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Thai cuisine features some of the best food in the world, from curries to tom yum soup, the food is always a perfect balance of spicy, sour, savoury, and the slightest bit of sweetness.

However, it is sometimes difficult for foodies to enjoy all the delicacies being offered while simultaneously making the most of their trip, especially in Bangkok where tourists are eager to partake in a myriad of activities.

To make things easy for you, we’ve compiled a list of the yummiest food you can grab while you’re on the go around Bangkok. Take it from someone who has had to eat on the go while being dragged around the city’s shopping spots numerous times — none of these items are to be missed.

Coconut ice cream

This combination might not sound appealing to our desi ears, however, coconuts and their byproducts are all over Thailand, so be prepared for all things coconut-flavoured — including ice cream! Thai coconut ice cream is different from what you might get at your local Baskin Robins — for starters, they serve it in a hollowed-out coconut shell, which is the perfect container as you move about town.

The main event, however, is the toppings! The ice cream, which is usually homemade, can be customised with whichever topping you want, and trust me you should get all of them. They top the delicious treat off with shredded coconut, coconut jelly, peanuts, sweetened sticky rice — sounds weird but it just WORKS — and toasted mung beans (yes this is essentially crunchy moong daal, but hey, it adds great texture and a touch of saltiness).

The whole affair is perfect for Bangkok’s hot, tropical climate, and even better after a long day of shopping. With all the toppings, it’s the ultimate dessert — sweet, creamy, and cold, with crunchy bits that add not only texture but also a touch of saltiness.

The Pizza Company — veggie and seafood pizzas

Now I know what you’re thinking, pizza? In a Southeast Asian country? JUST TRUST ME! The Pizza Company is a Thai fast-food chain and their pizza is pure comfort food. Remember how Pizza Hut used to be back in the day? Picture that, but better.

The crust is pillowy soft and thick with a perfectly crispy bottom. It’s topped off with a yummy marinara, and you can taste the fresh, slightly tart tomatoes they use in the sauce. It’s finished off with a thick blanket of cheese. Unlike most fast-food pizza restaurants, The Pizza Company is generous with its ingredients, without you having to repeatedly yell at the poor soul taking your order.

Then, of course, the question is what flavour should you get? I would highly recommend their veggie pizza. It comes with spinach, sliced tomatoes, mushrooms, onions and fresh red chillies. In addition to all the regular flavours, they also have seafood and shrimp cocktail pizzas, both of which are scrumptiously unique.

Wherever you are in Bangkok, this chain has several restaurants, and chances are you can pick it up on your route. There is nothing better than getting to your hotel room at the end of a long day, bundling up in your blanket and digging into this delicious pizza. Plus, several branches are open around the clock, so if you’re done with your night market shopping at odd hours, you can order some pizza!

Pad Thai

This is a more common one. A stir fry noodle dish, pad Thai is Thailand’s national dish; once you try it, you’ll understand why. This dish has a little bit of everything — soft and chewy noodles, crunch from bean sprouts and peanuts, and perfectly cooked shrimp, fried egg, chicken and/or tofu serving as the best possible protein. If you’re averse to seafood (who hurt you?!), you can opt for just chicken instead, and it’s almost as yummy as the original.

All the aforementioned ingredients are blended together with a sweet and tangy sauce comprising of tamarind, Thai soy sauce, ground dried shrimp, fish sauce, palm sugar and a couple of other choice ingredients.

The result is a perfect noodle dish, one that you can get everywhere in Thailand — from high-end fine dining restaurants to hawkers at almost every market — and chances are it will be delicious everywhere. Make sure you squeeze the lemon wedge they serve with the dish and add on some chilli flakes if you like it hot!

Fried food on a stick

Yes, I know this sounds vague, but hear me out. Several hawkers around Bangkok offer a variety of food battered or crumbed and skewered with wooden sticks before being deep fried — and all of it is DELICIOUS.

There’s shrimp, squid, chicken, chicken wings, scallops, beef, the list goes on and on. All of it is cooked to absolute perfection, with the light crisp clinging to the protein. If you’re lucky, the hawker will also be serving a Thai dip with it, which is full of red and green chillies and garlic. Together, they are a match made in heaven, especially as the spicy and sour sauce cuts through the greasiness of the fried food.

You can totally grab multiple sticks and continue your activities as you munch on!

Som tam (Green papaya salad)

I’m the last person to suggest a salad, but this is unlike anything I’ve ever eaten. This green papaya salad, or som tam as it’s locally known, will not only punch you with flavour, it will knock you out.

Made from crunchy strips of unripe papaya, it combines the fresh heat of chiles, the pungency of garlic, and the briny depth of dried shrimp. The roasted peanuts and beans add a satisfying crunch, while tomatoes balance the dish with a touch of sweetness.

Everything comes together when it is tossed in a mouthwatering dressing of fish sauce, lime juice, and palm sugar. The amalgamation of all the ingredients ensures that the salad is the perfect balance of sour, sweet, and spicy.

The final product is refreshing and vibrant, perfect for a hot summer’s day — which is most days in Bangkok — and every bite will leave you wanting more. The best som tam will probably be one you get from a small hawker in some alley. Unfortunately, I fell very sick and couldn’t enjoy this salad on my most recent trip, so I’ve made do with an Instagram picture to show you what it looks like.

Mango sticky rice

Mango and sticky rice is perhaps one of the most popular Thai desserts, with hundreds of videos on social media of people running through Bangkok’s airports and streets just to get their hands on this delicacy as soon as possible.

The combination sounds weird, but it somehow works. Slices of mango are served next to scoops of slightly sweetened sticky rice, which has been cooked in coconut milk. The whole thing is topped off with toasted mung bean and thickened, sweet, coconut milk. The mango is sweet and creamy, while the rice adds a little textural variation and chew.

In my mother’s words, “It’s chewy and gooey at the same time. The mangoes make you feel like you’re lounging in a garden full of mango trees, and the coconut milk adds the perfect nuttiness.”

Clearly, this popular dessert is so delectable it has transportive qualities, and if your mom — like mine — is dragging you around shopping malls, you can eat some mango sticky rice to imagine you’re in a field of mangoes.

Crab curry

Here’s the thing, you can get crab curry at many different places, but for the best and most authentic experience you must go to Samboon. This restaurant, which has served fried curry crab since 1969, has been mentioned in the Michelin Guide.

To quote the (much more seasoned) Michelin inspector, the restaurant has “impeccable cooking, flawlessly fresh seafood and generous portions”.

Their crowning glory remains the crab curry — bright orange in colour and deeply flavourful, this is literally mandatory for all seafood enthusiasts to try when they are in Bangkok. Think of meaty chunks of fresh, sweet crab tossed in a rich, thick curry. The curry is where the magic lies — it’s a luscious mixture of red curry paste, eggs, evaporated or coconut milk, and a blend of aromatic herbs. The end product clings perfectly to the crab.

Unlike the Thai red curry we’re used to eating at restaurants in Pakistan, this crab curry has a thicker consistency and an undertone of sweetness that is enhanced by the taste of crab meat. The curry tastes complex and savoury, without being overbearingly spicy, however, hints of heat come through courtesy of the sliced red chilli on top.

Fried fish

Once again, loads of places do really great fried fish, tossed in a myriad of varying but equally delicious sauces. However, my favourite is the deep-fried grouper with crispy basil, garlic and chilli, also at Somboon — I had a great meal there, clearly.

An entire fish is lightly battered and deep fried, then coated in a luscious sweet and savoury sauce that is full of chopped garlic and red chillies. The whole thing is then topped off with fried basil and voilà, you have the best fish dish you will probably eat. The fish remains crispy and is cooked to perfection, with the meat falling clean off the bone. Plop a piece on your plate as well as a generous helping of the accompanying sauce on some white rice and you will have the best bite.

Those who aren’t big on fried fish can get a steamed version of this too!

Tom yum fried rice

You’ve probably heard of (and tried) the famed tom yum soup. This is basically the rice version of it. Boiled rice is cooked with tom yum paste and aromatics like ginger and lemongrass until it takes on the same colour and deliciousness as its soupy counterpart.

Loads of seafood goes in — squid, octopus, fish, shrimp, scallops, you name it. The dish is finished off with some tomato and some green onions. Each bite delivers a tangy punch from lime juice and a hint of fish sauce’s umami richness, making the dish taste savoury and fresh.

This dish is also a great alternative to the soup, which can be too much on a hot day and isn’t as satisfying as a plate full of rice. After all, nothing beats carbs.

And yes, there’s a noodle version too, both soupy and dry. All versions are available at street-side stalls.

Morning glory

Morning glory — also known as water spinach — is a vegetable with tender shoots. Thai people (geniuses that they are) stir fry these shoots with soy sauce, garlic, chillies, sugar and some other herbs to create a quick and delicious veggie dish.

You may be thinking this is more of a sit-down-and-eat food, and while you can do that, it’s also available as street food. They serve it in plastic bags with chopsticks — or forks, if you are so inclined. This dish is perfect for vegetarians and those looking for a reprieve from all the Thai seafood.

So, tell us in the comments, what will you be trying when you land in Bangkok?