Food guide
Best Thai Restaurants in London: 195 events this week (24 Sept to 26 Sept)
Where to eat Thai food in London, from canteen-style spots to sit-down favourites, and what actually separates the good ones. Updated daily.
Get the app
Brunswick Saturday Food Market
Hot Gorilla Records, DJ Andy Buchan
Chewing Gum Dreams
One More Thursday
Sip & Shop with Champagne Telmont at The Whisky Exchange Great Portland Street
Babies that Brunch (Thursday)
2 for £16 Cocktails
Thursdays: Pie & Pint just £15!
Antiques Market
Yoga & Brunch at The Bay Tree
Solera Spritz at The Whisky Exchange Great Portland Street
Babies that Brunch (Friday)
Street Food at the Goddess: Pizza Time
Friday in Full Flow
Beat the Clock - Burger Night
FIZZ FRIDAY
Bottomless Beef and Wine
Friday Brunch Vibes
North Cross Road Market
East Dulwich Market (North Cross Road)
Hoxton Street Market
Brockley Market
Cotall Street Market
Oval Farmers' Market
Camberwell Green Market
Duke of York Square Fine Food Market
Growing Communities Farmers' Market
Putney Market
Venn Street Market
Saturday Brunch
Bottomless Brunch Esclusivo with Live Music
Brunch for 2
Brasserie Brunch
Steak Night
Pub Quiz at Leytonstone Tavern
Wine Club
Campfire DJ Nights
Prince Alfred Supper Club
Burger Night
Pub quiz nights
Party in Polynesia Premium Brunch
Friday All-You-Can-Eat Wings at Eko
Friday DJ Nights
Soho Vegan Market
Sounds Familiar Music Quiz Brunch
The Dial x Love Brunch Bottomless Brunch
Weekend Boozy Lunch
Thai food in London stopped being a niche a long time ago. You will find it in food courts, on high streets, tucked behind pubs in Fulham, and dotted through Bayswater near the Thai embassy, which has quietly built its own small cluster of kitchens over the years.
The good ones tend to share a few things: a short menu they clearly know well, herbs that taste fresh rather than an afterthought, and a willingness to cook things hot if you ask for it hot. Places trying to please everyone with a forty-item menu are usually the ones playing it safe on flavour.
Areas worth knowing. Bayswater and Queensway carry real weight because of the embassy connection and the community that grew up around it. Soho has always had a run of Thai spots feeding the pre-theatre crowd, quick and reliable. Look further out and you will find strong options in places like Islington, Balham and Hackney, often single-room places run by one family that have been going for years without much fuss.
What to expect varies by spot. Some are strictly canteen style, order at the counter, food out fast, no reservations. Others slow things down with a proper menu and a wine list. Neither is better, it depends what you are after that evening. If you care about spice, just say how hot you want it. Most kitchens will adjust if you ask.
This page pulls together London's food listings and events tagged to Thai food, updated daily, so you can see what is actually on and where, rather than relying on a static list that goes stale.
Venues to know
- The Victoria Battersea 2 events this week
- Southwark Tavern 2 events this week
- Cap Classique Versus The World 2 events this week
- The Gipsy Moth 2 events this week
- The Admiral Hardy 2 events this week
- Boisdale of Canary Wharf 1 event this week
How we pick
OnlyHere tracks live listings from over a hundred London venues, councils, and programmers, refreshed nightly. Picks favour events with confirmed dates, real venues you can find on a map, and editorial notes written by us, not the promoter. Prices and dates come from the listing itself; we never guess.
Frequently asked questions
Where is the best area in London for Thai food?
Bayswater and Queensway have the deepest concentration, partly thanks to the Thai embassy nearby. Soho has a strong run of quick, reliable spots too, and pockets of Islington, Balham and Hackney have well-regarded single-site restaurants worth the trip.
Is Thai food in London usually spicy?
It depends on the kitchen and what you order. Most places will adjust heat if you ask, and it is normal to specify how hot you want a dish rather than assume the default.
Do I need to book ahead at a Thai restaurant in London?
Canteen-style spots are usually walk-in only and move fast. Sit-down restaurants with a fuller menu are more likely to take reservations, especially on weekends.
What is the difference between Thai street food and a sit-down Thai restaurant in London?
Street food style places focus on a handful of dishes served fast, often at counters or market stalls. Sit-down restaurants tend to offer a broader menu, table service and a slower pace.
Are there good Thai restaurants outside central London?
Yes. Areas like Balham, Islington and parts of Hackney have long-standing, well-regarded Thai kitchens that draw people well outside their own postcode.
How many best thai restaurants in london are listed right now?
There are 195 events listed on this page right now. It updates daily.