Hong Kong’s Thai restaurants include some of the most stylish institutions in the city — perfect for design-conscious gourmands — while others are tucked away down steamy alleyways reminiscent of street food dining in Bangkok. Whether you’re after authentic or the boundary breaking, menus typically feature four different types of dishes: tom (boiled), yam (spicy salads), tam (pounded foods) and gang (curries). And all combine the sweet, spicy and savoury. 

Mak Mak

Sister to Jia Group’s Chachawan, Mak Mak serves up well-loved Thai classics from a tucked away corner of the Landmark. Fitted to replicate the retro design of a 1960’s Bangkok shophouse, the restaurant transports the flavours of Central Thailand into its menu through a casual dining experience of authentic curries, noodles, soups, and wok-fried specialties. You can never go wrong with a bowl of khao soi chicken curry noodle soup, stir fried phad see eaw noodles or a helping of their pomelo salad. Mak Mak also carries an extensive vegetarian menu featuring quintessential Thai dishes like pad thai and spring rolls. But for those looking to simply scarf down some lunch with no time to revel in the aromatics of Thai cuisine, Mak Mak’s Grab & Go counter features a weekly rotating takeaway menu of delicious offerings. You’ll find dishes like grilled marinated chicken served with rice and a fried egg as well as a wok-fried crab omelette on the first rotation, and a spicy Thai grilled squid or stir-fried curry tofu with jasmine rice on the second. 

Landmark Atrium, Shop 217A 2/F, 15 Queen’s Road Central; makmak.hk

Plaa

Plaa offers a unique dining concept that injects elements of Thai cuisine into Western fine-dining. The refreshing interiors are reflective of Plaa’s focus on seafood; an ocean-inspired palette of coastal blues, pale pinks and pearly whites land on the furniture and walls of the restaurant, while subtle tiling, glossy marbles and light woods add texture to the space. As for the food, Thai chef Ian Kittchai and Hong Kong’s Richie Lin have come together to present a menu of contemporary reinventions of Thai dishes. Taking a snack originating from Northern Thailand, Plaa modernises the miang kham wrap with Japanese bonito and a delicate limestone water tartlet to replace the tea leaf vessels. Meanwhile, their take on a Massaman curry swaps out the standard braised meat for wagyu beef cheek. 

2/F, 8 Lyndhurst Terrace, Central; plaa.hk

Aaharn

Helmed by renowned chef David Thompson, Aaharn offers a world-class Thai dining experience from the heart of Central. Chef Thomspon has devoted his life to Thai cooking, with a handful of restaurants across the globe and three cookbooks under his belt, there’s no doubting the expertise behind the food at Aaharn. Taking up a spot at Tai Kwun’s Armoury Terrace, the restaurant showcases premium quality herbs and vegetables flown in from Thailand and hand-pressed coconut milk through sophisticated dishes that elevate the originals. Standouts include the crunchy rice cakes paired with a slow-coooked yellow bean, coconut, pork and prawn relish, as well as the spiciest curry on their menu, a beef curry with longleaf coriander, lemon basil and dill. The menus are often seasonal; a current fall offering includes the hot and sour soup with pippies (small saltwater clams), while a highlight from their summer menu was a stir fried squid dish cooked with onions and ginger, and doused in squid ink. 

1/F Armoury Building 02 Tai Kwun Centre, 10 Hollywood Road, Central; aaharn.hk

Apinara

Carrying the Tripadvisor Traveller’s Choice badge of honour this year, Apinara by Nara Thai Cuisine succeeds at recreating authentic Thai cuisines through an expansive menu of timeless selects. Yuki Khun, the Culinary mastermind behind Nara Thai Cuisine, is the name behind many of the restaurant’s most popular dishes. Strongly binded to her Thai roots yet carrying a vast global outlook due to an upbringing across various countries around the world, her creations fuse Thai traditions with Western influences. Top signatures at Apinara include a sashimi-grade prawn carpaccio paired with a spicy Thai dipping sauce, and a roasted yellow chicken stuffed with tom yum infused mushrooms.

Shop 205, Level 2, Pacific Place, 88 Queensway, Admiralty; narahk.com

Chachawan

At the energetic open-plan kitchen in this Sheung Wan staple come powerful plates inspired by Thailand’s north-east Isaan region. Old Thai movie posters, advertisements and classifieds adorn the walls, while beach bar stalls and tiled tables cram guests into the tiny spot. It’s a trendy space but dishes refuse to take a back seat with a balanced menu of sweet, sour, salt and spicy Thai flavours that includes som dtum goong — a fiery pounded green papaya salad with dried shrimp, crispy pork and a tamarind dressing – and whole salt-crusted sea bass stuffed with lemongrass, pandanas and lime leaf, with a chilli dipping sauce. Mixologists stir up strong drinks at the bar at the front of the restaurant.

206 Hollywood Road, Sheung Wan; chachawan.hk