If you have tasted Thai food back home, it may not necessarily taste like the stuff you’re about to try here. What you’ll eat in Bangkok will be the real thing; be warned that many restaurants catering to foreigners in big resort towns adjust their Thai cuisine radically to cater to foreign palates. Happily, Bangkok offers many authentic choices, from simple noodle stands to sophisticated, upmarket joints. You don’t have to limit your diet to Thai food either; the city is one of the best places in the world to dine out on international fare.

You will not go hungry in the Big Mango, and the truly adventurous will find interesting and more authentic fare off the beaten track in smaller roadside eateries. Prices vary from really rock-bottom-priced street food to unashamedly wallet-melting, posh new restaurants. But on the whole, menu costs are comparatively reasonable. You’ll be able to eat well for around 1,000B for two, even at some of the town’s better restaurants.

And you’ll pay far less if you do street food. As in most areas of the country, the city’s many night bazaars and hawker stalls are where you’ll find the fab cheap eats, but those who are nervous of tummy bugs or who are not inclined toward culinary adventures would do well to stick to the many food courts usually located inside shopping malls. Here, young Thais enjoy cheap eats in the luxury of air-conditioning; they can get packed with office workers noon to 1pm. In all food courts, you should buy coupons first, and cash in any you don’t use afterward. In addition to the ones reviewed below, other notable food courts include All Seasons Place, Emporium, Siam Square, MBK, and the CentralWorld’s Loft concept. All are usually located on the top floor or basement of stores and resemble simple self-service cafeterias.

Silom & Surawong Roads are where you’ll find the country’s most expensive joints, nestled a few meters from busy street vendors and more familiar fare, ranging from McDonald’s to pizzas. Head to the basements of any large shopping mall, great value Japanese sushi chains such as Fuji, or small cafes serving different noodles or Chinese hot pot to find excellent low-priced dinners. This area also has many independent restaurants; but beware, the majority serve up Thai food for tourists, so look out for places patronized by locals for more authentic eats.

Just next to Lumphini Park is Suan Lum Night Bazaar. This sprawling shopping compound has been slated to be torn down for years, but things move slowly in Thailand, so it is still operating. The open-air food court is hardly Thai haute cuisine, but it’s open from 6pm and costs little. Because it boasts a large central stage, you’ll be serenaded by Thai rock bands who belt out deafening (and pretty tuneless) renditions of Western hits during your meal.

There are a number of tour operators who offer dinner cruises along the Chao Phraya River. These vary from massive, floating discotheques with all-you-can-eat buffets to plush rice barges with delightful old-world decor and more intimate surrounds. Most offer special rates for children. All serve Thai set dinners or buffets; less pricey cruises may just offer cocktails at sunset. Some may come with traditional music, live rock bands, or Thai dance shows, depending on the operator.