London's best Thai restaurants: 18 spots for properly flavourful cooking

There’s a Thai restaurant on practically every street corner in London, so how do you know which to pick when that pad Thai craving strikes? To help you out, we’ve pulled together a list of all our favourite spots - the best Thai restaurants in London, we think - that offer that perfect balance of aromatic flavours the cuisine is so well-known for.

It’s safe to say that the food of Thailand holds a strong place in the nation's heart, or should we say belly, but we want to make sure that when it comes to authenticity and quality, the top places in London are getting the recognition they deserve.

Now one of the most popular cuisines in Britain, there is certainly no shortage of Thai restaurants in the UK, and fortunately for us Londoners the capital boasts some of the finest examples of the cuisine outside of South East Asia. We've found places serving food deriving from the culinary traditions of all the principal regions of Thailand. We've scouted out places serving up everything from fragrant curries to moreish noodle dishes, hot and sour soups, stir fried vegetables, aromatic rice dishes, sensational seafood and so much more - all in a bid to uncover London’s best Thai restaurants. A few years ago we considered ourselves well versed in Thai food if we knew our green curry from our pad Thai and our cashew chicken from our papaya salad, but nowadays these westernised versions of Thai signatures have been superseded by more authentic dishes, showcasing a whole host of unfamiliar ingredients and mind-blowing flavour combinations.

In our best list below, we’ve pulled together a mix of restaurants that range from the super traditional to the more contemporary, the smart to the casual, and the pricey to the more affordable. So whatever kind of dining experience you are looking for, our pick of the best Thai restaurants in London should have something for you.

AngloThai, Marylebone

What: AngloThai was long delayed, but it was worth the wait, as John Chantarasak’s Anglo-Thai fusion scooped a Michelin star in its debut year in Fitzrovia. The semi-open kitchen delivers some of the most vibrant, exciting, distinct cooking in London, using British ingredients with great ingenuity in dishes like shrimp butter flatbread, hogget massaman, and coconut-marinated pork chop. John’s partner Desiree curates a smart drinks list to complement the daring menu.
Where: 22-24 Seymour Place, W1H 7NL
Must-try dish: AngloThai is tasting menu only, but look out for the crab, caviar and coconut ash cracker
Book now: AngloThai

Nipa Thai, Lancaster Gate

What: Housed in the Royal Lancaster, Nipa is the place to go if you are looking for luxury Thai cuisine. Expect authenticity in every aspect, from an all-female kitchen to antiques sourced from Thailand for the décor. Nipa’s menu is the kind you could recite in your sleep – tom yum soup, fishcakes, spring rolls and satay, followed by curries, pad thai, hot and sour salads and artfully carved fresh fruit, all executed with absolute precision.
Where: Lancaster London, W2 2TY
Must-try dish: Thai fish cakes, sweet chilli sauce mixed cucumber relish & toasted peanut
Book now: Nipa Thai

Khao Bird, Soho

What: Following a year-long residency at The Globe Tavern in Borough, restaurateur Mike Palmer and head chef Luke Larsson have found a permanent home for their Northern Thai BBQ concept inside an ex-cinema on Brewer Street. Interiors are of the cool, industrial kind, boasting exposed extractor fans, functional chrome surfaces, shiny concrete floors and loud neon pink lighting. It's the opposite of precious - somewhere you can go for a proper laugh with the staff (they're all lovely, by the way) and a meal that doesn't take the biscuit on cost. Indeed, the menu is refreshingly affordable for this part of town and designed to be shared by the whole table. Start with the beef jerky - addictive deep-fried hunks of dehydrated meat with a sugary coating - then get a selection of small plates to share. The zingy tea leaf salad makes a perfect partner to loaded fries crowned with a deeply rich Burmese mutton curry. These guys' signature though, is Khao Soi, a classic Northern coconut curry served in a deep bowl with egg noodles, chilli relish and bbq lemongrass chicken. There's only one dessert on the menu, but it's a good one: a deep-fried doughnut bao filled with coconut ice cream. This is one of our go-to Thai spots right now, for sure. 
Where: 24 Brewer Street, W1F 0SS
Must-try dish: Khao Soi
Book now: Khao Bird

Plaza Khao Gaeng, Tottenham Court Road and Borough

What: Beachy neon blue cocktails, plastic covered canteen-style tablecloths and bright strip lights - we're definitely in authentic Thai hawker territory at Plaza Khao Gaeng. Heading up this opening is Luke Farrell, who has brought with him a fiery passion for Thai food, after spending fifteen years in the country. The results are glorious, and spicy - go for the sticky pork belly, and ferocious chicken curry, if you can stand the heat.
Where: 103-105 New Oxford Street, WC1A 1DB; 18 Stoney Street, SE1 9AD
Must-try dish: Beef shoulder massaman curry
Book now: Plaza Khao Gaeng at Arcade Food Hall; Plaza Khao Gaeng Borough Yards

The Faltering Fullback, Finsbury Park

What: The Faltering Fullback is an Irish pub in North London, but bear with us, because its food menu is totally Thai-inspired. Enjoy a bev in the beer garden, before tucking into very reasonably-priced plates of pad Thai, stir fries, Thai fish cakes, prawn toast and more. Stick around for loads of live sport in the pub itself, or grab a spot in the absolutely enormous, multi-storey beer garden out back.
Where: 19 Perth Road, N4 3HB
Must-try dish: Does a lovely Thai red curry 
Book now: The Faltering Fullback

Kolae, Borough

What: A second restaurant from the Som Saa crew (which is also in this list, by the way), Kolae focuses on the southern Thai cooking technique of kolae (or golae, or gaw lae) where ingredients are skewers and bathed in coconut marinade, before being grilled over fierce flames. The results are absolutely sensational, and Kolae backs it up with a compact suite of curries, salads, fritters and snacks, as well as some excellent cocktails and a solid wine list. 
Where: 6 Park Street, SE1 9AB
Must-try dish: Grilled mussel skewers with calamansi lime
Book now: Kolae

Singburi, Shoreditch

What: Singburi has evolved from a modest neighbourhood spot in Leytonstone to a Shoreditch sensation, buzzing with energy around its open kitchen. The compact, shareable menu shines with dishes like wild ginger chicken thighs, sticky grilled lamb ribs, and monkfish green curry balanced by refreshing watermelon salad. Simple plates like stir-fried cabbage and aubergine pad phet steal the show, while some excellent simple cocktails are vital for cooling the heat. Whatever you do, get a seat at the counter if you can to watch some of the most electric cooking in the capital.
Where: Unit 7 Montacute Yards, E1 6HU
Must-try dish: Wild ginger chicken thighs
Book now: Singburi

Speedboat Bar, Soho and Notting Hill

What: Speedboat Bar channels Bangkok’s intoxicating mayhem with incredible authenticity - perhaps not surprising as he lived there for two decades. Between the two sites you can expect glowing lanterns, plastic chairs, towering frozen beer towers, kickboxing on the TVs and food that doesn’t hold back on the heat. Luke Farrell’s follow-up to Plaza Khao Gaeng amps up the energy: flames leap from the open kitchen, Thai stickers cover taps, and mismatched plates deliver bold, harmonious flavours. Highlights include crispy pork curry, morning glory, and fiery minced beef with holy basil.
Where: 30 Rupert Street, W1D 6DL; 191 Portobello Road, W11 2ED
Must-try dish: Minced beef with holy basil, and a Singha beer tower
Book now: Speedboat Bar Soho; Speedboat Bar Notting Hill

Supawan, King's Cross

What: King’s Cross spot Supawan has always flown a little under the radar, but make no mistake - Phuket-born chef Witchet Khongphoon cooks some of the most electric food in London here. His menus focus on authentic Southern Thai flavours. Dishes like meiang Phuket with prawns and betel leaves, sweetcorn fritters, stuffed chicken wings, and banana flower salad are inspired by his mother and 22 years in London.
Where: 38 Caledonian Road, N1 9DT
Must-try dish: Meiang Phuket - grilled prawns with roasted coconut
Book now: Supawan

Som Saa, Shoreditch

What: The cooking here, as with the vibrant atmosphere, is in-your-face: a riot of heat, sweet, sour and more heat that focuses on lesser-known Thai dishes. An indisputable gold award winner for us and a contender for the best Thai in London, made all the better by a dedicated vegan menu, and a quality set menu alongside the a la carte. 
Where: 43a Commercial Street, E1 6BD
Must-try dish: Northern style laab of chicken, chicken offal and crispy shallots
Book now: Som Saa

The Begging Bowl, Peckham

What: A long-time local favourite, Begging Bowl was right at the heart of Peckham's culinary rejuvenation, and it remains incredibly popular thanks to high quality, affordable cooking. With flavours from Bangkok and meat and fish from Peckham, expect a plethora of traditional dishes that will transport you to The Land of Smiles - go for the stir-fried hispi cabbage with fermented yellow bean, garlic and chilli, or chive cakes wih chilli and dark soy dip.
Where: 168 Bellenden Road, SE15 4BW
Must-try dish: Pomelo and king prawn salad cashew nuts, radicchio, mint, coriander, chilli jam dressing
Book now: The Begging Bowl

Kiln, Soho

What: Award-winning Soho barnstormer Kiln is far from your average Thai takeaway - the restaurant examines the regional specialities of Thailand's borders with Burma, Laos and Cambodia. If you manage to get a coveted seat, expect to see chefs cooking dishes like dry red mackerel curry and pork offal laap in woks and claypots over hot coals right before your eyes. 
Where: 58 Brewer Street, W1F 9TL
Must-try dish: Claypot baked glass noodles with Tamworth pork belly & brown crab
Book now: Kiln

Kaosarn, Brixton

What: This family-run BYOB restaurant serves up traditional Thai food in a tiny restaurant located in Brixton Village. The menu isn't as hefty as some others on this list, but everything is fantastic, as evidenced by the number of diners waiting for tables on balmy Brixton Village evenings. The menu covers all the essentials, but also ventures beyond the satays, green curries and pad Thai noodles to offer everything from gai tod (deep-fried garlic and pepper chicken) to a seriously spicy larb.
Where: Brixton Village Market, SW9 7EL
Must-try dish: Coconut soup with chicken, galangal, mushroom and coriander
Book now: Kaosarn

TOR Thai, Turnham Green

What: Family-run TOR Thai on Chiswick High Road has been serving authentic Thai food to West Londoners since 1994 including lots of vegan, gluten-free and vegetarian options. It also does a great lunch deal for a tenner, that includes a great pad Thai, basil sir fry, aubergine green curry or roast duck on rice. 
Where: 99 Chiswick High Road, W4 2ED
Must-try dish: Duck drunken noodles
Book now: TOR Thai

Smoking Goat, Shoreditch

What: The original site closed its doors some time ago, but the Shoreditch spin-off remains popular as ever. Diners can sit on large canteen-style tables to enjoy the affordable Thai barbecue small plates and seafood on offer, or take a seat at the counter and watch chefs buzzing across live fire grills. Chilli fish sauce wings are still a must order - beyond that, you can't really go wrong with the Smoking Goat menu. 
Where: 64 Shoreditch High Street, E1 6JJ
Must-try dish: Fish sauce chilli wings
Book now: Smoking Goat

Marie's Cafe, Waterloo

What: They don't make them quite like Marie's Cafe anymore. This best-kept-secret Thai restaurant is excellent value for money and can be found around the back of Waterloo station on Lower Marsh. Arrive at this hidden gem of a restaurant in the morning and grab a full English, then come back in the evening for comforting Thai home cooking, at very affordable prices.
Where: 90 Lower Marsh, SE1 7AB
Must-try dish: Panang curry
Book now: Marie's Cafe Waterloo

Poppy's Thai, Hammersmith

What: The mismatched china, old furnishings and old-fashioned lampshades give this well-loved Hammersmith local the feel of an antique shop, but there are some special things happening behind the scenes. Out of the kitchen comes authentic, affordable Thai classics, and you can grab takeaway if there's no room in the restaurant. 
Where: 78 Glenthorne Road, W6 0LR
Must-try dish: Pad see ew
Book now: Poppy's Thai

Farang, Highbury

What: Starting its life at various street food markets around London, Farang now has a permanent home in Highbury, where locals come to be slapped around the face with rich, meaty, spicy curries, and sour, funky salads. Try the Som Tam spicy green papaya salad or Pàk-ká-nàa – roasted cavolo nero crisps served with burnt chilli dipping sauce. 
Where: 72 Highbury Park, N5 2XE
Must-try dish: Smoked mackerel miang bites with sour fruits, peanuts, ginger and lime, served in an edible betel leaf 
Book now: Farang

Asian cuisine is now one of the most popular types of food in London with thousands of restaurants serving up dishes from all over the far east. Want to try out more great places for Asian food? Check out our list of the best Chinese restaurants in London.