A Snack Paradise South of Chiang Mai: Duck Noodle Soup That Soaks Up the Broth Perfectly

Text & Photos /Xiao Sheng

The area near Chiang Mai Gate in the southern part of Chiang Mai is a hub for street food. Although we’ve introduced the snacks around Chiang Mai Gate before, we’ve since discovered several other tasty stalls, so we decided to write about them again. Let’s see how many hidden culinary gems have popped up around Chiang Mai Gate during our recent trips.

This stall, right next to Chiang Mai Gate, is one of the few in town that sells duck noodle soup. Its proximity to the gate makes it very easy to find. Most noodle shops in Chiang Mai serve beef, pork, or chicken, so places selling duck noodles are extremely rare. Plus, the flavor here is genuinely delicious, which is why we make it a point to come here every time we’re back in Chiang Mai.

Duck Noodle Soup (40 THB): Thai noodle soups generally come in small portions, and this one is no exception. While the portion isn’t very large, the toppings are fairly generous. The duck is slow-cooked until it’s incredibly flavorful, and the duck blood is especially tender and delicious. The broth is rich and aromatic, though it can taste a bit salty—but overall, this duck noodle soup is definitely worth trying.

Mixed Duck Soup (45 THB): Though the portion is also small, there’s a decent amount of duck meat in this soup. The most eye-catching part is the huge duck head in the broth. It’s been cooked to perfection—so tender it practically melts in your mouth. Just pry it open, and the meat easily separates. The duck meat is soft, flavorful, and has absorbed the broth beautifully, making it absolutely delightful. The broth is similarly on the salty side, but I personally find it quite enjoyable.

The second stall we’re introducing is located right across from Chiang Mai Gate. It’s a small stand selling Turkish kebabs. Apparently, a Turkish man married a Thai woman and started selling Turkish grilled meat here. This stall only began operating near Chiang Mai Gate in the latter half of 2021, so we’d never seen it before.

This kebab shop offers only two types of meat—chicken and lamb. The lamb is slightly more expensive at 80 THB. The owner claims their kebabs are made with a special secret recipe using nine spices, which must make them incredibly flavorful. The fact that so many people come to buy them every evening speaks volumes about their popularity.

Kebabs are similar to Taiwan’s shawarma—slices of chicken or beef are stacked on a vertical rotisserie and grilled, then shaved off when served. The preparation is similar to shawarma, but kebabs are typically wrapped in flatbread rather than served in a loaf.

The flatbread is placed at the bottom, then sliced meat is added along with lettuce, onions, and carrots, all rolled up for a quick bite. This stall offers a few sauce options, though I only remember tomato sauce and mayonnaise.

Lamb Kebab (80 THB): The flatbread is lightly warmed, giving it a slightly chewy yet slightly charred texture. The lamb is tender and free of any gaminess, with the grilling enhancing its aroma. The vegetables and mayonnaise add flavor without making the lamb feel too heavy—a combination that really won me over. This lamb kebab is genuinely great.

Unfortunately, when we visited again a few days later, they were no longer selling lamb kebabs. The owner had also started selling grilled flatbreads, and due to limited prep time, they could only focus on chicken.

Chicken Kebab (50 THB): The preparation is identical to the lamb version, so I won’t repeat the details. The main difference is that grilled chicken tends to be a bit drier in texture. While it still tastes good, it’s not as impressive as the lamb kebab. Hopefully, the owner will bring back the lamb version someday.

The third stall is located at the end of the food stall street near Chiang Mai Gate, close to the river. A friend told us this papaya salad stall is famous and delicious. When we visited, we even saw people waiting in line for numbers, which shows just how popular it is.

But if you ask me how it tastes, I can’t give a definitive answer. At the time, I was worried my sister and the others might not like the strong flavors, so when the vendor asked how spicy I wanted it, I said “mild.” Turns out, the vendor probably assumed we were foreigners and made it so mild it barely had any flavor—my sister was furious. So, I’ll just share the info: if you order papaya salad here, I’d recommend going with the regular spice level.

There are plenty of other grilled meat stalls around Chiang Mai Gate. The grilled meat here is cheap and delicious, and it’s always tempting to grab a few skewers for a quick snack.

It happened to be the weekend market that day, so we went with some friends. But apart from me, everyone else in the group had food poisoning, and the market was packed with narrow, crowded streets. We ended up calling it quits pretty quickly.

Finally, here’s a shot of some friendly foreigners we met at Chiang Mai Gate to wrap things up. The street food around Chiang Mai Gate is scattered along the plaza and morning market, with plenty of hidden gems. Duck noodle soup and kebabs are both great choices, and we’ve previously covered other treats like youtiao (Chinese crullers), fried chicken, and congee—all of which are nearby. The variety is why I keep coming back.
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Chiang Mai Gate Street Food
Location: Near Chiang Mai Gate, south of the Old City in Chiang Mai

Xiao Sheng’s Wandering Journey
Every journey, every trip, is about seeking something—even if I’m not entirely sure what. But in the end, what I gain is often more than I expected. And so, my wandering journey will continue.