22 January 2026
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Yet it is just as easy to understand why massaman curry might claim the top spot. Flavors balancing sweet, sour, salty and spicy? Check. A range of satisfying textures? Check. Complexity paired with approachability for novice diners? Check. Global influences that make the dish both familiar and distinctive? Check and check. A thick, dark curry studded with tender pieces of slow-cooked meat and soft chunks of potato melting into the sauce; riotous aromas of Asian spices wafting upward; a gentle piquancy tempered by coconut milk; Indian cumin meeting Southeast Asian fish sauce.
Still, massaman is far from the most common curry at the city’s khao kaeng shops and often seems more favored by foreigners than by Thais — unsurprising, given its mild chili heat. As a result, many widely known versions are served at regrettable tourist restaurants.
So what is the story behind this ostensible No. 1 dish? And where can an avid diner find a truly good bowl of the stuff?
The name itself is a clue. “Massaman” comes from musulman, a now-archaic English term for Muslims, and the dish is widely understood to have roots in the Islamic world. A quick look at the ingredients makes the case: onions, potatoes, cumin, bay leaf and mace are more common farther west and south, pointing to commerce along the Muslim-dominated trade routes of the Indian Ocean. Massaman made with beef or chicken is standard; versions using pork are rare. It follows, then, that merchants from the Islamic world brought their ingredients to Thailand, and through the familiar engines of culinary fusion — trade, war and procreation — a Thai original was born.
Exactly when and where this happened remains an open question.
Scholars often point to the porous borderlands between Thai- and Malay-speaking regions, particularly along the Andaman Coast, as the dish’s birthplace. Others argue that its exotic ingredients and rich presentation suggest aristocratic origins, placing it on the cosmopolitan tables of the Ayutthaya elite. What is certain is that by the turn of the 19th century, massaman was well known in the royal household. Few food writers can resist citing the stanza devoted to the curry in Kap He Chom Khrueang Khao Wan, a poem written at the court of King Rama II. By the late 19th century, recipes were appearing in magazines and cookbooks, and a form recognizably close to today’s massaman had become the norm, according to Kanit Muntarbhorn in Thai Food and Cuisine.
Lime, garlic, galangal and fish sauce — now standard in many modern versions — were rarely recorded in early recipes. As with any living dish, massaman has evolved, and perhaps it is simply becoming more comfortable in its Thai home, according to Dr. Muntarbhorn.
Tanaporn “Can” Markawat, owner of the MICHELIN-listed The Local, knows his way around a curry. Canned pastes be gone. At The Local, curries have the heterogeneous texture and aromatic complexity that come only from quality ingredients and careful craftsmanship, informed by historical cookbooks.
“Before, it was made with goat; now it’s not,” explains Markawat. “Some people also serve it with achat, a refreshing sweet-and-sour side of pickled vegetables. In Thailand, we add more ingredients to change it — if you use a lot of cumin seed and coriander seed, it becomes very strong. For me, I keep the original flavor: cinnamon, bay leaf, mace and bitter orange peel.”
Perhaps that is where its universal appeal lies. To an Indian or Middle Easterner, the spice blend may feel comfortingly familiar, well-suited to chicken or lamb. A Chinese diner might recognize echoes of five-spice powder. Someone from Europe or the Americas could detect parallels with the warm spice blends that flavor Christmas desserts and mulled wine. In other words, massaman may be a Thai dish, but its passport is well stamped.
Where to find massaman in Thailand
The Local
Recommended, The MICHELIN Guide Thailand 2026The curries in general here are amazing, and for massaman, they have three options – chicken (the classic), beef tongue (not unthinkable, given the common use of tongue in Thai Muslim cuisine), and beef cheek (hipster’s choice). Pair it with the excellent rice, served hot out of the basket. Or for something truly unique, try the massaman-filled dumplings.
Address: 32-32/1 Soi Sukhumvit 23, Sukhumvit Road, Khlong Toei Nuea, Vadhana, Bangkok, Thailand.
The Charm Dining Gallery
Recommended, The MICHELIN Guide Thailand 2026Raised in his family’s food business, Chef Buriphat offers an honest take on Southern Thai–Peranakan cuisine. Don’t miss the stir-fried pork belly with herbs and sweet dark soy sauce, the pork rib soup with tofu and salted fish — and yes, massaman is on the menu too.
Address: 93 Dibuk Road, Talat Nuea, Mueang Phuket, Phuket, Thailand.
Supanniga Eating Room
Recommended, The MICHELIN Guide Thailand 2026Diners flock to the Old Town location of Supanniga Eating Room for braised meats and grilled seafood, but their curries are excellent as well. For massaman, chicken and beef shank are the proteins of choice, and their justly famous stir-fried cabbage makes a great side dish.
Address: 392/25-26 Maha Rat Road, Phra Borom Maha Ratchawang, Phra Nakhon, Bangkok, Thailand.
Roti Chaofa
Bib Gourmand, The MICHELIN Guide Thailand 2026For more than 35 years, locals have flocked to Roti Chaofa for Thai-Muslim breakfasts, curries and Thai-style chicken biryani. Expect crisp, golden rotis with fluffy centers and a tangy, juicy beef massaman curry worth the early start.
Address: 44 Chaofa Road, Talat Nuea, Mueang Phuket, Phuket, Thailand.
Bangkok Bold (Pathum Wan)
Recommended, The MICHELIN Guide Thailand 2026While it might be easy to dismiss a mid-range Thai restaurant in a shopping mall, Bangkok Bold is a real destination restaurant, not just someplace to eat before browsing the end-of-season sales on pants. The two options are chicken or beef cheek – both are great, but the beef cheek version is really a cut above.
Address: LGF, Central Embassy, 1031 Phloen Chit Road, Lumphini, Pathum Wan, Bangkok, Thailand.
Header image: Massaman curry served at The Local in Bangkok © Anuwat Senivansa Na Ayudhya/The MICHELIN Guide Thailand
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