Best Burgers in Chiang Mai: Where to Look

The best burgers in Chiang Mai are concentrated on and around Nimmanhaemin Road, known as Nimman, the café district next to Chiang Mai University, and inside the square moat of the Old City. Santitham, just north-west of the moat, is a quieter area popular with long-stay visitors and remote workers.

Chiang Mai’s food is northern Thai, or Lanna, and it tastes different from Bangkok’s: more herbs and bitterness, less sugar and coconut milk. Khao soi, a curry noodle soup topped with crisp fried noodles, is the city’s signature dish. Sai ua, a grilled pork sausage seasoned with lemongrass, kaffir lime and chilli, is the regional flavour to ask about when a menu offers a northern twist. A large community of digital nomads and long-stay visitors has made Western comfort food easy to find, especially in Nimman. Evenings belong to the markets: the Night Bazaar on Chang Khlan Road every night, and the walking streets at the weekend.

Burgers in Chiang Mai: key facts

• Neighbourhoods to explore: Nimman, the Old City, Santitham and the Night Bazaar area.
• Local specialty: khao soi, sai ua sausage and nam prik noom, a roasted green chilli dip.
• Weekend markets: the Saturday walking street on Wualai Road and the Sunday walking street on Ratchadamnoen Road.
• Currency: Thai baht (THB); the walking street markets run mostly on cash.
• Getting around: no metro; red shared songthaews (rot daeng), tuk-tuks and ride-hailing apps.

Every guide we publish on Chiang Mai is dated and lists only venues, addresses, prices and ratings we could verify. For other cities, browse our burger restaurant guides by city.