Looking for authentic Thai food in Boston? Luckily, the city has an impressive abundance of options including Thai street food, noodle soups, and stir-fries. This is a local’s roundup of the best 12 spots for Thai food in Boston (and surrounding areas) in 2024. I also include the top dishes at each place beyond your standard pad thai.
Last Updated: January 11th, 2024
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Rod Thai Family Taste
First on the list of Thai food in Boston is a casual spot in Fenway. Rod Thai has been around for decades and serves authentic Thai street food. During college, it was my go-to for a quick, cheap lunch.
One of their signature items is the pad thai with fried chicken. They’re thin, stir-fried rice noodles coated in a sweet and salty sauce. They garnish the dish with beansprouts, peanuts, and a generous portion of crispy dark-meat chicken.
I like that the noodles are chewy and not overly saucy. Sweet chili sauce is also served on the side for additional flavor!
Another popular item here is the Indonesian fried rice and nasi goreng. The fried rice is made with shrimp paste, fish sauce, tamarind, and other spices for a sweet-spicy fusion. They then top it with fried chicken and the famous Thai-style fried egg, complete with crispy edges.
Rod Thai is a casual, counter-service spot with a few tables inside and plenty of bench seating outside.
94 Peterborough St, Boston, MA 02215 / Website
Nud Pob
Nud Pob is another reliable, quick-service Thai eatery. It’s located on Boston University’s campus, making it a popular choice among students. Again, the pad thai with fried chicken and Indonesian fried rice are some of the top sellers here. The portions are pretty big for the price. Each meal can easily be split into two!
I also highly recommend the Tom Yum Noodle Soup. It’s a spicy, sour, and sweet soup made with thin egg noodles, ground pork meat, beansprouts, and peanuts. Its deep, fragrant flavor comes from lemongrass, galangal, and kaffir lime leaves.
The restaurant sells plenty of other Thai specialties including curries, grapow (spicy ground meat with basil over rice), and pad see ew (spicy wide flat noodles with meat). It’s one of the more authentic options for Thai food in Boston.
738 Commonwealth Ave, Boston, MA 02215 / Website
Pho Basil
Located near Boston’s popular shopping district, Pho Basil in Back Bay is known for their great value for quality food. They serve both Vietnamese and Thai cuisine, which is perfect if you’re with people who can never decide where to eat. Surprisingly, the diverse menu doesn’t sacrifice quality.
Many people (students, especially) frequent Pho Basil for its amazing lunch special deals! You can get a classic Thai dish like pad thai, drunken noodles, grapow fried rice, jungle curry, etc, for only $11-12. The lunch specials are served until 3 PM and there’s often a wait.
Although it’s not on the lunch special menu, my favorite menu item here is the Khao Soi. It’s a sweet, creamy Thai coconut curry-based soup with noodles, pickled vegetables, and fried chicken. The soup is fragrant and not too thick. I like that they add crispy egg noodles on top for the perfect textural balance. The portion is also huge — I couldn’t finish it!
Don’t expect stellar service here. Since it’s always busy, the wait staff sometimes rushes you. It’s a quick-service restaurant – you’re expected to just eat your food and leave during peak hours.
177 Massachusetts Ave, Boston, MA 02115 / Website
Dakzen
On the topic of Khao Soi, Dakzen in Somerville’s Davis Square is immensely popular for the dish. The coconut curry soup is thick and flavorful, and the dry noodles on top slowly dissolve into the dish as you eat. The soup comes with veggies and your choice of protein. The most popular meat is shredded chicken, but you can also choose pork, tofu, veggies, and seafood.
Dakzen also serves a variety of other street noodles including boat noodles, tom yum noodle soup (sweet, sour, and spicy noodle soup), and tiew-kai-toon (traditional bone-in herbal soup). The prices are fair at around $10 per dish, but the portions are on the smaller side.
195 Elm St, Somerville, MA 02144 / Website
Hen Chicken Rice
Next on the Boston Thai food list is Hen Chicken Rice, which is one of the newer additions to the city’s Thai food scene. They specialize in Khao-Man-Gai, or Thai boiled chicken over ginger rice. It’s a popular street food in Thailand and Singapore.
Their menu only consists of different renditions of Khao-Man-Gai. My favorite menu item here is The Heat, which is a spicy crispy boneless chicken over ginger rice. The chicken-to-rice ratio is perfect, as they’re very generous with chicken portions.
However, to say the chicken is spicy is an overstatement. The heat is subtle and can easily be overtaken by the sweet chili sauce it’s served with. I still love it, though, and highly recommend it to any who can’t tolerate spice well.
There are two Hen Chicken locations: one in Union Square in Somerville and a newer one in Boston’s financial district. It’s counter-service with a relaxed atmosphere. It’s an ideal spot for a quick meal or takeout!
190 High St, Boston, MA 02110 / Website
Brown Sugar Cafe
Brown Sugar Cafe in Allston is a Boston institution for traditional Thai food. The menu is huge, but staples include pad thai, drunken noodles, spring rolls, pad see ew, and pineapple fried rice. The country-style pad thai here is particularly saucy, flavorful, and on the sweeter side compared to the other restaurants.
I also enjoy the chicken grapow, which is a spicy ground basil chicken. The flavor is peppery and rich thanks to the basil, garlic, and chilis. It’s served with rice and lettuce to help balance the spiciness.
The interior of the restaurant feels old-fashioned with dim lighting and traditional Thai artwork. In the warmer weather, they have outdoor patio seating.
Looking for an alternative fine Thai cuisine spot in Boston? The Similans in Cambridge is Brown Sugar’s sister restaurant.
1033 Commonwealth Ave, Boston, MA 02215 / Website
Rod D By Sitti
Not to be confused with Rod Thai in Fenway, Rod D By Sitti is a Thai restaurant in Brookline, MA that’s especially popular for takeout. The menu has a wide selection, so you’re guaranteed to find the dish that you’re craving.
I’ve tried a variety of dishes here and they’ve ALL hit the mark in terms of flavor and portion sizes. I particularly enjoy Indonesian fried rice. The fried rice isn’t overly spicy but has just enough heat for you to keep reaching for more. The crispy chicken here beats all the others by a landslide. It’s juicy dark meat chicken with a crunchy outer shell.
The boat noodle soup has generous chunks of tender beef and tendons and the pork rinds add a crispy textural element.
The atmosphere is warm, friendly, and homey. It’s a family-owned restaurant that cares about its customers!
1422 Beacon St, Brookline, MA 02446 / Website
Giggling Rice To Go
Also located in Brookline, Giggling Rice is a small takeout spot with a few tables to sit at. The pad thai with fried chicken is my favorite item here. The noodles are flavorful and the fried chicken batter is different from all the other Boston Thai restaurants (more crispy).
The price is fair for the portions at under $15 for each dish. It’s my go-to takeout spot for Thai food in Boston.
1009 Beacon St, Brookline, MA 02446 / Website
Mahamiyom
Also located in Brookline, Mahamiyom is a fun Thai tapas bar with homey Thai dishes and handcrafted cocktails.
Three dishes that I highly recommend are pad thai, beef massaman curry with roti, and chicken krapow. All the food is extremely flavorful, and while I have a decent spice tolerance, the spicy here is SPICY!
This is a great spot for Thai food in Boston for a drink and tapas with friends. It’s a tiny space with limited seating, so make a reservation ahead.
236 Washington St, Brookline, MA 02445 / Website
Further Reading: Best 17+ Boston Fun Restaurants & Bars
Sugar & Spice
Sugar and Spice in Porter Square has a large menu of authentic Thai dishes. Its authenticity and quality have earned the restaurant a Thai Select award! Thai Select is a Thai government program that awards certain Thai restaurants overseas for their authentic food and stellar service.
Sugar and Spice is only one of two restaurants in Massachusetts to have received the Thai Select stamp.
Okay, onto the food: they have a huge menu of both traditional and unique Thai dishes. The dish that blew me away most was their Pad Mee Korat. It comes with stir-fried Islan noodles in a mild curry sauce. The sauce is sweet and extremely flavorful!
The dish also comes with tender chicken, eggs, and an additional crunch from cucumbers, mango slices, onions, beansprouts, and peanuts. The portion is deceiving — the portion is much bigger than it looks!
Another stand-out dish is their crispy chicken basil, which are mildly spicy and sweet fried chicken bites with veggies and pineapple chunks. The chicken’s hint of sweetness reminds me of sweet and sour sauce.
I appreciate that they have an impressive variety of vegan and gluten-free options as well. There are over 50 vegan & gluten-free dishes to choose from!
Sugar and Spice is undoubtedly one of the best Thai food Cambridge restaurants, so expect to wait. I went at 6 pm on a Sunday and waited around 30 minutes.
1933 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge, MA 02140 / Website
Further Reading: 21 Best Vegan Restaurants in Boston
Kala Thai Cookery
Kala Thai Cookery in Boston’s Downtown is fairly new, but the restaurant has quickly gained popularity for its elevated Thai cuisine and trendy interior. Popular items include pad thai, pad see ew (stir-fried soy sauce noodles), and pad kee mao (spicy stir-fried noodles, aka drunken noodles).
I liked the pad kee mao most. It’s not overly saucy and the noodles are perfectly cooked.
They also have innovative appetizers like their corn cakes (fried corn fritters), larb beef tacos, and cheesy shrimp rolls. While their menu might not be the most authentic, it’s still a delicious Thai restaurant in Boston.
151 Hanover St, Boston, MA 02109 / Website
Thai Saap
These last two Thai restaurants are located a bit further out of Boston, but still deserve a mention on any best Thai food in Boston list. First, Thai Saap is a hole-in-the-wall Thai restaurant in Quincy.
My first recommendation here is the Tom Yum noodle soup with fried chicken. It’s spicy (but not TOO spicy), and sour, and the peanuts add an addicting crunch.
My other go-to here is their chicken pad Thai. The flavor of their Pad Thai is robust and not overly sugary. I’ve also enjoyed the mint salad. It’s a spicy salad with mint leaves, onions, and your choice of ground pork, beef, or salmon. The red onions add a distinct bitterness to the dish. If you can’t handle spice well, avoid the salad because it’s extremely spicy.
Other popular items include their boat noodles, pad see ew, and basil fried rice with fried chicken. The pad see ew noodles are chewy and absorb the sauce well. The basil fried rice has a strong kick without overpowering the basil flavor. No matter what you order, I recommend pairing your meal with their sweet and creamy Thai iced tea.
The inside of the restaurant is small with limited seating. It’s more of a takeout spot, but occasionally I’ll see people dining inside. There’s plenty of natural sunlight and modern decor like plants and Thai writing along the walls.
3 Brook St, Quincy, MA 02170 / Website
Anchan House of Thai
Last on the list is a popular Thai restaurant in Braintree, Massachusetts (Okay, I’ll admit it’s pretty far for a best Thai food in Boston list. It’s worth the drive, though!)
For appetizers, I recommend the curry squares. They fill ground chicken, sweet potatoes, vegetables, and mild curry powder into a deep-fried pouch. Sweet chili sauce is served on the side for dipping.
For entrees, my go-to is the fiery pad thai! The pad thai has the perfect amount of spice without diminishing the flavor of the dish. It comes with chicken, shrimp, egg, basil, peppers, and scallions. The noodles are then topped with peanuts and bean sprouts.
Instead of chicken and shrimp, you can order it with fried chicken (my personal preference).
Their specialty dish Duck Choo Chee is also great. Boneless fried duck is sauteed in a Thai Choo Chee Curry and is served with snow peas, baby corn, and carrots in a brown ginger sauce. The curry sauce is mild and has a creamy, coconut-y flavor.
Lastly, I appreciate the thought-out presentation here in both the food and interior. The restaurant’s ambience is warm and inviting with artwork on the walls and wood furnishings.
373 Washington St, Braintree, MA 02184 / Website
Best Thai Food in Boston: Honorable Mentions
Thai Oishi in Dorchester, Boston –> Restaurant with elevated, Asian fusion dishes including drunken noodles, pad thai, and pad see ew. They also have Japanese sushi, gyoza, wings, etc.
Menu Translations for Thai Food in Boston
I’ve thrown a lot of Thai food names at you in this article. To better understand the menu, I made a list of each Thai dish and what it is:
- Pad Thai –> stir-fried rice noodles with a sweet-savory sauce
- Pad See Ew –> soy sauce stir-fried wide rice noodles
- Pad Kee Mao aka Drunken Noodles –> spicy stir-fried wide rice noodles
- Grapow aka Krapow –> spicy stir-fried basil, often with ground meat and rice
- Boat Noodles –> soy sauce-based noodle soup with meat
- Khao Soi –> Northern Thai coconut-curry-based soup with egg noodles
- Indonesian Fried Rice aka Nasi Goreng –> spicy fried rice with meat & veggies
- Khao Man Gai –> Thai boiled chicken
- Tom Yum Noodle Soup –> spicy and sour soup sometimes served with noodles
I recommend saving this list for your next meal out to avoid confusion on the menu 🙂
Conclusion: Best Thai Food in Boston
That concludes my roundup of the best Thai food in Boston, including a couple of restaurants for Thai food near Boston MA that are in Quincy and Braintree.
If I missed your favorite Thai spot, please shoot me an email at sachaeats@gmail.com or fill out my contact page and I’ll check it out! (Not only for research purposes, but it also gives me the excuse to go out to eat ;))
Once you’ve eaten through all the spots for the best Thai in Boston, check out my other Asian food guides:
- 15 Best Japanese Restaurants in Boston
- 11 Best Korean Restaurants in Boston
- Chinatown Boston Food Guide
- The Best Breakfast in Boston: 27 Local Favorites
- The Best Boston Southern Food: 11 Top Spots
Or, see what else there is to do in Boston:
- 27+ Best Boston Date Ideas
- 25+ Best Indoor Activities Boston
- Little Italy in Boston: The Complete Guide
Since I’ll be constantly adding more to this best Thai restaurants Boston list every now and then, bookmark this page for future reference!
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