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London's Thai food has moved well beyond the reliable green curry, with a wave of kitchens cooking bold, regional dishes over fierce heat. This guide covers the best, from live-fire modern rooms to cult neighbourhood favourites worth the journey.
The modern Thai wave
Kiln on Soho's Brewer Street is a benchmark, cooking smoky, punchy dishes along a counter over live fire, and its sibling Smoking Goat brings the same energy to Shoreditch. Som Saa in Spitalfields made its name with fragrant, chilli-laced northern and southern Thai cooking, and Farang in Highbury keeps a devoted local following. These rooms show just how exciting Thai food in London has become.
Cult favourites and everyday Thai
Some of the best Thai food hides in unlikely places. Singburi in Leytonstone, a tiny bring-your-own room, has a near-mythic reputation among London food lovers. The Begging Bowl in Peckham is a reliable neighbourhood star, and Speedboat Bar in Chinatown channels a Bangkok Chinatown noodle shop. For an easy, well-priced meal, the Rosa's Thai mini-chain is dependable across the city.
Which is the best Thai restaurant in London?
Kiln and Som Saa are the most celebrated of the modern kitchens, while Singburi in Leytonstone has a cult following that many rate above all. The best choice depends on whether you want a buzzy central room or a pilgrimage to a neighbourhood gem.
Is Thai food in London very spicy?
The modern kitchens do not shy away from chilli heat, which is part of the appeal, but menus usually offer a balance of spicy, sour, salty and sweet dishes. If you are sensitive to heat, ask the staff, who will happily steer you to milder options.
Where to go next
For more Asian eating, see the best Japanese and best Chinese restaurants in London, or browse the best restaurants in London.
