8 Best Thai Restaurants in Oxford – Get Your Thai Food Fix

Looking for the best Thai restaurants in Oxford? Here’s our guide to all the best Thai spots for lip-smackingly authentic cuisine.

Thai food boasts a myriad of flavours: sweet, spicy and sometimes garlicky… but always delicious.

We’ve picked the best Thai restaurants in Oxford serving authentic Thai cuisine that are sure to fire up your taste buds. Think Pad Thai, banana leaf parcels, Massaman curries and slurpingly-good Tom Yum soups. 

Ready to explore the best Thai food in Oxford? Let’s go. 

Best Thai Restaurants in Oxford 

Chiang Mai Kitchen

It’s not exactly a secret that some of the best Thai food in Oxford is served at Chiang Mai Kitchen. It’s a sophisticated Thai restaurant comprising three wood-panelled dining rooms with white table cloths.

Food is fresh and authentic at Chiang Mai and every dish is cooked to order. The popular Oxford dining spot emulates Thai culture and dishes are made to share, so order as many dishes as there are people. 

Traditional Tom Yum soups or Kung Chup (deep fried prawns) are a good place to start. Working your way down to the mains you’ll find chicken, pork, beef and seafood dishes as well as curries –  we promise that the Massaman Beef Curry is the best thing you’ll ever taste. 

Angrid Thai Canteen

Angrid Thai Canteen on George Street is a casual Thai eatery that’s big on flavours. It’s a no-thrills kind of place in terms of decor… But you came here for the food. And boy, does it deliver.

The menu here is extensive and includes every kind of Thai curry your hungry belly desires. 

Standout dishes include the selections of squid served with chilli, garlic or fiery chilli oil. 

A word of warning – most of the options on Angrid Thai Canteen’s menu are hella spicy. In particular, the spicy duck in red bean paste and beef chilli oil with lemongrass will blow your head off. 

Though there are a couple of mild options for those who cannot stand the heat but don’t want to get out of the kitchen. 

Old Tom Pub

Old Tom Pub is a Thai restaurant disguised as a pub – we’re not quite sure why but we love it nonetheless. Combining all the charm of a British pub married with the very best Thai cuisine, a meal at this Oxford Thai restaurant is an interesting experience. 

To accompany your pints, there’s the Kap Klaem, Thai style tapas with salt and pepper calamari and deep fried Thai chicken wings to chow down on. 

There are plenty of Thai classics like Crab Meat Fried Rice on the main menu, as well as every type of Thai curry you could think of. 

Busaba

In central Oxford on George Street you’ll find Busaba, a Thai restaurant serving delicious Bangkok cuisine. 

This Thai restaurant in Oxford is a moody dining spot, where ambient lighting sets the scene. 

That said, there’s nothing pretentious about Busaba – banquette style tables have vibrant green and yellow velvet chairs and there’s stalls to eat barside, just like you would in a busy Thailand restaurant. 

An extensive small plates menu features calamari and traditional pandan chicken and from the sizzling wok there’s black pepper beef and crispy duck noodles with chilli jam. 

Giggling Squid

If you’re looking for a laid-back Oxford Thai restaurant, look no further than Giggling Squid. It might not be the most authentic, but for those nervous of venturing too far East, this Walton Street restaurant is perfect.

We can’t stop thinking about the Hake Feast Bowl steeped in Thai spices and the Turmeric Seabass Parcel cooked in banana leaf and marinated in spices. Though, the Lamb Shank Massaman Curry is a heaping bowl of rich and coconutty goodness. 

Bangkok House

You’ll find Bangkok House just a short walk from Oxford train station – so make it your first stop in the city. 

It’s one of the best Thai restaurants in Oxford for both its food and design. Housed inside an old barn with wood-panelled roof, it spices up a traditional barn with authentic Thai cuisine. 

On Bangkok House’s chef recommendation menu is the slow cooked rich and smooth Beef Panang Curry and the stir-fried Crispy Pork Belly with fresh chilli and basil. 

There’s an opportunity to sample dishes that commonly can only be found in Thailand from the special Thai menu. 

Local dishes like the Laab Ped (grilled shredded duck breast mixed in chilli and Thai spices and dressed in a lime dressing) and Kor Moo Yang – grilled marinated pork collar in Thai style flavours are all served here. It doesn’t get more authentic than that. 

Sasi’s Thai

Head to Oxford’s Covered Market and grab yourself some authentic Thai food from Sasi’s Thai, an unpretentious eatery with impressive flavours.

This traditional Thai eatery has tables inside or out, just like you would find in Thailand. This spot is great for dining in or for snagging a quick takeaway snack whilst exploring the market.

There’s always a selection of daily specials on the board outside, including Thai Green Curry, Crispy Pork with Basil and Chicken Cashew. Get your special with rice and a selection of crispy spring rolls. Yum.

Thaikhun

A short walk away from Ashmolean Museum, Thaikhun is a large but friendly restaurant that’s like stepping into a true authentic Thai joint.

The vibrant space is filled with warm lighting and colourful bric a brac hand-selected from Thailand – mostly wood restaurant spans two floors. 

Serving classic Thai street food dishes like Pad Thai and the fiery Chilli and Cashew Nuts, Thai beers are also on the menu at Thaikhun – Leo and Singha are firm Thai favourites.  

Practical Tips for Dipping into Thai Food in Oxford 

• For the spice heads out there, fiery chilli oil squid, Laab Ped and chilli cashew nuts should be your go-tos. All are delicious (and bringing just the right amount of mouth-blowing heat.
• If you only try one Thai dish let it be Massamam Curry, be it beef or lamb– both hit the spot.

Thai Restaurants in Oxford: Map