Austin, TXThai

Thai Fresh is a Bouldin-area Thai restaurant, market, and cooking school on West Mary Street. Chef Jam Sanitchat cooks curries, noodles, and stir-fries with a strong gluten-free and vegan lineup, and the market stocks Thai pantry staples plus house-made ice cream. A 2024 Austin Chronicle Thai readers'-poll honoree, it is a warm, community-minded spot as much a resource as a restaurant.

Madam Mam's is a long-running Thai restaurant near campus serving Tom Kha, Thai beef salad, and Pad Cha catfish from family recipes. The spice levels run honest and the menu is deep, a favorite of students and Thai-food regulars for years. A Chronicle Thai finalist, it stays the West Campus standard for a big, comforting bowl of noodles or curry.

Titaya's Thai Cuisine is a North Lamar mainstay with a broad menu and a longtime local following. Curries, pad see ew, and crispy-fish dishes come out generous and reliably good, and the room fills with regulars most nights. A Chronicle Thai finalist, it is the kind of neighborhood Thai spot Austinites name first when a friend asks where to go.

P Thai's is a dish-focused North Austin spot specializing in khao man gai, the Thai take on poached-chicken rice served with a punchy ginger-chili sauce. Noodle soups and a handful of other Thai standards round out a short, disciplined menu. A Chronicle Thai finalist, it is a small operation that rewards ordering the thing it is named for.

Sway is a modern Thai restaurant on South First with a serious cocktail program and a design-forward room. The kitchen updates curries, larb, and crispy-rice salads for shareable, contemporary plates while keeping the heat honest. A Chronicle Thai finalist, it is the dressed-up end of Austin Thai dining, a good pick when you want the cuisine with a full bar and a scene.