New York City’s Thai dining scene spans far beyond familiar staples, with restaurants serving specialties from across Thailand and bringing regional flavors to neighborhoods in all five boroughs. The guide highlights 14 spots, from long-established Elmhurst institutions to newer restaurants in Manhattan and Brooklyn.
At Ayada in Elmhurst, the recommended order is yen ta fo, a pink noodle soup with a tomato and bean curd sauce. Eim Khao Mun Kai, also in Elmhurst, focuses on khao mun gai: steamed chicken with ginger rice, broth and a spicy fermented bean sauce. SriPraPhai offers a broad menu of Thai dishes, while Zaab Zaab, with locations in Elmhurst and Williamsburg, specializes in Isan cuisine. Its signature larb ped udon combines ground duck with herbs, fried liver and crispy skin.
Ugly Baby has reopened in Williamsburg after closing last year. Its menu draws on several Thai provinces, including Southern Thai curries and Isan dishes. The restaurant labels its food by heat, from “the laughs” to “the ugly,” and recommends trying one of its rotating fiery curries.
Several Manhattan restaurants offer distinct takes on Thai dining. Bangkok Supper Club pairs an award-winning cocktail program with dishes such as fried pork jowl served over garlic-baked rice. In Nolita, Thai Diner puts a Thai twist on diner food, including crinkle-cut fries covered in massaman curry sauce. The guide also points to LenLen in Flatiron for durian crab curry and Ler Lers in Bed-Stuy for Bangkok-style dishes, including pad thai topped with crispy pork belly.
For seafood, Fish Cheeks has locations in NoHo and Williamsburg and focuses on flavors from coastal Southern Thailand. Recommended dishes include whole steamed fish with a cilantro-lime broth and coconut crab curry. In the West Village, a restaurant led by Bangkok-native chef Chattchakorn “Benz” Khajornchaisan serves dishes including panang curry with beef cheek and dry-aged duck with fragrant rice.
Other picks highlight regional specialties and creative menus. Kaew Jao Jorm in Williamsburg draws on 19th-century royal-court recipes; its chor muang dumplings have a chicken and peanut filling wrapped in butterfly pea flower dough. Soothr, with locations in the East Village and Long Island City, specializes in Thai noodles, including Sukhothai-style tom yum soup. In Williamsburg, Kru reworks Thai culinary traditions with dishes such as lamb massaman curry pot pie and ma hor, seasoned meat served on fresh fruit.
Sources: Condé Nast Traveler.