Emma Mannheimer
Emma Mannheimer is a Seattle-born, Portland-based writer and editor. Read More
Thai Food in Portland
Spicy, sweet and wholly satisfying, Thai food has deeply delicious roots in Portland.
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 ever 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 lighting 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 also well 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 do 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).
Tarad Thai
The trendy Tarad Thai serves up some of the city’s most reliably excellent pad Thai and caramelized pad see ew. A rotating list of mouthwatering specials, including steamed fish fillets with spicy chili- and herb-infused sauce, keep the menu exciting.
Pok Pok
Award-winning Thai street food stalwart Pok Pok was founded by local legend Andy Ricker. While Ricker built his empire on fish sauce chicken wings, vegetarians can easily navigate the diverse menu. Pok Pok’s dishes are paired with excellent cocktails, including their must-try tamarind whiskey sour. A line is pretty much guaranteed, but the aromatic and carefully considered flavors (best eaten family-style) make it worthwhile. Order from abridged menus at Ricker’s other restaurants: Whiskey Soda Lounge, Pok Pok Wing in Northeast or Southeast Portland.
Appethaizing
Is the Pok Pok line too long? Take happy solace across the street at neighborhood favorite Appethaizing. The no-frills eatery is comforting and consistent, serving sizable plates of wide, sticky rice noodles and rich curries at reasonable prices. (Plus, that’s a great pun.)
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 PaaDee, 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 named one of the 25 most outstanding restaurants of 2015 by GQ.) For a more accessible taste of Chef Earl Ninsom’s cooking, try the Thai fried chicken and Malaysian curries and roti at Hat Yai.
E-San Thai
With seven food carts and one brick-and-mortar, it’s safe to say people enjoy what E-San 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 like salmon panang and duck pad Thai.
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 on 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 at its two restaurants.
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