It might be a relative newcomer on Scotland’s food scene, but Thai cuisine has been taking the nation by storm. We are now lucky enough to have great Thai restaurants dotted right across the country, offering dishes that are so fresh that you could almost be convinced that you that you are in Phuket. Almost.
1. Thai Kitchen, Kirkcudbright
Kirkcudbright Golf Club, Kirkcudbright, Dumfries and Galloway
07465 812331
Open Sunday and Monday 11am-3pm, Tuesday 5pm-8.30pm, Wednesday 11am-8.30pm, Friday-Saturday 11am-8pm
Kirkcudbright: famous for fishing, art and army training. But, since it opened last February, the town has also been fast building a reputation for its hidden gem of a Thai restaurant. Previously a takeaway, the Thai Kitchen is located in the clubhouse of the Kirkcudbright Golf Club- but don’t let that put you off. It is a real asset to the town and offers freshly prepared, reasonably priced dishes that are full of flavour and have been awarded an (incredibly rare) five out of five rating on Trip Advisor.
2. Mae-Ping Thai Dining, Perth
161-165 South Street, Perth
01738 633090
Open Monday- Thursday 5.30pm-9.45pm, Friday- Saturday, 12pm-1.45pm and 5.30pm-10.15pm
www.maepingperth.co.uk
Don’t be deterred by the somewhat tired exterior of Mae-Ping Thai Dining. Inside awaits a plethora of freshly cooked dishes, made with real enthusiasm by the family who have been running the restaurant for the last 20 years. Their Ginger Duck is particularly popular, alongside the Shredded Duck Pancakes or the Ped Makham Duck. In fact, you might just say that if you like duck, then this is the place to be.
3. Passorn Thai, Edinburgh
23-23A Brougham Place, Edinburgh
0131 229 1537
Open Sunday- Thursday 5.30pm-10pm, Tuesday- Saturday, 12pm-2.30pm, Friday- Saturday 5.30pm-11pm
www.passornthai.com
Cindy Sirapassorn launched Passorn back in 2009 with the aim of bringing Thai and Scottish cuisine together under one roof. And that’s what she’s done, using fresh Scottish produce alongside specialist Thai ingredients to create an intriguing fusion of flavours. The prices reflect the fact that it is one of the more upmarket restaurants in the city, but its inclusion in the Michelin Guide for four years running should prove why.
4. Siam Cottage, Aberdeen
13 Castle Street, Aberdeen
01224 636888
Open Tuesday to Sunday, 12pm-2.30pm and 5pm-10.30pm
www.siam-cottage.co.uk
It might have only opened three years ago, but Siam Cottage is already a firm favourite with Aberdonians. It has a cracking atmosphere and is almost always busy, but if you have to wait for a table then all should be forgotten once your food arrives. The portions are huge -plus great value for money- and if you have any allergies or dietary requirements then the staff can cater to them with ease.
5. Thairiffic, Glasgow
303 Sauchiehall Street, Glasgow
01413 323000
Open Monday- Thursday 12pm-2.30pm and 5pm-10.30pm, Friday- Saturday 12pm-11pm and Sunday, 5pm-10.30pm
www.thairifficrestaurant.com
This slickly run restaurant is popular with in the know Glaswegian diners, but it could be easy to miss among the bustle of Sauchiehall Street. If you do make the trip to Thairiffic then you will be greeted by genuinely warm hospitality and crucially, great food. They offer all the stereotypical favourites alongside lesser-spotted dishes like Choo-Chi, Pad-Cha and Crispy Chilli Tofu. There are plenty of vegan/vegetarian options too, with the ‘Mock Duck’ yellow curry being a real star.
6. Nok’s Kitchen, Edinburgh
8 Gloucester Street, Stockbridge, Edinburgh
0131 225 4804
Open Sunday to Saturday 12pm-2:30pm, Sunday to Thursday 5.30pm-10pm, and Friday to Saturday 5.30pm-10.30pm
www.nokskitchen.co.uk
There is plenty of competition in Edinburgh, but Nok’s manages to stand out as one of the most consistently excellent restaurants in the capital. It gets booked up weeks in advance so you will almost certainly need to make a reservation, with the two-course lunch option proving particularly popular. Adventurous flavour combinations sit alongside classic Thai favourites- so there should be something for everyone.
7. @Home, Ayr
95-97 New Road, Ayr
01292 285856
Open Tuesday 5pm-10pm, Wednesday- Saturday 12pm-3pm and 5pm-10pm, and Sunday 1pm-9pm
www.facebook.com/AtHomeAyr
The presentation, service and food on offer at @Home has made it one of the best reviewed
Restaurants in Ayrshire. If you want to see what all the fuss is about, try ordering the Tom Yum Chicken Soup, Prawn Panang Curry or the exquisite Bangkok Beef. You won’t regret it.
8. Chiang Mai Thai Restaurant, Dundee
10 Maule Street, Monifieth, Dundee
01382 530500
Open Wednesday-Saturday, 6pm-11pm
www.chiang-mai.co.uk
Rather than trying to reinvent the wheel, this family-run venue aims to make traditional dishes that would be found in an average Thai home. The team at Chiang Mai take huge pride in their food and the head chef will regularly come out to ask diners what they thought of their meal. And although their Pad Cha Talay (seafood stir fry) is the standout dish on the menu, vegetarians and vegans will also have plenty of options to choose from.
9. Tanon, St Andrews
58 Market Street, St Andrews, Fife
01334 477088
Open every day 12pm-2.30pm and 5pm-11pm
www.facebook.com/tanonthai
Focusing around Thai street food, Tanon provides a thoroughly laid-back dining experience. You can’t reserve a table and the pared back furniture is somewhat reminiscent of a school canteen, but that’s all part of the charm. The soups, dumplings and noodles are especially big on flavour with enough options to keep you coming back.
10. Thai Dining, Inverness
87 Academy Street, Inverness
01463 220880
Open Tuesday to Wednesday 5pm-8.45pm, Thursday to Saturday 5pm-9.30pm (last orders)
www.invernessthai.com
It might be located in the ‘capital of the Highlands’, but this cosy restaurant is keen to point out that all of its cooking staff were born and raised in Thailand. Expect great service, reasonable prices and delightfully fresh food- but be warned that the ‘hot’ dishes really are hot.
11. Thai Café, Western Isles
27 Church Street, Stornoway, Lewis and Harris
01851 701811
Open Monday to Saturday, 12pm-11pm
www.facebook.com/thaicafestornoway
You are guaranteed to have a cheap night out at the Thai Café, with the dishes being priced incredibly reasonably and a BYOB policy in place. Vegans and vegetarians have plenty of options to choose from, with the Phad Paak Ruam (stir fried vegetables in an oyster sauce) coming highly recommended by locals. It gets busy quickly, so make sure to book in advance
12. Thai Valley Restaurant, Selkirk
73 High Street, Selkirk, Scottish Borders
01750 778174
Open Sunday- Monday, 5pm- 10pm, Wednesday – Thursday, 5pm– 10pm, Friday – Saturday 12pm – 3pm and 5pm-10.30pm
www.thaivalleyrestaurant.co.uk
Most of us can vouch for the quality of Thai food- but what about their desserts? Selkirk’s Thai Valley Restaurant offers several, but the best is the sweet banana roll (banana deep fried in pastry topped with chocolate sauce and vanilla ice-cream). The mains are excellent too.
13. Miss Ying Thai Food, Dingwall
16 Tulloch Street, Dingwall
01349 368612
Open Sunday 3pm-8pm, Tuesday- Thursday 12pm-9pm, Friday and Saturday 12pm-10pm
www.facebook.com/missyyingthaifood
This unassuming restaurant offers much better food than its exterior would suggest. It is pretty tiny inside -which adds to the atmosphere- and the minimal number of diners gives the chefs the chance to take their time and perfect their dishes. Lager and wine are available to order but you can bring your own booze for a corkage charge of £3.50.
14. The Tiki Bar and Kitsch Inn, Glasgow
Roman House, 214 Bath Street, Glasgow
0141 332 1341
Open every day, 11am-midnight
www.tikibarglasgow.com
Glaswegians might know this venue for its drinks, but if you head upstairs you will find a delightful Thai restaurant that serves up some of the best Asian food in the city. The Red Thai Curry is a highpoint, but thanks to the attached bar there is a vast list of cocktails to wash it down with, which are all served in funky glasses.
15. Phu Siam Restaurant & Takeaway, Shetland
Esplanade, Market Cross, Lerwick, Shetland
01595 694351
Open every day, 12pm-11pm
www.facebook.com/phusiamrestaurant
You could hardly get much more of a contrasting environment to the chaos and noise of Bangkok. But, despite being located in the isolated community of Shetland, Phu Siam serves Thai food as good as any that you could expect to get in Asia. The décor is modest but the food is anything but, and very reasonably priced as well.
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