From pad Thai to dumplings, this vegetarian ate her way through Bangkok

Discovering vegetarian dining options in Bangkok, from street food to rooftop restaurants, with convenience and cultural experiences in mind.

Eating in Bangkok should be easy, after all there is so much to choose from — boat noodles, pad Thai, phat kaphrao, and as much mango sticky rice as your stomach can take. But is it easy for a vegetarian?

By the time I arrived in Bangkok and checked into my hostel, it was lunchtime. The cheese toastie from 7/11 was not going to cut it. I had heard about the lack of vegetarian options and while it did scare me, I had done my research.

I am a strong believer that every culture in the world has traditionally vegan or vegetarian dishes on their menu because it is not financially feasible to eat meat every day. With that hope, I set out on the streets of Bangkok, armed with my little book of notes and an international Internet pack loaded on my phone. I got intel from fellow backpackers who were lounging in the common area about a small Thai curry spot right by the nearby pharmacy.

Jasmine Siam Kitchen in Ratchathewi was fairly easy to spot. My heart was set on the tofu Thai green curry with sticky rice, and maybe a beer. I settled at a table by the window and placed my order with the sweet-looking Thai aunty who confirmed twice to make sure I really wanted tofu and not chicken. A small plate filled with sliced mangoes was set in front of me, and I looked at it with starry eyes. Mangoes in November?

After inhaling them in record time, I waited patiently for the main course, pretending to read my book. A large bowl of pale green Thai curry with vegetables and tofu was brought to me along with a plate of sticky rice and some salad. The fragrance of jasmine rice, along with the kaffir lime and lemongrass in the curry, made my stomach rumble. Needless to say, I wiped the bowl clean in 15 minutes.

While I wanted to explore a lot of hyper-local vegetarian food, I was also a tourist in a new country. Convenience was key. Walking down narrow alleyways behind the BTS stations to search for some spot I had found on Google Maps was not convenient, especially when I was making my way through all the malls of Bangkok.

In Siam Paragon, the chaotic and vast food court on the ground floor was iconic. I first had to find a place to sit (wish me luck), and then made a beeline to Thipsamai for their legendary pad Thai. They had a tofu version loaded with peanuts and a sticky sweet and sour sauce that hit all the right spots. I also got some veggie spring rolls and a watermelon juice to beat the heat. Thipsamai is a chain with locations all over the city, so it wins the convenience jackpot.