Cobham, Thai Restaurant Guide

A veteran of Thai dining in the UK, this “bustling, fun old establishment” claims to have been the first Thai restaurant outside London when it opened in 1978 – and “never lets you down” with its “reliable and tasty” menu.

2023 Review: A “stunning location… from a car park rooftop!” provides “amazing views over Guildford and the hills beyond” at this long-established fixture, known for its “wide selection of quality Thai dishes”.

“An absolute gem of a restaurant in Wimbledon Village” which “churns out tasty old-school Thai classics at reasonable prices”. It’s “a family-run venue with staff that are spot-on and an ambience that’s unrivalled” (“go during the tennis when it becomes a haven for celeb-spotting!”). It also has a less commented-on Soho branch at 42 Rupert Street, W1, said to be “on a par with its sister in Wimbledon” food-wise.

“Much closer to ‘fine dining’ than most local Thai restaurants” – this well-established quartet from Khun Patara Sila-On is part of her international, decades-old chain which started in Bangkok in the 1970s; and “every dish is of the highest standard, with superb presentation” (although if the food is “a couple of notches better than standard fare, prices are also a couple of notches higher”). Top Menu Tip – “whole chilli sea bass is a delight”.

“Great value and so authentic” – this family-run trio in Brixton, Battersea and Clapham offer some of the “best local Thai food in London”, and the BYO policy helps keep costs to a minimum.

“Deservedly popular Thai local with welcoming staff and very tasty (if not exactly distinguished) cooking”, which opened a few years ago opposite the Olympic Cinema in Barnes. No reports on its Finchley sibling, but TripAdvisor says it’s one of London’s best!

“Best Thai food in southwest London” – in a humble Fulham shopping parade, with a large, long-time following from across the SW postcodes. There’s a “polite waiting team” too – “it’s just a shame that you are so packed in”.

“This is the real thing”, according to Thai aficionados who venerate this well-patronised canteen near Stamford Brook for its “spicy fresh and authentic” scoff (“some dishes are only for the brave”) at “super-good-value prices – and you can BYO!”. Family-run, with a distinctive puce facade, it was one of the first to bring the fiery flavours of Isaan in northeast Thailand to London. ‘Aunties’ Bee and her sister Mary from southern Thailand add seafood to the menu, and there’s now a spinoff branch in Richmond.

“Great value and so authentic” – this family-run trio in Brixton, Battersea and Clapham offer some of the “best local Thai food in London”, and the BYO policy helps keep costs to a minimum.

“A real find” say fans of this “quirky” West London group, which combines eclectic decor of antique-shop knick-knacks with “really tasty Thai cooking” and the ability to BYO to provide a vibey “cheap ’n’ cheerful” experience. “Service is friendly and prompt but the atmosphere is very relaxed”. Top Menu Tip – “a really good green curry can be boosted with heat if you ask nicely”.

“A real find” say fans of this “quirky” West London group, which combines eclectic decor of antique-shop knick-knacks with “really tasty Thai cooking” and the ability to BYO to provide a vibey “cheap ’n’ cheerful” experience. “Service is friendly and prompt but the atmosphere is very relaxed”. Top Menu Tip – “a really good green curry can be boosted with heat if you ask nicely”.

“A real find” say fans of this “quirky” West London group, which combines eclectic decor of antique-shop knick-knacks with “really tasty Thai cooking” and the ability to BYO to provide a vibey “cheap ’n’ cheerful” experience. “Service is friendly and prompt but the atmosphere is very relaxed”. Top Menu Tip – “a really good green curry can be boosted with heat if you ask nicely”.

2023 Review: This “deservedly busy” Thai canteen has been an Earl’s Court staple since the late 1990s, serving a cheap and tasty menu which is “all good, from the prawn crackers to som tum”.

“A real find” say fans of this “quirky” West London group, which combines eclectic decor of antique-shop knick-knacks with “really tasty Thai cooking” and the ability to BYO to provide a vibey “cheap ’n’ cheerful” experience. “Service is friendly and prompt but the atmosphere is very relaxed”. Top Menu Tip – “a really good green curry can be boosted with heat if you ask nicely”.

2023 Review: A plug from Tom Parker Bowles in the Daily Mail did no harm at all to this Thai concession in an attractive old pub opposite the building site once known as ‘Hammersmith Town Hall’, where the cooking is a cut above that in a typical boozer. Top Tip – “if you get the chance, eat in the sun in the cute beer garden at the back: with some delish salt ’n’ pepper squid, life is good!”

A US West Coast-style Thai diner in a branch of an east London boutique hotel brings some unexpected glamour to trafficky Shepherd’s Bush Green – LA-based chef Kris Yenbaroong’s menu may be “nothing very special” in itself, but a meal here is by most accounts a very “enjoyable experience”.

“Great Thai vegan food” – inspired by Thailand’s annual Jae vegetarian festival – is found at this “delightful and welcoming” venue in the restaurant strip opposite Earl’s Court tube. “The meat substitutes are really convincing, so it’s a good option for meat-eaters and vegans alike”, with “interesting dishes, full of flavour and at very reasonable prices”.

“Fresh, fragrant and well balanced” – “all the classics are done well”, and at “very good prices” too, at this “local Thai resto” in Clapham – no wonder it’s “always rammed”. Family-run, it’s “friendly”, “busy and buzzy”, and “a little loud” – but the “only real drawback is the ever-growing popularity: gone are the days of walking in without a reservation”.