Nan is a city where everyone want to go. Nan is very charming with its calm and peaceful surroundings plus its traditional culture as well as its beautiful temples.

Well-known restaurants in Downtown Nan are not big. They are operated and managed by locals who are ready to give warm welcome to all visitors.

Most of the restaurants that we, Uncle Deng and Auntie Kai visit, we are always greeted by "Where have you visited today so far?"

"Where do you plan to go after this?" "Have you visited this temple yet?" "It is raining today so please drive carefully"

Their kindness and care through these little conversations are very touching which I would say it is not easy to find these days in our community.

1. Khao Soi Ton Nam

2. Huen Hom

3. Kong Wan Pa Nim

4. Nam Sunee

5. Tiew Rai Thiam Than

6. I Sugar Bakery Cafe'

7. Huen Ying Chai - Kala Noodle

This review consists of food photos, prices, and detailed map.

Uncle Deng and Auntie Kai hope that this review will be useful for those who are coming to Nan in one way or another and will make your journey in Nan much more fun.

All friends with Facebook account can support Uncle Deng and Auntie Kai by voting us on The amazing journey blogging contest at

http://www.thethailandbloggernetwork.com/teams/detail/T07

Thank you very much for all your kind supports.

This journey is part of the travel campaign “The Amazing Journey: Blogging Contest with 12-must visit cities in Thailand“.

Tourism Authority of Thailand has assigned Uncle Deng and Auntie Kai, and OATTA to come, explore, and experience the tourism in Nan.

This is in order to be able to provide more useful information for people who are coming to Nan as well as let Nan to be better known.

1. Khao Soi Ton Nam (marked as number 1 on the map)

Address: 38/1-2, Suriyapong Road, Tambon Nai Wiang, Mueang District, Nan

Opening Hours: Everyday 8.00 Hrs -16.00 Hrs

GPS: 18°46'30.8"N 100°46'10.6"E

Khao Soi Ton Nam has been known for over 30 years. It is located near Wat Ming Muang (Nan City Pillar Shrine). The restaurant is a 2-storey wooden building with 6 tables that can accommodate not more than 25 people at a time. It is simply decorated in local Nan style giving warm welcome to all visitors. This is one good examples of how charming Nan is, which we will likely to get the same experience throughout our journey in Nan.

Uncle Deng and Auntie Kai have asked where the name of the restaurant is from and the answer is, it is from Ton Nam Nan or Nan River. Nan River is one of the main rivers in the northern part of Thailand which later combine with other main rivers and become Chao Phraya River. They have named their restaurant very well. It is such a meaningful name

The highlight menu of the restaurant is as its name, Khao Soi (Northern Thai Noodle Curry Soup). You have choices of meat to be put in the noodle, 35 THB with chicken, 50 THB for beef, and 60 THB for both chicken and beef. Khao Soi is served with side dish including pickled cabbage, shallot, and slices of lime. According to the recipe of the restaurant, the soup is clear with not much coconut milk in it. The taste is good.

Apart from the highlight menu, we recommend Rice Noodles with Spicy Pork Sauce (30 THB). It is very tasty as same as the highlight menu. So if you are here, having 1 bowl of Khao Soi and 1 bowl of Rice Noodles with Spicy Pork Sauce is perfect.

Hot Bread is a small cafe located next to Khao Soi Ton Nam. They serve coffee, tea, cake, and toast. You are able to order them to eat in Khao Soi Ton Nam. Its highlight would be that they use 100% fresh milk in tea, coffee, and cocoa drink. Hot drinks are 15 THB, cold drinks are 20 THB, and Frappuccino are 25 THB.

2. Huen Hom (marked as number 2 on the map)

Address: 11/12 Suriyapong Road, Tambon Nai Wiang, Mueang District, Nan

Opening Hours: Everyday 9.00 Hrs - 21.00 Hrs

Telephone: 054751122 , 0819617711

GPS : 18°46'35.4"N 100°46'11.2"E

Huen Hom is a famous authentic Northern Thai food restaurant. The restaurant is a wooden building located on the opposite side of 7 Eleven right in the middle of Downtown Nan near Wat Ming Muang (Nan City Pillar Shrine). The restaurant offers variety of food both authentic Northern Thai food as well as Thai food in general. The highlight menu is the giant set of Thai Pasta. It is served with selections of vegetables and various kinds of sauces such as Spicy Pork Sauce, Curry Sauce, and Chili Sauce. But Uncle Deng and Auntie Kai have fallen in love with its Crispy Omelet though. Khan Tok Dinner, a Northern Thai style dinging is also available here.

Uncle Deng and Auntie Kai have spent many days on this trip in Nan. We have had numbers of authentic Northern Thai food in numbers of restaurants. Suddenly, we have noticed an interesting menu called Crispy Omelet (100 THB). We then ask the staff right away what it is. The staff answer right away that this menu is one of the highlight menus of the restaurant. So, we order it right away together with two more highlights menus which are the authentic local menu called Kaeng Som Muang Pla Kang - Orange Curry with Catfish and the hard to find menu called Moo Thod Pla Khem - Fried Pork with Salted Fish. These 3 menus we have ordered are the ones we highly recommend.

Orange Curry with Catfish (100 THB) is a local Northern Thai food. Orange Curry in Central Thailand is normally in orange-red color from tamarind. On the other hand, Orange Curry in Northern Thai style is in yellow color from turmeric. This menu is cooked with many Thai herbs and vegetables. It is popular to cook with catfish because of its better meat quantity and less fish bone. The taste of this menu is mainly sour.

Fried Pork with Salted Fish (100 THB) is not a local Northern Thai food. There is something similar in Bangkok which is Steamed Minced Pork with Salted Fish.

But here, they mix minced pork with salted fish before deep fry them. It smells good and is perfect to eat with steamed white rice.

3. Kong Wan Pa Nim (marked as number 3 on the map)

Address: 92/5 Wat Sri Pan Ton Intersection, Tambon Nai Wiang, Mueang District, Nan 55000

Opening Hours: Everyday 11.00 Hrs - 22.30 Hrs

Telephone: 085 036 6108

GPS : 118°46'32.5"N 100°45'56.3"E

To get there: It is a wooden house in Lanna-style architecture located at Wat Sri Pan Ton Intersection. It is on the opposite side of Wat Sri Pan Ton.

Kong Wan Pa Nim or Auntie Nim's Dessert Shop is well-known for its tasty "Bua Loy Kai Waan (Sticky Rice Balls in Sweet Coconut Cream)". This dessert shop is even mentioned and appeared nationwide on the lyric of the song named "Nan Na Si" of Su Boonliang, a famous Thai singer. That is why this place is very famous in Nan like forever.

Even though Kong Wan Pa Nim is opened from 11.00 AM to 10.30 PM, you need to come after 6 PM if you intend to come for the famous Bua Loy Kai Waan.

The dessert are all delicious but they are pretty pricey.

Please do not forget to keep it in mind that Kong Wan Pa Nim is opened from 11.00 AM to 10.30 PM daily.

And you need to come after 6 PM if you intend to come for the famous Bua Loy Kai Waan.

Kong Wan Pa Nim is closed every Wednesday.

The desserts here can be divided into 2 types, hot desserts and cold ones.

Hot dessert selections are Bua Loy with Young Coconut (25 THB), Bua Loy with Young Coconut and Egg (30 THB), Tao Suan - Sweet Mung Bean Porridge with Coconut Cream (25 THB), Thai Sweet Job's Tears Pudding with Young Coconut (25 THB), and Black Sticky Rice Pudding with Young Coconut (25 THB).

Cold dessert selections are Shave Ice, Lod Chong (Cendol), Ruam Mit (Iced Dessert), Coconut Milk Ice Cream, and Fresh Egg Yolk Ice Cream.

Bua Loy with Young Coconut and Egg is delicious. Sweet coconut cream sauce smell so good. Sticky rice balls are perfectly cooked and not too sugary. The other dessert menus are average. The highlight would be that you are able to mix the hot and cold desserts together such as Coconut Milk Ice Cream with Black Sticky Rice Pudding with Young Coconut, Coconut Milk Ice Cream with Bua Loy, Coconut Milk Ice Cream with Sweet Noodles and Water Chestnuts, and Coconut Milk Ice Cream with bread. The price is according to their portion. The drinking water is self-service as same as ordering your needed desserts which have to be done at the counter in front of the shop.

4. Nam Sunee (marked as number 4 on the map)

Address: 246/6-7 Soi 7 Mahayod Road, Tambon Nai Wiang, Mueang District, Nan

Opening Hours: Everyday 06.00 Hrs - 20.00 Hrs

Telephone: 081-595-9141

GPS : 18°46'57.1"N 100°46'28.5"E

To get there: The restaurant is located on Mahayod Road near Wat Suan Tarn Intersection and is on the opposite side of PTT Gas Station

Nam Sunee is a local restaurant where it is famous for its Rice Noodles with Spicy Pork Sauce, Khao Soi, and its highlight product of fermented Thai pork. Fermented Thai pork from here is considered as one good souvenir and local product from Nan. Uncle Deng and Auntie Kai used to think that good fermented Thai pork should be from Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, and provinces in the Northeastern part of Thailand. Who would have known that fermented Thai pork here in Nan is totally delicious as well.

Chef has seen us as the tourist so she does not hesitate to recommend us to try the yummy "Stir-Fried Rice with Fermented Thai Pork". She then firmly confirm that we will like it and will buy some of these fermented Thai pork back home, just like everybody else!!!

We agree to try this menu as well as the other ones too. We have ended up ordering almost every menus.

Khao Soi with Chicken (30 THB)

Rice Noodles with Spicy Pork Sauce (30 THB)

Chinese Steamed Pork Dumpling (30 THB)

Stir-Fried Rice with Fermented Thai Pork (30 THB)

Let's see whether we would buy fermented Thai pork back home like the chef said or not!

Khao Soi with Chicken here uses the ancient recipe from Chiang Saen, Chiang Rai to cook. The curry soup is not clear because of the coconut milk. It is full of spices but not spicy. Children can eat it as well. For adults who love it spicy, you can add pickled cabbage, chili, and lime. We would say it is pretty different from other Khao Soi in other restaurants. If you would like to know how it is different, you have got to come and try it yourself.

Rice Noodles with Spicy Pork Sauce, there are various kind of Thai pastas for you to choose from such as the original Thai pasta, normal rice noodle, or thin white rice noodle.

Chinese Steamed Pork Dumpling, when we have the first bite the taste of it reminds us the time when we were young and having this kind of food back in the school.

Stir-Fried Rice with Fermented Thai Pork, this is the menu that has been recommended by the chef. Chef use 1 package of fermented Thai pork, slice it into pieces, fry until they are cooked, then add egg and steamed rice and finish it with the seasoning. It looks totally yummy.

There are 4 types of fermented Thai pork available for you to buy including small size, big size, Nam Mor, and the ribs. The distinctive point of the fermented Thai pork here would be its quality meat and its taste. It will not be damp either when you cook them. And you can keep them up to one month.

Finally, after having the recommended food we end up buying 12 packages of fermented Thai pork just like what the chef has said earlier. We have planned to use them as the main ingredients to cook stir-fried rice and omelet back at home.

5. Tiew Rai Thiam Than (marked as number 5 on the map)

Address: 28/6 Khaluang Road, opposite Ban Don School (Sri Serm Kasikorn)

Opening Hours: Everyday 10.00 Hrs - 21.00 Hrs

Telephone: 082-182933

GPS : 18°46'43.3"N 100°46'36.6"E

To get there: It is only 3-minute walk from Hotel Tewaratch. The restaurant is near Ban Don School (Sri Serm Kasikorn)

Pork Bone Soup Noodle Rai Thiam Than Restaurant is the first, the one, and only noodle restaurant in Nan that use more than 1,000 kilograms of pork bone per month.

Tiew Rai Thiam Than is one of the most famous restaurant in Nan. The highlight would be the big size pork bone full of meat. Even though it is served only piece per bowl, it full up the bowl already. The pork bone that they use is known as the most delicious part, some people call it as a "Dragon's back". The pork bone is cooked for hours and hours. You can eat it by the chopsticks or even by your hands (we would say eat it by hand is more delicious somehow).

For those who do not like pork bone, you also have got other choices such as Spicy and Sour Noodle with Meatballs (30 THB) and Spicy and Sour Noodle with Soft Minced Pork (40 THB).

Talking about how does it taste like, we have got to say it is very delicious. We do not even need to flavor it with something else. For those who love it spicy may put some more chili but we would suggest you to try it first before adding anything. If you order dry noodle, it will be served with some soup on the side. Moreover, the staff are all friendly and helpful. The food are served in a timely manner. All dining wares and cutlery are totally clean. We cannot find anything to complain at all.

On this whole trip in Nan, Uncle Deng and Auntie Kai have been here twice. We have chosen it to be the place where we have our first and last meal here.

Trust us, this restaurant is so good.

6. I Sugar Bakery Cafe' (marked as number 6 on the map)

Address: 91/1-2 Mahawong Road, Mueang District, Nan

Opening Hours: Everyday 9.00 Hrs - 20.00 Hrs

Telephone: 054-710-236, 087-787-9887

GPS : 18°46'40.9"N 100°46'26.6"E

To get there: I sugar Bakery Café is located on the opposite site of Nan Province Post Office near Chao Ratchawong Intersection

If you want to enjoy the "Slow life" in Nan, you should visit I sugar Bakery Café. I sugar Bakery Café is a small cafe. It is a sub-brand of The Best Bakery. The Best Bakery is a well-known takeaway bakery shop that has been opened in Nan for more than 10 years.

I sugar Bakery Café is designed and decorated in English Vintage style. There are number of dolls and souvenir from all over the world placed throughout the cafe. The cafe plan is well-designed. There are service counter, corners for book lovers, and tea or coffee lovers, and so on. In addition, if you would like to have some cakes, you can enter a secret doorway to The Best Bakery and order them to eat here right away.

The popular cake menus are Soft White Chocolate Cake, Green Tea Blueberry Cheese Pie, Crepe Cake, and Young Coconut Cake. Different menus are available on different days.

Coffee here is pretty good. We would suggest you to have Goat coffee which is delivered directly from Chiang Mai. There are all coffee Espresso, Americano, Cappuccino, Latte, Mocha available to be served in hot, cold or Frappuccino as you like. If you do not like coffee, there are also hot tea, cocoa, and white chocolate available. The prices are range from 30 - 55 THB.

7. Huen Ying Chai - Kala Noodle (marked as number 7 on the map)

Address: Sumon Tewaratch Road, Mueang District, Nan

Opening Hours: Monday - Friday 17.00 Hrs - 21.00 Hrs

Weekend and Public Holiday 11.00 Hrs - 20.00 Hrs

Telephone: 086-9104622

GPS : 18°47'08.9"N 100°46'52.1"E

Huen Ying Chai - Kala Noodle serves tasty noodle from ancient recipe. It has been opened since 2013 and is owned by P' Maliwan. It is a small restaurant with nice ambiance. You can choose to sit inside the restaurant or outside by its fence as you prefer.

A must-have menu is Spicy Tom Yum Noodle with Pork (30 THB). It is served in a nice dark Kala (coconut shell) making the noodle even look more yummy. The noodle is delicious. The smell of stir-peanut that has been put on top of the noodle is so good. The noodle is perfect to eat with Crispy Wonton (15 THB).

There are also other menus such as Noodles with Braised Pork (30 THB), Noodle in Brown Concentrated Soup (30 THB), Suki with pork (35 THB), and Spicy Tom Yum Noodle with Pork in Pink Soup (30 THB).

The following menus are very tasty and have exceeded our expectation.

Tapioca Balls with Pork Filling (20 THB), big Tapioca balls filled with a lot of pork, perfectly chewy, we love it.

Spicy Pork Lemon (50 THB), scalded marinated pork is topped with spicy lemon sauce eat with Chinese kale, the pork is super tender.

Thai Coconut and Pandan Pudding (20 THB), good in taste but it is not that soft like in other restaurants.

If you are the local Nan or have been to Nan and have a nice restaurant, cafe, or dessert place to recommend, please do not hesitate to let us know.

Uncle Deng and Auntie Kai hope that this review will be useful for those who are coming to Nan in one way or another and will make your journey in Nan much more fun.

All friends with Facebook account can support Uncle Deng and Auntie Kai by voting us on The amazing journey blogging contest at

http://www.thethailandbloggernetwork.com/teams/detail/T07