10 Best Thai Spots in New Orleans
The traditional food of Thailand has been influenced by
cultures far beyond the country's borders. Spices and techniques from Chinese,
Indian, Middle Eastern, and even European and Japanese cooking all made their way
into what is now known as Thai food. We are lucky in New Orleans to have so
many restaurants that keep up Thai culinary traditions with some of those restaurants
further infusing their food with new flavors.
When you visit these Thai restaurants in New Orleans, your palette will be awakened with the rich flavors of chili, basil, lime, mint, and more. These are the most popular Thai restaurants in town.
1. Thai'd Up
1839 Gentilly Blvd., (504) 354-8202
thaidup.co
Experience modern Thai cuisine over in Gentilly at the wonderful and delicious Thai'd Up. The restaurant has over 10 years of experience and prides itself on its Isan Thai dishes, which has influences from neighboring Laos.
Start off with some roti flatbread with curry dipping sauce and then order an amazing entree from Thai'd Up's grilled, stir-fry, noodles, or fried rice menus. No Thai meal would be complete without the addition of Mango with Sticky Rice, so make sure to order some for dessert, as well.
2. Thaihey NOLA
308 Decatur St., (504) 354-8646
thaiheynola.com
Get your Thai fix while in the French Quarter while at Thaihey NOLA. Chef Orawin Yimchalam has created an amazingly modern menu featuring regional dishes from all across Thai, which includes vegetarian and vegan dishes, as well.
From the Pad Thai with colossal soft shell crab to Pumpkin Curry Catfish, there's so much to see and taste in Thaihey NOLA. Make sure to also get some Thai iced tea or a Thai coffee.
3. SukhoThai
Multiple Locations
sukhothai-nola.com
With locations in the Marigny and in Uptown, SukhoThai lets you experience incredible cuisine in two welcoming environments on Royal Street and Magazine Street. Both restaurant have a very nice interior design, and you can't go wrong with any of the dishes that they have on offer.
You can pick from different curry bowls such as massaman beef or pineapple seafood or select one of SukhoThai's chef recommendations plates including the Royal Pad Thai or the Cashew Shrimp and Scallops. Coconut Pandan Pudding, "Dragon Puffs," and more are available for dessert.
4. Pomelo
4113 Magazine St. (504) 442-9570
pomelonola.com
Pomelo is a boutique restaurant with a menu that is frequently changed, but you can bet that you'll always find great Thai fare and a daily Chef's Special that you can't get anywhere else. You may want to start off with the Thai Herbal Sausage, which is served with fresh helpings of pickled ginger and cilantro, or the Mango Salad with Grilled Pork Shoulder garnished with Thai celery, cilantro, onion, lime, and mint.
Pomelo is very proud of their curry. The Chicken Massaman has chicken thigh meat, potato, onion, and peanuts swimming in a mild, yet flavorful broth of cinnamon, cardamom, and star anise. The Seafood Green Curry has a mixture of seafood like shrimp and mussels with a lime and cilantro-flavored green curry broth.
5. Chill Out Café
729 Burdette St. (504) 872-9628
facebook.com/chilloutcafeuptown
This pretty little restaurant invites you to choose from their specialty noodle and rice dishes and have a long, satisfying meal on their patio. The Crab Fried Rice is a hit with the regular diners, but the Thai Fried Rice has a delightful combination of chicken, beef, and shrimp if one type of meat is just not enough for you. There's also a tofu option for non-meat eaters.
The traditional dishes are crowd-pleasers. Pad Thai, Pad See Ew, and Yaki Udon are all good options for hearty plates. A bowl of soup can warm you up if the weather is chilly. Try the Tom Kha Soup with your choice of chicken, shrimp, or seafood. The Thai Noodle Soup has thin rice noodles, diced celery, bean sprouts, cilantro, and green onion with your choice of meat.
6. Banana Blossom
500 9th St., Gretna, (504) 500-0997
504bananablossom.com
First opened in 2009, Banana Blossom focuses on health-conscious but still delicious Thai food. A lot of their dishes are inspired by New Orleans flavors, including the Thai Crawfish Pasta with Louisiana crawfish tails. Banana Blossom also collaborates with local restaurants Bearcat Cafe and Central City BBQ to create dishes featuring Bearcat's iconic grits and Central City's flavorful barbecue.
Diners should not miss Banana Blossom's Chiang Mai Noodles, egg noodles in yellow curry soup with dried noodles on top. With pickled mustard, crispy shallots, cilantro, and green onions, this dish is rich in flavor and sure to excite taste buds.
7. Thai D-Jing
93 5th St., Gretna, (504) 766-0681
thaidjing.com
Located inside of a bright pink "house," Thai D-Jing was opened in 2020 by chefs Suda Oun-in and Jeerasak Boonlert, who started serving Thai food in Greater New Orleans in 2013 through pop-ups and eventually serving out of a food truck in 2015. Their success led them to open Thai D-Jing's brick and mortar location and allowed them to perfect and curate their menu.
Their menu is quite extensive and even includes a kid's menu for the pickier eaters at the table. Along with their traditional Thai dishes, Thai D-Jing has a fusion section of their menu with unique dishes such as Thai Nachos, a spicy meat salad with Thai seasoning, tomatoes, and crispy wontons.
8. Budsi's Authentic Thai
1760 N. Rampart St., (504) 381-4636
budsisthai.com
Budsi's places emphasis on making traditional street food that Thai locals would love, and they believe that the people of New Orleans will fall in love with it too. The Grilled Pork Shoulder is a "Thai bar favorite": strips of pork are glazed in a sweet and salty Northeastern Thai chili sauce. The menu also has a number of dishes from the Issan region.
For your entrée, vegetable-lovers will be interested by the Mushroom Larb. The dish features mushrooms and tofu seasoned with lime juice, cilantro, mint, roasted rice, green onions, and red onions. You can choose the protein in the Budsi's Royal Pad Thai with roasted peanuts, lime, and crushed red peppers.
9. Bangkok Thai
513 S. Carrollton Ave., (504) 533-9254
bangkokthai.devournow.com
Bangkok Thai sits in the Riverbend neighborhood and has been serving that area for nearly 20 years. People love going there again and again for great Thai noodle dishes, curries, rice dishes, and wok-fired dishes at fair prices.
You may want to start off your lunch or dinner with either the Chicken Satay or the Bangkok Wings. Then, graduate to one of Bangkok Thai's many different noodle, soup, or curry dishes.
10. Thai Mint
1438 S. Carrollton Ave., (504) 862-9001
thaimintnola.godaddysites.com
Thai Mint is known for their delectable seafood entrees, even though they've got amazing noodle, rice, and curry dishes, too. You can't beat the South Sea Shrimp with sautéed shrimp, bell pepper, carrot, celery, onion, and egg in homemade curry sauce. The Mango Catfish is one-of-a-kind: fried catfish served with spicy mango and lime-dressing salad.
There are so many soups to choose from that you're sure to find something you love. The Hot & Sour Soup includes bamboo, onion, mushrooms, tofu, chicken, crab, and egg simmered in chicken broth. The Tom Yum Soup has a tangy lemongrass broth with chili, mushrooms, cilantro, and tomato, and can either have chicken or shrimp.
Where to Get Thai Food in New Orleans
If these restaurants don't make you hungry for some Pad Thai
or Tom Yum Soup, then nothing will. Thai food is so full of flavor with every
bite that it can feel like your mouth is bursting. If you've never had it
before, now is the best time to expand your culinary horizon to this particular part of Asia. You can look at Where Y'at's restaurant guide for even more suggestions.
Did we miss the best Thai food in New Orleans? Let us know
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