London’s Thai food scene is firmly established, with options for enjoying well-executed popular classics such as the ubiquitous green curry or pad thai dotted across the capital. However over the past decade, we’ve seen a greater number of eateries further explore regional nuances and a fuller breadth of the flavour profiles and cooking techniques Thai cuisine encompasses. Showcasing the variety of indigenous ingredients outside of pointed red chillies and Thai basil, London’s best Thai restaurants are marrying creativity with traditional foundations to produce top-quality dishes with uncompromising flavours. The environments are as diverse as the menu offerings, ranging from a luxury hotel to trendy exposed brick dens and replicas of Bangkok’s late night canteens.
Supawan
A welcome addition to King’s Cross’ transformed restaurant scene, at Supawan, Executive Chef Wichet Khongphoon harnesses his deep understanding of Thai cookery stemming from his Phuket upbringing. There’s a focus on Southern Thai specialities, such as the goong pad ta-krai – a pile of fleshy king prawns bathed in a sunshine-yellow, soothingly light and fragrant blend of coconut milk, lemongrass and turmeric. The crispy rice salad artfully combines different textures as well as potent herbaceousness and nuttiness. Another stand out are the fried chicken wings, crammed with minced chicken, prawn, mushroom and glass noodles – perfect with the tangy tamarind and chilli dip. There’s a charming eclecticism to the space too, with its miscellaneous collection of furniture, in-house flower shop and apothecary-like cabinet of ferments.
38 Caledonian Road, London, N1 9DT
Singburi
Lauded as Leytonstone’s culinary crown jewel, Singburi is known as a small but mighty family-run operation. Chef-patron Sirichai Kularbwong has grown a cult following by impressing anyone who can manage to snag a reservation with thrillingly vigorous cooking. Whilst unfussy and utilitarian in appearance, the spot is celebrated for its community feel. Popular recommendations include the moo krob (crispy pork belly with chillies and holy basil) and clams glazed in roasted chilli jam, however you’ll find a succinct list of eye-catching specials calling out from the chalkboard menu as imperatively as commandments. Bring your own alcohol. And cash too!
593 High Road Leytonstone, E11 4PA
Kiln
Quickly establishing itself as a Soho institution, as its name asserts rather than suggests, open-fire cooking is key to Kiln’s flavour-packed plates. The menu draws influence from the borderlands of Thailand, such as Laos and Yunnan, meaning a spectrum of spirited dishes. Whilst interiors may be more industrial and minimalist than ornate in style, the food is explosively vibrant, drawing crowds throughout the week. Solo diners and pairs can get right into the flame-leaping action at the counter. The smaller plates include favourites such as a smoky cumin cull yaw skewer, and the laap sausage, which is juicy and bears the flavours of fire cooking. For mains, the signature baked glass noodles flecked with pork belly and brown crab meat will have you scraping the sides of the claypot. Spice fiends should look out for the cull yaw pad ped, a stir-fried tangle of minced meat, whole garlic cloves, and a medley of chillies and peppercorns which make for sinus-clearing heat. The affordable cocktails also cleverly infuse British produce with native flavours, such as an elixir of vodka, rhubarb and Thai basil.
58 Brewer St, London W1F 9TL
Som Saa
Som Saa, taking its name from the Thai citrus fruit, spotlights Thailand’s north-eastern provinces with a compact menu of dishes unified by undiluted flavours. Kick off with the grilled chicken skewers, succulent slabs perfect for soaking up the punchy tamarind jaew dip. The whole deep fried seabass buried in fresh Isaan herbs and nutty roasted rice powder is a popular constant. Recent highlights also include a mouth-puckering relish combining thick coconut cream made in-house, with fermented pork and prawns, as well as a minced chicken dry green curry - flaming hot with the fiery and fragrant kicks of ginger and holy basil. The atmosphere across the warehouse-chic space is lively, and particularly suited to groups. If you have room for dessert, finish with the musky sweetness of the salted palm sugar ice cream, served with turmeric grilled banana.
43A Commercial Street, Spitalfields, London, E1 6BD
Plaza Khao Gaeng
Occupying the mezzanine level at Tottenham Court Road’s Arcade Food Hall, Plaza Khao Gaeng feels like a separate world from the bustling food hall below, but maintains its own contagious buzz. From the mismatched serving dishes, to the unadorned wooden chairs and coloured plastic tablecloths, the commitment to recreating the feel of a ran khao kaeng, a local rice and curry spot, is commendable. This commitment carries through into the menu too, which hones in on the flavours of Southern Thai cuisine. Start with the Miang Phuket, a sticky sweet and spicy melange of coconut, cashew and palm sugar wrapped in betel leaf, an encouraging indication of the culinary skill running through the menu. The Hat Yai fried chicken dusted with shallots is crispy heaven, and bricks of fat-sandwiched pork belly swim in a delicious soy-based sauce. The Massaman curry brings together tender beef shoulder, fluffy potatoes and shallots in a chunky, multi-layered gravy. For a cooling, delicately sweet and floral finish, try the wobbling ball of coconut and lychee pudding studded with tapioca pearls.
Mezzanine at Arcade Food Hall, 103-105 New Oxford Street, London, WC1A 1DB
Nipa
This elegant dining room found in the upstairs of the Royal Lancaster hotel has been serving upscale authentic traditional Thai cuisine for over 25 years. The all-female, all-Thai kitchen, helmed by Head Chef Sanguan Parr, prepares carefully presented dishes such as steamed rice wraps, pastel-coloured parcels filled with a sweet and nutty blend of chicken, shallots and roasted peanuts. Another must is the spicy beef salad, perfectly seasoned tender strips of beef tossed with garden-fresh cucumber, tomato, red onion, herbs and Thai celery. Also worth trying is the prawn pineapple fried rice served with grilled rib-eye - a playful and flavourful Thai-inspired take on ‘surf and turf’. Odes to Thai culture continue outside of the menu, from the staff’s traditional attire, to the gleaming carved teak interiors and gentle flute-based soundtrack. This quieter setting is ideal for a smart yet relaxed meal.
Royal Lancaster London, Lancaster Terrace, London, W2 2TY
Smoking Goat
There’s a merry bar-like feel to this Shoreditch favourite, and whilst the cocktails are expertly blended, excellent food is very much central to the offering. Menu items draw influences from Northern and North Eastern Thai barbecue dishes, as well as from other regional cuisines. Recent memorable plates range from Massaman smoked short rib - a glittering centrepiece of fall-apart-tender beef, in a pool of slurpable richly savoury and aromatic sauce, to a ‘ceviche’ of trout belly chunks nestled in a thicket of fresh herbs. A tangy salad of plum, apple, pear and mint is a sweeter cooler dish to offset spikier ones. Oh, and the shatteringly crunchy fish sauce chilli wing is a bestseller for good reason, do not attempt to share!
64 Shoreditch High Street, London, E1 6JJ
Kolae
A recent addition to the food lovers haunt that is Borough, Kolae is a casual yet sophisticated spot serving interpretations of Southern Thai dishes. The shrimp relish is a umami-filled delight, a pulpy emulsion of funky shrimp paste, crispy dried shrimps, chillies and lime - nicely complemented by a mix of crunchy raw vegetables. Also order the surprisingly meaty grilled mussel skewers, a house signature using the Southern Thai technique the restaurant is named after, where ingredients lathered in a coconut curry-like marinade are cooked over open flames. Another treasure are the soy-braised pork belly and ribs - a rich, happy harmony of sweet and salty, with juicy hunks of meat. With its warm, neutrally-paletted interiors, the space invites a jovial after-work crowd, and is also a good choice for a weekend catch-up.
6 Park Street, Borough, London, SE1 9AB
Farang
A local gem though frequented by Highbury and Islington residents and non-locals alike, Farang is defined by its intrepid approach to celebrating flavour. The feasting menu is exactly that, a generous and good value option. An appetiser of syrupy coconut chilli jam is enriched with fried shrimp and served with crunchy crackers livened with white pepper. The ‘Miang bite’ is especially impressive alchemy - a heap of ingredients ranging from sharp fruits like lime, pineapple and pomegranate, to spices such as turmeric, along with toasted coconut and savoury peanut caramel - to be wrapped in a betel leaf and demolished in one, eruptive bite. Also not to miss is the soupier extra-soft beef shin, combining savoury beef stock with the tart pinch of blood orange, and coconut milk-simmered dried and fresh chillies. You’ll quickly rip through the garlic and fennel roti served on the side.
72 Highbury Park, London, N5 2XEK
Speedboat Bar
Inspired by Bangkok’s Chinatown, the energetic vibe at Speedboat should come as no surprise. Matching the eccentric interiors marked by prints, primary colours and memorabilia drawing from contemporary Thai culture, is an equally colourful array of street food style cooking. Dishes like the subtly spiced sweetcorn fritters and minced beef heavily perfumed with Thai basil and topped with a brown-rimmed crispy fried egg make for extra satisfying comfort food. Do not skip the morning glory, in our case, an evening glory - what may appear unassuming is an absolutely delicious bowl of soybean seasoned greenery. Drinks, alcoholic and non-alcoholic alike, are also fun and flavourful.
30 Rupert St. London W1D 6DL
