News & Views 6 minutes 09 December 2021

The MICHELIN Guide Thailand Unveils Its List Of 133 Bib Gourmand Restaurants In 2022

Highlighting 33 new additions and 6 promotions from the previous year; winners in the street food category outnumber those in the restaurant category in Bangkok and Ayutthaya.

To drum up hype prior to the MICHELIN Star Revelation and the release of The MICHELIN Guide Bangkok, Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya, Chiang Mai, Phuket & Phang-Nga 2022 publication, slated for 16 December, Michelin today unveiled the 2022 Bib Gourmand selection, whereby 133 restaurants and street food establishments are featured. Out of the total number, 71 are located in Bangkok, 23 in Chiang Mai, 29 in Phuket & Phang-Nga, and 10 in Ayutthaya – Thailand’s historic city to be covered for the first time in the fifth edition of The MICHELIN Guide in Thailand.

Spanning a mix of restaurants, street food venues and hawker stalls, the 2022 Bib Gourmand selection highlights 33 first-time entries (9 in Bangkok, 10 in Ayutthaya, 6 in Chiang Mai, and 8 in Phuket & Phang-Nga), plus 6 promoted entries (2 in Bangkok, 2 in Chiang Mai, and 2 in Phuket & Phang-Nga). Notably, the number of Bib Gourmand eateries under the “Street Food” category outnumbers that of those under the “Restaurant” category in Bangkok (39 street food establishments and 32 restaurants) and Ayutthaya (6 street food establishments and 4 restaurants).


The spacious yet homely Loukjaan is the elegantly decorated sister restaurant of the one MICHELIN Starred Saneh Jaan. (© Loukjaan by Saneh Jaan)
The spacious yet homely Loukjaan is the elegantly decorated sister restaurant of the one MICHELIN Starred Saneh Jaan. (© Loukjaan by Saneh Jaan)

The Bib Gourmand distinction, symbolized by the famed ‘Bibendum’ or ‘Michelin Man’ licking his lips, is awarded to eateries that offer quality cuisine carefully prepared and reasonably priced with very good value-for-money at a maximum of THB 1,000 (a three-course meal: starter, main course, and dessert – exclusive of beverage).

Gwendal Poullennec, International Director of MICHELIN Guides, revealed: “This year’s Bib Gourmand selection enjoys having Ayutthaya as an additional gastronomic city of focus that reflects Thailand’s vibrant culinary scene. This charming city made its grand debut, with 10 Bib Gourmand recipients – 4 of which are restaurants and 6 are street food venues. The outnumbering of Bib Gourmand distinctions in the street food versus the restaurant category in Ayutthaya, as well as in Bangkok, signifies that both cities – the former and the current capital cities of today’s Thailand – are perfect destinations for good-value street food.”

Thien Duong is a showcase of Vietnamese classical design; the antique artworks, mustard-coloured walls, rose-pink granite table tops, shiny black floor tiles and exposed ceiling are an interior design lover’s paradise. (© Thien Duong)
Thien Duong is a showcase of Vietnamese classical design; the antique artworks, mustard-coloured walls, rose-pink granite table tops, shiny black floor tiles and exposed ceiling are an interior design lover’s paradise. (© Thien Duong)

The 33 new additions to the 2022 Bib Gourmand list include: ▪ Bangkok: Kaeng Pa (Loong Sa-Nga), a restaurant featuring game meats prominently with the generous use of herbs and spices of the forest as seasoning – such as the succulent stir-fried deer with cumin leaves, and the jungle curry soup with hand-minced fish; Koa Chun Huad, a restaurant on the Thonburi side that has been around for five decades, serving classic Thai-Chinese dishes – such as the boiled pork slices complemented by soybean sauce, and the Chinese vegetable stew with an alluring amalgam of sweet and bitter natural flavors; Thien Duong, a Vietnamese restaurant serving authentic, nicely crafted Vietnamese dishes – such as the skewered minced prawns with sugarcane and the grilled pork sausage that are a mouthful of juicy flavors and complex textures; and Ket O Cha, a street food establishment that specializes in aromatic noodle soup with a peppery fragrance and mild sweet and salty taste, plus a fantastic choice of tender slow-cooked beef, juicy blanched beef slices, and bouncy homemade beef balls.

Ayutthaya: Baan Ta-Koh-Rai, a restaurant serving delectable dishes made with ingredients carefully selected from produces grown within the community and fish from nearby rivers as the catch of the day – such as the herb-scented fish cakes and the stir-fried Chinese kale with deep fried salted fish; Baan Ton Sai, a restaurant serving tasty Thai-Chinese dishes infused with herbs and spices, using fresh, quality ingredients; Here Kae Pork Satay, a street food eatery offering charcoal-grilled pork satay, well-marinated and aromatic from nine spices, with the accompanying rich peanut sauce; and Roti Sai Mai Abeedeen-Pranom Sangaroon, a popular street food venue for the same flawless plain pandan rotis with fluffy candy floss that has been a family business for 70 years.


Baan Ton Sai and grilled river prawns at Ruanthai Kungpao in Ayutthaya. (© Baan Ton Sai, Ruanthai Kungpao)
Baan Ton Sai and grilled river prawns at Ruanthai Kungpao in Ayutthaya. (© Baan Ton Sai, Ruanthai Kungpao)

Chiang Mai: Krua Lawng Khao, a Northern Thai restaurant, offering fresh and flavorful dishes – including the Northern Thai spicy pork salad, and the Northern Thai hot and spicy soup with fish and morning glory; Tune in Garden, a restaurant serving a fixed-price menu for first-timers, and special dishes from the owner’s cookbook – including highly recommended dishes like the roasted pork ribs with cabbage and the fermented pork with fermented bean curd relish; and Khao Soi Lung Prakit Kad Kom, a street food eatery serving Northern Thai-style curry noodle soup – including its famous Beef Khao Soi – for over 40 years.

Phuket & Phang-Nga: Krua Tonfon, a roadside restaurant serving authentic Southern Thai recipes with local ingredients – including stir-fried pork with shrimp paste and bitter bean, and curry with crab legs and betel leaves; Mook Manee, a restaurant famous for fresh seafood menu with highlights such as the steamed blue swimming crab, the Phuket lobster and spicy dip, and the stir-fried mantis shrimps with garlic and chilli; Pathongko Mae Pranee, a street food stall that satisfies its customers for years with Pathongko (deep-fried dough sticks) and Salapao Tod (deep-fried buns), among other treats.

Pocket-friendly dishes at Krua Lawng Khao in Chiang Mai and Krua Ton Fon in Phang-Nga. (© Krua Lawng Khao, Krua Ton Fon)
Pocket-friendly dishes at Krua Lawng Khao in Chiang Mai and Krua Ton Fon in Phang-Nga. (© Krua Lawng Khao, Krua Ton Fon)

The 6 entries promoted to the 2022 Bib Gourmand list are: ▪ Bangkok: Por. Pochaya, a street food eatery, offering unwavering quality and rare dishes for over 30 years, with its crab omelette and stir-fried beef with cumin leaves as its top-sellers; and Sri Trat, a restaurant that brings the coastal province of Trat’s famed cuisine to Bangkok via the owner’s family recipes and expertly crafted dishes; ▪ Chiang Mai: Baan Landai, a restaurant serving pan-Thai dishes such as flavorful pork ribs with red wine sauce, that can be paired with flower tea, mocktails or cocktails of choice; and Magnolia Café, a restaurant that offers tasty, well-presented fare from across Thailand, distinguished by its vivid and gutsy flavors, with a complimentary pandan pudding in lieu of a dessert menu; ▪ Phuket & Phang-Nga: Krua Kao Kuk, a restaurant serving notable dishes among the homely offerings – such as the lemongrass soup with sweet clams, the dry stir-fried minced port with holy basil, and the fried kingfish with soy sauce; and Kha Mu Boran (Kathu), a 3-decade-old street food eatery that serves above-the-average version of rice with pork legs, braised until falling off the bones, with Thai kale and pickled mustard greens.

“During these challenging times for the restaurant industry, support and encouragement are very important. We hope that the Bib Gourmand distinction will help strengthen the soul of restaurant entrepreneurs, food stall vendors, and all workers in the industry, to adapt and increase their resilience to overcome all the challenges. For foodies, we hope the Bib Gourmand selection inspires them to discover or rediscover the pleasure of dining high-quality food at budget-friendly prices, which – on the other hand – serves as a great encouragement for those in the restaurant industry,” concluded Mr. Poullennec.

Bangkok and surrounding provinces

- 100 Mahaseth
- Ann Guay Tiew Kua Gai
- Baan Benjarong Pai
- Baan Phadthai
- Baan Yai Phad Thai
- Baannai
- Bangkok Bold Kitchen (Central Embassy)
- Beer Hima (Prachachuen)
- Bokkia Tha Din Daeng
- Bunloet
- Burapa
- Chai Phochana
- Chakki
- Chang-Wang-Imm
- Charoen Saeng Silom
- Choy (Phuttha Monthon Sai 2)
- Elvis Suki (Soi Yotse)
- Fried Banana Rama 5 (NEW)
- Go-Ang Kaomunkai Pratunam (Pratunam)
- Grim Nguan Noodle
- Guay Jub Mr. Joe
- Guay Jub Ouan Pochana
- Guay Tiew Kua Gai Suanmali (Khlang Hospital Intersection)
- Guay Tiew Mu Rung Rueang Tung
- Here Hai
- Hia Wan Khao Tom Pla
- Jao Nai Fish Ball (Ekkachai)
- Jay Oh
- Jidori Cuisine Ken
- Jok Prince
- Kaeng Pa (Loong Sa-Nga) (NEW)
- Ket O Cha (NEW)
- K. Panich
- Khanom Bueang Wan Phueng Noi (Chok Chai 4)
- Koa Chun Huad (NEW)
- Konchong Konprung
- Krua Apsorn (Sam Sen)
- Lai Rot (Rama 6)
- Lay Lao (Ari)
- Lim Lao Ngow (China Town)
- Loukjaan by Saneh Jaan (NEW)
- Maan Muang (NEW)
- Mae Khlong Hua Pla Mo Fai (NEW)
- Nai Mong Hoi Thod 
- Nai Ngieb (Phutthamonthon Sai 4)
- Nong Rim Klong (NEW)
- Ongtong Khaosoi (Ari)
- Pae Bronze Pot Porridge 38 Years
- Pad Thai Fai Ta Lu (Dinsor Road)
- Phed Phed Bistro
- Plu
- Polo Fried Chicken (Soi Polo)
- Por. Pochaya (PROMOTED)
- Ruean Panya
- S.B.L.
- Sa-at Sawoei (Kanchanapisek Road)
- Sae Phun
- Sanguan Sri
- Sanyod (Sathon-Bang Rak)
- Sawang Bami Kam Pu (Si Phraya)
- Somsak Pu Ob (Charoen Rat)
- Somtum Khun Kan
- Somyos
- Sri Trat (PROMOTED)
- Ten Suns
- Thai Niyom
- The Local
- Thien Duong (NEW)
- Tung Sui Heng Pochana (Stadium One)
- Watsana Khao Man Gai
- Weng (Woeng Nakhon Kasem)

Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya
- Baan Ta-Koh-Rai (NEW)
- Baan Ton Sai (NEW)
- Here Kae Pork Satay (NEW)
- Joong Borikan (NEW)
- Khaotom Chedi (NEW)
- Pa Lek Boat Noodles (NEW)
- Pranom Shredded Chicken Noodles 
(Wat Phanom Yong) (NEW)
- Roti Sai Mai Abeedeen-Pranom Sangaroon (NEW)
- Roti Sai Mai Mae Pom – Mother Branch (NEW)
- Ruanthai Kungpao (NEW)

Chiang Mai

- Baan Landai (PROMOTED)
- Dan Chicken Rice (San Sai) (NEW)
- Charoen Suan Aek
- Ginger Farm Kitchen
- Go Neng (Wichayanon)
- Han Thueng Chiang Mai
- Huan Soontaree
- Huen Muan Jai
- Khao Soi Lung Prakit Kad Kom (NEW)
- Khao Soi Mae Manee
- Krua Lawng Khao (NEW)
- Lung Khajohn Wat Ket (NEW)
- Magnolia Café (PROMOTED)
- Meena Rice Based Cuisine
- Na Chantra
- Rote Yiam Beef Noodle
- Rotee Pa Day
- Saiyut and Doctor Sai Kitchen
- Sanpakoi Kanomjeen
- SP Chicken
- The House by Ginger
- Tue Ka Ko Na Prince (NEW)
- Tune In Garden (NEW)

Phuket & Phang-Nga

- A Pong Mae Sunee (NEW)
- Chomchan
- Chuan Chim
- Go Benz
- Hok Kee Lao
- Hong Khao Tom Pla
- Kha Mu Boran (Kathu) (PROMOTED)
- Khanom Chin Pa Son
- Khok Kloi Bami Tom Yam Khai
- Kin-Kub-Ei
- Krua Kao Kuk (PROMOTED)
- Krua Tonfon (NEW)
- Mook Manee (NEW)
- Mon Phochana (NEW)
- Mor Mu Dong
- Naam Yoi
- Nai Mueang
- One Chun
- Pathongko Mae Pranee (NEW)
- Raya
- Roe Dang (NEW)
- Roti Taew Nam
- Sam Chong Seafood (NEW)
- Surf & Turf by Soul Kitchen
- Ta Tuay
- Takola
- The Charm Dining Gallery
- Toh-Daeng by Baan Ar-Jor Museum Home (NEW)
- Tu Kab Khao

To learn more about The MICHELIN Guide, please visit guide.michelin.com/th/en, or follow updates regarding The MICHELIN Guide Bangkok, Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya, Chiang Mai, Phuket & Phang-Nga 2022 on Facebook: facebook.com/MichelinGuideThailand.


CONTINUE READING: MICHELIN Guide Thailand 2022 Selection To Be Revealed On 16 December 2021

Now available as a free download, the MICHELIN Guide worldwide app for iOS and Android devices.

#MICHELINGUIDETH #MICHELINGUIDE22

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