Joyful treats at Tha Prachan. Text and photos by Nuttaporn Srisirirungsimakul

Famous for its shopping, dining and fortune telling, Tha Prachan is a destination for people from all walks of life—university students hunting for chic bargains, couples seeking a glimpse into their future and plain ferry-riding commuters. And were you to get hungry, Tha Prachan is rife with yummy, pocket-friendly treats.

The first shop on the Prachan strip is New Yong Hua Pochana (Prachan Rd., 02-222-8469. Open daily 7am-5pm), whose claim to fame is succulent roasted duck and BBQ red pork. The worn out shophouse fits some 10 tables and all are usually occupied during lunchtime. The khao moo dang and khao naa ped (B30-40) recipes are said to be passed down through three generations. You can also have the excellent duck and pork with noodles if you prefer. If you have room left, the deep-fried guichai (chive dumplings) at a street stall in front of New Yong Hua Pochana are great, too.

A poster in front of this other shop says, “Let’s eat fish and be free from bird flu.” Welcome to Nai Dee (Prachan Rd., 02-222-9006, 02-225-2287. Open daily 10am-7pm)—you’ve guessed they don’t do coq au vin or buffalo wings. The menu offers a variety of rice and noodle dishes (B40-75) all prepared with fish as the main ingredient. Try steamed fish fillet with a hot and spicy dip, tomyam noodles with crispy fish skin or rice with a three-flavor seabass.

If you like it hot and spicy, Charoen Chai (Prachan Rd., 02-222-8469. Open daily 7am-6pm) dishes out bowl after bowl of noodles with pork balls and fiery hot tomyam broth with zesty overtones of chili paste. Those with a sensitive palate can opt for the yentafo version.

Ajisen Ramen (Prachan Rd., 02-221-5280. Open daily 10am-8:30pm) seems a bit out of place among the simple shophouses serving Thai fare that surround it. During peak hours, you may have to bear with the sluggish service, but on the bright side, you get to be in the comfort of an air-con dining room, enjoying a comforting bowl of ramen. Prices range from B49-129.

A favorite hangout of university students, the two-story Tha Prachan (Prachan Rd., 02-224-7799. Open Mon-Sat 8:30am-8:30pm, Sun 9am-7pm) has it all: friendly service, a casual and lively atmosphere and a good range of affordable one-dish recipes. Fried rice is B45, while a variety of yam (Thai spicy salad) can be had for B50. Not that hungry? Order yourself Tha Prachan iced coffee (B35) that comes topped with a dollop of whipped cream. There’s also a blueberry cheese pie (B45), but you said you weren’t hungry, right?

Make your way towards the pier and you’ll find the popular Roti Mataba Tha Prachan (Prachan Rd., 02-221-4306), where mataba with various stuffings from crab to squid and mixed seafood are on offer at B40-60/piece. Despite its name, the two-story eatery also offers other dishes such as yam phak boong krob (deep-fried morning glory salad) and hoy tord (mussels omelet).

End your food hunt on a sweet note and head to N+Rich (02-623-5774. Open daily 10am-7pm). The bakery allows you to linger in its cozy air-con space over a cup of hot tea and your favorite piece of cake. There are 10 different kinds of cakes on offer daily with almond nuts choco brownie (B50), white chocolate cheesecake (B55) and dark chocolate cake (B65) as the mainstays.

Before you head home, drop by Aew Tha Prachan (02-221-4408), a small stall in front of Nai In bookshop. It sells tangy tamarind (B50) along with a variety of cupcakes and cookies (B25). Across from Aew is a coconut stall, where you can get refreshing coconut jelly in a coconut shell (B20). And a trip to Tha Prachan wouldn’t be complete without a visit to R-Roy (33 Prachan Rd., 02-221-2252, 02-222-3604. Open daily 6am-7:30pm). Standing on the Maharat-Prachan junction, the years-old shop lures in crowds with the sweet-smelling aroma of freshly baked bread. The takeaway bakery sells all things crispy from “cookie Singapore” (glazed with egg yolk and topped with half a cashew nut) and kaotang (rice crackers) to flaky puffs. But R-Roy’s bread and butter is, without a doubt, its fingerlicking good buttered crackers (B20, B50).