SP Chicken is one of Chiang Mai’s best-kept secrets and not a place you would likely stumble upon. You probably guessed that this place serves chicken, but not just any chicken, slow roasted chicken infused with garlic. The house-made nam jim dipping source is pure heaven and a selection of other favourites like som tam (green papaya salad) are served.

This family business is famous for their juicy charcoal-grilled rotisserie chicken, stuffed with generous amounts of fragrant local garlic. Papaya salad, sticky rice, and other Northeastern/Isan favorites such as pork laap and grilled beef with sweet, spicy, tart jaew dipping sauce are all recommended, too.

For authentic Isan dishes in Old Town Chiang Mai, SP Chicken’s aromatic and impossibly juicy rotisserie chicken is the jewel in the crown according to our MICHELIN Inspectors.

Chiang Mai's best chicken emerges daily from the grills at this tiny cafe near Wat Phra Singh. The menu runs to salads and soups, but most people just…

For the best local street food, SP Chicken is a 50-year-old institution serving some of the juiciest, garlic-marinated, grilled chicken you’ll ever eat. The popular old city restaurant is on the tourist radar, so get there before chickens sell out and also be sure to order the spicy pork larb, which is sour and herbaceous. Taste the city’s most famous khao kha moo (stewed pork leg) at ‘Cowboy Hat Lady’, a lively spot found among other food stalls opposite the city’s North Gate every night.

SP Chicken (SP ไก่ย่าง) – SP Chicken (SP ไก่ย่าง) is an Isan style restaurant located in the heart of old town Chiang Mai. The main thing they specialize in is grilled, or more like rotisserie style chicken, which you’ll immediately see at the front of the restaurant, spinning in pure beauty. At the beginning I thought the chicken was tiny, but when I tasted it, I knew they were doing everything right when it comes to grilled chicken – it was juicy and flavorful to the bone.

Then there is the Bib Gourmand, which mentions good quality, good value restaurants, and Chiang Mai had a whopping 17 nods – Gai Yang Cherng Doi, Ginger Farm Kitchen, Han Theung Chiang Mai, Huan Soontaree, Huen Muan Jai, Khao Soi Mae Manee, Khao Tom Yong (Suthep Road), KruaYa, Kuakai Nimman, Meena Rice Based Cuisine, Na Chantra, Racharos, Rote Yiam Beef Noodles, Saiyut and Doctor Sai Kitchen, Sanpakoi Kanomjeen, SP Chicken, The House by Ginger.

Sometimes you hear so much about a restaurant and read about it on so many blogs that it ends up being a disappointment–SP Chicken is not one of those restaurants. The chicken here tastes absolutely incredible every single time and it’s always cooked to tender perfection. The chefs at SP Chicken cook a rotisserie style Thai chicken stuffed with lots of garlic, which imparts a wonderful flavor on the bird.

As described, SP Chicken is known for being one of the best restaurants to try kai yang in Chiang Mai. One of the reasons their chicken is so good is that it’s roasted on vertical spits with the heat source coming from the side, instead of the bottom (pictured below). This unique method eliminates the chance of oil dripping down onto hot coals and causing a grease fire to burn the chicken.

SP Chicken is one of the most popular places to eat in Chiang Mai, especially for travelers – and for good reason!. Located in the Old Town, SP Chicken serves up amazing grilled chicken that’s so delicious, you’ll probably come back before you leave town. Order a half chicken per person (whole chicken for 2 people) plus sticky rice – and don’t be shy about asking for extra sauce!

Located adjacent to Wat Phra Singh in Chiang Mai’s old city, the family-run SP Chicken restaurant serves up a selection of Isaan favourites. But it is the mouth-watering rotisserie chicken here that is the signature dish. Watching the chickens slowly spin on the vertical spits at the front of the shop is all part of the dining experience and the taste does not disappoint.

It’s not specifically Chiang Mai-style, but the rotisserie chicken here which was the inspiration for the version served at Portland’s famed Pok Pok — is delicious regardless of provenance. Couple the dish with a basket of sticky rice and a plate of spicy-tart papaya salad and you’ve got yourself a crash-course in the food of Isan, Thailand’s northeastern region.

The 17 restaurants listed for Chiang include Choeng Doi Roast Chicken, Ginger Farm Kitchen Roasted Chicken Nimman Han to Jiang Mai, Huan Soontree, Huan Muan Jai, Khao Soi Mae Mani, Khao Tom Yong (Suthep Road Branch), Krua Ya Minaracha Rot, The House by Ginger Excellent beef Saiyud Kitchen and Mo Sai Kanom Jeen San Pa Khoi, grilled chicken, SP and Na Chantra.

The reason us tourists know about SP Chicken is bc Chef Andy Ricker has been singing it's praises for years. In fact the most popular dish at his restaurant in Portland, Pok Pok, is based on the chicken from here. As soon as you walk up to the restaurant you'll see the famous self made rotisserie where the bird is roasted.

Charcoal grilled chicken might not sound like the most exotic dish in Thailand, but trust me these guys do it well. It’s also something a little closer to home if you need a break from spicy salads and curry. The chicken cooks upside-down spinning over a charcoal pit to ensure even cooking and a perfect crispy skin.

Chiang Mai is famous for its grilled chicken and the most famous one is called SP Chicken. You will see rows of rotisserie chicken grilled using charcoal fire right outside the restaurant. You can also try other popular Isaan dishes such as this chicken liver salad which was pretty good.

Opening hour: Daily, 10:00 – 17:00 Address: 9/1 Sam Lan Road, Soi 1 Phra Sing, Mueang Chiang Mai District, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand Click here to Google Maps. SP Chicken is one of Chiang Mai’s most well-known local eateries. SP Chicken, as the name suggests, specializes in chicken.

One of the best meals in Chiang Mai, and probably during the entire trip was enjoyed at SP Chicken. It’s a small, almost hole in the wall, kind of restaurant located on a backstreet in the old town. Their specialty is roasted chicken, and they do it incredibly well.

The best kind of advertising is the sight of juicy chickens rotating on a rotisserie right out front. Step in here for some succulent signature chicken, solid somtum and a few ribs if the hunger pangs are real. You can't go wrong eating here, we do regularly.

I know some authorities such as Andy Ricker would disagree with me, but I think Cherng Doi is even better than the infamous SP Chicken. Don’t get me wrong, SP Chicken is good, it’s really good, but Cherng Doi has managed to make a good thing even better.

Are you someone who loves Isan cuisine, or are you the person who has never heard of it, let alone tried it?. In any case, SP Chicken is a place you won’t regret visiting. It is the best restaurant in Chiang Mai when it comes to grilled chicken.

Last but not least in our list of the top 10 best local restaurants in Chiang Mai is SP Chicken. It really popular with both locals and tourists, so you might have to prepare for a long queue. The name of the restaurant said everything.

We passed this restaurant in Chiang Mai and it was impossible to walk on by. At first we noticed a whiff of freshly roasted chicken in the air. Next came the satisfying sizzling sounds of meat being grilled.

Favourite restaurants of mine in Chiang Mai include SP Chicken near Wat Phra Singh and Tikky’s Cafe in the Santitham area to the north of the Old City.