Ah Loy Thai
This family-run diner at Shaw Tower is perpetually packed with crowds, so make a reservation in advance, or queue early for a table. Popular items on its menu are the tom yam seafood soup, pandan chicken, phad thai and butter calamari.
Aroy Dee Thai Kitchen
Those hankering for Thai food late at night should head to this no-frills restaurant. It’s open until 6am daily, and serves typical Thai fare at low prices and can get pretty crowded at lunch and dinner.
Diandin Leluk
Possibly Golden Mile’s crown jewel (its name basically means Little Thailand), this is definitely a hotspot for good and affordable Thai food. They started out serving Thai food out of a truck but now boast a large following of people who love their green curry, pineapple fried rice and even catfish salad. The best part? It’s open 24 hours a day.
Joe’s Thai Kitchen
This unassuming eatery nestled among a row of HDB shops got a solid menu, with dishes like papaya salad, fish cakes to all manners of curry. Find Joe’s at #01-182 Block 125 Bukit Merah Lane 1, 6270-8484, www.joesthaikitchen.com. Open daily from 11am-3pm and 5-10pm.
Korat Thai Cafe
Located in the seedy Orchard Towers (which makes an interesting spot to people-watch), this unfussy spot is known for its killer glass noodles seafood salad and flavorful tom yum soup. Everything comes in pretty generous portions and prices are incredibly affordable.
MooJaa
Thai hotpot and barbecue specialist Mookata needs no introduction. This sister outlet holds no surprises—you cook cook your ingredients on a dome-shaped metal grill over charcoal fire and surrounded by a moat for the soup stock. Supper runs until 6am so it’s a great late night spot, too.
Nahkon Kitchen
A popular chain that has various outlets at Pasir Panjang, Holland Village, Hougang and Ang Mo Kio, dining at Nahkon Kitchen is perhaps the closest you’ll get to an authentic experience. Here, you’ll be seated in a sparsely furnished space, with rolls of toilet paper serving as napkins on each table. Order cheap and reliable classics like tom yam soup, sambal kang kong, pandan chicken and green curry, and skip the ambiguous Chinese-inspired dishes.
Nana Thai
Another Golden Mile gem, this humble eatery (all the good ones are always humble) serves excellent pad thai that’s equal parts moist and well-fried. Be warned, this place is known to pack in the heat.
Nara Thai
If you’re in the mood for a fancier treat, this ION Orchard restaurant is great for family dinners and power lunches. Prices are a steeper than what you’ll find at a grittier outfit, but the food is reliable. Some must-haves include the deep-fried pork neck, cha om omelette and stir-fried soft shell crab in yellow curry.
Patara Fine Thai Cuisine
Set in a pretty, lemongrass-scented space, dine on fine modern Thai dishes such as lemongrass-marinated New Zealand rack of lamb with spicy green papaya salad. Not the cheapest of the lot, but it has the right ambience for formal occasions.
Spicy Thai-Thai Cafe
Retaining its coffeeshop look, this restaurant offers classic Thai dishes like steamed catfish, barbecue pork neck, mookata and jim jum, a charcoal claypot hot pot. Finish your meal with a dessert like the aloe vera lemongrass jelly, or wash it all down with Thai iced tea.
Tamarind Hill
Want to feel like you’re in Thailand? This resort-like establishment will have you feeling the holiday vibes. Set in a historic colonial building at Labrador Park with Asian-inspired decor, it serves sophisticated and modern Thai plates like deep fried lobster in tamarind sauce courtesy of Thai-Canadian chef Thiti Thammanatr, who’s cooked for personalities like Bill Clinton and Chow Yun Fat.
Thai Tantric
A unanimous favorite of the SG team, this kopitiam-style eatery in Orchard Towers will have you dining in smoky hallways lined with questionable discotheques. The food, however, is excellent. Dishes like green curry, deep fried pork belly, pineapple fried rice and tom yam fish soup do not disappoint. Find Thai Tantric at #03-23 Orchard Towers, 400 Orchard Rd. Open daily from 11am-3pm and 6pm-3am.
Thanying Restaurant
As one of the pioneers of fine Thai dining in Singapore, this place hardly disappoints. While the dishes are not uncommon, the restaurant is famed for serving authentic Royal Thai cuisine. Price’s a little steep, but the quick and efficient service and the food more than make up for it.
