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Thai food ¨C ranging from addictively tasty, deep-fried chicken to curries, fragrant with aromatics such as galangal, lemongrass, wild ginger and Thai lime leaves ¨C offers rich pickings. While traditional Thai restaurants offer well-known classics, a new wave of chefs in London is focusing on less familiar aspects of this much-loved way of cooking. Their restaurants are notably green curry-free zones, offering instead intriguing plates such as grills and salads. While London¡¯s Thai joints range from much-loved neighbourhood locals to hip drinking dens, one thing they tend to share is a pleasant informality.
1. Kin et Deum
Best for: a contemporary taste of Bangkok
Dish to order: Bangkok¡¯s gra pow
A short stroll from London Bridge, three Thai siblings have joined forces to create this contemporary restaurant with its appealingly stripped-down d¨¦cor and mellow atmosphere. From its distinctive name ¨C which means ¡®eat and drink¡¯ in Thai ¨C to its menu of classics (massaman curry, stir-fried morning glory and pad Thai) and tempting puds (rich brownies and intriguing tropical ice creams), this is a carefully thought out taste of Thailand.
Address: Kin et Deum, Crucifix Lane, London SE1 3JW
Website: kindeum.com
2. Nipa Thai
Best for: gracious Thai dining
Dish to order: crispy soft shell crab
Discreetly housed on the first floor of the Royal Lancaster Hotel, Nipa Thai ¨C a calm haven with leafy views of Hyde Park ¨C offers diners a smooth-as-silk dining experience. Veteran Head Chef Sanguan Parr leads an all-female kitchen and her team¡¯s knowledge shines through the carefully-cooked dishes including a well-balanced tom Kha soup, pandan-leaf wrapped chicken parcels and steamed sea bass. Slick, professional service is as charming as the food.
Address: Nipa Thai, Royal Lancaster London, Lancaster Terrace, London W2 2TY
Website: niparestaurant.co.uk
3. Champor Champor
Best for: a romantic Thai meal
Dish to order: king river prawns yellow turmeric curry
Hidden down a side street, this charming Thai-Malaysian fusion restaurant is a smug discovery. The d¨¦cor ¨C a rich palette adorned with South-East Asian artefacts and fabrics ¨C is an appealing backdrop for a stylish menu. ¡®Champor champor¡¯ means ¡®mix and match¡¯ and the menu offers an appealingly eclectic array of Thai and Malaysian-inspired dishes such as tofu and butternut squash green curry, massaman lamb shank and tom yum Brulee.
Address: Champor Champor, 62 Weston Street, London SE1 3QJ
Website: champor-champor.com
4. Singburi
Best for: gloriously tasty Thai food
Dish to order: Moo krob (crispy pork belly)
A modest-looking, family-run, BYOB Thai caf¨¦ on Leytonstone High Road, Singburi has achieved cult classic status on London¡¯s dining scene. And rightly so. Chef Kularbwong really knows his stuff, sending out an array of beautifully cooked dishes, from stir-fried pad Thai noodles or morning glory to moo krob, an addictively delicious dish of crispy pork belly with chilli and basil. Always check out the daily specials chalked on the board and be sure to book ahead.
Address: Singburi, 593 High Rd Leytonstone, London E11 4PA
Website: instagram.com/singburi_e11
5. Esarn Kheaw
Best for: home-style North Eastern Thai food
Dish to order: spiced north east duck
Pioneering north-eastern Thai food long before it was fashionable, this diminutive restaurant founded and run by the Puntar family since 1992 has a loyal local following. The surroundings are unpretentious, but it¡¯s the food and friendly service which pulls in the regulars. An extensive menu includes spicy homemade Thai sausages, deep-fried son-in-law-eggs with a sour-sweet tamarind sauce, chicken laab (spiced chicken mince) ¨C and all at noticeably reasonable prices.
Address: Esarn Kheaw, 314 Uxbridge Road, London W12 7LJ
Website: esarnkheaw.com
6. The Begging Bowl, Peckham
Best for: Creative Thai sharing plates?
Dish to order: Deep-fried sea bass with green mango
On Peckham’s foodie Bellenden Road Begging Bowl has a mellow vibe. The surroundings ¨C wooden floors and furniture, a conservatory-style glass roof, potted plants ¨C are appealing, but the real draw is chef-patron Jane Alty¡¯s creative cooking. Alty worked at the London branch of Nahm (David Thompson¡¯s acclaimed Thai restaurant) and there¡¯s a smart confidence to her pan-national menu. The wide-ranging dishes, such as betel leaf-wrapped smoked eel, morning glory fritters and mataba (mutton-filled roti) are executed with panache and deliver amply on flavour and texture. Come hungry.
Address: The Begging Bowl, 168 Bellenden Road, London SE15 4BW
Website: thebeggingbowl.co.uk
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7. Farang, Highbury
Best for: Witty new-wave Thai food
Dish to order: Gai prik (glazed crispy chicken)
Farang is the Thai word for a white foreigner ¨C the restaurant¡¯s name is a self-deprecating reference to chef-proprietor Sebby Holmes¡¯ non-Thai roots. Having first acquired a cult following at the helm of several pop-ups, Holmes has now settled with his team in a permanent Islington site, formerly an Italian restaurant. While the interiors might still say Tuscany, the menu fuses together seasonal British and Thai ingredients to excellent effect. Dishes such as umami-rich crispy chicken skin, a smoky, aromatic jungle curry ¨C made with prawns, nettles and Thai pea aubergines ¨C and light-textured turmeric roti prove that the cooking here is impressively on target.
Address: Farang, 72 Highbury Park, Highbury East, London N5 2XE
Website: faranglondon.co.uk
8. Kiln, Soho
Best for: Vivid, intelligent, northern Thai-inspired flavours
Dish to order: Wild ginger and beef-neck curry
In the heart of Soho, this small, funky restaurant serves excellent northern Thai-style food. British chef Ben Chapman¡¯s obsessive fascination is reflected in a short, cleverly put-together menu with seasonal specials. Dishes range from the simple satisfaction of perfectly grilled chicken to the rich delights of glass noodles with crabmeat and pork. Do arrive early or late in order to nab the best seats: at the bar in front of the open-plan kitchen, watching the chefs cooking in clay pots or grilling meat carefully over glowing charcoal, creating delicious anticipation in rightly expectant diners.
Address: Kiln, 58 Brewer Street, Soho, London W1F 9TL
Website: kilnsoho.com
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9. Greyhound Caf¨¦, Fitzrovia
Best for: Punchy Thai food in a lively atmosphere
Dish to order: Hot oil pork knuckle
There is a sense of fun at this London outpost of an established Bangkok chain ¨C manifest in the branded staff T-shirts (¡®Keep calm and add chilli¡¯), the outdoor drinking area, the loud music and dishes such as Bugs In My Salad (which does indeed contain crunchy fried pupae) or Phuket burger (a whole soft-shelled crab in a bun). The cooking here packs a cheerful chilli punch ¨C as witnessed by the grilled northern Thai sausage or Chicken Holy Basil Chilli Bomb ¨C and delivers big flavours, making it a hit with its lively youthful customers.
Address: Greyhound Caf¨¦, 37 Berners Street, Fitzrovia, London W1T 3LZ
Website: greyhoundcafe.uk
10. Smoking Goat, Shoreditch
Best for: Seriously tasty Thai drinking food
Dish to order: Chilli fish sauce wings
A large central bar and an open-plan kitchen are at the heart of this industrial-chic, roomy Shoreditch incarnation of chef Ben Chapman¡¯s Smoking Goat. Far larger than Soho’s Denmark Street original, this restaurant (a sister establishment to Kiln) serves food inspired by Bangkok¡¯s late-night dining scene. Diners can tuck into assured versions of dishes such as smoked aubergine salad or whole five-spice braised chicken for lunch or dinner, while weekends see a tempting breakfast menu added to the offering ¨C think curried saffron eggs, with optional lardo.
Address: Smoking Goat, 64 Shoreditch High Street, Shoreditch, London E1 6JJ
Website: smokinggoatbar.com
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11. Supawan, King’s Cross
Best for: Traditional Thai?
Dish to order: Peek gai yud sai (fried stuffed chicken wings)
So popular is chef-owner Wichet Khongphoon¡¯s King’s Cross Thai restaurant that it seems perennially busy, but it¡¯s particularly packed in the early evenings when local workers dive in straight from the office to socialise over chilled Singha beers. The full dinner menu ranges across stir-fries (such as a punchy morning glory with chilli), fragrant curries (among them geng gung saparod, prawn curry with pineapple and sweet basil) and grills (try the pleasantly tangy aubergine laab dressed with tamarind and mint). Come with friends so that you can try a good assortment. The hardworking staff maintain a friendly cheerfulness throughout, which adds to the appeal.
Address: Supawan, 38 Caledonian Road, King’s Cross, London N1 9DT
Website: supawan.co.uk
12. KaoSarn, Brixton
Best for: An informal pit-stop
Dish to order: Beef massaman
Located in atmospheric Brixton Market (as well as St John’s Hill in Clapham) ¨C this small Thai caf¨¦ has acquired a loyal local clientele. The menu is strong on street-food favourites such as a crisp-textured Som Tum (green papaya salad), or freshly stir-fried pad Thai, served with friendly efficiency. On a hot sunny day, the outside area comes into its own, busy with diners enjoying this relaxed South London taste of Thailand. You might have to wait for a table on a Friday or Saturday night when the bring your own booze rule makes it a market favourite.
Address: KaoSarn, Brixton Village Market, Brixton, London SW9 8PR
Website: no website
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