Drumming up the excitement and interest for the upcoming official MICHELIN Guide Ceremony on November 28, 2024, The MICHELIN Guide Thailand has unveiled today the 2025 Bib Gourmand selection, which features a total of 156 dining venues－including 20 first-time entries. Among the new entrants to the Bib Gourmand list, 5 are from Chon Buri - the newly covered destination in the 2025 MICHELIN Guide Thailand edition.
The Bib Gourmand distinction, symbolized by the iconic “Bibendum” or “Michelin Man”, honors dining establishments that offer high-quality food with exceptional value for money. The recognition showcases Thailand’s ability to deliver diverse and high-quality cuisine at budget-friendly prices, which continues to attract local and international food enthusiasts alike.
Gwendal Poullennec, International Director of MICHELIN Guides, revealed: “Our Inspectors found a noticeable number of simple restaurants and small eateries, which are local diners’ favorites for friend and family gatherings. These establishments are deeply rooted in their own culinary heritage, passed down from generation to generation, to ensure authenticity and originality. Such a scenario affirms that Thailand remains a country where you can partake of remarkable cuisine and, more importantly, at appealingly pocket-friendly prices.”
The 2025 Bib Gourmand list comprises 52 eateries in Bangkok & Surrounding Provinces (7 new entries); 9 in Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya; 20 in Chiang Mai; 33 in the four representative provinces of Thailand’s Northeast or “Isan” region – i.e. 13 in Khon Kaen (1 new entry), 8 in Nakhon Ratchasima (3 new entries), 6 in Ubon Ratchathani, and 6 in Udon Thani (1 new entry); 4 in Ko Samui; 8 in Surat Thani Mainland; 6 in Phang-Nga; 19 in Phuket (3 new entries); plus 5 (all new entries) in Chon Buri, the newly covered area of the 2025 MICHELIN Guide Thailand.
The 2025 Bib Gourmand selection further celebrates the rich diversity of Thailand’s budget-friendly dining options – from upscale restaurants to simple eateries and street food vendors, spanning a diverse range of around 15 cuisine types e.g. Asian, Southern Thai, Isan, Seafood, Northern Thai, Thai-Chinese, Thai Contemporary, Vietnamese, small eats, etc.
The 20 Bib Gourmand venues that are first-time entries to The 2025 MICHELIN Guide Thailand are:
▪ Bangkok & Surrounding Provinces: Janhom, a restaurant serving intense southern Thai cuisine for over 20 years, using daily fresh ingredients and its own curry paste to create signature and outstanding dishes like Kaeng Tai Pla fish curry, stir-fried sataw beans with shrimp, and deep-fried frog with turmeric; Khao Mun Gai Nha Jone, a perpetually busy eatery serving delicious, tender, and juicy chicken with sauces that add a real kick; Lucky Seafood, a restaurant serving fresh seafood with Thai flavors, featuring house-made curry and chili paste, as in recommended dishes like the stir-fried crab with bird's eye chili or the non-spicy stir-fried squid with curry powder; Morakot Kitchen, a no-frills kitchen in a wooden house that has been dishing up intensely flavorful, comforting Thai fare for over 120 years - including the must-try fish cake, made from authentic spotted featherback fish and heavenly spiced, served with the sweet house-special dipping sauce; and No Name Noodle, a noodle shop that offers signature dishes, Shio Soba and Shoyu Tsuke Soba, each crafted with over 30 ingredients, as well as seasonal noodle and rice bowls, using a fermented blend of three types of shoyu for deep umami; Thai Tham, a small eatery that has been passed down the generations for over a century, specializing in offal and their signature stewed pig's brain; Urai Braised Goose, a family-run eatery that has been braising tender goose with aromatic spices for six decades, offering just two items on the menu - but several size options.
▪ Khon Kaen: Sriruen Pad Thai (Ruenchit Road), an over-30-year restaurant offering exceptional Pad Thai either with thin rice or glass noodles, notable for their bold flavor imparted by duck eggs.
▪ Nakhon Ratchasima: Banmai Chay Nam, a nostalgic eatery filled with vintage collectables that offers delicious food – including the signature minced beef curry with fresh coconut milk and the crispy fried gourami fish; Pa Pleung Mhee Kratok, a restaurant serving Korat's quintessential noodle dish, Pad Mhee Kratok, served in its purest form – with a soft yet chewy noodle texture that requires no additional seasoning, along with other delectable dishes like Pad Thai and spicy papaya salad; and Sow Jeck, a 12-year-old stall that stands out with its fresh and light MSG-free seafood dishes, such as celery with seabass and the beautifully balanced seafood with Thai basil.
▪ Udon Thani: Khao Soi Thai Yai, a restaurant serving Khao Soi as its specialty, and other delicious dishes with well-utilized spices to produce bold, balanced, and authentic flavours.
▪ Chon Buri: Khao Lam Mae Khai Toon Klao, a dessert stall serving classic sweetened sticky rice in the traditional way – cooked in bamboo with fresh coconut milk – for over 60 years, with options of original white or aromatic black sticky rice, garnished with taro, black beans, or ginkgo nuts; Krua Laew Tae R-Rom, a restaurant with a limited menu that randomly opens and closes depending on the catch of the day, but excels in seafood, Thai food, and home-made curries with bold, rich flavors – offering dishes made from ultra-fresh crab, shrimp, clams and fish at reasonable prices; La Voi, a restaurant that uses premium beef to prepare the broth and toppings, for its recommended mixed beef soup, which comes with a variety of beef toppings, including meatballs, different cuts of beef, and beef organs; Lung Shall Kitchen, a hidden-gem restaurant with an intimate atmosphere that serves food in its most authentic form thanks to skillfully prepared fresh ingredients; Pladids, an eatery serving a Thai samrap (set menu) including jasmine rice cooked with Thai wild almond, with home-style, local quality, and interesting seasonal menu options - each boasting complex yet balanced flavors.
▪ Phuket: Kin-Kub-Ei, a restaurant offering southern Thai specialties that have been passed down through generations with nicely balanced flavors, prioritizing quality, and affordability without sacrificing taste; Krua Baan Platong, a restaurant using quality local ingredients to produce intensely flavoured dishes that encapsulate the essence of Phuket – including stir-fried banana stalk with plump shrimps and shrimp paste, and melt-in-your-mouth steamed pork belly with its signature southern Thai budu dipping sauce; and Niyom Salt Grilled Duck, an eatery serving around 30-40 juicy, tender charcoal-roasted ducks every day with either spicy-sour or tamarind sauce for dipping, and sometimes grilled chicken as an option.
Stay up-to-date for more surprises via the live streaming broadcast on The MICHELIN Guide Asia Youtube channel starting from 10:30 AM on 28 November 2024!
To learn more about The MICHELIN Guide, please visit guide.michelin.com/th/en, or follow updates regarding the MICHELIN Guide Thailand 2025 on Facebook: facebook.com/MichelinGuideAsia.
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