Vegan food in Chiang Mai: where to eat plant-based in Thailand’s north

Thai cuisine is world-famous for its bold flavors, aromatic herbs, and vibrant balance of sweet, sour, salty, and spicy. And while many iconic dishes lean heavily on fish sauce, shrimp paste, or meat, Chiang Mai has carved out a reputation as one of the easiest—and most exciting—places in Asia to eat vegan. From bustling night markets to cozy cafés tucked in the Old City, to inventive plant-based restaurants in Nimmanhaemin, vegan food here isn’t an afterthought. It’s a centerpiece, celebrated for both its roots in Thai tradition and its flair for reinvention.

Part of this richness comes from Thailand’s own Buddhist heritage, where plant-based eating has long been practiced as a form of compassion and spiritual mindfulness. Dishes like khao soi, usually made with chicken, can be found here in vegan versions just as comforting, with turmeric-laced broth and chewy noodles. Classic curries are easily adapted with tofu. Even street-side papaya salads and stir-fries can be ordered “jay,” the Thai word for vegan, reflecting a well-established culture of plant-based eating.

But Chiang Mai takes this beyond tradition. Over the past decade, the city has blossomed into a hub for global vegan culture, with restaurants that feel as diverse as its travelers. One moment you might be eating banana blossom salad with lime and chili, the next a cashew cheese quesadilla, a raw chocolate tart, or a smoothie bowl bursting with tropical fruit. Influences from the West and Japan mingle seamlessly with northern Thai staples, creating a food scene that feels both grounded and inventive.

Chiang Mai’s vegan food culture is also tied closely to place. Markets overflow with local produce from nearby farms in the surrounding mountains—pumpkin, eggplant, galangal, lemongrass, wild greens—and these ingredients shape menus in ways that feel seasonal and alive. The freshness of the herbs and vegetables isn’t just an accent; it’s the foundation of the city’s food identity, one that celebrates health, abundance, and creativity in equal measure.

Whether you’re digging into a steaming bowl of vegan khao soi, snacking on fresh spring rolls with peanut sauce, or enjoying a Western-inspired brunch at a sunlit café, eating vegan in Chiang Mai is as much about discovery as it is about nourishment. This guide highlights some of our favorite spots across the city—places where tradition and innovation coexist, and where plant-based food is celebrated not as compromise, but as the best of what Chiang Mai has to offer.

May Kaidee

May Kaidee is more than just a restaurant—it’s a Chiang Mai institution and one of the most iconic names in Thailand’s vegan food scene. What began decades ago as a humble vegetarian food cart in Bangkok has grown into a globally recognized brand, with cooking schools, restaurants, and even locations abroad. At its heart, though, May Kaidee remains devoted to one thing: authentic Thai cuisine made entirely from plants.

The Chiang Mai branch captures everything that makes May Kaidee special. The menu is generous and flavorful, rooted in traditional Thai recipes but entirely vegan. Expect vibrant curries, chewy pad thai, fresh spring rolls, and the restaurant’s signature pumpkin hummus. Desserts like mango sticky rice arrive colorful and fragrant, highlighting the natural sweetness of fresh Thai produce.

Dining here feels like an extension of the cooking class itself: clean, nourishing, and deeply connected to Thai flavors. Everything, down to the sweeteners, avoids shortcuts—think raw sugarcane paste instead of refined sugar, and homemade curry pastes pounded by hand.

What really sets May Kaidee apart in Chiang Mai is that you can do more than just eat—you can learn. Their fully vegan cooking class remains one of our favorite experiences in the city, a chance to master the balance of sour, sweet, salty, and spicy while cooking a feast of traditional dishes. 

Bird's Nest

Bird’s Nest became one of our daily go-tos in Chiang Mai, the kind of place where you quickly feel like a regular. Tucked on a quiet street in the Old City, it’s warm, colorful, and lived-in, with two levels of cozy seating, floor cushions, and big windows looking out onto the neighborhood. The ethos here is as appealing as the space: Bird’s Nest works with local organic farmers, makes much of its food from scratch, and strives to use less plastic whenever possible.

The menu isn’t fully vegan, but there are plenty of thoughtful plant-based options—and the staff fully understand what vegan means. Their fresh vegetable wrap is a highlight, always changing with what’s in season, and often bursting with avocado, pumpkin, or beetroot. Curries like the panang and soups like their creamy tom kha are consistently delicious, layered with homemade curry pastes and fresh herbs. Their pumpkin soup, a Thai rice porridge breakfast plate, and grilled vegetable platters are other favorites, all hearty and nourishing without ever feeling heavy.

What we loved most was how much care goes into the details. They make their own breads (pita, whole wheat, focaccia), sauces (vegan pesto, curry pastes), and even chili oil, which became one of our obsessions. Smoothies are refreshing staples, perfect for long mornings in Chiang Mai’s heat.

Goodsouls Kitchen

Goodsouls Kitchen is one of the most popular vegan restaurants in Chiang Mai, and for good reason. It has become reliable favorite for those looking for hearty, creative plant-based food.

The menu leans toward Western comfort food with a vegan twist, making it a great choice when you’re craving something different from traditional Thai cuisine. Their mushroom burger is a standout—juicy, flavorful, and piled high with toppings, it’s one of the best vegan burgers in town. The pizzas are another highlight, with wood-fired bases and creamy cashew cheese that make them feel indulgent yet still wholesome. For something heartier, their vegan lasagna layers pasta, vegetables, and a rich plant-based béchamel in a way that’s every bit as satisfying as the traditional version.

Goodsouls also shines with its breakfasts and lighter options. Smoothie bowls topped with fresh fruit and granola, avocado toast, and colorful salads balance out the richer mains, making it a spot you could easily eat at any time of day. Fresh juices and smoothies round out the menu, offering plenty of refreshing options for Chiang Mai’s warm afternoons.

Pure Vegan Heaven

Tucked into a leafy corner of Chiang Mai, Pure Vegan Heaven is one of those places that instantly makes you slow down. The atmosphere is cozy yet bright, with wooden tables, colorful plates, and an inviting feel that suits everything from a solo lunch to a long catch-up with friends. Fully vegan, the restaurant focuses on clean, vibrant food that feels nourishing without ever being boring.

The menu runs wide, but their spring rolls are a must: stuffed with crisp vegetables, herbs, and paired with a tangy dipping sauce, they’re simple perfection. Smoothie bowls arrive like edible art, topped with fruit, nuts, and flowers. Their curries and soups are rich and comforting. And if you’re in the mood for something lighter, their salads and bowls—colorful, crunchy, and topped with everything from roasted pumpkin to cashews—are satisfying without weighing you down.

It’s the kind of place where you feel like you’re taking care of yourself just by eating there. Whether you’re starting your day with a smoothie bowl or winding down with a hearty curry, Pure Vegan Heaven is a reminder of why Chiang Mai is such a paradise for plant-based travelers.

Free Bird Cafe

Free Bird Cafe isn’t just a restaurant—it’s a social enterprise with a mission. Tucked into Nimmanhaemin, one of Chiang Mai’s trendiest neighborhoods, it’s a fully vegan cafe run by the Thai Freedom House, a nonprofit that supports Burmese refugees and hill tribe communities. Eating here means more than just enjoying a meal—you’re directly contributing to a cause, making every dish taste that much better.

The menu leans global while still nodding to Northern Thai flavors. Their vegan khao soi is a standout: creamy coconut curry broth, springy noodles, and a fragrant layering of spice that makes it one of the best versions in the city, vegan or not. Burmese tea leaf salad is another favorite, tangy, nutty, and vibrant with texture. For comfort food, their vegan omelettes and rich lattes (often finished with intricate foam art) hit the spot. Smoothie bowls, wraps, and baked goods round out a menu that feels colorful, nourishing, and expansive.

Tikky Cafe

Tikky Cafe is one of those spots that instantly wins you over with its colorful, unpretentious energy. A Chiang Mai favorite among locals and travelers alike, it’s not a fully vegan restaurant, but its plant-based offerings are plentiful, flavorful, and clearly made with care. The space itself is bright and buzzing, with vibrant décor, friendly staff, and that kind of easygoing atmosphere that makes you want to linger long after your plate is empty.

The vegan menu runs wide, from fiery Thai curries to refreshing papaya salads, hearty stir-fries, and comforting noodle dishes. Their green curry is rich and aromatic, full of local vegetables and herbs, while the papaya salad comes in a zesty version topped with cashews and citrus for extra crunch and brightness. Stir-fries arrive generous and colorful, with wide noodles or rice paired with crisp vegetables and just the right amount of heat. For something a little more playful, the pineapple fried rice—served right in a carved pineapple—is as much a visual delight as a culinary one.

Healthy Junk

Just steps from Yellow Coworking, Healthy Junk is a relaxed spot built around customizable bowls. While the menu isn’t fully vegan, the format makes it easy to put together plant-based meals from a wide selection of fresh ingredients.

For vegans, options like chickpeas, kale, sweet potato, and guacamole make it simple to craft something both nourishing and flavorful.

Salsa Kitchen

When you’re craving something outside of Thai flavors, Salsa Kitchen delivers hearty Mexican-inspired plates in a casual, friendly setting. While the menu isn’t fully vegan, there are solid plant-based options that make it worth a stop.

The black bean tacos are a highlight: soft corn tortillas piled with beans, guacamole, peppers, and fresh salsa, served alongside rice and a scoop of pico de gallo. Burritos and fajitas can also be made vegan with a few swaps, and the generous portions mean you’ll likely leave with leftovers.

Market and street food

Part of what makes Chiang Mai so special for vegans is how easy it is to find plant-based food beyond restaurants—at markets, night bazaars, and roadside stalls. Unlike many cities where street food is heavily meat-driven, Chiang Mai’s market culture has a surprisingly wide range of vegan-friendly snacks and meals if you know where to look.

At Jing Jai Market, a weekend farmers’ market with a community feel, stalls are filled with vibrant vegan options. You’ll spot plates of miang kham—leaf-wrapped bites layered with toasted coconut, peanuts, lime, chili, ginger, and tamarind sauce—as well as colorful rice dishes topped with edible flowers and fresh herbs. It’s one of the best places to experience the diversity of northern Thai flavors in their most natural form. The Bamboo Saturday Market has a few vegan treats as well.

Markets in Chiang Mai aren’t just about food—they’re about atmosphere: wandering through rows of stalls under fairy lights, chatting with vendors, and sampling as you go. It’s informal, social, and endlessly delicious, and for vegans it’s a chance to taste everyday Thai snacks that are as accessible as they are authentic.

Mueang Mai Market

If you’re planning to cook for yourself in Chiang Mai, there’s no better place to shop than Mueang Mai Market, the city’s bustling wholesale produce hub. Just a short walk or quick ride from the Old City, this sprawling maze of stalls is where restaurants, cafés, and locals stock up on everything from leafy greens to tropical fruits. For vegans, it’s a paradise of raw ingredients at prices that are almost unbelievably low.

Pyramids of fresh herbs—lemongrass, galangal, kaffir lime leaves—sit beside baskets of chilies in every shade of red and green. There are endless piles of vegetables, from morning glory and baby corn to pumpkin, eggplant, and mushrooms of every variety. Fruit stalls are equally irresistible, with ripe mangos, papayas, rambutans, and durians stacked high, alongside seasonal treasures like longans and mangosteens.

Part of the charm here is the energy: motorbikes weaving through narrow alleys, vendors calling out prices, and shoppers moving quickly with baskets or sacks full of produce. It’s hectic, but also deeply local—there’s little catering to tourists, which makes it one of the most authentic food experiences in Chiang Mai.

Eating vegan in Chiang Mai

Chiang Mai is one of the easiest and most rewarding places in the world to eat vegan. Here, plant-based food isn’t niche—it’s abundant, creative, and deeply tied to both Buddhist tradition and the city’s modern café culture. Northern Thai cuisine leans naturally toward vegetables, herbs, and rice, and centuries of vegetarian Buddhist practice mean that meatless cooking has long been part of the region’s food identity.

What makes Chiang Mai stand out is the sheer variety. From long-standing local spots that serve humble curries and rice to vibrant modern cafés turning out smoothie bowls, tacos, and vegan pizzas, the options feel limitless. The Old City is packed with plant-based eateries, Nimmanhaemin offers trendy cafés and fusion plates, and even the markets overflow with fruits, vegetables, and street food snacks that are easily vegan.

We rarely had to search hard—vegan pad Thai, green curry, banana blossom salad, fresh spring rolls, hummus plates, and smoothie bowls seemed to appear on every menu. While HappyCow is always a good resource, in Chiang Mai the challenge wasn’t finding vegan food but narrowing down where to eat next.

Eating vegan here feels joyful, abundant, and seamlessly integrated into daily life. Whether you’re lingering over a curry in a cozy café, grabbing street food at the market, or taking part in a cooking class, Chiang Mai makes plant-based dining both effortless and exciting. For travelers, it’s not just easy—it’s paradise.