Bangkok's large Chinese-Thai community has shaped the city's food — a fusion that's been cooking for 200 years.
Over a third of Bangkok's population has Chinese ancestry — mostly Teochew, Hakka, and Hainanese communities who arrived from the 19th century onward.
Khao Ka Moo (braised pork, Teochew origin), Khao Man Gai (Hainanese chicken rice), Kuay Jab (rolled noodle soup), dim sum, roasted meats.
Chinatown (Yaowarat) is the heartland, but Thai-Chinese food is everywhere — the roast duck hanging in shophouse windows is a Thai-Chinese institution.
Quality dim sum available throughout Bangkok; Chinatown has the most traditional versions (bamboo steamer carts); Phrom Phong has upscale dim sum restaurants.
Early morning for dim sum and quieter streets, or evening when the neon signs and food stalls come alive — midday tends to be the least atmospheric window.
Yaowarat becomes the epicentre of Bangkok's Chinese New Year celebrations, with special festival foods appearing alongside the usual menu — worth timing a visit around if the dates align.