Thai Food in Portland

Spicy, sweet and wholly satisfying, Thai food has deeply delicious roots in Portland.

Updated July 2, 2024 2 min read

Emma Mannheimer

Emma Mannheimer is a Seattle-born, Portland-based writer and editor. Read More

In Portland, Thai cuisine can come cheap or pricey, sweet or savory, authentic or Americanized, vegan or meaty. Whatever your culinary preference, the Thai food in Portland is guaranteed to satisfy.

Pad Thai Kitchen

If a Thai restaurant were considered dive-y, it would be this Belmont neighborhood joint. Pad Thai Kitchen boasts heaping portions of steaming Thai classics that come out of the kitchen at lightning speed, whether dining in or taking out. As one might guess, the restaurant’s perfected pad thai, frequently hailed as some of the city’s best, steals the show. However, the pumpkin curry and other menu items are worth digging into.

KaTi

Southeast Division’s KaTi offers a wholly vegetarian menu, full of traditional recipes that the chef served in her native Thailand. Gluten-free and vegan options abound, as are fruity cocktails and dairy-free Thai iced tea. Once you’ve scarfed down the fish sauce-free pad thai, try the nam kao tod, a crispy rice appetizer served with lettuce wraps, and pla rhad prik, deep-fried tofu wrapped in seaweed.

Portland’s Favorite Dishes

This guide to the best of Portland food gives details about the city’s most iconic dishes. Savor each of these local-favorite foods one bite at a time.

Langbaan

Count yourself lucky if you manage to snag an elusive seat at one of Langbaan’s eight weekly dinners. Settled covertly behind fellow Thai eatery Phuket Cafe, this upscale gem offers inventive and traditional Thai delicacies. With incredible local and seasonal ingredients, you’ll surely savor each and every bite of the beautiful (though pricey) tasting menu. (Fun fact: Langbaan was awarded Outstanding Restaurant at the 2024 James Beard Awards.) For a more accessible taste of chef Earl Ninsom’s cooking, try the Thai fried chicken and Malaysian curries and roti at Hat Yai.

Eem

Known for its Thai barbecue, house-crafted cocktails and booze-filled slushies, Eem is a local favorite. Nestled among the shops on North Williams Street, this pop-up turned brick-and-mortar serves up inventive takes on traditional curries and plenty of options like spicy papaya salad and brisket fried rice.

Sa Bai Thai Cuisine

Sa Bai Thai serves up delicious Thai classics like pad see ew, fried rice and green papaya salad. They also offer lunch options and desserts, and can prepare the majority of their menu items vegan or gluten-free.
Farmhouse Kitchen Thai Cuisine – Pearl

Adventurous Thai restaurant serving old favorites like noodles and curries; new regional-style dishes and Thai-inspired novelties with a focus on spices.
Kinara Thai

Chic and intimate Thai-owned bistro with an expansive menu spanning many culinary regions of Thailand and beyond, with seasonal specials and chef recommendations (like fried bananas with coconut ice cream).
Chick & Pig Thai Street Food

A food cart specializing in Thai street food, Chick & Pig believes in the importance of fresh, top-notch ingredients. You’ll become a believer too with the fried chicken with green curry sauce, or a refreshing lemongrass chicken salad.
Mee-Sen Thai

Mee-Sen Thai offers more on the menu than just curry and stir-fry — the owners called on their Thai roots to offer less-known dishes and creative takes on Thai classics.

Nong’s Khao Man Gai

Nong’s Khao Man Gai was founded by a determined Bangkok immigrant with a mere $70 to her name. (Fun fact: The eponymous Nong went on to win Food Network’s “Chopped”!) Beginning as a food cart, Nong later closed both carts to open brick and mortars in Downtown and Southeast Portland.

Originally, the eatery only served its namesake dish: a masterful plate of poached chicken, jasmine rice simmered in chicken stock and an aromatic sauce with a vinegar kick. The Portland staple has since expanded its menu slightly at its two restaurants.

E-San Thai

With a handful of food carts spread around Portland, it’s safe to say people enjoy what E-San Thai Cuisine has been dishing out since 1999. The family-run spot draws on Laotian roots and Oregon’s local markets whenever possible. The menu is wonderfully expansive, featuring Northwest takes on Thai dishes like salmon panang and duck pad thai.

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