The 70-seat Sala Mae Rim Thai restaurant at the Four Seasons looks out onto rice paddies. The setting and high-end cuisine make it more than worth the 30-minute drive north out of Chiang Mai.

Swing by the adjacent Elephant Bar for a Rice Field cocktail then order a yum hua plee or banana blossom salad. Hotel guests can request a special five-course set menu, served in an old barn. Reservations are recommended for non-resort guests as the restaurant fills up very quickly.
www.fourseasons.com 

In 2003, Danish-born businessman Hans Christensen transformed a pre-war house, located just north of Thapae Gate, into an elegant dining room. Suitably named The House Restaurant Wine and Tapas Bar, it serves fusion and international food. 

The most interesting dining option is the adjacent tapas bar that was added two years later – a terrace outfitted with Middle Eastern couches that can fit 80 people for a private function. Dishes include grilled shrimp with roasted chilli or chicken satay on lemongrass skewers. The main restaurant fits 29 guests inside and 18 more outside. There is also a private dining room for ten to 18 people. 
Tel: +66 53 419 011

Just Khao Soy, named after the traditional curry noodle soup served with meat and condiments and Chiang Mai’s traditional street food, is a clean, air-conditioned restaurant 100 metres north of the Chedi. Soup bowls are served on an artist’s palette surrounded by condiments (pickled cabbage, chillis, lime fish sauce), so delegates can season to suit their personal tastes.
www.just-khaosoy.com