THAI BAAN Thai street food

Walk into Thai Baan and you're immediately hit with the smell of fish sauce, lime and proper wok heat — the kind of place where they're actually cooking, not reheating. It's tucked right on Bridge Street in the heart of Chester's medieval quarter, which feels slightly surreal when you're eating som tam that would hold its own in Chiang Mai. The vibe is stripped-back and unpretentious; locals queue at lunch for a reason. You'll see proper Thai families eating here alongside students and office workers, all crammed in because the food's genuinely good and doesn't cost a fortune. The menu reads like someone actually knows what they're doing, with dishes that go beyond the usual suspects.