Bangkok for The Food Pilgrims: a Friday-to-Monday weekend

As the shops close the pavement stalls open: roasted chestnuts, mango sticky rice and fish-maw soup; walk the length once and then decide where to stand.

The Dragon Lotus Temple, the centre of Chinese Buddhism in the city, thick with incense and lanterns and busiest on the eve of a feast day.

A pavement seafood restaurant at the top of Yaowarat Soi 11: choose a grilled prawn and a plate of stir-fried crab with curry powder, and expect a queue.

One of the best fresh markets in the world: sample the durian, the mangosteens and the hot curry pastes, and then eat at the food court at the back.

A half-day class that starts with a market visit and ends with a table of dishes you have cooked: tom yum, green curry and mango sticky rice.

A Michelin-starred modern Thai tasting menu built on Thai farmers' produce: a pomelo and crab bite, a southern curry served in a small cup. Book weeks ahead.

Skip the clothes and go for the food: coconut ice cream in a coconut shell, grilled meatballs and a Thai iced tea; sections 2 and 3 have the good stalls.

Dark, rich boat noodles in bowls the size of a fist, served by the dozen; order at least six and keep a spoon in the chilli vinegar.

The pad thai that has the line: egg-wrapped, with giant river prawns and a squeeze of lime; order the juice as well.

Smooth rice porridge with a soft egg and pork balls, a bowl that Bangkok has eaten at breakfast for decades; add ginger and a fried dough stick.

The city's flower and vegetable market under the Memorial Bridge, open all night; garlands of marigolds, trays of lotus buds and heaps of chillies.

The crab omelette is the reason to come: a thick golden pillow stuffed with lumps of crab; order the green curry with fish balls as well.