation.
What is the best area for street food in Bangkok?
Bangkok has excellent street food across many areas. Near Siam BTS the hidden alleyway between Siam Discovery and MBK is a great find. Yaowarat (Chinatown) is Bangkok’s most famous street food precinct. Or Tor Kor Market near Chatuchak is excellent for high quality Thai food. The back streets of any neighbourhood in Bangkok will usually turn up something worth eating.
