Much like in the United States or in Europe, cuisine can vary greatly just based on which region of a country you find yourself traveling through. In Thailand, regional differences abound. While there are a few dishes that are found in all of Thailand: Pad Thai, sticky rice, green curry, and mango, some dishes are strictly regional. Looking for certain dishes in the wrong region will leave you totally empty handed!

For example, if you find yourself traveling in Northern Thailand, you will come across Northern Thai curry, but you likely won’t find it once you leave this region. In the Chiang Mai, everyone loves a coconut-based curry soup known as khao soi. Khao soi is the most eaten dish in all of Northern Thailand. Yet, if you travel to Southern Thailand you probably won’t find a single restaurant offering the dish. If you’re looking for Thai food in the US, you may find that some Thai restaurants specialize in either Northern or Southern Thai cuisine.

Of course, you’ll mostly find Thai restaurants that offer a little bit of everything! At the end of the day, you can’t go wrong with classics like Pad Thai or curry, those are universally available at any Thai restaurant.