The Northeast cuisines feature Isaan Sausage, Kai Yang (grilled chicken), Som Tam (hot + spicy papaya salad), and Mu Phaeng (marinated grilled pork).

Isaan cuisine borrows heavily from Lao cuisine and is distinctly different from central Thai cooking, although there has been a considerable amount of cross-pollination. Perhaps the best-known Isaan dish is Som Tam (or Tam Mak Hung in Lao/Isaan), a spicy salad prepared from unripe papayas. While Thais prepare this with dried shrimp, in Isaan the preferred style is with preserved crab (puu) or mudfish, an acquired taste. Other characteristic dishes include roast chicken (kai yaang), sticky rice (khao niaw) and a wide variety of cold meat, mint and lemon juice "salads" known as Larb.

A word of warning: Isaan food is known even among Thais for being fiery hot!