Dartford, Thai Restaurant Guide

2021 Review: The “lovely Thai food” at these reliable cafés is “impressively authentic given that they are a chain” – “excellent value” and “fast”, if occasionally let down by “iffy service”. Founded in 2008 by Saiphin and Alex Moore, who inherited the name of their first East End site, the group has 18 branches in London and expanded to Liverpool, Manchester, Reading (delivery only) and Leeds following the sale of a majority stake to US investors. The couple also have two spin-offs, Lao Café in Covent Garden and the new Chinese noodle bar Hoh Sek in St Katharine Docks.

2021 Review: The “lovely Thai food” at these reliable cafés is “impressively authentic given that they are a chain” – “excellent value” and “fast”, if occasionally let down by “iffy service”. Founded in 2008 by Saiphin and Alex Moore, who inherited the name of their first East End site, the group has 18 branches in London and expanded to Liverpool, Manchester, Reading (delivery only) and Leeds following the sale of a majority stake to US investors. The couple also have two spin-offs, Lao Café in Covent Garden and the new Chinese noodle bar Hoh Sek in St Katharine Docks.

“Just go!” say fans of this “wildly popular” shopfront Thai BYO in Leytonstone, which “deserves a medal” for the “fabulous flavours” on its “authentic menu”. Top Tip – “book in person for weeks ahead – no phone bookings”.

2023 Review: After 10 years, this “lively” Peckham neighbourhood Thai remains a “consistently terrific place” that “delivers great food that’s as good as you get in Bangkok, but with a twist”. Co-owner Jane Alty, who makes regular trips to Thailand to research recipes and ingredients, discovered the cuisine while working in the kitchen at David Thompson’s Nahm (long RIP).

2021 Review: The “lovely Thai food” at these reliable cafés is “impressively authentic given that they are a chain” – “excellent value” and “fast”, if occasionally let down by “iffy service”. Founded in 2008 by Saiphin and Alex Moore, who inherited the name of their first East End site, the group has 18 branches in London and expanded to Liverpool, Manchester, Reading (delivery only) and Leeds following the sale of a majority stake to US investors. The couple also have two spin-offs, Lao Café in Covent Garden and the new Chinese noodle bar Hoh Sek in St Katharine Docks.

2021 Review: The “lovely Thai food” at these reliable cafés is “impressively authentic given that they are a chain” – “excellent value” and “fast”, if occasionally let down by “iffy service”. Founded in 2008 by Saiphin and Alex Moore, who inherited the name of their first East End site, the group has 18 branches in London and expanded to Liverpool, Manchester, Reading (delivery only) and Leeds following the sale of a majority stake to US investors. The couple also have two spin-offs, Lao Café in Covent Garden and the new Chinese noodle bar Hoh Sek in St Katharine Docks.

“Full of a young crowd who really want to enjoy the flavours of Thailand” – this “noisy” former factory near Spitalfields Market has won renown for offering “a unique flavour of ‘real’ Thai cuisine with a wonderful selection of zingy, spicy, aromatic and refreshing dishes”. Top Menu Tip – “nothing can beat the whole deep-fried seabass with crunchy bones, and sitting at the counter they’ll do half portions for a single diner. Excellent!”

2022 Review: Originally a stall on Brick Lane (which started in 2009), this 20-seater, a short walk north of Aldgate, is the first permanent home of this experienced Bangkok-style street food vendor. Enjoy dishes (with lots of choice for vegans) on a bed of rice, wrapped tight in a tortilla, or accompanied with salad.

2021 Review: The “lovely Thai food” at these reliable cafés is “impressively authentic given that they are a chain” – “excellent value” and “fast”, if occasionally let down by “iffy service”. Founded in 2008 by Saiphin and Alex Moore, who inherited the name of their first East End site, the group has 18 branches in London and expanded to Liverpool, Manchester, Reading (delivery only) and Leeds following the sale of a majority stake to US investors. The couple also have two spin-offs, Lao Café in Covent Garden and the new Chinese noodle bar Hoh Sek in St Katharine Docks.

“Great, modern Thai food” is to be had at this stylish (although “rather cramped and noisy”) pub conversion a short walk from the Shard by London Bridge station – “the kind of Thai you wish was just around the corner”. It’s run by siblings Roselyn, Shakris & Bank Inngern, the new generation of the family that operated Thai restaurant Suchard on nearby Tooley Street for more than 20 years, which has recently been re-opened as veggie specialist Plants of Roselyn.

2021 Review: A new ‘eating, drinking, shopping and art space’ from the founders of Flat Iron Square, also not far from London Bridge, with vintage shops, street food stalls and bars in shipping containers and a large garden. Million Pound Menu stars Baba G’s have a stall here, selling their naanwiches and Indian burgers.

“Thailand meets Shoreditch” at Ben Chapman’s “still exciting” BBQ, with its “deliciously different”, “confident and bold spicing” creating “amazingly flavoursome food”. If there’s a downside, it’s “cramped” tables and that it becomes “understandably noisy”, but regulars “love eating here whether solo or with friends”.

Unusual, eclectically decorated venue with an interesting Thai-Malay menu, in a sidestreet near Guy’s Hospital and London Bridge station – it no longer attracts the attention it did a decade ago, but its ratings remain pretty solid.