Launched in 2018, the Thai Bus Food Tour allows tourists to savor Thai cuisine from renowned Michelin restaurants while exploring Bangkok’s iconic landmarks.
The tour's signature double-decker bus features dining tables, seating, food preparation areas, and large glass windows, providing passengers with unobstructed views of the city.
The bus accommodates up to 32 passengers.
The tour begins at the River City shopping mall in Bangkok, where visitors can find a waiting room and ticket counter.
Tickets can also be booked in advance through online travel agencies.
The first floor of the bus is dedicated to food and drink preparation. The tour operates four trips daily, with each offering a different menu.
Lunch is served from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., followed by afternoon tea from 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. Dinner runs from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m., and supper from 7:30 p.m. to 9 p.m.
The tour is priced at 1,890 baht (US$58) per session, regardless of the time of day.
In the accompanying photo, the bus is preparing for a noon departure. Since it's unsafe to cook while in motion, dishes are prepared in advance or picked up from restaurants along the way.
The lunch menu includes two appetizers, three main courses, dessert, a welcome drink, and hot tea.
Guests are welcomed with nataing (crispy rice cakes) served in a basket and miang (lotus petal salad).
Served on a tray shaped like a lotus flower, the lotus petal salad is a modern twist on traditional Thai salad, using lotus petals instead of betel leaves.
The first Michelin-featured dish on the lunch menu is yong tau foo (Chinese-style noodle soup), a signature dish from Nai Uan Yentafo.
The soup features noodles in a pink broth, topped with shrimp balls, fish balls, pork, blood cubes, and fried wontons.
The 50-year-old street noodle stand was recommended in the Michelin Guide Bangkok 2018.
Green curry with jasmine rice from Krua Apsorn, a family-run restaurant in Bangkok listed as a Bib Gourmand - a Michelin recognition for restaurants serving good food at moderate prices, is also served.
The dish retains its traditional spicy flavor, topped with fish cakes and served with fragrant rice.
Pad Thai, a staple of Thai cuisine, is also on the menu.
It comes from Pad Thai Fai Ta Lu, a Michelin Bib Gourmand-awarded restaurant praised for serving high-quality food at affordable prices.
Michelin describes the dish as perfectly cooked noodles with fresh whole shrimp and a beautiful color without being too dry.
For dessert, passengers can enjoy mango sticky rice, followed by a cup of hot tea.
Ha Phuong, a tourist from Hanoi who joined the tour in September, found the mango sticky rice to be the highlight of the meal, praising its fresh, fragrant mango and soft sticky rice, perfectly balanced with coconut milk.
"The other dishes were delicious, but I suffer from motion sickness, so I couldn't fully enjoy them," Phuong said.
A Chinese tourist (pictured) said this was her first time experiencing a street tour combined with dining on a bus.
She appreciated the slow pace of the bus, which allowed her to eat, drink, sightsee, and take photos comfortably.
"The food was diverse and delicious. I think this tour is great for people who don't suffer from motion sickness," she added.
