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Start a Top 5 for ThaiEditor’s picks
Press picks, until locals rank their own Top 5s. Sourced from the local food press. As seen in Nashville Scene, The Infatuation, and Nashville Lifestyles. Updated September 2026.
The Smiling Elephant · Melrose
The Smiling Elephant is a small Thai restaurant on Eighth Avenue with cooking rooted in family recipes. Its pad thai leans on bright flavor, and the kitchen brings assertive heat to dishes such as green curry and lettuce wraps when diners want it.
Degthaistreetfood · Nolensville Pike
Degthai began as a food truck in 2011 before moving into a Nolensville Pike dining room. The semi-open kitchen works over cast-iron woks, turning out fiery Thai dishes at a quick pace even when the lunch line grows.
International Market · Belmont
A 50-year-old Belmont institution reborn as International Market 2.0 under the founders' children, pairing original steam-table lunch specials with an evolved dinner menu. It holds a Thai Select award and was a 2024 James Beard semifinalist.
Thai Esane Midtown
Thai Esane brings Thai-Isan and Lao flavors to Midtown, with chicken larb, papaya salad and dry sukiyaki among its dishes. The kitchen is willing to turn up the heat, so it suits diners who want clearly spicy food.