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    • AttractionsView All Attractions
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    • On a Budget
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    • Cultural Communities
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    • Central Eastside
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    • Mississippi
    • Northwest / Nob Hill
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    • Pearl District
    • St. Johns
    • Sellwood-Moreland
    • Williams
    • ALL NEIGHBORHOODS
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    • Columbia River Gorge
    • Mount Hood
    • Oregon Coast
    • Willamette Valley
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Emma Mannheimer

Emma Mannheimer

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

Dig into a plate of authentic vegetarian pad Thai at KaTi Portland. Dig into a plate of authentic vegetarian pad Thai at KaTi Portland.
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Dig into a plate of authentic vegetarian pad Thai at KaTi Portland.
Credit: Molly Woodstock
Culture / Food

Thai Food in Portland

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

Updated Feb. 3, 2021 3 min read
Emma Mannheimer

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.

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.)

Portland’s Favorite Dishes

The best way to savor Portland’s most iconic dishes? One bite at a time. Check out a few of the locals' favorite foods.

Read more

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 its two restaurants.

Food

Asian Eats

More Food & Dining
A delicious spread of Chinese dumplings at XLB in North Portland.

Portland’s Best Dumplings

Every February, Portland celebrates its love for dough-wrapped delights with Dumpling Week. Best of all? Delicious dumplings are available year-round.

Tokyo ramen restaurant Afuri opened its first international located in Portland, selecting the City of Roses because of its excellent water quality.

Portland Ramen Restaurants

The Portland ramen scene has exploded in recent years, spurred by the arrival of two authentic eateries straight from Tokyo.

Chef Carlo Lamagna reviews dishes with his child at a Magna pop-up.

Chef Carlo Lamagna Brings Filipino Food to the Forefront in Portland

Opening in spring 2019, Magna explores the wide world of Filipino cuisine.

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