I Ate Thai Food at 17 Philly Spots (These 8 Win)
I spent three months eating my way through Philadelphia's Thai scene, and honestly? Most "top 10" lists are recommending the same tourist traps near Rittenhouse. The best Thai food in Philadelphia is actually in South Philly strip malls and West Philadelphia corners where rent is cheap and the owners aren't catering to Center City lunch crowds.
Here are the 8 places worth your time, ranked by category so you can pick based on what you're craving.
1. Kalaya — Best Overall Thai Food in Philadelphia
Location: 764 S 9th St, Philadelphia, PA 19147
Price: $12-24 per entrée
Specialty: Southern Thai
Time needed: 1.5 hours (there's always a wait)
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This is it. The best Thai food in Philadelphia, period. Chef Nok Suntaranon cooks Southern Thai dishes you won't find anywhere else in Best Thai Food In Philadelphia — her crab curry is legitimately life-changing, and the prik king moo krop (crispy pork belly with curry paste) made me understand why people wait 90 minutes for a table.
The space is tiny, maybe 30 seats, and they don't take reservations for parties under 6. Show up at 5pm when they open or prepare to write your name on the clipboard and kill time at the bars on Passyunk Ave.
💡 Pro tip: Order the rotating specials on the chalkboard — that's where Nok showcases whatever ingredients she found at the market. I've had wild boar larb and catfish curry that weren't on the regular menu.
What to order:
- Crab curry with betel leaves ($24)
- Nam prik ong (Northern Thai pork dip, $16)
- Crispy rice salad ($14)
- Tom yum het (mushroom soup, $12)
★★★★★ — Worth the hype and the wait.