Him Tang Pig's Blood Soup

Quick Verdict

Him Tang Pig's Blood Soup is easy to get to and easy to get into — no reservation system, no waitlist, no drama. For travelers making the drive out to Mae On District from Chiang Mai city, the question isn't whether you can get a seat, it's whether the trip is worth the effort. If you're already exploring the Mae On valley or heading toward the Ob Khan National Park area, the answer is yes. If you're making a dedicated round trip from central Chiang Mai just for this, you'll want to calibrate expectations: this is a local specialist, not a destination fine-dining experience.

What You're Getting

The name tells you exactly what this place does. Pig's blood soup — known in Northern Thai as him tang , is a hyper-regional dish that sits at the functional heart of Lanna food culture. The broth is built on pork bones and aromatics, the blood adds a dense, ferrous depth that you either want or you don't, and the whole bowl arrives smelling of charred galangal and fresh herbs. This is the kind of cooking that doesn't travel well to city restaurants, which is precisely why places like this exist at the rural edge of Chiang Mai province. The aroma alone signals that you're eating something made from a recipe that hasn't needed updating.

For food-focused travelers, the context matters: Northern Thai cuisine is distinct from the central Thai cooking most international visitors know. Dishes here lean toward bitter, pungent, and fermented flavors rather than the sweet-sour-chili balance of Bangkok cooking. Him Tang sits firmly in that tradition. If you've been eating your way through Mae's restaurant scene or working through Sorn in Bangkok and want to understand the regional source material, a stop here provides real context.

Timing and Logistics

Morning visits are the practical choice. Soup kitchens of this type in Northern Thailand typically run from early morning through midday, with the leading stock and the freshest blood early in the service. Come after noon and you risk finding a depleted pot or a closed shutter. The Mae On District sits east of Chiang Mai city , factor in travel time and plan this as a morning excursion rather than a dinner detour. Parking is not a problem. Walk-in seating is the norm.

There is no website, no phone number on record, and no booking system to navigate. Turn up, order, eat. For explorers who've already visited PRU in Phuket or AKKEE in Pak Kret and want to fill in the grassroots side of Thai food culture, this is that kind of stop. Check our Mae experiences guide and Mae bars guide if you're building a full day in the valley.

Quick reference: Walk-in only, morning hours recommended, Mae On District east of Chiang Mai city, no booking required.