What Are Chiangmai's Best Vegetarian Restaurants?

[NolaK]

Hi all,

I have an assignment to do a round-up article on dining veggie style in Chinag Mai. I’d appreciate folks letting me know their favorite vegetarian restraints and dishes. Also the location if you have the street name and any other comments would be helpful.

Thanks!

[Ulysses G.]

I'm not crazy about Thai food and most vegetarian restaurants here specialize it it, however, there is a Chinese vegetarian place in a small soi by Season Plaza shopping center that is good and an Indian Veg place on Moon Muang soi 9 that is OK.

No outstanding vegetarian restaurants like Greens in San Francisco in Thailand though.

Edited October 1, 2006 by Ulysses G.

[Fraktalkid]

Here are some that I like to eat at (I've been vegetarian for about 10 years so eat regularly at these places):

Khun Churn Nimmanehemin Soi 7 - Relaxing, good to take friends and have long conversations.

Jao Ngoa Huay Kaew Opposite CMU North Entrance (Na Mor) Chinese vegan place, I eat here almost every day. I particularly like their Gaeng Hok, Gaeng Fak Tong, Gung Chiang jeh - they also make really good Ba Mii and Yen Tafo. Also their food is spicier than normal Chinese vegetarian restaurants in Chiang Mai and they'll make some dishes fresh if you ask :-)

Blue Diamond Moon Muang Soi 9 Not entirely vegetarian but their menu is generally healthy. They have a nice mix of farang and thai food.

Mi Casa (not vegetarian) I was there recently and was quite impressed - they have a few really wonderful vegetarian things on their menu (I had their pumpkin and cheese tart and the mushroom risotto)

The Jeh Restaurant on Thanon Suthep (nr Suan Dork) is also recommended (although I don't go do there much).

I would say Khun Churn is probably the classiest vegetarian restaurant in Chiang Mai, but certainly it doesn't break the bank (for a westerner).

Cheers :-)

Rich

[meadish_sweetball]

I'd say Whole Earth is "classier" than Khun Churn. But the food is not very good and the prices are higher, plus they have more tourists and fewer expats and almost no Thais (if that is an issue).

I also think there has been a bit of a decline in the food quality at Khun Churn since they moved from the old location to the new, admittedly nicer and more spacious premises.

If this was 6 months ago, I would have recommended the small, simple vegetarian restaurant on the left hand side of the street opposite Chiang Mai gate (a few doors from the entrance of Ruam Paed hospital), but seeing as they have changed cooks and possibly owners, the food has really taken a dive from a bargain to just "acceptable".

I seem to recall there is also a good vegetarian restaurant not far from Suan Dok hospital but cannot remember the exact location.

For choice and price, the Chom Rom Mangsawirat (The Vegetarian Society) next to the petrol/gas station on the road from the moat to Airport Plaza, is pretty hard to beat. You pick from a buffet and bring your plate to a lady who decides how much you should pay based on the amount of food you take.

EDIT: Just noticed you wrote "dining" - if this is literal, then most vegetarian places are not open in the evening, so the selection narrows down quite a bit.

[NolaK]

I'm not crazy about Thai food and most vegetarian restaurants here specialize it it, however, there is a Chinese vegetarian place in a small soi by Season Plaza shopping center that is good and an Indian Veg place on Moon Muang soi 9 that is OK.

No outstanding vegetarian restaurants like Greens in San Francisco in Thailand though.

Thanks for taking the time and giving your input. I’ll check it out.

I had not even thought of the mixed ethnic vegi angle.

Gosh, and I have a 2 day stop-over in Frisco on the way home!

[NolaK]

Lots of good info. I better join a gym before I start my detailed research. I want everyone to know I appreciate you taking the time to help with this! Thank You!

[NolaK]

EDIT: Just noticed you wrote "dining" - if this is literal, then most vegetarian places are not open in the evening, so the selection narrows down quite a bit.

I did not mean dining literally, so your help was perfect.

Thanks again. You folks are all great for contributing!

[Fraktalkid]

Lots of good info. I better join a gym before I start my detailed research. I want everyone to know I appreciate you taking the time to help with this! Thank You!

:-) And please feel free to share any interesting finds from your assignment, I'm sure other members would be very interested too.

Also, someone I know recently started a website about Chiang Mai vegetarianism, in dual Thai and English language. The website is new, I don't believe it is (yet) entirely comprehensive, but you can check it out here:

http://www.chiangmaivegetarian.com/

[JuniorExPat]

Lots of good info. I better join a gym before I start my detailed research. I want everyone to know I appreciate you taking the time to help with this! Thank You!

:-) And please feel free to share any interesting finds from your assignment, I'm sure other members would be very interested too.

Also, someone I know recently started a website about Chiang Mai vegetarianism, in dual Thai and English language. The website is new, I don't believe it is (yet) entirely comprehensive, but you can check it out here:

http://www.chiangmaivegetarian.com/

Excellent website, thanks for recommending it. I hope the site grows . . . I've planned my route for breakfast tomorrow after I do the school run to the nursery!

JxP

[Suthep_Steve]

Thanks for putting the link to http://www.chiangmaivegetarian.com

Fraktalkid. The website is still a work in process we have a few more restaurants to photograph and add in to the site and the map but hopefully it won't take too long now.

In terms of recomendations the site doesn't make any and that is deliberate but the two I eat at most are Khun Chern and Chao Ngo (or Jao Ngoa depending how you transliterate it (เจ้าเงาะ in Thai))but that is mainly due to the fact that they are local to me.

Has anyone been to the one out by the new Rimping Supermarket on the outer ring road next to the big statue of Quan Yin?

Edited October 1, 2006 by Suthep_Steve

[up-country_sinclair]

http://www.chiangmaivegetarian.com

a GREAT link. thanks for posting it.

and if i'm reading this thread correctly, thanks to suthep steve for creating it!