How Atlanta Fell For Thai Cuisine, in Nine Restaurants

Open continuously since 1977, Bangkok Thai in Ainsley Square is as longstanding of an in-town spot as Johnny’s Hideaway and nearly as old as Nino’s Italian Restaurant in Morningside. In fact, it’s old enough to still have free parking.

But though it was one of the first Thai restaurants in Atlanta, it doesn’t read as dated. Chef Pattie Lawlertratana (whose modern aesthetic is best illustrated by her fine dining spot Snap Thai Fish House) made sure of it when she took it over nearly a decade ago. While it’s modern with traditional storefront elements, it retains its unfussy, accessible, affordable soul. There’s a sweeter verve to the food and drink here that helps provide a great entry point to Thai food, where you can get a glass of Thai iced tea, a textbook pad thai where you don’t have to choose between chicken or shrimp, and pad see ew with American broccoli. Then, graduate to duck and white fish or get fancy with whole fried red snapper and lobster pad thai.

There are also unique nods to Atlanta and the U.S. on the menu, too: lemon pepper wings with sweet chile; “American Fried Rice” with ketchup, fried chicken, ham, sausage, and raisins; surimi-laced crab Rangoon-like fried spring rolls. Because while tradition is always valued, these cheeky acknowledgements of Western flavors make Bangkok Thai a great representation of how, ultimately, Thai chefs aim to integrate into – and delight – the communities they choose to call home.

For over 20 years now, this Roswell gem has been serving Thai as we know it. There are white linens on the tables (even on the patio) surrounded by straight-backed chairs, statuettes of Buddhist deities, and carved artwork in dark woods adorning butter yellow walls. It’s homey and comfortable, with friendly service to match. The menu is filled with familiar dishes including dishes of mixed or blended origin – a perfect snapshot of quintessential Thai dining in America.

Start with traditional salads with ginger or peanut dressing, greens with pork, chicken larb, or sliced steak. Continue your green streak with stir fries where the veggie and sauce combination is prescribed but the protein is your choice. You’ll see all four major curries, pad thai, pad see ew, pad kee mao, and woon sen, plus fried rice three ways. Grouper, fried whole snapper, rack of lamb, and duck round out the fancier options, but you’ll want to end with a taste of nostalgia. Old-school delights like fried bananas and flaming fried ice cream don’t truly get old, and classic Thai desserts like mango sticky rice are popular for good reason.

From being a part of the ATL pop-up scene at its peak to reaching breaking into the national consciousness in 2018 with witty takes on Thai flavors, James Beard Award multi-nominates Parnass Savang and Rod Lassiter have been breaking ground from day one. And they’re showing no signs of stopping. Their “punk little brother” concept, industry bar Some Luck, is on its way, but rest assured, no focus has been pulled from its classy, romantic sister Talat. Here, local produce continues to shine on a menu that changes daily depending on haul and mood.

From the open kitchen, framed out with elegant dining room trim in lush dark teal, come dishes like smoked trout fritters, laap spiced peanuts, brothy soups, venison jerky, and curries made with house-pressed coconut milk. Staples like the now legendary Crispy Rice Salad with radish, squash, red chile jam, and peanuts are ordered obsessively, and Atlantans tune in for the daily oyster prep, which come raw or embellished with globetrotting ingredients like ramen broth, or feta and boquerones.

At Talat, the most important thing is to order outside of the box for maximum surprise and delight. Don’t be afraid of specials like a Jell-o and fruit salad that also features mint, shallot, fish sauce, pecans, and cashews. After all, taking risks is what got them there and keeps that ten-seat bar and those coveted tables permanently in high demand.

In years past, Asian fusion has been a catch-all buzzword to encapsulate a mish-mash of East and Southeast Asian ingredients, but often, the Thai element can get lost. Not here.

Fresh off a redesign, the revamped dining room boasts a bright, modern interior that offers hidden nooks revealing romantic rows of tables, a discreet sushi bar, and breezy drapes that float opposite gorgeous fish-shaped lighting fixtures. So far, so dreamy. Drop into an ivory banquette for a multi-course meal that reads like a journey from Japan to Thailand.

Start with lightly torched aburi nigiri like tuna with truffle ponzu and garlic aioli, or mango salad with Makrut lime leaf and Thai tajin, before moving on to the drama of a pad thai topped with a whole fried lobster tail, chargrilled shrimp, and egg crepe blanket. The restaurant also excels at curries, with a decadent Panang curry with braised short rib a standout.

Then there are Thai American inventions, such as a spaghetti, brown butter, mushroom, and Pecorino dish made with Thai basil pesto, or the Siam Sea, a Cajun seafood boil with the twists of Thai herbs and jasmine rice. What ties them back together is gorgeous plating and a bouquet of Thai flavors.

The first to present regional Isan cuisine to the city in a bold, unapologetic fashion, Tum Pok Pok gave Buford Highway another strong argument as the original food adventure corridor of Atlanta when it opened in 2021. It takes its name from the sound of a chiles being broken down for somtum in a mortar and, coincidentally, the nicknames the husband-and-wife team have for one another.

Both provide insight into the culture of northeastern Thailand, where small plates and family-style dining are common and spice is life. The cuisine is less sweet than other regions, with herbal flavors in abundance. Housemade sour sausage, imported curry pastes so spicy they require their own dedicated refrigerators, Laotian influences such as larb, and super-hot versions of papaya and other salads are major draws to the regional side of the menu. Meanwhile, a Very Thai section offers pleasant walkabout snacks like grilled pork balls and curry puffs or familiar noodles and stir fries. While there are milder options, make no mistake – Tum Pok Pok makes no concessions to Western palates, and the restaurant kicked off the movement for regional Thai cuisine that Atlanta’s embracing now.

Pro tip: Go with a group and order the Tum Tark Pok Pok to get acquainted with a range of Isan dishes. This extravagant spread centers somtum, but makes it a sampler of textures and flavors with accompaniments that range from pork rinds, boiled eggs, grilled meats, sausages, and pickled and fresh vegetables with sticky rice. Wash it down with tea or Thai beer.

The rank of Phaya is a historical one tied to nobility in Thailand, and it’s the virtuous way of living associated with it that Paya Thai references in its name. It lives up to these aspirations through action, recently donating a percentage of their proceeds on their recent one-year anniversary to Buddhist temples in Thailand as a way to share their blessings.

In a space that’s surprisingly airy and sunlit for its tucked away location, tastefully curated artwork and floral arrangements gently lit by natural fiber-type pendants give the restaurant a lofty art gallery feel. Camel leather banquettes surrounded by sage ombre walls and brick-lined covered patio dining are inviting, but plates stacked tall are exciting, especially for those who eat first with their eyes. Try appetizers like pad thai wings, papaya salad two ways (including a variant with crabs), and duck bites. The kitchen’s Massaman curry is punctuated by whole roasted cashews, while swirly Panang and yellow curry are also remarkable. The Thai tea crème brûlée is a classic to finish with, but don’t miss the coconut cake, a mashup of Southern and Thai flavors and execution.

In-town, the duo behind Tum Pok Pok went more contemporary Atlantan for their 2023 endeavor. Pink glowing lights under the bar, neon script against a wall of tropical foliage, and florals festooning the front door and draped from the ceiling provide a strong sense of “here” and “now” that speaks to our city’s scene. Outside, a patio with turf and tables with real chairs reinforces a sense of place, as does the unserious, fun-first ambiance that features live entertainment on the weekends.

But the menu is straight Thai classics meant to go with sweet drinks that match the ambience, such as lychee ‘tinis and the Royal Emerald with Pucker sour apple and pineapple. Match that with snackable spring rolls, creamy curries, saucy noodles, and stir fries. Or do it with a trendy twist – try Thai tacos, pad see ew (with crispy chicken for a change), or the Andaman Sea for two, a tom yum fried rice packed with prawns, octopus, and mussels that’s reminiscent of a Thai paella.

An ode to Lakshmi, goddess of prosperity, beauty, and abundance, Pink Lotus in the Stockyards is a contemporary, heartfelt thank you card to mark a journey that has led sisters Niki and Tanya Pattharakositkul to become the most prolific Thai restaurateurs in Atlanta. A spectacular, oversized bar is set opposite a stunning mural of the goddess, where a main dining area, framed on geometric tile and upholstered with hot pinks, concentrates the buzz under giant paper lamps.

This bold design isn’t the only way the duo has departed from their core restaurants in their popular 26 Thai group. Pink Lotus was conceived as a mindful entrance into a new era of Thai food in Atlanta when it opened in 2025 and became an instant hit, with an Alpharetta sequel already greenlit for 2026. The female-led kitchen focuses on providing snapshots of Thailand’s major culinary regions with lesser-known dishes served family style, or well-known flavors presented in new ways. Salad with fried kale and ground chicken, Isan-style beef tartare in a smoked-out dome, and Massaman curry in a dainty fried puff are examples of the kitchen’s creativity and culinary flair. Meanwhile, a cocktail lineup by Sean Gleason features housemade infusions, clarifications, and ingredients like curry, pandan, lychee, Thai basil and more, offering a drinks program as ambitious as its kitchen counterpart.

In this historic space in Roswell Square, under the watchful eye of a Thai temple-style painted tiger by local artist Yokiz, first-time restaurateurs Birdie Niyomkun, Phudith Pattharakositkul, and Candi Lee have created the kind of Thai restaurant they’d always wished for – one that served the food they craved when pulling an all-nighter in Bangkok’s legendary nightlife scene, plus a spacious patio that further embraces the convivial, stay up and stay out vibe.

The trio started with family recipes and dishes they shared fond memories of with friends. They ended with powerhouse chefs Ao Ngammuang and Belle Preedawan in place, and a menu full of hearty, bold gab-glaam (drinking food) and gab-kao communal-style supper dishes. Don’t expect “standard” or “typical” here, but do expect a bold menu that’s confident enough to omit pad thai (though it’s referenced in one of the bar’s cocktails) and to create well-thought-out dishes with local touches and personal influences from Laos, China, or even the Northeast, such as Old Bay seasoning in the she-crab fried rice.

Other dishes you’ll find only at Tipsy Thaiger: heirloom tomato-accented laab beef tartare, chicken curry with pumpkin and chayote, tom kha crème brûlée with makrut lime coconut foam, and Thai Tea Toast, a plush, crispy infused brioche slice served with coconut ice cream and peanut inspired by the common street food. After that, party down at this cocktail-forward concept with drinks like a green curry sour, mango sticky rice cocktail, and an old fashioned with roasted rice, or a glass of organic or low-intervention wine.