Nimmanhaemin Cafés, Walking Streets and Khao Soi

Chiang Mai is the culinary and craft capital of northern Thailand. Centuries along the overland caravan routes between Yunnan, Shan State (Burma) and Laos gave Lanna kitchens a repertoire of smoky roasted chillies, wild forest herbs and rich spiced noodle broths that you rarely find on southern beach menus, while the cool highland hills surrounding the valley now produce Thailand's finest arabica coffee beans.

Five northern Thai dishes to seek out

• Khao soi (northern curry noodle soup): flat wheat-and-egg noodles swimming in a fragrant curry broth scented with black cardamom, turmeric and coconut milk, braised with a chicken drumstick or slow-cooked beef shank and crowned with a nest of crisp deep-fried noodles. Always squeeze in fresh lime and add a spoonful of pickled mustard greens (phak kad dong), chopped red shallots and roasted chilli oil from the condiment tray; classic lunchtime bowls are served at veteran spots such as Khao Soi Khun Yai (between the north gate temples), Khao Soi Mae Sai and Khao Soi Lung Prakit Kad Kom.
• Sai oua (grilled northern herb sausage): coarse minced pork seasoned heavily with lemongrass, galangal, kaffir lime leaf, shallots and dried chillies, coiled and grilled over glowing charcoal until smoky.
• Nam prik noom and nam prik ong with sticky rice: two signature dips eaten by rolling warm glutinous rice (khao niao) into a ball in your fingers: nam prik noom is a fiery green paste of charred long chillies and garlic served with crunchy pork crackling (kaeb moo), while nam prik ong is a sweeter, tangy minced pork and tomato relish.
• Gaeng hang lay: a rich, coconut-free Burmese-style pork belly curry simmered slowly with fresh ginger strips, pickled garlic pods, tamarind and peanuts.
• Khao kha moo (stewed pork leg on rice): famously dished up every evening by the cowboy-hatted lady at the Chang Phueak Gate (North Gate) night food stalls, tender five-spice braised pork knuckle with pickled greens and a soft-boiled duck egg.

Warorot Market, weekend walking streets and Nimmanhaemin coffee

For daytime browsing, head east of the moat to Warorot Market (Kad Luang) and adjoining Ton Lam Yai Market, where locals shop for northern sausage coils, dried longan fruit, tea leaves and riverside floral offerings. On weekends, skip the touristy everyday Night Bazaar on Chang Klan Road in favour of the Saturday Wua Lai Walking Street (along the historic silversmiths' road south of Chiang Mai Gate) and the flagship Sunday Tha Phae Walking Street running straight down Ratchadamnoen Road past illuminated Old City temples. For third-wave coffee, spend an afternoon walking the numbered lanes (Soi 1 to Soi 17) of Nimmanhaemin Road, brick-paved One Nimman and the tree-shaded artist courtyard of Baan Kang Wat near the university foothills.