The Best Thai Restaurants In London

With a menu inspired by the chef patron Peter Lloyd's travels throughout East Asia, Sticky Mango fuses the flavours of Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore and more. Presenting stunning locations in both Waterloo and Tower Bridge, the eatery promises eye-catching decor at each. From the moment you walk in you'll be struck by towering cherry blossom trees, silk wallpapers and traditional Asian fixtures. Treat your tastebuds to a whole load of delicious delights here, such as green mango salad, spiced seared scallops and lobster pad Thai. If you fancy a little bit of everything, pick the nine-flavour tasting menu for £50 each, which includes many signature plates. This riverside beauty also doubles up as a glamorous event space as well as a gastronomic playground, so make sure to secure your spot here for your birthday.

Krua by Nathong offers a variety of delicacies inspired by a 1980s Bangkok restaurant of the same name. Since arriving in the UK in 2012, it's been whipping up traditional plates and operating as a family-run business. 'Krua' means kitchen in Thai and the title reflects the group's core value of serving authentic food with a lot of passion. The decor is homely and elegant, with exposed brick walls running along each side and an opulent-looking black-tiled bar towards the back, as well as two private karaoke rooms to boot. Hungry guests can perch themselves on dainty wooden chairs and devour the likes of the signature crying tiger sirloin steak, classic pad kra pao, and crispy whole sea bass in a caramelised sauce. 

While you may know Laki Kane better for its exceptional tiki-inspired cocktails, it's also home to a scrumptious menu of Thai food. The pretty, flower-adorned den can be found in Islington, through arches of woven foliage and fairy lights leading to either its tropical escape bar or dining area. Embodying its name (the Polynesian for 'a lucky person'), it brings an uplifting energy reflected in its vibrant dishes, accompanied by theatrical entertainment. Opt for a plate from its light bites selection (think steamed pork dumplings and crispy squid), then pair it with a dish from its feast menu (drunken noodles, anyone?) for just £26 per person. Then, settle in for the night, whether it be for a date or with mates, and tantalise your taste buds with a Fatal Attraction cocktail, served in a tall blue glass, bursting with notes of lychee and acerola cherry.

Featuring traditional dishes with a twist, Greyhound Cafe is a Thai restaurant in Central London that brings the flavours of Bangkok to Fitzrovia. What started predominantly as a fashion label has expanded into food, interpreting its plates as 'street meets couture'. Split over two floors, this joint boasts charming interiors, such as a monochrome bar sporting Thai lettering engraved on tiles, dark-panelled walls, leather stools and low-hanging orbs of light. There's also a striking open kitchen where you can see and hear your food cooking away: think duck confit in red curry with pineapple and lychees, 'the angry pasta' (wok-fried spaghetti and seafood), plus a young coconut crepe cake for dessert. Complete your feast with a signature cocktail, such as the Chaiyo, made with gin and Thai basil, or the stone ginger wine-based Manhattan Mama. 

With venues in Soho, Hoxton, Greenwich, Shepherd's Bush and beyond, Busaba will transport you to Bangkok from wherever you are in London. Since opening in 1999, the restaurant has nodded to traditional Buddhist values in its approach to cooking, such as Sookja, which is about avoiding the chaos in life and focusing on the good; creating a 'happy heat'.

It pours love and care into its plates of food in order to uplift spirits with fragrant plates of tamarind duck breast, pandan chicken and jungle curry. Tuck into a flavoursome feast in a sleek, low-lit dining space decorated with soft lanterns, and then finish off with bang banana fritters for dessert, or a busabocker glory. 

Serving spicy meat and fish-based BBQ dishes with fresh and high-quality ingredients, Smoking Goat can be found in the heart of Shoreditch with queues of hungry punters out the door. Inspired by Thailand's open-air canteens, you'll find a rustic, communal dining space fronting brick walls and giving a warehouse feel. A trendy spot among locals and tourists alike, it focuses on meats, seafood and clay pots; the kitchen whips up goods like BBQ beef heart with a coriander and peanut salad (£12), 'ceviche' trout belly and flourish herbs (£13), plus massaman smoked short rib (£38). Signature cocktails are also on the menu, such as the vodka and fish sauce-based America Eats Its Young (£10) and the joint's take on a margarita, the Beware Dub (£9.90).

You'll find Chet's located on the ground floor of The Hoxton in Shepherd's Bush. Upon entry, be prepared to be dazzled as you're met with a gleaming back-lit bar at the core of an Art Deco-inspired, American-style diner. Past coral pink motifs and vintage-looking booths you'll find an open kitchen whipping up Thai bites with an LA twist. The menu comes from cult chef Kris Yenbamroong (who's behind the stateside NIGHT + MARKET restaurants) and features Instagrammable plates like pineapple rice, banana French toast and a scrumptious Bodega sandwich filled with sai uah sausage and umami ketchup.

Bold, fiery, and in-your-face goodness, Som Saa's affordable delights will knock your socks off. Founded by Andy Oliver, Mark Dobbie and Tom George, its one of the top traditional Thai restaurants in London that you need to visit. Book your place to dine among distressed, white walls featuring shelves topped with authentic cutlery and dangling plants. Cross shabby-chic floorboards and a glowing open kitchen to take your seat at a cosy table and inhale the likes of gaeng juet pbet (coconut smoked duck bone broth of shiitake mushrooms with tofu skin), and gaeng ped neua (red curry of aged bavette with apple aubergines).

If you're always Googling 'Thai restaurants in North London' and haven't checked out the acclaimed Farang yet, what are you waiting for? What started as a pop-up out of the back of chef Sebby Holmes' car has expanded into an eatery with a Michelin Bib Gourmand to its name and awards from the UK Thai Embassy. Its interiors make for a relaxed dining experience as exposed brick walls surround hungry revellers and foliage dangles from the ceiling. An array of menus are available to explore, from set feasting affairs to a droolworthy a la carte that includes small plates of salted turmeric prawn 'miang' bites, green curried fish cakes and crispy blooming onion aromatic coconut curry. 

The best Thai restaurant London has to offer has to be Kiln, serving up a menu of authentic street food from its home in Soho. With a Bib Gourmand to its name, the low-lit haunt transports diners to Southeast East Asia by cooking up clay pots, woks and grills, taking inspiration from Laos, Myanmar and Yunnan. Upstairs you'll find an open-plan kitchen with counter seating available for walk-ins only, whereas its basement space can be booked for up to groups of six. Peruse a menu embodying a low-waste approach and order the likes of grilled rump cap with ubon relish (£11), omm of mussels with aubergine and broad beans (£12), and clay pot baked glass noodles with Tamworth belly and brown crab meat (£7.85).

Blending locally sourced London ingredients with authentic Thai flavours, Kin + Deum is a relaxed spot created by culinary sibling trio Bank, Roselyn and Shakris Inngern. Among pastel interiors and marble-topped tables, you can enjoy everything from pork belly and kale to traditional green curries here, paired with a pink lychee martini or the mandarin mojito.

Utterly kitch and eye-catching from the onset, Speedboat Bar is the second restaurant from chef Luke Farrell that transports diners to Bangkok's Chinatown with its drunken noodles and creamy curries. Fixed to the walls are authentic memorabilia and framed photographs of iconic figures; shiny silver tables take centre stage, surrounded by teal tiles and a pool table that beckons you to play to the sound of Thai pop rock until 1am on Fridays and Saturdays. Choose either a set menu (like the Yaowarat Road for £39 each) or pick a few plates from the menu to gobble up, such as black pepper sea bream and tom yum mamma noodles with squid, pork and prawns. This joint is also famous for its whiskey sodas as well as a Jelly Bia cocktail, made using ginger, honey, calamansi and singha.