Hong Kong’s Thai food scene is buzzing. We all seem to adore the hallmark sweet, spicy, and sour flavours of this vibrant Southeast Asian cuisine, from national staples like green curry and pad thai, to the street food of Bangkok, to fiery regional specialities hailing from Isaan in the northeast.
In general, we find Thai food in Hong Kong to veer towards the saccharine, pleasing sweet-toothed local palates. However, we have unearthed a number of authentic Thai restaurants around town that we return to again and again. Have a look at our recommendations below and decide which Thai spot is next up on your hit list!
The best Thai restaurants in Hong Kong
Chachawan
Chachawan has been on our Thai radar for over a decade, winning this year’s Foodie Forks Best Thai Restaurant. It’s notable for being Hong Kong’s very first restaurant specialising in Isaan cuisine, which is well known for the pungent, down-to-earth flavours showcased in pounded salads and grilled meat and seafood dishes. The eatery’s Thai husband-and-wife chef duo, Chang and Narisara Somboon, smack the palate with popular plates including dtum poo pla rha (HKD118), a green payaya salad with salted fish and pickled crab, the glorious marinated and grilled chicken thigh known as gai yang (HKD168), and pla phao glua (HKD328), or grilled salt-crusted whole sea bass stuffed with aromatics.
Chachawan, 206 Hollywood Road, Sheung Wan, 2549 0020, book here
KIN KAO
KIN KAO has proved its popularity with the opening of three locations on Hong Kong Island. The food is authentic, satisfying, and packed with flavour. The bright, no-frills eatery is a good bet for all the Thai classics done right, with wallet-friendly prices to boot. Priced at just HKD80, the weekday set lunch includes a drink. À-la-carte favourites include the Thai-style fried rice over crabmeat (HKD88), many varieties of boat noodles (HKD80), and khai soi (HKD80), a Chiang Mai coconut curry noodle dish with stewed chicken that’s often difficult to come by in Hong Kong.
KIN KAO, multiple locations across Hong Kong
Ra Cha Moo Yang
Another Thai suggestion in Wan Chai goes to Ra Cha Moo Yang, a hole-in-the-wall shopfront with just four tables inside. It’s been open for nearly two decades, serving a consistent customer base who can’t get enough of their grilled-to-order chicken, beef, and pork satay (HKD108), green papaya salad (HKD59/HKD79), flat rice noodles with chilli, holy basil, and protein of your choice (HKD69/HKD75), and pad krapow (HKD78), that classic Thai stir-fry fragrant with chilli and holy basil served with a fried egg.
Ra Cha Moo Yang, 87 Hennessy Road, Wan Chai, 2529 6378
Thai Chang House
Kowloon City is often referred to as Hong Kong’s “Little Thailand”, housing an assortment of Thai shops and restaurants. In this lively Kowloon district, Thai Chang House ranks high on our round-up of Thai eateries, despite its unassuming interior. The staff here are always friendly, welcoming, and ready to recommend umami-rich dishes like the Hainanese chicken with oil rice (HKD63), deep-fried shrimp and fish cakes (HKD82), tom yum kung (HKD82/HKD145), and stir-fried morning glory in Thai style (HKD62). Thai Chang’s menu is extremely extensive, so make sure to build in some speed-reading time.
Thai Chang House, 48 South Wall Road, Kowloon City, 8101 3396, book here
Samsen
A Thai street-food concept by chef Adam Cliff, Samsen debuted in Wan Chai in 2016, expanding to Sheung Wan three years later. Both Bib Gourmand locations offer trendy, vibrant interiors (the Sheung Wan branch is the much bigger of the two), reasonable prices, and bona fide flavours. Samsen Wan Chai is synonymous with Wagyu beef soup noodles (HKD158) and pork soup noodles (HKD158), whilst at Samsen Sheung Wan, it’s their khao sai (HKD158) with curried chicken and fresh egg noodles that is the draw. So it all depends on which type of noods you’re craving!
Samsen, 23 Jervois Street, Sheung Wan, 2234 0080, book here
Samsen, 66 Stone Nullah Lane, Wan Chai, 2234 0001, book here
Siam Noodle Co.
In spite of its location at high-rent Lee Gardens in Causeway Bay, Siam Noodle Co. maintains a fair pricing structure. The eatery has zeroed in on boat noodles, showcasing a rich and aromatic slow-cooked broth that’s infused with galangal, star anise, cinnamon, and pig’s blood. We usually opt for the ultimate bowl of boat noodles with sliced Australian Wagyu rib-eye, sliced pork belly, beef balls, and pork balls (HKD148). All the noodle dishes come with plenty of toppings, including pork rinds, bean sprouts, morning glory, crispy garlic, and holy basil.
Siam Noodle Co., Shop 11–13, LG/F, Lee Garden Two, 28 Yun Ping Road, Causeway Bay, 5237 1983
Soi.29
Soi.29 is only open for dinner from 6PM, but a queue of IG-loving patrons eager to sample chef Key’s authentic Thai cuisine usually starts to form long before that. Decked out like a Thai-style dai pai dong, the most sought-after dishes at Soi.29 include the crabmeat and mango fried rice (HKD118), suitably spicy drunken noodles (HKD98), and roast beef (HKD138), a questionably named dish that delivers a lush portion of chargrilled rib-eye. The standard menu is in Chinese and Thai, so you’ll need to be brave and ask for the English version, if needed.
Soi.29, G/F, Po Cheong Commercial Building, 29 Prat Avenue, Tsim Sha Tsui East, 3795 3775
Krua Walaiphan
Krua Walaiphan was opened in 2017 by Thai chef Walaiphan Hanyut (also known as Lek) with the aim of serving up genuine Thai cuisine in a modern and comfortable space, with professional service to match. Seven years on, the chef’s Sai Ying Pun restaurant continues to measure up to its mission. The eatery’s MSG-free dishes are crafted with ingredients flown in fresh daily from Thailand and include standouts like tom yum goong (HKD72/HKD128), pad see-iw (HKD142), and pia nung manaw (HKD258), steamed barramundi anointed with Thai herbs, lime, chilli, and fish sauce.
Chef Walaiphan and co-founder Renee Dancel also run Pak So Asian Kitchen in Sai Ying Pun, which offers a range of Southeast Asian dishes, from Indonesian nasi goreng to Vietnamese pho.
Krua Walaiphan, G/F, Hang Sing Mansion, 64 High Street, Sai Ying Pun, 2804 1555
Golden Thai BBQ
Another Thai contender with locations both in Kowloon City and San Po Kong, Golden Thai BBQ specialises in Thai-style skewers. The Kowloon City branch is arguably the more legit of the two, having stood the test of time owing to its authenticity and affordability; it seems the more humble the shopfront, the more folks who will flock there. In terms of Golden Thai’s skewers (six skewers is the minimum order), the BBQ chicken wings (HKD15) and BBQ Thai sausage (HKD15) are fan faves. In addition to barbecued items, the restaurant delivers an all-encompassing selection of Thai dishes, including salads, curries, fried rice and noodle plates, soup noodles, and more.
Golden Thai BBQ, Shop C, G/F, Prince Mansion, 386A–B Prince Edward Road West, Kowloon City, 2383 8273
Golden Thai BBQ, Shop F6A, G/F, Wah Hing Industrial Building, 36 Tai Yau Street, San Po Kong, 5111 7465
Mak Mak
Mak Mak is another JIA Group Thai winner, the sophisticated sibling to Chachawan. The speakeasy-esque eatery at LANDMARK has been designed as an edgy replica of a 1960s Bangkok shophouse. Unlike Chachawan, which focuses on northern Thai cuisine, Mak Mak doesn’t discriminate and features dishes from across the nation, both staples and a smattering of more obscure plates to keep things interesting. We adore Mak Mak’s pad thai (HKD148) and Massaman lamb curry (HKD218). The restaurant’s dedicated vegetarian menu is ideal for plant-based dining.
Mak Mak, Shop 217A, 2/F, LANDMARK ATRIUM, 15 Queen’s Road Central, Central, 2983 1003, book here
