When I arrived in Bangkok with the challenge of surviving 72 hours on vegetarian street food alone, I had no idea what to anticipate. Thailand is renowned for its pungent flavors, colorful markets, and sizzling street-side woks, but would a vegetarian like me be able to find enough to fill both my belly and my heart? Spoiler alert: not only did I discover a rich diversity of meat-free meals, but I also gained a whole new appreciation for the culinary creativity of the country.

Prior to embarking on my culinary journey, I booked some cultural performances and temple visits through Siam Tickets to organize around the city. It was an excellent means of scheduling my meals between sites. From Chinatown to Chatuchak Market, I navigated steaming stalls, scented alleys, and bustling food carts — all serving up amazing vegetarian fare.

Here's the lowdown on my 72-hour veggie street food binge in Bangkok — these were the highlights of what I ate and where to get them.

Day 1: Satisfying Starts in Yaowarat (Chinatown)

Pad Thai

📍 T&K Seafood area, Chinatown

Pad Thai is the most popular Thai dish outside Thailand, but I set out searching for its vegetarian variant, called Pad Thai Jay. The preparation consists of flat rice noodles stir-fried with tofu, bean sprouts, tamarind sauce, crushed peanuts, and banana blossoms on occasion. Light, sour, and filling — it was just the right way to begin my street food adventure.

Kanom Krok (Coconut-Rice Pancakes)

📍 Street cart near Odeon Circle, Yaowarat

These bite-sized pieces of coconut are created using a batter of coconut milk and rice flour and seared in a hot griddle until crunchy on the outside and runny on the inside. Green onions, sweet corn, or pumpkin are usually sprinkled on top. These bite-sized treats are the perfect sweet-salty snack.

Day 2: Markets, Parks, and a Lot of Tofu

Som Tum Jay

📍 Chatuchak Weekend Market (Section 2)

Couldn’t leave Thailand without eating their famous Papaya salad! Typically prepared using fish sauce and dried shrimp, Som Tum may be adapted vegetarian if you request it. At Chatuchak, one of the vendors cheerfully prepared a version using soy sauce instead. The shredded green papaya, garlic, chilies, lime, and tomatoes blended into a spicy, crunchy salad that woke me up more effectively than any coffee.

Tofu Satay with Peanut Sauce

📍 Outside Lumpini Park, evening vendors

Grilled skewers of marinated tofu accompanied by a rich, nutty peanut sauce — this was definitely one of the most satisfying street foods I had. The smokiness of the grill and the creaminess of the sauce complemented each other perfectly. Throw in some cucumber relish on the side, and you have yourself a meal.

Roti with Banana and Sweetened Condensed Milk

📍 Silom Road, evening food carts

Although most roti sellers include eggs in the dough, I was able to find an eggless one. Seeing the vendor stretching the dough, frying it to a golden crunch, and then covering it with bananas and drizzling with sweet milk was entertainment in itself. The outcome? Crunchy edges, gooey middle, and a sugar high I didn't regret.

Day 3: Hidden Gems and Sweet Endings

Khao Niao Mamuang (Mango Sticky Rice)

📍 Wang Lang Market

Is it even a trip to Thailand if you've never had mango sticky rice? Sliced mangoes perfectly ripe, placed over glutinous coconut milk-soaked rice, then finished with crispy mung beans — this treat is both rich and refreshing. It's also naturally vegetarian, so it's one of the simplest go-to foods.

Jay Fai’s Vegetable Drunken Noodles (Pad Kee Mao Jay)

📍 Near Democracy Monument (not at her main Michelin-starred restaurant) While renowned for her crab omelets, Jay Fai has small side stalls offering cheap options. I encountered a vendor applying her recipe technique to prepare drunken noodles with tofu, holy basil, chilies, and vegetables. Spicy and potent, it was the type of heat that gets your nose running — but in the best possible way.

Tao Hoo Song Kreung (Mixed Tofu Soup)

📍 Victory Monument Food Stalls

This simple bowl contained various tofu textures — fried, soft, and fermented — served in a transparent herbal soup with glass noodles and fresh greens. Subtle but soothing, this meal reminded me of family home cooking and was a pleasant respite from two days of pungent spices.

Final Thoughts: More Than Just a Food Trip

Confining myself to vegetarian street food in Bangkok for 72 hours was much more than an experiment with diet — it was a cultural experience. Food allowed me to engage with the locals, learn the subtleties of ingredients, and discover a part of Bangkok that's easy to overlook if you eat at restaurants or hotel buffets. From spicy salads to creamy desserts and sizzling skewers, the city taught me that vegetarian food here is not an afterthought — it's a celebration of flavors in its own right.

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Do I need a Visa for Thailand?

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I Ate Only Street Food in Bangkok for 72 Hours – These Were the Best Dishes