Thailand Guide
The north
Food and drink
1 Aye's 479 Thanon Phaholyothin A spacious restaurant with a relaxing atmosphere and a wide menu of international and Thai dishes – try the kaeng hang lay (B200), a delicious pork and ginger curry.
2 Baan Chivit Mai 172 Thanon Pra Soop Sook, opposite the bus station. www.baanchivitmai.com Scandinavian bakery run by a Swedish charity that helps children in Chiang Rai and Bangkok slums. Very clean, air-con café with internet access serving excellent sandwiches, cakes and coffees, plus pastas and simple Thai dishes Opening time: Mon– Sat 8am–9pm
3 Cabbages and Condoms Hill Tribe Museum, 620/25 Thanon Tanalai Proudly proclaiming "our food is guaranteed not to cause pregnancy", this restaurant covers its walls with paraphernalia devoted to family planning and HIV/AIDS prevention. The Thai food, including some traditional northern dishes and a few dishes suitable for vegetarians, is a bit hit-and-miss but it's in a good cause. Live band every night.
4 Muang Thong 889/1-2 Thanon Phaholyothin This no-frills and inexpensive place does a wide range of Thai and Chinese dishes supposedly 24hr a day, and displays a huge selection of ingredients outside its open-sided eating area. Popular with Thais and foreigners alike.
5 The Old Dutch 541 Moo 2, Thanon Phaholyothin Looking like a classic European restaurant with solid furnishings and quirky memorabilia on the walls, this conveniently located place has a huge menu of international, Indonesian and Thai dishes. It's a bit pricey with steaks from around B350, but the high quality makes it worth it. Draught beer on tap and a long menu of Belgian and other imported bottles as well, plus free internet.
6 
Salungkhum 843 Thanon Phaholyothin, between King Mengrai's statue and the river Justifiably rated by locals as serving the best Thai food in town, with a garden for evening dining; try the superb banana-flower salad with fresh prawns. Price: Main dishes from B80