The Best Thai Restaurants in Toronto
Just about every neighbourhood has a Thai restaurant (or three) to choose from, making it no easy task to select the best Thai food in Toronto. That doesn't stop us from trying, though.
Of the many cuisines in Toronto, Thai is among the richest in terms of range of fare and quantity of restaurants. Most offer up your typical list of noodles, rice and curries, with favourite standbys like pad thai, green and red curries and assorted spring rolls. Many try to set themselves apart, perhaps offering more regional authentic fare, a wine program or chic decor.
But which restaurant's cuisine reigns supreme?
The competition to be the best yields a packed list of 15 favourites, with popular destinations, cheap eats and a bit finer dining all represented. Not surprisingly, even the finer dining makes for an affordable nice dinner out, with most places fitting the bill for cheap eats.
Admittedly, after spending a couple months in Thailand, I'm ruined for the Canadianized fare. I crave authenticity, which I generally measure by the som-tam (spicy green papaya salad). And the use of fish sauce.
That drops places like Salad King in my personal ranking, and elevates the ones where I can get some "Thai taste" if I ask for it. After a recent visit, my current favourite is the Junction's Baan Thai, which offers one of the best papaya salads I've had outside of Thailand.
Now the question remains: did your favourite make the list?
Golden Thai
One of Toronto's original thai food restaurants, Golden Thai is still going strong and serves up a huge assortment of rice, curry and noodle dishes. More...
Satay on the Road
An extensive selection of true Thai dishes are the centrepiece of this somewhat swanky second place finisher. Enjoy old standbys or local specialties like Mee Krob. More...
Mengrai Thai
Head here for a tasty fill of all your favourite noodle, rice and curry dishes or sign up for one of Chef Sasi's "renowned" cooking classes so you make your favourites at home. More...
Salad King & Linda
Admittedly, Salad King doesn't really cut it for me when I want good Thai food, but that certainly doesn't keep the masses away. Arrive around meal time and expect to wait for your section of table. Go to Linda upstairs for a more sedate meal. More...
Cafe 668
Serving a mix of Asian cuisine, Cafe 668 definitely delights diners night after night, serving up an all vegetarian menu that will even please the meat eaters in the crowd. More...
Bua Thai
Owned and operated by a family from Bangkok, Bua Thai only serves freshly prepared food made from scratch, just like you find back in Thailand. More...
Vanipha Lanna
Billed as Lao Thai cuisine, you'll find an enjoyable mix of reliably delish eats. Unfortunately, the location and decor leave something to be desired in the way of charm. More...
Sasi Gourmet Thai
You can't order wrong at this relative newcomer to the Thai scene. Perhaps that's because it's prepared by a woman many people consider the best Thai chef in the city. More...
Lemongrass
Specializing in Thai and Vietnamese, Lemongrass offers an excellent squid starter and more than reliable wok-cooked goodies. More...
Mong-Kut Thai
Serving a full selection of generally authentic fare, this Danforth Thai outpost is a great stop for some fresh and delicious food. More...
Baan Thai
Head to this Thai outpost in the Junction for some authentic flavours, a delicious meal and Thai decor. Their papaya salad recalls memories of street versions in Thailand, which keeps me coming back. More...
Bangkok Garden
Hailing themselves as one of Toronto's premier Thai restaurants, Bangkok Garden prides itself on serving completely authentic fare. Head here for lobster, $20 curries and a fantastic Thai meal. More...
Thai Basil
The extensive menu of the typical Thai fare looks run-of-the-mill, but the food is excellent and you can customize dishes to your (or your picky friend's) taste. More...
Thai Dish
Everything here is cooked with fresh ingredients by Thai cooks and the results show it. Head here for a tasty fill of all your favourites. More...
Thai Chef Cuisine
Chefs Tango and Chai grew up in Bangkok, trained as chefs and now cook up all their favourite dishes in their Roncesvalles restaurant. More...
Comments (59)
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.
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!
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 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.
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!
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.
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.
Salad King is a big joke for Thai community here. The foods they are serving is far from being authentic, so don't tell anyone you love Thai foods (if you happened to have something at Salad King). Most of Thai restaurants here are not authentic. Pad Thai is made of ketchup and rice noodle. Some of authentic dishes can be found at Mangrai, Bua Thai and Bann Thai among others.
Young Thailand rocks - please check it out and add to your list! Love their Mango Salad, Tamarind Shrimp, Panang Kai, Green and Red Curry! And yes Golden Thai is a fav as well! Will try Mengrai and let you all know how it is:)
I would recommand Thai Angles, first time i went there, just to try out the food, I thought it would b the same as others thai restaurant but not, the food it's amazing their pad thai thai style it's taste like homemade pad thai, also i made a special request from nothern style like "num prik ong" OMG I feel like im in thailand again, the service very good, chef very freindly she came and talk to me but the restaurant is quite, i'm surprise why!
I hope their business is working well!!
I highly recommend every Thai foodie to visit Mengrai Thai the best Thai restaurant in Toronto IMO. We went there Dec 27 after we read that Mengrai was chosen Globa and Mail 2008 Top 10 Restaurants by Joanna Kates.
link
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20081018.KATES18/TPStory/?query=Mengrai
We also out that it was chosen editor's Best Thai 2008 by NOW MAGAZINE
link:
http://www.nowtoronto.com/guides/readerspoll/2008/story.cfm?content=165687
My friend (he's a sous chef at the chic Cactus Club Cafe, BC and worked with Rob Feenie) and I agreed that Mengrai Thai is as good as the famed Vij's in Vancouver. IMO, Mengrai serves the best Pad Thai in Canada, period. We travelled all over Thailand for 3 months, it's even better than those we tried there!, including the Oriental.
The food is not just stunning with more layers of flavours and texture, the presentations were very artistic especially when we went back to Mengrai again with a group of 6 to celebrate new year's eve. We ordered the impressive 5 course specials and it was the best Thai dinner we have ever had. I'm sure Jessica Alba, Kate Moss, Bill Gates were right when they discovered this restaurant earlier. The servers were helpful and took their time to help us get around some allergies and ordered one of us a gluten free meal. Even though they were busy and always full(we're lucky to get a late 9pm table), they "keep checking discreetly" to make sure everything was okay. They have a great small wine list and recommended us a great Kiwi Pinot Noir and a dry Riesling to pair with our food. Check out their crispy morning glory and lobster tom yum soup which reflected the skills of their international renowned Thai chef Sasi who was once rated top 5 chefs in Toronto by the Le Journal de Montreal. The only thing was I didn't get a chance to meet her (the place was busy) and have a photo with her as now I'm a big fan of her cooking finesse.
By the way, I missed my old long time favourite Young Thailand but it's not comparable to Mengrai Thai.
I also went to another top 10 restaurants, Nota Bene last week, it's worth many more visits. A lot more pricier than Mengrai though.
I can't believe Sorn Thai (Yonge between Eglinton and Lawrence) isn't on this list. Terrific food.
I am from Thailand and I rarely like going out to eat at Thai restaurants...mostly cook food at home. We were told that Bangkok Garden is one of the best places for Thai and we decided to go there with some friends. Gosh it was terrible and overpriced. So far I think Sukhothai in Mississauga is the best thai in the GTA area...they have good food (pretty authentic and great service. Not to confuse it with Sukhothai on Parliment and Dundas...food here is nothing to die for....just cheap and more for the Canadian palate.
Sorn Thai on Yonge North of Eglinton is the BEST pad thai in Toronto. Nothing fancy but very consistent. Great cold rolls as well! Pad thai is sooooooo good I crave it. Golden thai is good if you want a big, expensive dinner. Sorn Thai is good any time for amazing thai food! I go there so much, they know my order! GO!!!
Sukho Thai on Parliament is amazzzzing!!!!!!!!
I was a litlle skeptical when eating at a Thai food place, it's always been a hit or miss for me. But when I had the pad thai here what an experience. This place is a real authentic place to get Thai food!! A definite must :) the ppl are very nice and friendly!! their casava cake is yummy as well. I will be back
SUKHO THAI (274 Parliament, (416) 913-8846, open only fri and sat for lunch and dinner now) is hands down my favorite place to get thai food in the city. I discovered this place later last year and have been going back every 1-2 weeks or so. Here are a couple of reasons that make this place absolutely stand out:
1. Service: the family that runs the resto is very genuine and friendly. Always smiling, and they treat everyone who comes in like family. it's very clear that they work hard, and put a lot of effort into the food. they are proud of it, and they definitly should be!! the food is prepped by the Thai wife who does everything from scratch. Either her father-in-law, or her husband will take the orders, and deliver. Occasionally they have a family friend who comes to help out at the counter.
2. Authentic Thai food: When i traveled in thailand, this is exactly what we were eating. The same flavors, cooked in the same way. The curries are also remarkably delicious here. The best green and masaman curry i've had in Toronto! I find though that the oil settles on the top after a while, if you get it in the take out container. It's very flavorful, and a favorite amongst my circle of friends. They also do their fried menu items very well. Extremely light, and crispy, without being oily and greasy. Their fried fish is wonderful, very tender and soft, with a crispy exterior, the green mango salad that comes with it, is very fresh ($9). The spring rolls are also excellent. They are fried to perfection, and very tightly wrapped, with a nicely seasoned filling. Again, not greasy (2/around $3). The phad-thai is different from the other phad-thai's i've had in Toronto. The noodles are flatter and wider, like a ho-fun noodle. The sauce has a smokey flavor to it. There aren't any raw bean sprouts or coriander to mix into the noodles (which i've never seen done in thailand anyways). It's not like other offerings in Toronto, but it is authentic, i think it comes does to personal taste if you prefer this style or Western version of the dish. The first time i had it, i was immediately transported back to Thailand, so i am personally fond of their noodles here. Oh, and try their chili sauce, it's not like a Sirracha chili paste, it is made from dried chilies and fried garlic in hot chili oil. It's delicious, very smokey, it's made in house i think. We eat this with everything we get from Suhko Thai.
3.Good prices: Very affordable, esp for the amount of work that goes into food prep. i don't think there is anything more than $11 here.
Limitations: They don't have any Thai drink offerings (thai iced tea, fruit shakes, etc), only canned pop, water, and coconut juice; and they serve their food on paper plates. True, the decor is simple,and the place is tiny: there are only 3 tables with a side bar area that seats 4. The resto itself is nothing special, but what the resto lacks in ambiance the food def makes up for.
If you haven't try it, i would def recommend this place for take out or delivery. sit in is fine as well, if it's a group smaller than 3. during dinner they have started a buffet style take out, so there are no long waits. Get the phad thai, and try the masaman curry for your first time, but you can't really go wrong with anything on the menu. yum!! It's a small resto, run by a very hardworking family, that produces very delicious authentic Thai food.
Sukhothai by far the best thai food around period. It ia a good news that they are open Monday to Saturday. And wow what a difference with new set of table and cuttlery AAA+++
Thank You for being around
Just tried the new 'Young Thailand' restaurant on King and Strachan. What a disappointment! I can excuse poor food but not when they reheat the food. Everything we ordered had the whiff of being made earlier. plain lazy IMO.
Real Thailand - Spadina and Bloor OWNS Pad Thai in this city.
Thai express is also really good (considering it's a take out joint).
Real Thailand - Spadina and Bloor OWNS Pad Thai in this city.
Thai express is also really good (considering it's a take out joint).
Gotta go with Thai food critic's choice, Sue's Tai Food (Vicky's Fish & Chips) is hands down the best Thai in town. Also with no surprise her Fish & Chips are also one of my faves.
Siam Princess on Lakeshore in Long Branch has some of the best thai food I have ever had. I am a fan of the Won Ton Pad Thai. The dish is made with crispy won tons instead of pad thai noodles. The sauce does not have a recipe I have been told, so everytime it has a different taste. It is fantastic! Sweet and savoury. The Crispy Basil Chicken is also a great dish, spicey and fresh. My friends also enjoy Siam's Hot and Sour Soup, Silver noodle soup, frseh rolls, spring rolls and siam squares. Oh, and the sweet plum sauce they make is so yummy! To top it off the service is top notch. The staff is friendly but not in an annoying way. The really care about the customers that come through the door. I suggest trying this place out. You will be going back, again and again!
Kristi
RSS