10 Great Tastes of Thai Cuisine in America

There’s no more compelling reason to head to Thailand than to savor its vibrant cuisine firsthand. But if you aren’t able to book it to Bangkok, there are a number of noteworthy restaurants where you can truly experience the fragrant, bold flavors of Thai cooking in the United States. From Portland, OR to Washington, DC, here are 10 of our favorite places to enjoy Thai food (none of which involve an overnight flight!).

 

Hawker Fare

San Francisco and Oakland, California

At Hawker Fare, Michelin-starred chef James Syhabout serves the home-style Thai food of his childhood in a street stall-inspired setting. Order a laab (minced meat salad) off the menu and prepare to be delighted.

 

Larb Ubol

New York, New York

At this laid-back Lower East Side eatery, northeast Thai region Isan is the star of the menu, which is packed with grilled meats, green papaya salads and ground meat with fresh herbs.

 

Lotus of Siam

Las Vegas, Nevada

Some of the most beloved Thai food in the country can be found at a strip mall in Nevada. At this James Beard Award–winning restaurant, you’ll enjoy excellent renditions of Thai favorites like chicken satay and papaya salad.

 

 

Pok Pok

Portland, Oregon, New York and Los Angeles

The menu at Pok Pok is filled with Northern Thai favorites that aren’t watered down for the American palate. Don’t miss the wings, which are marinated in garlic, sugar and fish sauce.

 

Jitlada

Los Angeles, California

LA’s most famous Thai food comes out of a mini mall in East Hollywood. Expect fragrant Southern Thai dishes like celebrity chicken (stir-fried crispy chicken topped with fried basil) and green curry.

 

Kin Khao

San Francisco, California

Bangkok native and early food blogger Pim Techamuanvivit opened Kin Khao so she could eat the Thai food she grew up with. Come for the explosively flavored dishes, like Pretty Hot Wings and Chili Jam Clams, and stay for the balanced cocktails.

 

Thai-Kun

Austin, TX

You won’t find sickly sweet pad Thai at this food truck, a trailer parked in the back of a craft cocktail bar. Instead, the menu boasts beef panang curry, grilled pork with Tiger Cry sauce and more—all for $10 or less.

 

 

Little Serow

Washington, DC

Follow the line down to this basement restaurant, which has no phone and no reservations, and you’ll be rewarded with a seven-course, family-style menu that feels like a dinner party thrown at a Thai friend’s house.

 

Night + Market

Los Angeles, California

Night + Market, a dimly-lit spot on the Sunset Strip with folding chairs, long communal tables and fiery orange walls, specializes in dishes like sour sausage, curried crab, fried pig tail and other Northern Thai street food favorites.

 

Sticky Rice

Chicago, Illinois

One of Chicago’s most popular Thai spots is Sticky Rice, a colorful, no-frills, BYOB storefront that serves deeply satisfying curries, stir-fries and noodles made to order, and a killer coconut curry khao soi.

 

Tell us: Where’s the best place you’ve ever eaten Thai food? Share your favorite discoveries with the rest of us in the comments below.