The 9 Best Thai Restaurants in NYC (2026)

1. Sripraphai — Woodside, Queens

The Queens institution that put serious Thai food on New York's map.

Sripraphai has been cooking in Woodside since 1990 and remains a benchmark for Thai food in the city. The menu is enormous, covering curries, noodles, salads and regional dishes, and the room expands into a back garden.

Order the crispy watercress salad, a green curry and a whole fried fish to share.

Good to know: It's an easy walk from the 7 train at 61st St–Woodside; expect a wait at weekend dinner.

64-13 39th Ave, Woodside, NY 11377

Google Maps

2. Ayada — Elmhurst, Queens

Family-run Elmhurst Thai with bright, punchy salads and curries.

Ayada is a family-owned restaurant on Woodside Avenue that built its reputation on fiery som tum, larb and seafood salads. Its success led to a second location in Chelsea Market.

Good to know: Ideal for a group meal — order several salads and curries to share.

77-08 Woodside Ave, Elmhurst, NY 11373

Google Maps Website

3. Zaab Zaab — Elmhurst, Queens

Isan specialists turning out some of the city's best larb and som tum.

Zaab Zaab focuses on the cooking of Isan, northeastern Thailand: larb, grilled meats, sticky rice and pounded papaya salads with real funk and heat. The Elmhurst original has expanded to other locations, including Brooklyn and Manhattan.

Good to know: Eat with your hands, using balls of sticky rice to scoop up the larb.

76-04 Woodside Ave, Elmhurst, NY 11373

Google Maps Website

4. Thai Diner — Nolita, Manhattan

Thai-American comfort food in a cheerful, all-day diner.

Thai Diner, from the team behind the much-missed Uncle Boons, mixes Thai and American diner cooking in a kitschy, wood-paneled room on Mott Street. It serves breakfast, lunch and dinner, from khao soi and laab to Thai-style breakfast sandwiches.

Don't leave without a slice of the Thai tea babka.

Good to know: Brunch is the busiest time — weekday lunch is the easiest way in.

186 Mott St, New York, NY 10012

Google Maps Website

5. Fish Cheeks — NoHo, Manhattan

Seafood-focused Thai cooking with big flavors and cocktails.

Fish Cheeks puts seafood at the center of the Thai table: steamed whole fish, crab fried rice, and the namesake grilled fish cheeks. The NoHo restaurant on Bond Street has a sibling in Williamsburg.

Good to know: Order family-style — the whole fish is meant for sharing.

55 Bond St, New York, NY 10012

Google Maps Website

6. Wayla — Lower East Side, Manhattan

Thai home cooking and street food in a dim, lively Lower East Side room.

Wayla serves Thai dishes inspired by home cooking and Bangkok street food on Forsyth Street, in a moody room that suits a date or a dinner with friends. The menu changes, but grilled meats, noodles and herb-heavy salads are constants.

Good to know: Book ahead for weekend nights — it's a small, popular room.

100 Forsyth St, New York, NY 10002

Google Maps Website

7. Soothr — East Village, Manhattan

Noodle-focused Thai in the East Village, known for its khao soi.

Soothr is a stylish East Village restaurant built around Thai noodle dishes, from khao soi and duck noodle soup to pad see ew. It's a reliable, well-priced spot for a casual dinner.

Good to know: Lunch is the easiest time to get a table without a wait.

204 E 13th St, New York, NY 10003

Google Maps

8. Pye Boat Noodle — Astoria, Queens

Astoria's spot for rich Thai boat noodles.

Pye Boat Noodle serves boat noodle soup — dark, spiced broth with beef or pork — along with other Thai street dishes, on Broadway in Astoria. It's a casual, affordable stop if you're in northwest Queens.

Good to know: Boat noodle portions are small by tradition — order a couple of bowls.

35-13 Broadway, Astoria, NY 11106

Google Maps Website

9. Kru — Williamsburg, Brooklyn

Ambitious regional Thai cooking with local produce.

Kru is a Williamsburg restaurant that digs into regional and historic Thai recipes and makes strong use of Hudson Valley produce. It's the Brooklyn pick for a more refined Thai dinner.

Good to know: Reserve ahead and let the server guide you through the shared plates.

190 N 14th St, Brooklyn, NY 11249

Google Maps Website