Khon Kaen food guide
Khon Kaen food is known for Khao Suan Kwang grilled chicken on Mittraphap. It fits a highway lunch north of town, not a Bangkok Isan room.
Photo: Kawpodmd (CC BY-SA 3.0)
Drive north for the bird. Kai Yang Wanna at 271 Mu 11 Mittraphap, Khao Suan Kwang, has grilled since 1973. A 2026 bird is 120 to 220 THB. Larb, som tum, and nam tok sit on the same table. Cash only.
City night markets do sai krok and jim jum after the highway lunch. For the regional map use Isan food. For Udon night stalls use Udon Thani.
Specialties
Gai Yang Khao Suan Kwang ไก่ย่างเขาสวนกวาง
Gai yang Khao Suan Kwang is known for butterflied charcoal chicken on Mittraphap. It fits a highway lunch north of Khon Kaen, not a city night grill. Kai Yang Wanna is the named start. 120 to 220 THB a bird.
Kai Yang Wanna, 271 Mu 11, Mittraphap Rd, Kham Muang, Khao Suan Kwang, Khon Kaen 40280
Morning to mid-afternoon; phone +66 81 965 5484 if you arrive late · 120 to 220 THB a bird
Larb Moo ลาบหมู
Larb moo is minced pork salad with toasted rice and mint. It fits a Khao Suan Kwang table beside the grilled bird, hotter than northern larb. Kai Yang Wanna is the named start. 80 to 120 THB.
Kai Yang Wanna, 271 Mu 11, Mittraphap Rd, Kham Muang, Khao Suan Kwang, Khon Kaen 40280
Morning to mid-afternoon · 80 to 120 THB
Som Tum ส้มตำ
Som tum is green papaya salad. At Khao Suan Kwang, order Thai first, then poo plara if you already know the heat. Kai Yang Wanna is the named start. 50 to 90 THB.
Kai Yang Wanna, 271 Mu 11, Mittraphap Rd, Kham Muang, Khao Suan Kwang, Khon Kaen 40280
Morning to mid-afternoon · 50 to 90 THB
Sai Krok Isan ไส้กรอกอีสาน
Sai krok Isan is sour fermented pork sausage. It fits a Khon Kaen night-market grill with chili and ginger slices. Khon Kaen night market grills is the named start. 30 to 60 THB a set.
Khon Kaen night market grills, Khon Kaen city night markets, Mueang Khon Kaen 40000
17:00 to 22:00 · 30 to 60 THB a set
Tam Mua ตำมั่ว
Tam mua is a mixed Isan pound, often papaya with noodles, pork, and fermented fish. It fits eaters who already finished a Thai som tum. Kai Yang Wanna is the named start. 60 to 100 THB.
Kai Yang Wanna, 271 Mu 11, Mittraphap Rd, Kham Muang, Khao Suan Kwang, Khon Kaen 40280
Morning to mid-afternoon · 60 to 100 THB
Jim Jum จิ้มจุ่ม
Jim jum is an Isan herb hot pot. It fits a Khon Kaen evening table when the highway bird is already done. Khon Kaen jim jum rooms is the named start. 150 to 280 THB a pot.
Khon Kaen jim jum rooms, Mueang Khon Kaen evening rooms, Khon Kaen 40000
17:00 to 22:00 · 150 to 280 THB a pot
Nam Tok น้ำตก
Nam tok is grilled-beef salad in the same herb family as larb. It fits the Khao Suan Kwang table with sticky rice. Kai Yang Wanna is the named start. 80 to 140 THB.
Kai Yang Wanna, 271 Mu 11, Mittraphap Rd, Kham Muang, Khao Suan Kwang, Khon Kaen 40280
Morning to mid-afternoon · 80 to 140 THB
Khao Niew ข้าวเหนียว
Khao niew is sticky rice in a basket. It is the utensil for gai yang, larb, and som tum in Khon Kaen. Kai Yang Wanna is the named start. 10 to 22 THB.
Kai Yang Wanna, 271 Mu 11, Mittraphap Rd, Kham Muang, Khao Suan Kwang, Khon Kaen 40280
With the grill · 10 to 22 THB
Book
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Read Saigon Food Guide →Common questions
- Do you need the highway drive?
- Yes if Khao Suan Kwang is why you came. City rooms still cook chicken. They are not this bird.
- Wanna or Rabeab?
- Wanna is the 1973 room. Rabeab at 99 Mittraphap is the other named grill.