Fish sauce ice cream and desserts are gaining popularity in Bangkok, even if the use of this strong-smelling, fermented fish condiment isn’t exactly a new item on the traditional Thai dessert trolley.
Creative pastry chefs around town have found a way to make fish sauce fun and funky again — and divided the foodie crowds as they went along. If you’re one for experimental dining, or you like salted caramel anyway, this one may be for you. If you still need a little convincing, read through our defence first.
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First things first: Is fish sauce in Thai desserts really a new thing?
While places like Guss Damn Good do a Guss Damn good job at packaging fish sauce as a cute and contemporary ice cream flavour, the condiment has long been used in sweet and summertime treats in Thailand.
Let us we remind you of nam pla wan, a traditional Thai snack that consists of a fruit (often unripe mango) and a sweet and sticky sauce for dipping. This is made with palm sugar, fish sauce, and chili peppers, bringing together sweetness, saltiness, and spice — paired perfectly with the sourness of the accompanying mango, pineapple, or apple.
Nam pla wan is commonly consumed as a cooling treat in the summer, with similar dishes including taeng mo pla haeng (watermelon topped with dried fish) or yam som oh (pomelo salad). The latter also uses fish sauce in its recipe, as it appears we just cannot escape this condiment, even when it comes to lighter dishes.
Why fish sauce ice cream shouldn’t work, but it does
Thai cuisine proves often that there is room for sugar in your soup, your stir-fry, or even in your curry. Nonetheless, fish sauce is a strong divider of opinions.
Given its extremely salty, savoury, or even meaty scent, many foodies have a hard time imagining the presence of fish sauce in the pastry kitchen. Stereotyped as the loud and intrusive guest that wasn’t invited to the party, it seems like an element that could be overwhelming to the delicate nuances of sorbet, gelato, or even cake.
To calm the chaos, nobody is asking you to grab a bottle of Tiparos and pour it onto your brownie. In fact, when speaking of fish sauce in desserts, it is most commonly likened to a kind of caramel.
Once the sugar is reduced and the fish sauce is added, the caramelisation process makes fish sauce caramel akin to salted caramel. Instead of the saltiness coming from salt, it comes from fermented fish, allowing it to also develop a more dynamic, umami flavour. Texture-wise, it sometimes even resembles molasses — a prime ingredient used in dessert-making.
Welcoming wacky pairings
In Bangkok, we’re not shy of wacky flavour combos. We drink our Martinis with sea urchin at G.O.D., and we ask for caviar with our waffles and fried chicken at Birdies. We follow the influencers who say olive oil is good on ice cream, and the cookie and doughnut shops who add bacon to make it better. We still question those who eat pineapple on pizza, but we’ve also been known to dip a French fry into our milkshake come a drunken 2am.
Fun pairings, fantastic textures: read on for all the fish sauce desserts you can try in Bangkok, if you dare. From elevated versions of nam pla wan to wholly creative versions of fish sauce cheesecakes, there’s a little something for everybody who wants to dip their toe into the uncharted waters of fish sauce dessert-tasting. As the saying goes, there are plenty of fish (sauces) in the sea.
Where to try fish sauce ice cream and other fish sauce desserts in Bangkok
Tiparos Fish Sauce Caramel Ice Cream at Guss Damn Good
Guss Damn Good has been making the most noise in Bangkok, recently unveiling yet another exciting selection of uniquely Thai ice cream flavours. While some are more straightforward, like the Hale’s Blue Boy Sweet Ice or Farmhouse Toasted Bread, others are more adventurous, like the Koh Kae Wasabi and the M-150 Energy Strawberry. Naturally, we have our eye on the Tiparos Fish Sauce Caramel, made with what is arguably the country’s most famous fish sauce brand.
Find out more at Guss Damn Good.
Fish Sauce Caramel from YORA at Samlor
YORA’s fish sauce caramel ice cream gained a bit of a cult following when it first launched, and while you cannot order directly from Chef Saki Hoshino’s ice cream shop anymore, you can still find her creations at select restaurants in Bangkok. This version of the dessert is definitely the most popular, and offers the best balance between salty, sweet, creamy, and umami. Besides the Fish Sauce Caramel, you can also get Sour Mango & Nam Pla Waan, if you prefer a more traditional route.
You can find YORA ice creams at select vendors across Bangkok, such as Samlor.
Fish Sauce Granita at Khao San Sek
Khao San Sek is a brand new restaurant located on trendy Song Wat road. The brainchild of the World’s Best Female Chef 2025, Chef Pam of Potong honours the five Thai “holy grail” ingredients in her new eatery. These are rice, chili, palm sugar, coconut, and — you guessed it — fish sauce. The menu is divided into a section for each of these (including sweet treats), and the fish sauce menu features a fish sauce granita as the signature dessert. This is paired with mango, bilimbi, and pomelo for a superbly cooling end to the meal. The topping of fried shallots adds a mild onion and garlic flavour, and extra crunch, too.
Find out more at Khao San Sek.
Fish Sauce Cheesecake at Namsu
If you’re looking to take your Fish Sauce Dessert Journey even further, why not opt for the fish sauce cheesecake at the newly-opened Namsu? Located in gorgeous Baan Trok in the Old Town, this Shan cuisine restaurant and sake bar knows a thing or two about fun flavour combinations. In this dessert, the smooth texture complements the very subtle fish sauce aroma, in a cake that traditionally already sits at the peripheries of sweet and savoury. Come to test your taste buds, stay for the snazzy vibes.
Find out more at Namsu Shan Cuisine & Sake Bar.
Green Mango Sorbet with Fish Sauce Brittle at 100 Mahaseth
Everybody’s most beloved northern and northeastern Thai restaurant also makes a killer fish sauce-inspired dessert. Inspired by nam pla wan, the Green Mango Sorbet at 100 Mahaseth comes with a topping of caramelised fish sauce brittle and chili marshmallow. A refreshing bite with a fun play on textures, it’s a great way to end the meal that was likely packed with plenty of pungent flavours, and smokey grilled meats.
Find out more at 100 Mahaseth.
Bao Mango Sweet Fish Gelato at Hidden Gelato
Also paying homage to nam pla wan, Hidden Gelato presents a light take on this classic Thai dessert at their dessert shop. It is made using Bao Mango (mamuang bao), a mango species that is generally more sour and tangy in taste. The result is a super refreshing Thai-inspired treat, and definitely a standout flavour at this beloved gelato shop.
Find out more at Hidden Gelato.
This story first appeared here.
