15 best Thai restaurants in Singapore for authentic Thai food

Founded by former lawyer Panchana Vatanasathien in Thailand’s Kao Yai National Park, this Isaan restaurant is a household name for authentic Thai dining, so much so that it has even garnered the attention of the Michelin Bib Gourmand. Like the meaning behind its namesake, anything goes when it comes to how spicy you want your dishes to be, but the kitchen remains committed to representing northeastern Issan flavours well.

Tatler Tip Never miss the penlaos signature grilled chicken, originating from Khao Yai, which takes three days to prepare. The result? Juicy, succulent spring chicken redolent of the marinade of black and white peppercorns with coriander.

Un Yang Kor Dai
Address: 57 South Bridge Road, #01-02, S(058688)

This Isan-Thai restaurant consistently dishes out authentic Northern Thai flavours in the Upper Thomson neighbourhood. Food lovers flock over for the fluffy crab omelette, liberally stuffed with blue swimmer crab meat; the savoury and smoky pad Thai; and the juicy and robust moo ping (Thai minced pork skewers). But our favourite has to be the steamed Thai-style sea bass. The insistence on only using fresh seafood promises sweet and delicate flesh complemented by the palate-awakening combination of lime, garlic, and chillies to flavour the broth.

Tatler Tip If you’re into crispier textures, ask for the fish to be fried, which arrives crispy with a classic dressing of Thai sweet and sour garlic chilli. The restaurant has also opened another outlet on the outskirts of Yishun.

Numman Thai Kitchen (multiple outlets)
Address: 200 Upper Thomson Road, #01-03, Thomson Imperial Court, S(574424)

Slot in between the crevasses along Telok Ayer Street and only accessible by way of the Fuk Tak Chi Museum, Fourgather is a trendy Thai restaurant founded by—you guessed it—four bosom buddies over their love for Thai cuisine. The transformative space, which is reminiscent of Bangkok’s eclectic street food scene, blends rustic charm with eye-catching modern art elements. Here, variety is intentional as the food menu sports over 50 items. Highlights include matchstick wings, succulent and redolent of fried garlic; Thai watermelon salad, sweet, spicy and savoury; or the fried fish miang, which features fresh fish and an assortment of spices, herbs and aromatics—designed to be enjoyed like the miang kham, a northern Thai delight.

Tatler Tip Dine in style over accessible lunch deals within the CBD or gather the work crew for a well-deserved happy hour, with live band performances, when the work day concludes.

Fourgather
Address: 76 Telok Ayer Street, #01-02, S(048464), +65 8071 2946

Forced out of the now-defunct Golden Mile Complex, this former Thai noodle bar-turned-restaurant finds a new home in the bustling neighbourhood of Telok Ayer. The folksy atmosphere remains well intact—despite the energetic interiors—as well as the cult favourite spicy boat noodles. Each bowl is generous in portion and features a broth that is robust with a hint of sweetness at the finish.

Tatler Tip Not in the mood for boat noodles? The menu also features classic Thai dishes done right; think fluffy fried crab omelette, spicy Thai mama noodles, tom yum soup and other fiery dishes.

Thachang
Address: 171 Telok Ayer Street, S(068621), +65 8509 9171

Located at the Customs House, which is just a stone’s throw away from the CBD area, Sabai Fine Thai on the Bay is always a popular destination for business lunches. It’s not surprising considering that it’s consistently listed as one of the best Thai restaurants in the country. Helmed by Thai chef Samlee, who continuously seeks perfection in her cooking, she ensures that each diner gets to experience what real Thai food is all about with dishes such as Thai stir-fried noodles, green curry chicken and pineapple fried rice.

Tatler Tip Besides corporate lunches in sun-drenched dining halls, the vibe turns romantic once the sun sets; save this for romantic occasions, for the intimate setting with Marina Bay as your stunning backdrop is sure to charm his/her socks off.

Sabai Fine Thai on the Bay
Address: 70 Collyer Quay, #01-02 Customs House, S(049323), +65 6535 3718

Established in 1988, Thanying Restaurant has long been the go-to restaurant for many when it comes to authentic Thai cuisine. And it doesn’t disappoint with its myriad of offerings such as fresh salads, curry dishes and wonderful desserts. Adding to the restaurant’s charm is the somewhat dated but elegant decor, which makes you feel like you’re dining in an ancient palace. That’s the unforgettable experience that only Thanying Restaurant provides. 

Tatler Tip Ask to start the meal with the Northern Thai-style Miang Kham, a medley of herbs, dried shrimp, nuts, ginger flower, and textures of tamarind, all wrapped in a betel leaf.

Thanying Restaurant
Address:165 Tanjong Pagar Road, S(088539), +65 6222 4688

Head chef Candy hails from Chiang Rai, Northern Thailand, and she is known to use spices sourced from her hometown in her cooking. The cosy Thai restaurant along Tanjong Pagar goes straight to business with its wide range of hearty Thai dishes. Despite the central location, prices won’t break the bank, and there are express lunch sets that will set you back under a tenner. The signature is the khao soi, a Northern Thai coconut curry noodle, which comes with a tender chicken drumstick, mee pok egg noodles, and crispy noodles. The broth is comfortingly rich and creamy, with subtle spice. To amp up the Scoville units, make sure to mix well with the homemade dry chilli oil on the side.

Tatler Tip For the perfect appetiser or to refresh the palate, order a zippy serve of pomelo salad that comes with crisp prawns and fresh chillies.

Kin Leaw Chill Thai Food
Address: 26 Tanjong Pagar Road, S(088449)

Read more: The best restaurants to try in Bangkok, according to chef Lennard Yeong

Borrowing from the Thai word for “hungry”, Hue injects a coolness into the Thai dining scene in Singapore with its stylish interiors and unique takes on classic Thai cuisine. The Mamasan, for instance, takes the iconic massaman curry, starring a slow-cooked chicken leg, and pairs it with pan-fried roti prata for a culinary twist that spans geographical regions. The same treatment is extended to the soups with playful iterations like the Tom Kha?!, a mix of tom kha gai (coconut chicken soup) with the classic tom yum, infused with aromatic Thai herbs and spices.

Tatler Tip Wash the grub down with its selection of cocktails, which includes a nod to Blackpink’s Lisa with the pink raspberry cocktail LaLisa. 

Hue
Address: 123 Tyrwhitt Road, S(207549), +65 9018 0992

Opened in 2022, Sarai Fine Thai has already established itself as one of the best Thai restaurants in Singapore. Helmed by Isan native Chimkit Khamphuang, the chef de cuisine with over 27 years of experience, brings to the table classical Thai dishes savoured by royalty with a touch of innovation.

Tatler Tip Though there is an à la carte menu, for the full experience, go for the lunch or dinner “Rediscovery” degustation menu, which includes starters like a grilled blue king oyster mushroom with chilli and ground rice. Mains include a southern-style yellow curry with toothfish and fish floss, and also a beef short rib soup.

Sarai Fine Thai
Address: 163 Tanglin Road, 03-122 Tanglin Mall, S(247933), +65 6737 0818

This stylish Thai restaurant on Tan Quee Lan Street has been serving authentic Thai food since 2001, made with fresh Thai ingredients shipped daily. Start your meal with some crab spring rolls or a tangy papaya salad, before digging into hearty renditions of classic Thai food, like kway teow in tom kha gai. When it comes to desserts, make sure to order the durian sticky rice, a local twist on the traditional dessert, this time starring Mao Shan Wang durian.

Tatler Tip Love soft-shell crab? Order the deep-fried soft-shell crabs served with yellow curry, a perfect accompaniment to plain rice, or any one of Sawadee’s range of fried rice featuring olives or pineapples.

Sawadee Thai Cuisine
Address: 9 Tan Quee Lan Street, S(88098), +65 6238 6833

Another legacy restaurant, A-Roy Thai has been operating for 26 years, bringing in herbs and spices directly from Thailand to create mouthwatering dishes that have attracted the likes of royalty. Some of the dishes A-Roy Thai specialises in include yum tha krai (lemongrass salad), pla krapong nueng ma now (steamed seabass in a sour and spicy soup), and even a green tea version of the iconic Thai milk tea. Don’t miss out on highlights like the kaeng panaeng, a richer version of Thai red curry, or deep-fried chicken wrapped in pandan leaves.

Tatler Tip Ditch the mango sticky rice and opt for the tapioca with coconut milk for an equally satisfying sweet finish.

A-Roy Thai
Address: 238 Thomson Road, 03-61/64 Novena Square S(307683), +65 6338 3880 

A former Golden Mile Complex cult favourite, Beerthai House Restaurant has been operating in Singapore for over twenty years, founded by chef Somsak Chomprach, who cooked for Thailand's Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn in 2009. Now open at Kitchener Road, the restaurant boasts typical Thai dishes done well, like pad thai, beef noodle soup, or pineapple fried rice. The red ruby dessert is hard to beat as well, featuring boiled water chestnut coated in tapioca flour in a sweet, iced coconut soup.

Tatler Tip Here, you can find dishes you’d likely only find in Thailand, like the northern Thai ngiao soup, or raw flower crab in a spicy lime sauce.

Beerthai House Restaurant
Address: 155 Kitchener Road, 01-01, S(208528), +65 6291 2267

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Another Golden Mile favourite, Diandin Leluk has been in business since 1985, making this restaurant nearly 40 years old. Now relocated to City Gate Mall, the restaurant is still going strong with its selection of Thai classics, including dishes you may not have heard of, like gang liang (spicy vegetable soup). Meals here make for a perfect family affair, with large sharing plates like chilli lobster, black pepper crab, and deep-fried fish in a Thai chilli sauce.

Tatler Tip If you’re just looking for a quick lunch, Diandin Leluk has got you covered with its set meals, including mains like pad thai, fried tung hoon (glass noodles), and tom yum fried rice.

Diandin Leluk
Address: 371 Beach Road, 01-17/18 City Gate, S(199597), +65 9023 9389

This Thai mainstay at Orchard Towers has a solid crowd of loyal customers for good reason. Besides dishes like khao soi (a northern Thai curry noodle dish), green curry, and pad thai, you’ll also find jaw-dropping dishes like the volcano pork spine, featuring a whopping five pork spines stacked on top of each other. Perfect for sharing is the Tom Yum Mama Ultra, a massive bowl chock-full of ingredients like meatballs, shrimp, crispy pork, chicken, egg yolks, and noodles swimming in a spicy tom yum soup. 

Tatler Tip For a truly finger-licking Bangkokian experience, consider the monstrous Leng Saap, featuring fall-off-the-bone pork backbone simmered in an appetising soup, flavoured by chillies, coriander, and fish sauce.

Korat Thai Café
Address: 400 Orchard Road, 03-28 Orchard Towers, S(238875)

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