Food court

Come here for the format as much as the food. It isn't one kitchen but a set of independent stalls under a single roof, each vendor doing their own thing, so one person can order noodle soup while another goes for curry over rice or grilled meat, and nobody has to compromise. That's the whole point of a Thai food court, and this one does it at prices that make the tourist-facing places in the old city look silly.

Don't come expecting service or décor. You order at the counter, you carry your own tray, you sit at a shared table. What you get instead is everyday Thai cooking aimed at people who live nearby rather than people passing through, which is exactly why I'd send anyone staying in the southern part of Chiang Mai this way. Turn up at lunchtime or early evening when the most stalls are working and the turnover keeps things fresh.