*This article includes mentions of merchants or brands who are partners of DoorDash, and DoorDash may receive a commission if you choose to make a purchase from these merchants or brands.
San Francisco is home to one of the country’s largest Thai populations, so it’s not surprising that we have some of the best Thai restaurants this side of Bangkok’s Chao Praya River. More surprising is just how many excellent options we have to choose from. It’s enough to keep you seeking out your next favorite pad Thai, green curry, or street snack.
So how do you know which shrine to sweet, sour, fat, and salt to try next? Follow this list. I’ve been eating my way around San Francisco and Thailand for decades and these are the city’s Thai kitchens that put the “ahhh” in “khob kun ka” 🙏.
Lers Ros Thai
Unusual dishes and unexpected ingredients draw critics and food lovers to Lers Ros Thai’s no-nonsense Larkin Street, Hayes Valley, and Mission District locations. But the massive all-day menu means you can get whatever you want. Go bold with the house-special garlicky fried frog, the quail in chile paste, or the crispy pork belly-basil stir-fry. Or, revisit favorites like sinus-clearing tom yum soup, spicy eggplant and tofu, and coconut milk curries. .
Amphawa Thai Noodle House
Chef-owner Kob Varaphol celebrates the divinely humble Thai noodle in all of its sauce-coated or soup-submerged glory at this widely heralded Richmond District diamond. Attention to ingredients and detail means the spicy-sweet pork-laden sukhothai noodle soup, with your choice of noodle, is fantastic, and the rich, savory pad see ew sets the standard. BTW, the non-noodle dishes (chicken satay! Angel Wings!) rule, too.
Marnee Thai
If you’re looking for excellent Thai food in San Francisco, head to Marnee Thai. A Sunset District anchor since 1986, Marnee is as comfy and reliable as an old friend — if that friend happened to make the tastiest, crispiest, finger-licking-est chile-garlic-sauce-drenched Angel Wings (and Angel Tofu!); silky, well-seasoned coconut curries; and other regional Thai dishes. Outer Sunset is the OG spot, sporting a cute interior, and Ninth Avenue is the narrow, low-key outpost.
Saap Ver! Authentic Country-Style Thai Food
Chef Nutnawat “Kobe” Aukcarrapasutanun presides over the "saap ver" (“damn good”) “country-style” Thai street food at this vibey Design District restaurant. His quest to celebrate less-common dishes means that you can sink your fork into perfectly toothsome northern and northeastern Thai sausages or umami-rich shrimp-paste-flavored fried rice topped with sweet pork, Chinese sausage medallions, shaved mango, omelet strips, fresh red onion, and crunchy green beans.
Khob Khun Thai Cuisine & Breakfast
"Khob khun" means “thank you” in Thai, and that’s what you’ll be cooing the minute you dig into the guay teow kua poo — a seductive stir-fry of flat rice noodles, crab, and egg — from this straightforward Inner Richmond restaurant specializing in lusciously lacquered noodle dishes and outstanding curries. Grab a strawberry lemonade, and save room for the fried-dough-wrapped banana bites with vanilla ice cream and a honey drizzle.
Muukata Charcoal BBQ
From Phornthip Korkiatnun and Ittriuj Niamchan of the Haight’s Ginza Sushi, this newcomer quickly seared its way into Thai barbecue lovers’ hearts when it opened in 2023. The allure? Real-deal muukata — aka mu kratha or charcoal-grilled Thai barbecue. It’s GIY (grill it yourself) in the Richmond District dining room, but you can order in for wonderfully flavorful, spicy-sauced barbecued pork with garlic rice. Grab the oh-so-crispy fried chicken wings for more deliciousness to flap about.
Sai Jai Thai
The Tenderloin is home to a robust Thai population and Thai grocers to match, so of course this is where you’ll find some of the best Thai restaurants in San Francisco. You’ll find all the classics here, but the spotlight is on the house specialty — grilled, tangy-spicy fish-sauce-marinated barbecued pork shoulder served over fried rice — so start there.
The Thonglor
You know a restaurant has staying power when it opens in 2019 and lives to tell about it. Such is the case with this tiny gem a block off Union Square and across from the Curran Theatre. The edible love story of Songkiat “Jap” Sukmakanant and Tanawat Srichoosin, the restaurant's fare is an elegant interpretation of the cuisine from Bangkok's hip Thonglor district. It includes standard-setting pad Thai and pad see ew, creamy-rich red curry with eggplant, and barbecued marinated pork skewers.
Thai Spice Restaurant
The dining room, remodeled in 2022, is as fresh and welcoming as the traditional dishes from this Polk Gulch kitchen. Expect all the greatest hits: grilled chicken satay, vegetable-rich shrimp summer rolls, and a rainbow of coconut curries. Plus, there’s the must-order drunken noodles — a dish of wok-fried flat rice noodles, green beans, bell peppers, tomatoes, and basil coated in a thick, semi-spicy, garlicky sauce.
Basil Canteen
At this hip SoMa spot, “Bangkok-style” Thai cooking is infused with NorCal ingredients and sensibility, with fresh, exciting results. The usual suspects are done right, but it’s worth branching out into the small plates; an epic feast could begin with blistered garlic green beans, lemongrass-kissed fried popcorn chicken, and pork-stuffed tapioca dumplings. Tack on an order of the northern Thai specialty kao soi. Made with grilled steak, the soupy coconut-curry noodle dish is a house favorite.
Farmhouse Kitchen Thai Cuisine
The food is as over-the-top vibrant as the atmosphere at Kasem Saengsawang’s celebratory, award-winning Mission District destination. Take your palate to a party with an array of familiar Thai dishes, or indulge in the Little Lao Togo appetizer extravaganza — an over-the-top profusion of joyous snacks like crisp fried rolls and spring rolls with peanut dipping sauce, plus portions of heartier foods like crunchy papaya salad, braised short ribs, chicken and shrimp fried rice, pad thai, spicy eggplant, fresh roti, and their famously glam blue jasmine rice.
Bangkok House Thai Noodles
You’ve gotta be good to stay in business one block away from long-beloved Marnee Thai! This Sunset staple holds its own with the likes of sticky-sweet-’n’-garlicky “Bangkok” chicken wings, spicy-velvety green curry, sticky rice with mango, and other classics. Look beyond the basics, and you’ll find enough rich and flavorful noodle soup varieties to comfort your soul all year long.
Ben Thai Cafe
Nob Hill’s Thai noshery tours the taste buds on all the fork-and-spoon classics, nodding to the influences of neighboring countries' cuisines along the way. Try the northern specialty, khao soi — coconut curry soup with your choice of protein; crowned with crispy, puffy fried pork skin; fresh onions; fried shallots; pickled greens; and a tangle of fried egg noodles.
Thai Idea Vegetarian
Heads up, vegetarians! This Tenderloin spot kicks up the Thai flavors while sidestepping fish sauce, meats, and seafood. Menu maneuvers include intrinsically produce-forward tom kha soup with veggies and coconut milk, rich pumpkin curry, and stir-fried garlic-chile-basil vegan “chicken.” Vegans, rejoice: There's even dairy-free Thai iced tea!
House of Thai
Traditional Thai cuisine’s pageantry of color and flavor is on full display at this two-plus decades old family-owned Lower Nob Hill restaurant with a Lower Haight offshoot. One bite of their irresistible, perfectly balanced pad Thai or more savory-leaning sister, pad se ew, and you’ll understand why this place is an affordable favorite in the Bay Area. Don’t stop there. Broaden your Thai food horizons with the nuanced flavors of green curry fried rice or spicy pad cha, a chili-paste-and-vegetable-based stir-fry topped with your choice of protein, which includes catfish or duck, in addition to the usual suspects.
Zen Yai Thai
Explore the world of Thai boat noodles at this Little Saigon eatery. Start with the familiar tom yum version: a spicy hot-and-sour broth loaded with ground pork, fish balls, pork, pork liver, and your noodle of choice. But also go beyond the noodles for the kra pow moo krob, thick slices of pork belly sautéed with fresh holy basil, chopped green beans, bell pepper, and Thai chile, customized to your desired spiciness.
Lemongrass Thai Cuisine
Russian Hill’s pretty ’n’ petite dining room has been a trusted source for homey Thai comforts since 1994. Cozy up with lusciously coated pad Thai noodles — with shrimp, chicken, beef, or tofu — and snack happy with flavorful chicken satay and requisite peanut dip. Or, lean into the vegetarian options; you won’t miss the meat in their pad makuer tofu — a feisty garlic-chili-sauce-coated rainbow of sautéed eggplant, tofu, and bell peppers.
Regent Thai Restaurant
Noe Valley residents consider this bright, low-key restaurant their neighborhood secret. But you can get in on it — and its robustly flavored, well-seasoned dishes — simply by ordering the on-point pad see ew with pork or the colorful eggplant and tofu pad ma kuer in black bean sauce. The cute pouch-shaped Golden Bags — fried rice paper filled with minced curried vegetables — make any meal seem special.
Sriracha Thai Cuisine
If you’re on a quest for great khao soi — and who isn’t craving coconut noodle soup with a bird's nest of crispy noodles on top? — Ninth Avenue’s stylish restaurant is here for you. Pair the thick, soupy sensation with the housemade crispy-bottomed chicken pot stickers with herby pesto green curry sauce or the irresistible golden fried chicken strips atop fried rice.
One Waan Thai
This family-owned Glen Park restaurant Thais one on differently. A combo of creativity, artistry, and quality means your crab rangoon will arrive as little crispy florets; meal starters include ahi tartare layered with mango, avocado, spicy sriracha-sesame sauce, crispy onion, and garlic chips; and fried rice features strips of golden, juicy-crispy fried chicken. The use of prime meats and organic farmers-market vegetables elevate the already exciting and unexpected menu, making it one of the best places to eat Thai food in San Francisco.
Basil Thai Restaurant & Bar
Skewers, roti tacos, and massaman curry-topped fries — yes, please! The menu at SoMa’s Thai snack house broadens your hunger-satisfying horizons with crunchy-bottomed pork-and-shrimp dumplings, lemony fried brussels sprouts, tacos filled with yellow-curry-braised chicken, and choo chee pla, a thick cut of charcoal-grilled salmon atop a raft of steamed bok choy and a puddle of red curry sauce. Don’t forget the mango sticky rice!
