The Best Thai Restaurants in Toronto

What, no Thai Express?!?! ;)

I must say, I don't understand the appeal of Salad King -- and I'm not even that particular about authentic Thai taste or anything. Their pad thai seriously tastes like a wet dog to me.

THAI BASIL!!! I'm originally from Asia and have traveled around Thailand extensively, and always complained about Thai food here being too North American-ized (aka not enough spice). But after stumbling upon this little gem in the Annex boy was I wrong... my nose was running the whole meal and that's a great thing!

Bene's USED to be good (Coxwell and Queen), but I can't even eat there anymore. Bland, tasteless pad thai, and they don't even put shrimp or chicken in there anymore, just noodles and ersatz ketchup, bleh!

Ketchup in pad thai just pisses me off. And tastes gross.

It's funny... in Thailand, the busiest places were almost universally the best. In Toronto, it sort of feels like the opposite. For example, ever since their makeover, I've left Salad King disappointed. Yet it's packed.

I'd strongly recommend Green Basil in the Beach. They're relatively new (6 or so months), but the food is outstanding, the prices are good and the owner and staff are really great.

Thai food is something that I was introduced to (thrown into, really) when I moved to Toronto. I'd never had it before I starting working as a bus girl at Bangkok Garden (toughest job I ever had). Now, it's my all-time favourite. I haven't gone back to eat at BG, since it's so crazy expensive, but the food there is pretty good, and visually pleasing to boot.

Salad King holds a special place in my heart... only because of a certain dish that isn't on the menu. It's called Thai Islamic Noodles, and I'm wondering if mentioning it here is a good idea, or a bad one! I've never seen this dish in any other restaurant, and cannot figure out what makes the sauce so damn good. Thank you Linda!

Another one to mention, that isn't on this list... Lee's Thai Spring Rolls in Parkdale. Best Pad Thai in the city, in my opinion.

salad king is terrible

Is Crystal Rolls not on the list because their menu isn't all Thai food?

If that was the case then how would SoTR make 2nd place since it's Indonesian/Thai combined.

What??? No Young Thailand??? Shame!!!

I've not tried the current incarnation of Wandee's empire now relegated to the west end but in the past they could be very uneven, the location at Gerrard and Jarvis was, for example a genuine filthy shithole by the time it changed hands, then a few months later it closed.

Ones to avoid: Anyone who thinks Pad Thai should have catsup in it (the red tinge is a dead giveaway.

My favourite? It's quite a haul from downtown (but near one of my clients) - Thai Bamboo over on Steeles west has some of the best Thai food I've had anywhere. Their tofu gaeng pa is to die for.

Guys, seriously try Pi-Tom's on Alexander street and midtown on Yonge south of Eglinton. It's the best kept secret that shouldn't be a secret anymore. Dig it!

Dude, Real Thailand!!?

might want to check out an asian fusion restaurant call Riz at bayview and eglinton.. the mango with sticky rice dessert is heavenly good..

I have to 2nd Shawn's recommendation of Green Basil in the Beaches.... great stuff.

Also, it's my understanding that tamarind in some forms has a ketchup-like taste - so you may be eating tamarind at those "red" pad thai places.

One benefit of Salad King is the chili scale. My wife can eat liquid fire, so she loves it. :)

I'm a big fan of Thai Princess, on King just east of Spadina. Their lunch menu presents a triple threat -- excellent seafood, excellent curries, and excellent pad thai's. As such, their seafood curry pad thai is out of this world. Atmosphere is nothing to shout about, but it's clean and you'll be too busy rolling your eyes in pleasure anyway.

Thai Chef Cuisine is also pretty damn tasty. I recommend their tamarind beef -- crispy, saucy, tangy.

My Thai Kitchen in Kingsway Village. It is incredible!

I second the vote for Thai Princess. It's absolutely my favourite place for Thai in the city.

My recommendation: Just Thai on Church Street, south of Wellesley. The only thing on their menu that I don't recommend is their cold rolls, which are filled and wrapped too thickly for my taste. This makes them harder to eat and makes the lack of flavour in the rice paper more apparent.

cafe 668 is not thai. it's more vietnamese.

thanks for the list - we went to Golden Thai for the first time as a result (we recently moved into the area). After quite possibly our best Thai dinner to date, we can see why it's so highly rated.

Now to work our way through the rest...

The best Thai restaurant in Toronto is Sukhothai. Its located at 274 Parliament street Toronto. I?ve been to Thailand many times and this is definitely real Thai food. None of that ?Thai fusion? stuff. I?m not saying that ?Thai fusion? doesn?t taste good, but if I?m going to eat at a Thai restaurant, I want to eat real Thai food, just like they make it in Thailand. If you feel like me, Sukhothai is the place to go. It?s very affordable and the family who owns it are very friendly. The food is so good. And the cook is Thai!

@jerryscott - Do they have kuaytiaw sukothai on the menu? Sukothai sounds good.

A small new Thai takeout and delivery just opened in Cabbagetown on Gerrard Street called Thai To-Go ...totally authentic, fresh thai food...excellent, high quality and very friendly

Joshua- Sukhothai does have kuaytiaw. Never tasted it yet, but I've heard from a friend that it was great and not expensive! Maybe I'll try it next time I go by.

i agree with jerryscott. sukhothai is extremely authentic, well priced and good healthy portions. throw in their 'wall of thai travels' (customers bring in their pictures of past visits to thailand) and you feel like you're wondering down a bangkok sidestreet. no banglassi but still...

and they are the friendliest most genuine family i've ever met

Ok there is this little "Mom and Pop" thai place on Roncesvalles at Howard Park Blvd. (no, not the place they talk about in the review here!!!) it's called VICKY'S FISH AND CHIPS - doesn't look like much from the outside but it has a great patio in the back - not very fast service (*I recommend calling and ordering ahead!) but it's friendly and probably the BEST THAI FOOD YOU HAVE EVER EATEN!!! Better than Thai food IN Thailand! Large portions, pretty huge menu! Chicken and Shrimp Pad Thai is my fav! (I know, I know - the 'big noodle' is pretty good too!) It's worth the hike from anywhere in the city and it's pretty cheap too!

if u ever go up to richmond hill, u have to try out Restoran Malaysia.. it's on major mac and bayview.. 815 major mac drive E closed mondays.. have to try their iced milk tea(lai cha), you know the one, they make tea from using women's stocking, pouring and pulling tea from two containers to ensure it is mixed properly...

Went to Baan Thai on Dundas for dinner today and absolutely LOOOOVED it. My husband has been to Thailand before and thought this was the best outside Thailand so far. That was 3 hours ago and I'm still stuffed!! Will DEFINITELY go back for some more soon!

I just ate at QUEEN GARDEN THAI at 785 Queen Street West and it was DELICIOUS! I've eaten at most of the Thai restaurants in T.O. and this one was by far the best. It's got a cool lounge interior and has a great atmosphere...but the food is the best part. I had the Basil Chicken and it was fantastic - it had the perfect amount of spice. Go try it today!

wow a thai place in my Nebourhood it was DELICIOUS place cal THAI GRILL BISTRO at Don mills @ steeles (inside the cliffwood plaza) U guys gota try the thai & malay food in there juisy red curry with shrimp in it. Definitely great place for us in willowdale........(416)495 8424

You are missing Flip Toss and Thai on Harbord. Same chef as the original Salad King with the prices that Salad King used to have before their reno.

I second the Thai Express nomination!

Um, tell me I'm not the only person who doesn't just WALK BY the Queen Mother Cafe at 208 Queen Street West. They've been around for years and I think too many people forget that just because they're in the "cool" area of town, that doesn't mean they don't have GREAT food.