At the very least you'll find pad Thai, somtam, noodle soups, chicken rice...And where else in Bangkok can you eat under a four-meter-tall Roman centurion (Pinklao), or in a boat inside a jungle (Seacon Square)?

Mah Boon Krong Food Centre, with 90 stalls, 2,500 seats and 15 years in operation, is the granddaddy of food courts. "Number one," declares manager, Supachai Phinyawattana, although he won't reveal the daily coupon turnover. Sheer variety and size, and its central location are the main draws. Not one, but two veggie stalls. Not two, but three halal stalls. Besides the standard fare, you'll also find specialties like bird's nest soup, sushi, Japanese crepes, fruit spring rolls, herbals drinks (they claim the bale fruit drink is good for de-flatulence), draught beer, and milk-and-toast. Recommended stall is Siwilung chicken rice, which is actually a branch of the decades-old Siwilung restaurant at Lumphini.

Emporium's food centre (20 stalls) is smaller and more exclusive. In fact, it's not called a food centre, but rather 'The Garden Terrace'. You can sit in finely crafted, wooden window booths and peer down at children playing in Sirikit Park or BTS trains cruising down Sukhumvit. The well-designed eating space and huge pictures of flowers on the walls round out the atmosphere. For all this, you pay perhaps B50-60 for a meal with a soda. My favorite's the halal stall's chicken biryani; the rice - full of onions and raisins - is a dish in itself. Extra points, too, for being open until 10pm, while many others close at 8pm or 9pm.

Less refined but in some ways far more interesting, is Central Plaza Pinklao's Colosseum Food Centre. The Roman motif's most clearly represented by the huge statue of a Roman centurion dominating the central rotunda. The area's large, but there are only 28 stalls, as much of the wall space is occupied by a Chester's and a Japanese restaurant (both cash-only). With several stalls devoted to drinks and Thai desserts, there's not a huge selection of food choices. Meat-lovers will enjoy Supersteak (no English sign). Try the Chinese noodles in an open space opposite the Japanese restaurant.

Colosseum's also unique for its value cards. Picturing an Asian woman and a blonde boy engaged in a suggestive epicurean pose, they cost a minimum B20, which includes the B10 deposit. With each order, the vendors swipe the card. At meal's end, you return the card and get a refund for the unused value plus the deposit.

Two food courts on Bangkok's western edge make up for their remoteness in décor. Food Island. in Fashion Island mall, is a vast space with about 50 stalls painted with tropical scenes and modernist metal-and-plastic representations of palm trees. A monorail and the Disney-esque entrance to Magic Island indoor amusement park add to the allure. There's great variety, including one veggie and one halal stall. At weekends, supervisor Aree Tongmepet is proud to claim roughly 10,000 visitors a day to the 2,000+ seats. While avoiding specific recommendations, Aree notes that the chicken rice stalls have the highest turnover, and so will probably have the freshest food.

At the Land of Food: Jungle Park, in Seacon Square, entire sections of the eating area appear to be in Blair Witch-style woods. Other seats allow diners to gaze into Seacon Square's vast atrium, decorated with Dali-cum-Rube Goldberg sculptures hanging from the ceiling. The highlight, however, is a wooden boat stranded in the food park jungle with tables inside. There's good variety from 50 stalls, including chicken satay, ice cream, beer, and one specializing in deep fries - fish and shrimp-in-a-blanket. The selection of Thai desserts is among the best I've seen.

The Mall Bangkapi boasts three separate food courts. Fast Food on the ground floor (about 25 stalls, including one veggie and one halal), bustles with shoppers. Floor three's Food Plaza (35 stalls, one halal) features a relaxing indoor waterfall. Most fun, though, are the dozen stalls on floor four's Carnival of Food, set amid the amusement park. You sup while listening to the terrified shrieks of children on the nearby "Flying Circus".

As you explore, you'll find your own favorite food court, whether it's the cold grandeur of Future Park Rangsit or the utilitarianism of Big C. There's something magical about the food courts: good, quick, clean, cheap food, often in some of Bangkok's most unique eating environments. Your taste buds - and your wallet - will approve.

For full details of food courts see listings.