The Very Best Thai Food in New York City

There are several ways to describe delicious food in Thai: Aroy means delicious, while aroy mak takes it a step further to very delicious. But my favorite word is zaab (also spelled zabb or zab; แซ่บ), a term rooted in the Isan region of northeastern Thailand that conveys a bold deliciousness, often associated with the heat. In New York City, we’re spoiled for choice when it comes to food that delivers true zaab.I’ve spent my life immersed in the world of Thai food. One of the joys of growing up in a Thai restaurant family is participating in one of our favorite hobbies: scoping out other Thai restaurants to see what’s good. Most summers, my aunts would close down their restaurant in Royal Palm Beach for two weeks, and they’d road trip from South Florida up to New York City to check out casinos and taste Thai restaurants along the way—when I was lucky, I got to join them. My grandpa, for his part, used to drive to the city weekly to get products for his grocery store in Washington, DC, and through his firsthand research, old friends, and the Internet, he created detailed restaurant guides to help me find footing when I moved to the city almost five years ago.As I continue to eat my way through the city’s Thai restaurants, I feel spoiled for choice. More and more chefs are serving regional specialties of their hometowns and maintaining Thai food’s great balancing act between the spice, acid, salt, sweetness, and umami, while incorporating their own signature flair.While the city’s established Thai spots, particularly out in Elmhurst, Queens, remain beloved, plenty of the most compelling and exciting bites can be found in various parts of the city. There has never been a more exciting time to eat Thai food in NYC, and these 14 restaurants best embody its golden era.The best Thai restaurants in NYCAyada7708 Woodside Ave, Elmhurst, NY 11373Must-order dish: Yen Ta FoIf you want an overview of the best dishes across Thailand without leaving the city, let your first stop in Queen’s Little Thai Town be Ayada. The beloved restaurant has familiar favorites like pad thai and tom yum, but let its expertise in other regional favorites be an excuse to try my dad’s favorite Yen Ta Fo, a bubblegum-pink soup with soft rice noodles and a savory tomato and bean curd sauce.Ugly Baby364 Grand Street, Brooklyn, NY 11211 (Williamsburg)Must-order dish: Any of the fiery curries on the rotating menuWhen the news of Ugly Baby’s closure last year hit my WhatsApp chat with my Thai friends, you would’ve thought that someone had died. In a way, it felt like we lost a family member. Ugly Baby was one of the rare spots in the city that didn’t hold back on heat like many in America do to appease Western palates and milder heat tolerances. But all was saved when the beloved restaurant announced its reopening in Williamsburg earlier this fall. It’s now a fun, lively two-floor restaurant with eclectic dishware and recipes from various Thai provinces, including brutally hot curries from Southern Thailand and Northeastern Isan cuisine.Its menu is sorted from least spicy to most spicy—written out as “the laughs” to “the ugly” (dishes toward the latter end consist of a few menu items that will make you feel like you’re breathing fire). Luckily, waiters are standing by with large jugs of water, ready to refill at the sight of sweat dripping down your forehead.Bangkok Supper Club makes a convincing case for the arrival of upscale Thai dining. Bangkok Supper ClubOrder a la carte, or do the $150 tasting menu at Bangkok Supper Club. Bangkok Supper ClubBangkok Supper Club641 Hudson St, New York, NY 10014 (Meatpacking District)Must-order dish: Pork jowlWith an award-winning cocktail program by Suwincha "Chacha" Singsuwan and a menu from executive chef Max Wittawat, Bangkok Supper Club makes a convincing case for the arrival of upscale Thai dining. The drinks are as much of a draw as the food. I like to start my meal with a fish sauce cocktail, a savory, umami-forward drink that captures the depth of fish sauce while balancing it with sweet notes of floral pear. It’s unexpected, but feels just right, and is a lovely accompaniment to my other must-order: the pork jowl. These deep-fried pork cheeks arrive atop a fragrant, garlic-baked rice.Eim Khao Mun Kai81-32 Broadway, Elmhurst, NY 11373Must-order dish: Khao mun kaiOne of the best parts about eating in Thailand is getting food from restaurants and stalls that specialize in one singular dish. As my dad says, that’s how you know it’s good. Eim Khao Mun Kai is one such place. Its one dish, khao mun gai, is the Thai version of Hainanese chicken rice, served with a spicy, fermented bean sauce.The $12 set meal includes tender steamed chicken thighs made with halal meat and gizzards, fragrant ginger rice that’s cooked with chicken droppings, and a savory broth-based soup made from the bones, with sides of cilantro and cucumber plus plenty of sauce. It’s a tight shop and cash-only. When my dad comes into town, it’s the first place we go to.SriPraPhai64-13 39th Ave, Woodside, NY 11377Must-order dish: Northern-style curry noodlesSince 1990, this institution has been serving what my friend calls “old-school auntie energy” with wooden accents, white tablecloths, and a sprawling menu. When I say sprawling, I mean it. You can flip through pages at SriPraPhai and can eat all the fried meats, papaya salads, curries, and noodle dishes your heart desires.Zaab Zaab specializes in Northeast Isan cuisine, repping where both owners are from. Zaab ZaabZaab Zaab76-04 Woodside Ave, Queens, NY 11373 (Elmhurst)208 Grand St, Brooklyn, NY 11211 (Williamsburg)Must-order dish: Larb ped udonZaab Zaab has locations in both Elmhurst and Williamsburg, and specializes in Northeast Isan cuisine from where owner Bryan Chunton and chef Aniwat Khotsopa hail. The restaurant’s signature dish, an herb-packed larb ped udon, features cilantro- and mint-packed ground duck, fried liver, and crispy skin; it’s served with a plethora of fresh lettuce, cabbage, extra herbs, and sticky rice. When I go with a group, though, I also make sure we order the pla neung manow, which comes steamed with a chili, garlic, and lime sauce that’s so flavorful, you’ll want to drink it like soup (luckily it’s served with little bowls so you can).Kaew Jao Jorm Thai800 Grand St, Brooklyn, NY 11211 (Williamsburg)Must-order dish: Chor muang for an appetizer; pad kea mao seafood as a mainFocusing on 19th- century recipes from the royal consort court, Kaew Jao Jorm’s (named after the former King Rama V’s favorite flower) serves a regal menu in its intimate, 20-seat restaurant. The exterior is on an unassuming street in Williamsburg, but inside, it is the restaurant incarnation of Mary Poppins' bag: compact, but they manage to pack in far more than you’d expect.Though the signature dumplings, chor muang—chicken and peanut filling encased in delicate butterfly pea flower dough—are the star, don’t overlook the noodle dishes, which are slurpable, expertly sauced, and so soft as to be almost buttery.Thai Diner does diner favorites reimagined, like their beloved Thai Disco Fries. Thai DinerHead to Thai Diner for brunch, lunch, or a vibey dinner. Thai DinerThai Diner186 Mott St, New York, NY 10012 (Nolita)Must-order dish: Thai disco friesIf you have friends from out of town that you really want to impress and show how fun eating in New York City can be, go to Thai Diner and get an order of the Thai Disco Fries. I find that these crispy, crinkle-cut fries smothered in a peanutty massaman curry sauce are delicious enough to justify to out-of-towners how much you overspend on rent. Reservations can be hard to get, but they do take some walk-ins, so your best bet is to either arrive slightly before opening, or put your name down and wander around Nolita until your name is called.The restaurant has a tropical dive bar feel, with plenty of diner favorites reimagined like a custardy Thai tea babka, French toast, and a signature Thai Diner egg sandwich made with Isan-style sausage wrapped in a plush roti. Co-owners Ann Redding and Matt Danzer also recently opened Mommy Pai’s, a fast Thai chicken takeout spot on the same block that’s a great lunch spot without the wait.Dishes are meant to be shared family-style here—like a whole fish drenched in cliantro-lime broth. Fish CheeksFish Cheeks55 Bond St, New York, NY 10012 (NoHo)661 Driggs Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11211 (Williamsburg)Must-order dish: Steamed fish with Thai herbsSpecializing in seafood dishes, Fish Cheeks focuses on the bright flavors of southern coastal Thailand. Dishes are meant to be shared family-style here, and though the menu features a few poultry, pork, and beef options, your best bet is trusting the name and going straight for fish. I recommend getting a whole steamed fish for the table—your dinnermates will relish in sharing the communal centerpiece and drenching rice in its cilantro-lime broth, or the coconut crab curry, which comes with rice noodles for soaking up every last bit of the creamy sauce.Though its flagship Noho location can book out quickly, its equally delicious (and newer) spot in Williamsburg is a bit easier to secure a reservation at, for now.New Flatiron restaurant LenLen is definitively cool. Jared DangremondThe menu at LenLen includes crowd-pleasers and bolder dishes like a durian crab curry. Liz ClaymanLenLen40 E 20th St, New York, NY 10003 (Flatiron)Must-order dish: Durian crab curryIf I had to describe LenLen in one word, it would be cool. This relatively new spot hit Flatiron earlier this year, bringing a fresh excitement to the Thai food scene in midtown. For me, the standout of the menu is the love-it-or-loathe-it durian crab curry. It’s earthy, fruity, and well worth the visit alone. While you’re there, order the wagyu beef boat noodles, too, which are served in a rich, dark broth that reminds me of the ones I’ve had in Ayutthaya, one of my favorite cities in Thailand (and the birthplace of boat noodles).There are whispers of a speakeasy opening downstairs in the coming months, which gives the restaurant extra potential to become a go-to dinner spot that seamlessly transitions into a night out.Ler Lers does classic Bangkok-style fare right. Ler LersFrom pad thai to grilled meats, Ler Lers does it all. Leticia AlmeidaLer Lers417 Tompkins Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11216 (Bed-Stuy)Must-order dish: Pad ThaiNot to be confused with LenLen, Ler Lers is a newer spot in Bed-Stuy and does classic Bangkok-style fare right. Its ambiance is stylish and warm, with a mix of rattan and earthy tones, for a setting that makes sipping on a sweet iced Thai tea feel right even on a cold rainy day.I’m pretty weary of ordering pad thai out in restaurants, just because the cuisine has so much else to offer. But a friend promised me that the pad thai topped with crispy pork belly was “awesome,” and after trying it for myself, I’ve started saying the same to friends and family. The rest of the menu has a lot of other familiar favorites like fried rice and grilled meats, and if you’re someone who enjoys a sticky tamarind sauce as much as I do, try the branzino, too.Hommali is stylish in every sense of the word, from the plating to the space. HommaliThe Hommali cocktail menu is also expansive—go for the signature tomato option. HommaliHommali28 7th Ave S, New York, NY 10014 (West Village)Must-order dish: panang curry beef cheekA newcomer to the West Village restaurant scene, this design-forward space has some serious pedigree with a menu curated by Bangkok-native Chattchakorn “Benz” Khajornchaisan, formerly of Eleven Madison Park. The restaurant is stylish in every sense of the word, with sage green tiles, oak accents, and warm lighting.You can’t customize spice level here, so expect to get a little red from dishes like the prik larb beef tartare that comes with crispy tripe chips and is fiery with northern larb spices. The Hommali Five Spice dry-aged duck is also a standout and comes with fragrant rice that’s cooked in duck drippings. My opinion? The best order is getting the panang curry with tender beef cheek. It’s spicy, nutty, and you’ll want to order a side (or two) of roti to soak up that sauce.The cocktail menu is also expansive—go for the signature tomato cocktail, which is vodka and rice wine-based with tomato extract, poblanos, and tamarind.Soothr in the East Village specializes in noodles from all across Thailand. SoothrSoothr204 E 13th St, New York, NY 10003 (East Village)25-20 43rd Ave, Long Island City, NY 11101Must-order dish: Sukhothai-style tom yum noodle soupThai noodle shop Soothr specializes in noodles from all across Thailand, and though the stir-fried variety is delicious, the soup noodles are the real standout. The Sukhothai-style tom yum noodle soup is a must-order, and encapsulates the best of Thai noodle soups with a deeply savory-acidic broth topped with bouncy fish cakes, meatballs, and rice noodles. Soothr has a new-ish Long Island City location that’s got a more nightlife vibe to it (and just as great noodles).Kru in Williamsburg draws on Thailand’s vast culinary history, reimaging regional traditions through a contemporary lens. Christian OcanaKru90 N 14 St, Brooklyn, NY 11249 (Williamsburg)Must-order dish: Lamb massaman curry pot pieNamed after the Thai word for “mentor,” chef Ohm Suansilphong honors the many teachers in his life through Kru. Here, he draws on Thailand’s vast culinary history, reimaging regional traditions through a contemporary lens. This looks like a crispy, massaman curry pot pie sprinkled with slow-cooked, pull-apart jackfruit, and tender lamb or tamarind-chili coated calamari that’s sweet, salty, and a little spicy. Chef adds and tweaks the menu seasonally, but I suggest the first thing you eat is always the Ma Hor, a savory bite of seasoned meat atop fresh fruit. The word means galloping horse, and it has enough warmth to open your tastebuds for the rest of the meal. Pay attention to the wine list: the restaurant is just as thoughtful about its award-winning program as it is the rest of the menu. Consider this a go-to as worthy of casual weeknight dinners as it is of special occasions.