A bigger dilemma than choosing a gift for a lottery is the question: What should we eat this New Year? After all, a year-end party eating just stir-fried basil rice isn’t quite the festive mood of celebration.
In this joyful time, the food on the table must serve as a connection, add color to the event, and be so delicious that no one wants to put down their spoon.
Thairath Online has selected five top dishes that remain party favorites year after year. Get your list ready and start shopping for ingredients now.
1. Grilled Pork and Shabu-Shabu
Nothing brings people together better than competing to pick up strips of pork belly on a hot grill. The sizzling sound of meat meeting the spicy dipping sauce is the sweetest soundtrack to any party. This dish is perfect for sitting around chatting late into the night, eating, gossiping, and topping up the broth—a comforting meal that warms both body and soul effortlessly.
2. Grilled Seafood and Spicy Dipping Sauce
After a long year’s work, it’s time to treat yourself with big river prawns, sweet steamed blue crabs, or fragrant grilled squid. Peeling a prawn and dipping it into spicy seafood sauce is pure bliss that makes you forget the fatigue of the past 12 months. Serving it on large trays or in seafood buckets also guarantees stunning photos.
3. Barbecue
If you want your party to have activities and not be boring, setting up a barbecue grill is recommended. Whether it’s juicy marinated pork ribs, premium steak cuts, or skewers with pineapple and bell peppers, the charm lies in the aroma of charcoal and the fun of everyone taking turns grilling and basting sauce. It’s a lively, chaotic, but memorable time.
4. Spicy Salad Platters and Som Tam (Papaya Salad)
Most party foods tend to be fried or heavy on carbs, so spicy dishes like glass noodle salad, large platters of som tam, or shrimp in fish sauce are essential heroes. Their sour and spicy flavors cut through greasiness, wake everyone up, and boost appetite. These dishes are always the first to disappear from the table.
5. Fried Chicken and Pizza
Finally, a reliable go-to dish that should always be on the table because it’s easy to eat and loved by all ages—from little kids to adults.Crispy fried chickenor cheesy pizza slices offer safe, delicious flavors that require no risk-taking, perfect for snacking while playing games or waiting for the countdown.
No matter which dishes you choose, the most important flavor is not just in the food but in the atmosphere and joy of being together with loved ones. This New Year, may everyone be full in both body and spirit, ready to welcome all the good things in 2026.