Bangkok Street Food by Motorbike: Where to Ride and Eat
A scooter is the best way to eat your way around Bangkok. You can hit three neighbourhoods in one evening, skip the taxi queues, and park right next to the stall. Here are the areas we send our renters to.
Yaowarat (Chinatown)
The classic. After dark, Yaowarat Road fills with stalls selling seafood, noodles, grilled skewers and desserts, under the famous neon signs. It gets very crowded from about 7 pm, so park a street or two away and walk in — riding down Yaowarat itself at peak time is slow and stressful. Look for rows of parked bikes on side streets or paid parking with an attendant.
Banthat Thong Road
Near the National Stadium and Chulalongkorn University, Banthat Thong has become one of Bangkok's best food streets — a long strip of shophouse restaurants and stalls, popular with Thai students and food lovers. It's easier to park here than in Chinatown, and it's a short ride from Sathorn or Silom.
Silom and Sathorn
Close to our shop, Silom's side sois serve office workers at lunch and early evening — rice-and-curry stalls, noodle shops and fruit carts. Soi Suan Phlu, off Sathorn, is a local favourite with plenty of small restaurants and easy motorbike parking.
Night markets
Bangkok's big night markets change over the years, so check what's open before you go — Google Maps reviews from the last few weeks are your best guide. Night markets usually have a dedicated motorbike parking area near the entrance, often with a small fee. Use it.
Tips for a food ride
Go in a pair and plan two or three stops, not ten — distances look short on the map but traffic adds up. Keep cash in small notes; many stalls don't take cards. Carry a small bag that fits under the seat for takeaways.
And the most important tip: if you're drinking with dinner, leave the bike parked and take a Grab back. Thai police run drink-driving checkpoints at night.