The Duke's Chiang Mai Burger: Founders, Branches and Menu Guide
Who built Chiang Mai's American burger group in 2005, which burger to order first, and where to find its five branches.
Photo: C411978, CC BY-SA 4.0
The Duke’s has been serving American burgers and steaks in Chiang Mai since 2005, when David Anichowski and his wife, Sophin ‘Pin’ Anichowski, opened the first restaurant by the Ping River, according to e-table.asia. Twenty-one years on, it runs five branches across the city. Order the All-American first: a single or double patty of imported Australian beef, which the restaurant says it grinds in-house every day, with lettuce, tomato, onion and pickles.
Who founded The Duke’s in Chiang Mai?
David Anichowski and Sophin ‘Pin’ Anichowski, husband and wife, co-founded The Duke’s, according to a December 2020 profile in Chiang Mai CityLife. By then the group employed more than 200 people, and CityLife named Aon Varaporn Jaiban as head of culinary.
The house motto is ‘No claims, no games, just great food.’ Both e-table.asia and CityLife quote it. On its own it’s a slogan. CityLife’s profile backs it with something more concrete: cooking from scratch comes first.
There are two gaps I couldn’t close. David Anichowski’s background has never been published: not his nationality, his home state or his earlier career. And the latest named sources date from 2020 and 2021, so I can’t tell you whether he and Pin still run the business day to day in 2026.
Colourful restaurant boats on the Ping River in Chiang Mai, near The Duke’s original Ping River branch on Chiang Mai–Lamphun Road (December 2014, 1024×768). Placed in place of a founders’ portrait, since there is no licensed photo of David and Pin Anichowski. (Photo: Richard Barton (Living In Thailand), CC BY 2.0, https://www.flickr.com/photos/98586162@N00/16149308546)
When did The Duke’s Chiang Mai open?
The first Duke’s opened by the Ping River in Chiang Mai in 2005, according to e-table.asia. The date matches CityLife’s ‘15 years’ profile from 2019–2020. Its headline credits the menu to David Anichowski’s family recipes.
The Duke’s Chiang Mai burger menu: what to order
The core of The Duke’s burger menu is the All-American: a single or double patty with lettuce, tomato, onion, pickles and house burger sauces. Every other burger on the official burger page builds on that base.
| Burger | What’s on it |
|---|---|
| All-American | Single or double patty, lettuce, tomato, onion, pickles, house burger sauces |
| Route 66 | Cheese and bacon |
| Loco | Mexican-style toppings |
| Vavavoom | Onion rings |
| Jack Daniel’s Glaze | Cheddar and jalapeños |
The Duke’s Chiang Mai burger menu: the All-American, Route 66, Loco, Vavavoom and Jack Daniel’s Glaze, with what goes on each one (source: official burger page). (Table: Burger Breton, data from The Duke’s official site (wherestheduke.com), checked 2026-10-07)
Build your own burger
You can also build your own burger at The Duke’s. The official site lists bacon, grilled onions, mushrooms, chili, jalapeños and avocado as toppings. For cheese, you choose between Swiss, cheddar, blue and provolone.
My pick for a first order is the All-American, as a double. I haven’t eaten it for this piece (see how I built this profile, below), so take this as a reading of the menu, not a tasting note. It’s the burger the rest of the line-up is built on. With only salad, pickles and sauce on top, it’s also the one that tells you whether the beef lives up to the ‘ground daily’ promise. If you want more going on, the Jack Daniel’s Glaze adds cheddar and jalapeños.
What beef does The Duke’s use?
The Duke’s says its burgers use premium imported Australian beef, ground in-house daily. That is the wording on the official site. A 2021 e-table.asia piece mentions beef from the US and Australia, but it’s talking about the steaks, not the burgers.
That stated beef source is the group’s real selling point. Without it, the line-up reads like any American diner menu.
August 2026 special: French Onion Swiss Mushroom Burger Au Jus
From August 1 to 31, 2026, all five branches sold a French Onion Swiss Mushroom Burger Au Jus for 265 THB (CityLife). It came with freshly ground imported beef, Swiss cheese, sautéed mushrooms, grilled onions, horseradish mayo and an au jus dip. The offer has ended. I keep it here because it’s the only dated burger price I could pin to The Duke’s.
None of the sources I checked gives a dated regular burger price in THB, so check the menu at the branch before you order.
The Duke’s branches in Chiang Mai and opening hours
The Duke’s has five branches in Chiang Mai. All open daily at 10:00 except the airport branch, which opens at 11:00. The addresses, hours and phone numbers below come from the official site, checked on October 7, 2026.
| Branch | Address | Hours | Phone |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ping River / Rimping | 49 Chiang Mai–Lamphun Rd | 10:00–22:00 | +66 53 249 231 |
| Gallery / Hang Dong | Highway 108, Hang Dong | 10:00–22:00 | +66 53 142 751 |
| Maya mall | 55 Huay Kaew Rd | 10:00–21:00 | +66 52 081 095 |
| Ruamchok | Somphot, 700 Year Rd | 10:00–22:00 | +66 53 240 550 |
| Central Chiangmai Airport | 4th floor, Central Chiangmai Airport | 11:00–20:00 | +66 53 285 235 |
The Duke’s five Chiang Mai branches with their addresses, hours and phone numbers: Ping River (49 Chiang Mai–Lamphun Rd), Gallery (Hwy 108, Hang Dong), Maya mall (55 Huay Kaew Rd), Ruamchok (Somphot, 700 Year Rd) and Central Chiangmai Airport (4th floor). (Table: Burger Breton, data from The Duke’s official locations page, checked 2026-10-07)
Older articles mention other branches, such as a Promenada location in 2020. I kept only the 2026 official list. Hours change, so call before a long songthaew ride across town.
Map of Chiang Mai showing where to find The Duke’s five branches, from Ping River in the east to Gallery in Hang Dong in the south (the five markers still need to be geocoded from the official addresses). (Map: © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL)
Where The Duke’s fits in Chiang Mai’s burger scene
The Duke’s is the veteran of Chiang Mai’s burger scene: it has been grilling American burgers by the Ping River since 2005. Most English-language rankings of the city’s burgers date from 2015 to 2017, so read any old ‘top 10’ list with care.
The other name that keeps coming up is Beast Burger. Two Thai siblings started it as a food truck in 2014, then opened a shop on Nimmanhaemin Soi 17 in Nimman, according to Feastography. That review puts its burgers at about 275 THB, with options like Creamy Blue Cheese and Double Double. The review is undated and the siblings’ names are not published. Treat those details as a lead, not a current listing.
Beast Burger in Chiang Mai: a blue cheese burger with fries, with a half-pork, half-beef patty (July 2017, 1024×1024). (Photo: Blowing Puffer Fish, CC BY 2.0, https://www.flickr.com/photos/83128028@N00/35589173804)
| The Duke’s | Beast Burger | |
|---|---|---|
| Started | 2005, Ping River (e-table.asia) | 2014, food truck (Feastography) |
| Founders | David and Sophin ‘Pin’ Anichowski | Two Thai siblings, names unpublished |
| Style | American burgers and steaks | Burger shop in Nimman |
| Locations | Five branches (official site, 2026) | Nimmanhaemin Soi 17 (undated review) |
| Burger price | 265 THB (August 2026 special) | About 275 THB (undated review) |
The Duke’s vs Beast Burger in Chiang Mai: when each started, who founded it, its style, its locations and its burger price. (Table: Burger Breton, data from e-table.asia, wherestheduke.com, Chiang Mai CityLife and Feastography)
Burger prices in Chiang Mai: The Duke’s August 2026 special at 265 THB (about US$8) against Beast Burger at about 275 THB in an undated review. (Chart: Burger Breton (rendered with QuickChart), data from Chiang Mai CityLife (2026) and Feastography (undated))
My take: The Duke’s is the safe call for a classic American burger, with five branches and a stated beef source. Beast Burger is the one I’d chase for something less predictable, once the Nimman shop is confirmed open.
Is chef Ton’s Le Du in Chiang Mai?
No. Le Du is a one-Michelin-star contemporary Thai restaurant at 399/3 Soi Si Lom 7, Bang Rak, in Bangkok (Michelin Guide), and it doesn’t serve burgers. I looked for any link between chef Thitid ‘Ton’ Tassanakajohn (or Le Du, Nusara and Le Du Kaan) and a burger concept or a Chiang Mai restaurant. I found none.
His real tie to the city is produce. The region supplies ingredients for Le Du and Nusara, and he visits several times a year, Tatler Asia reported in January 2024. His Chiang Mai picks in that piece (Magnolia Café, Kiti Panit, Khao Soi Islam, Midlife Crisis and Cuisine de Garden) don’t include a single burger. For burgers in the capital, see our guide to the best burgers in Bangkok.
How I built this profile
I built this profile from published sources. I have not eaten at The Duke’s for this article, and it is not sponsored. The founders’ story comes from Chiang Mai CityLife (2019–2020 and December 2020) and e-table.asia (2017, updated 2021). The menu, the beef wording, the branches and the hours come from The Duke’s official site, checked on October 7, 2026. The Le Du facts come from the Michelin Guide and Tatler Asia. Where sources disagreed, I went with the most recent official wording and said so.
For more cities, browse the Restaurants section or the Chiang Mai burger hub. For the rest of Thailand, see the Bangkok and Phuket hubs.
FAQ: The Duke’s and burgers in Chiang Mai
Who owns The Duke’s in Chiang Mai?
David Anichowski and his wife, Sophin ‘Pin’ Anichowski, co-founded The Duke’s. The latest named sources date from 2020–2021, so I could not confirm their roles in 2026.
When did The Duke’s Chiang Mai open?
The first Duke’s opened by the Ping River in 2005, according to e-table.asia.
What beef does The Duke’s use for its burgers?
The official site says premium imported Australian beef, ground in-house daily.
How much does a burger cost in Chiang Mai?
The two price points I found are close. The Duke’s August 2026 special cost 265 THB, and an undated review puts Beast Burger at about 275 THB. I could not verify The Duke’s current regular prices.
Is there a burger near Chiang Mai airport?
Yes. The Duke’s has a branch on the 4th floor of Central Chiangmai Airport, open 11:00–20:00 (+66 53 285 235). Call to confirm before you go.
What is the best burger in Chiang Mai?
For a classic American burger with a long track record, I’d start with the All-American double at The Duke’s. Beast Burger in Nimman is the best-documented local alternative, but check that it’s still open.
Is Le Du in Chiang Mai?
No. Le Du is at 399/3 Soi Si Lom 7 in Bangkok’s Silom area. It is a one-Michelin-star contemporary Thai restaurant, not a burger restaurant.
Does chef Ton Thitid Tassanakajohn have a burger restaurant?
Not as far as I could find. No source I checked links chef Ton or his restaurants (Le Du, Nusara, Le Du Kaan) to a burger concept.
