🔄 Updated 21 Jun 2026
Isan food in Roi Et isn't about fancy plating — it's about bold flavor, that deep nua savoriness, and fresh ingredients. The places locals love tend to be plain, long-running spots: som tam pounded one mortar at a time, larb and koi with their own roasted rice, chicken marinated and grilled over real charcoal. This list runs from the spots people mention most and that are easy to find in town, out to a few places past the edge of town worth the short drive. Taste is personal, so we go by what the reviews consistently agree on.
Quick guide — which spot suits you
- Want lots of som tam styles in one place — Tam Kratoey Roi Et (in town, air-conditioned)
- After real Lao-style larb and koi — Koi Roi Et (old-school, authentic Lao) and Larb Roi Et opposite the train station
- Love rice-field views with punchy flavor — Tam Krok Taek Roi Et (north of town)
- Family meal with free-range chicken soup — Tom Kai Baan 3 Phi Nong (Po Phan)
- Want genuinely smoky grilled chicken — Wichian Buri Grilled Chicken (opposite Big C)
Want to taste deeper? Try a Roi Et food tour or cooking class
Half a day with a local who knows the lanes — or cooking a dish yourself — teaches you more than just eating. Book ahead on Klook or GetYourGuide.
10 Roi Et Isan restaurants the locals actually eat at
Tam Kratoey Roi Et
One of the most talked-about som tam shops in Roi Et. The draw is the range of styles — from classic Thai-style and pickled-fish (pla ra) tam to tam luem phua and fresh-shrimp tam. A dish people order alongside is grilled fish with jaew dipping sauce. It's a big place with both an air-conditioned section and an open-air zone, easy parking, and it works well for families or larger groups.
Koi Roi Et (old-school, authentic Lao)
A larb and koi shop that leans into its Lao roots. If you like that deep nua flavor, people head straight here. The koi and larb come with fragrant roasted rice and traditional offal, eaten with fresh veg and hot sticky rice. It's a plain, homestyle place with friendly prices, best for anyone who wants original Isan flavor rather than a modernized version.
Larb Roi Et (opposite the train station)
A long-running larb and koi shop right across from Roi Et train station, so it's easy to find and locals working nearby drop in regularly. The menu covers larb, koi, spicy tom saep and som tam, prices are easy on the wallet, and it suits a quick lunch or a stop before catching the train.
Tam Krok Taek Roi Et
A bold-flavored Isan spot on the north side of town with open rice-field views and a breeze to sit in. The dishes people order most are som tam, jar-roasted chicken (kai ob ong), duck larb, bitter koi and tom saep — homestyle and seriously punchy, with prices that stay reasonable. Delivery is available too. Good if you want both tasty food and a relaxed setting.
Tom Kai Baan 3 Phi Nong
Known for genuine free-range chicken soup — a clear, golden broth that's naturally sweet from real chicken. Beyond the soup there's crispy fried free-range chicken, a som tam platter and plenty of other Isan dishes. It sits in Po Phan, just outside town, and opens morning to evening, making it a great family lunch.
Wichian Buri Grilled Chicken (opposite Big C)
Wichian Buri-style grilled chicken, which you'll find all over Isan. This branch is on the north side of town opposite Big C, easy to find, with chicken marinated and grilled until the skin is crisp and fragrant. Eat it with som tam and sticky rice for the classic combo. Good for takeaway or a sit-down dinner, and the prices are easy.
Bun Tam Yam Nua
An Isan som tam shop in Roi Et town that leans hard into that nua savoriness. The menu is packed with various som tam, yam, larb and punchy side dishes to eat with sticky rice — homestyle flavor at friendly prices. Good for lunch through dinner when you want to order several things to share.
Som Tam Kai Yang Roi Et
A som tam and grilled chicken shop in Ban Lao Yai, Dong Lan, with a no-frills style: som tam pounded fresh one mortar at a time and chicken marinated in-house. Order it with bamboo soup made with ya nang leaf for that homestyle flavor. Prices are light, it fills you up in one meal, and locals nearby drop in regularly.
Isan Liap Pak
A bold Thai-Isan spot in the Ploenchit lane area of town, open evening to late. The dishes people love to order are big barbecued pork ribs, salt-grilled prawns and crab omelet, with larb, koi and som tam to go alongside. Good for an evening with friends where everyone orders a spread to share.
Rim Huai Nuea
A riverside Thai-Isan restaurant with an airy feel, good for settling in for a while. There's som tam, larb, grilled fish and a range of rice-dish options, with milder, easygoing flavors. Good for bringing older relatives or coming as a group that wants both Isan food and a nice setting.
How to order it spicy like a local
If you can take the heat, just tell the cook saep nua — no need to specify how many chilies, they'll season it to the shop's own balance. And don't skip bamboo soup with ya nang leaf alongside your som tam; it's the classic pairing Isan people always eat together.
Roi Et Isan dishes you shouldn't miss
Once you're in Roi Et, beyond the som tam and grilled chicken everyone knows, there are several Isan dishes locals actually eat that are worth trying in full.
- Pla ra som tam — the heart of Isan som tam, with that deep savoriness from cooked fermented fish. A must if you're into pla ra.
- Larb & koi — larb with fragrant roasted rice, koi with fresh flavor, eaten with fresh veg and sticky rice.
- Grilled chicken — marinated and charcoal-grilled, crisp skin, sweet meat, dipped in jaew.
- Bamboo soup — shredded bamboo with ya nang leaf and pla ra, homestyle, eaten alongside som tam.
- Tom saep & free-range chicken soup — hot broth, either spicy or clear-and-sweet depending on the shop, great when you feel like sipping something.
When to go and what you'll pay
Most Isan spots in Roi Et open from late morning to evening, and some run late into the night. Som tam, larb and koi are at their best when the ingredients are fresh — midday to early evening — while a few popular grilled-chicken shops sell out before dark. If you've got a place in mind, going early evening is the safer bet. A typical Isan meal runs around ฿80–250 per head depending on how much you order and whether you add grilled fish or chicken. Many shops are cash only, so bringing small bills makes things easier.
Having your own wheels helps most
Many Isan spots in Roi Et are on the north side and outside of town, so having a car or motorbike makes getting around much easier. In-town places like Tam Kratoey and the larb shop opposite the train station are easy enough to reach on foot or by motorbike taxi.
Plan your whole Roi Et food-and-travel trip
See the Roi Et travel guide →