The best restaurants Northeast – Isaan

Close to the King and City Hotel, this restaurant offers simple and cheap cuisine.

If you are keen on Chinese cuisine, it is the address of circumstance. The restaurant offers specialities typically cantonaises in a pleasant setting: dim sum in particular are excellent!

A small restaurant with no pretensions, plastic tables and chairs, but Thai cuisine is no less tasty. Interesting for broke.

Located in a complex that includes several fine restaurants and bars, Bombay Indian Cuisine stands out for the quality on offer. Indian cuisine, yes, but authentic and with à la carte dishes rarely found in this category. Try the Malabar Coast specialties of fish and shrimp in sauce, chicken Madras or the Goan classic, chicken vindaloo. Nan, roti, basmati rice to accompany your dishes. Special mention for iced masala chai, the famous Indian spiced tea in an iced version. Recommended.

If the small dining room and terrace aren't the most appealing, the cuisine is well worth the detour! Manfredo, a friendly Italian who speaks perfect French, and his family are in charge of the kitchen. Prices are relatively high, as he cooks with top-quality products imported from Italy, including cheeses (gorgonzola, pecorino, gran padano) and cold meats (Parma ham, mortadella, coppa). Home-made pasta and ravioli, delicious pizzas, meats, salmon, salads and some Thai dishes are on the menu. Warm welcome.

What is obvious when you enter the Mee Gaan is the modernity and cleanliness of the place. High ceiling, with large bay windows, the place gives a feeling of space. On the menu, several Thai specialities meticulously executed and presented with care. Some dishes are not very copious, but the prices are very low. No alcohol is served here, we are more in the spirit of a milk bar. Coffee, cold drinks and pastries are also on the menu. Impeccable service and menu in English, with photos.

One of the busiest spots in town. Located on a street corner, the Nomu Bar boasts a large, pleasant terrace. A modern setting with a subdued ambience and indoor sports broadcasts. On the menu, Thai and some Japanese specialties. It's more a place for a drink, or a giraffe, with friends. Happy Hour until 9pm. Concerts are scheduled almost every evening. Smiling welcome, menu in English.

A little hard to find, at the end of an unappealing soi. When you arrive, you're struck by the cleanliness of the room: everything is immaculate white and the tables are beautifully laid. The menu features Indian specialties. The naan (plain, cheese and garlic) are very good, as are the chicken (excellent chicken tikka) and lamb dishes. Dishes are not very spicy. A few formulas are available. Service is courteous and attentive. The owner is Indian, a guarantee of authenticity.

This establishment combines a store selling organic and vegetarian products with a small cafeteria offering healthy meals. You can help yourself to a large and varied buffet that includes vegan, vegetarian and some non-vegetarian dishes. Fresh fruit and vegetable juices are also available. The wide choice of products will delight aficionados. Please note that while the store closes at 7pm, the restaurant stops serving at 2pm...

Want a good grilled steak? You've come to the right place! This restaurant serves a wide variety of grilled meats (we recommend lamb), as well as other dishes made with real know-how. Located in one of the best hotels in the city, the Kantary, the setting is modern and superb, especially since it is on the 20th floor and offers a breathtaking view of Khorat. Nice wine list to accompany your dinner. The place is quite chic, it is better to make a reservation before going there. Excellent service.

Udon Thani's most unusual venue. With subdued lighting and trumpets on the ceiling, the room welcomes musicians every evening. The decor is absolutely original and artistic. On the culinary side, local and international dishes are served at very reasonable prices. The bar is well stocked. The cocktails, however, are a weak point. Of course, the clientele is young and up-to-the-minute. It's the perfect place to spend a good evening, especially as a couple, without necessarily frequenting establishments run by Westerners.

This riverside restaurant boasts a large, pleasant terrace. The à la carte menu features Vietnamese specialties of the highest quality. The menu is limited, and dishes are prepared with fresh produce. For those who have been to Udon Thani, the menu is the same as at VT Namnueng. The banh mi (sandwiches), sausages and egg rolls are excellent. The place is very popular with the locals, so you can go there with your eyes closed.

Le Tigre is coming! Just around the corner, this new bar is packed almost every night. On the plate, you'll find Thai dishes and plenty of choice for picnicking with friends. For a drink, beer lovers will be delighted. While the bar doesn't offer a wide variety of spirits, it does boast a large number of beers, both local and international. The lighting enhances the atmosphere. Concerts are sometimes organized to liven up evenings. Professional, courteous service. A place frequented by Khorat's golden youth.

Near Lake Nong Prajapark, this is a restaurant worth a visit. It serves excellent Vietnamese cuisine with Isaan influences. The prices are very low. A la carte: sausages, curries, noodles, nems, spring rolls, omelettes and many other delicacies. The map is not translated into English but there are pictures of the dishes. A downside: the room is very bright and evokes a cafeteria more than a restaurant. The establishment is quite off-centre but the tuk tuk tuk drivers know this address well.

Located in a small village with many bars and restaurants, between Kosa and Pullman hotels, this small establishment is worth a visit. The cuisine offered is of very good quality, including antipasti and pizzas. Few establishments of this type in the city, if you want to eat Italian, it's here! Two atmospheres to choose from: on the terrace or in a small air-conditioned room. The decoration is sober and the music in the background is pleasant. The waitresses, friendly and efficient, speak good English

Family restaurant opened more than 30 years ago and reserved for early risers or night owls. People come here to eat Vietnamese specialities, sandwiches with Chinese and Vietnamese sausages, omelettes with pork minced with rice, pork pâtés, chicken in sauce. Beverages, tea, coffee, but no alcohol. The establishment has a few tables to sit quietly in a room with tiled walls. An excellent place for breakfast, very popular with locals and often crowded from 6:30 to 8:00 am

A small and very cheap restaurant that is crowded every lunchtime. The reason? It offers excellent local specialities at very competitive prices. Don't hesitate to try the green papaya salad(Som Tam) and the chicken dishes. The room is plain, with large waxed tablecloths on the tables, but the show is in the plate. The sign is in Thai, so you'll have to locate the place on the map to find it, or you can also ask for its location once in the street: everyone knows!

One of Khon Kaen's best places to spend a pleasant evening. This restaurant boasts a large terrace on the corner of a quiet street, and every evening offers live music from bands who come to perform on the stage, in a jazz atmosphere, of course. On the plate, Isaan's cuisine is at its best. The dishes are carefully presented, but the portions are a little meagre. This is a good opportunity to try local specialties, such as sausage in several variations. The bar offers good cocktails and wine, as well as the usual Thai beers.

This restaurant, which could not be more touristy, is nevertheless well located in front of this vast body of water surrounded by its green crown. The superstructures of many temples protrude here and there above the trees. The menu is quite classic and the quality of the dishes is average, but the setting is worth the trip, especially for lunch. Since the lake is located in the south of the city, the easiest way is to get there by collective taxi (no. 10, blue). Stop at Fairy Plaza shopping centre and end of walk, to the east.

Without a doubt the best option for dinner. The place has a modern architecture, with a large terrace and wooden furniture. It serves Isaan and local specialties. The food is authentic, so be careful with the chillies! The dishes are carefully prepared. The restaurant offers a wine list, which is rare enough to be highlighted. You can also sit at the counter of the small bar for a drink. It's a little more expensive than other establishments, but the prices are honest. To be discovered.