3 Best Restaurants in Chiang Mai, Thailand

A meal at the Rachamankha hotel's elegant restaurant is a must whether you're a guest or not. The menu focuses on Lanna, Burmese, and Shan cuisine, a sensible approach given the entwined history of these northern neighbors. The formal dining room inside, decorated with tasteful antiques, is best during the day, but reserve a table in the softly lit, brick-lined courtyard if you'll be here after dark. The servers are discreetly attentive, and the prices are reasonable for such impeccably prepared food.

Part tearoom, part casual eatery, this rustic place, whose furnishings include tables made of recycled wood, focuses on food crafted from fresh organic ingredients sourced from local farmers and artisanal producers. The all-day breakfasts are hugely popular—try the brioche French toast brûlée with fresh fruit—but the tacos and salads, among them a fine one with quinoa and pumpkin, have many fans, too, especially among trendy locals. The house-made ice cream in flavors like blueberry basil (sherbet) and peanut butter stout with chocolate is just the ticket after a long day temple-hopping.