Thailand is a haven for vegan eating on a budget. Or at least it would be if it wasn’t for that damn fish sauce in everything.
I love street food, and no doubt it helps you to save your money for the really exciting things when you travel. In Bangkok, though, with the exception of the mango sticky rice (below) that is sold on every street corner for 30-40 baht (making a delicious breakfast for less than £1), by and large I was unable to trust that seemingly vegan street food really was.
No problem, though- there is no shortage of vegan and vegetarian restaurants where you can be sure what you’re getting is not only fish free but delicious.
May Kaidee
My number one recommendation for Bangkok is May Kaidee. This is a vegetarian restaurant and cooking school that also has locations in Chiang Mai and New York. The first time I visited I was ravenous after a long plane journey. I decided to start my trip with a classic Pad Thai. Because I was hungry I also got a ‘starter’ of deep fried tofu in peanut sauce.
It was phenomenal value, not least because when my ‘starter’ came it looked like this!
Huge! And for about £1.50. The deep fried tofu was perfect – crunchy on the outside, soft in the middle, and the peanut sauce, wow.
The Pad Thai also really hit the spot. And for two huge courses (that meant I didn’t need to eat for a good twelve hours) with a couple of beers it only set me back around £7.50!
Take their cooking class
I would also strongly recommend their cooking class if you have the time to take an afternoon out. After tasting the food I signed up for one the next day and spent a hugely enjoyable afternoon learning how to make Tom Yum soup, Massamam curry, Pad Thai, and mango sticky rice. Then I didn’t need to eat again for another twelve hours after staggering back for a nap!
The teacher was incredibly funny and upbeat and made what would otherwise have been a nice enough afternoon one of my favourite parts of the trip. Although it’s a vegetarian cooking school they can easily make the food vegan if you let them know by using coconut instead of egg.
Ethos
My other favourite haunt, Ethos, is just a few doors up. What was wonderful about this place is the extremely chill vibe they have created. Close to the main strip but tucked down a quiet alley, it’s an oasis of calm that serves up smoothies, salad bowls, and Thai dishes that are guaranteed to be vegan. You sit on giant cushions that are sprawled around the low tables. There’s a bookcase and a constant stream of friendly nomads to keep you entertained if you fancy a couple of hours of down time. I recommend the smoothies and the homemade tempeh with peanut sauce.
Mango
I’d heard great things about Mango but I must say I was disappointed. I had forsaken my favourite breakfast of mango sticky rice because I was preparing for a day of sight-seeing and a long journey and wanted something that filled me up.
However, I found the service slow, and the food unremarkable. I decided to go for a ‘chocolate smoothie bowl’ with granola and fruit that I hoped would be substantial but quick. As a solo traveller I was completely ignored while the owner tended to the needs of couples around. I actually had to seek them out to place my order after being ignored for twenty five minutes and then at the end to even attempt to pay.
It took an hour to get in and out which would have been fine if the food was fantastic, but when it arrived it, although it looked insta-worthy in its presentation it turned out to be a small fruit salad with a thimble-full of a chocolate drink and some cheap cereal bites that you can buy on the street for about 10 baht. This cost over £6. Total waste of money and time, and the attitude annoyed me too.
Perhaps I just got a bad day and bad luck because other people’s meals looked fantastic, and it generally gets rave reviews. If you’re only there for a short time I’d recommend May Kaidee or Ethos over here in a heartbeat. Or better yet, be braver than me and push more street stalls to make you something vegan!
Vegan Wander Woman 