13 Best Thai Restaurants in Pittsburgh in 2025

One of the top most well-loved international cuisines in America is Thai food.

Thai food has plenty of distinct flavors, from the saltiness of shrimp paste to the sourness of tamarind and the spiciness of chili peppers.

pad krapow moo saap at pittsburgh thai restaurants

It is no wonder that there are many Thai restaurants in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Each restaurant has its own type of atmosphere, or what we like to call the vibe.

And while some may serve more traditional meals and others may have a more creative approach, they all have supremely flavorful Thai dishes.

The following list features our favorite spots if you’re looking for the best Thai restaurants in Pittsburgh.

Nicky’s Thai Kitchen

Multiple locations
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Nicky’s Thai Kitchen has three separate locations in Pittsburgh, but go to the one on Penn Ave in the Downtown area.

You’ll love Nicky’s because it is a bright, cozy, and traditionally decorated Thai restaurant that makes the experience of eating Thai food all the more enjoyable.

It’s best known and loved for crab rangoon, which is stuffed with the most delicious, creamy filling you can imagine.

Also try their pineapple curry, green curry, steamed dumplings, and tom yam soup.

They serve Thai cocktails with more interesting flavor profiles than your average bar.

Smiling Banana Leaf

5901 Bryant St, Pittsburgh, PA 15206
Phone: 412-362-3200
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Smiling Banana Leaf is an unfussy, easygoing Thai restaurant near Highlight Park in the Highland Park Historic District.

One of the best aspects of Smiling Banana Leaf is that it’s a BYOB restaurant, which means they allow you to bring your own bottles of liquor, beer, or wine.

Try pairing your favorite red wine with their red curry, and not just because they are both red!

The spiciness of the curry goes swimmingly with the fruitiness of nice red wine.

The other dishes we recommend are the pad see ew, pumpkin curry, and mango tilapia.

End your meal with sweet mango sticky rice, and you won’t be disappointed.

Thai Me Up

118 S 23rd St, Pittsburgh, PA 15203
Phone: 412-488-8893
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Thai Me Up is a comically-named Thai eatery with a bustling, vibrant atmosphere to match.

This rustic-chic spot in South Side Flats, near ASCEND, is the perfect place to go for both traditional and modernized Thai fare.

You’ll love the inviting atmosphere, with colorful plants, friendly service, and cheerful guests.

But the best part of eating at Thai Me Up is, of course, the scrumptious food.

They have a lot of great eats like wonton soup, crab rangoon, spicy basil noodles, red curry, and, of course, pad thai.

We highly appreciate that they have both lemongrass soup and lemongrass ice cream!

Noodlehead

242 S Highland Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15206
Phone: 412-295-4580
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Noodlehead is what it sounds like — the perfect place to go for “noodle-heads” or extreme fans of Thai-style noodles!

This trendy, street-food-focused eatery located between Shadyside and East Liberty is a fantastic spot to dine in with a group of friends for several reasons.

One reason is that it’s BYOB, so you can split your favorite bottle with a cheap upcharge of just $1 per person.

The other reason is that there is such a huge variety of noodle dishes, so everyone can select something they love.

My favorite is the Chiang Mai curry noodles, as it has such intense and memorable flavors that I feel like I can still taste them just thinking about it.

But again, there is something for everyone, so head there and see what you can find. Just make sure to remember cash, because it’s cash only!

Pusadee’s Garden

5319 Butler St, Pittsburgh, PA 15201
Phone: 412-252-2683
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Pusadee’s Garden is a lovely, slightly upscale Thai eatery in the Central Lawrenceville area near Contemporary Craft.

It has a glass-enclosed area that makes it look and feel quite elegant, which is perfect for a date night, but offers moderately-priced food — perfect if you’re paying for the date!

I love the innovative approach Pusadee’s Garden brings to Thai fare.

You can get dishes like Elysian-Fields Farm lamb shank massaman curry, crispy garlic shrimp, and cumin beef.

Pusadee’s Garden is one of the best Thai restaurants in Pittsburgh to eat at in the summertime because the outdoor courtyard is even more lovely than the indoor seating and adds a memorable touch to the overall dining experience.

Spice Island Tea House

253 Atwood St, Pittsburgh, PA 15213
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If you’re looking for a spot that serves both Thai and Malaysian dishes, as well as other Southeast Asian cuisines, look no further than Spice Island Tea House.

It’s next to Oakland Avenue Farm in the West Oakland neighborhood.

I’m obsessed with all of the food at Spice Island because everything is cooked to perfection and seasoned so generously.

They have excellent Burmese pork curry, Indonesian (Java) fried rice, Chiang Mai noodles, and Vietnamese salad.

In addition to the eats, this relaxed restaurant also has a range of SE Asian beverages, including Thai tea, guava nectar, and coconut soda.

Thai Cottage

1109 S Braddock Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15218
Phone: 412-241-8424
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Thai Cottage is a homey, minimalist Thai and SE Asian eatery near Frick Park in Edgewood.

I enjoy eating in this warm, cozy dining area for lunch because they always have quick service that somehow doesn’t compromise the taste of the food.

Thai Cottage’s appetizers are some of my favorite menu items, so I try to bring along at least one or two friends so we can split several snacks, like the dumplings, wontons, or crab rangoon.

But if I go alone, I’ll usually order the yellow curry or the beef noodle soup. Both are so fragrant and delightful.

Senyai Thai Kitchen

5865 Ellsworth Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15232
Phone: 412-441-4141
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Sendai Thai Kitchen is in Shadyside on Ellsworth Avenue and is one of the best places to order Thai take-out in Pittsburgh.

Even though it’s a small spot, they have a very loyal following because the food is authentic and delicious.

I love their pad thai, summer rolls, eggplant stir fry, pad prik pao, and tom yum soup.

When I have enough time to sit and eat there, I greatly appreciate it because the fresh, modern, and airy atmosphere is very inviting.

Plus, it’s another BYOB place, so it’s fun to dine in with friends and have a good time.

Thai Cuisine

4627 Liberty Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15224
Phone: 412-688-9661
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Thai Cuisine is another cozy Thai restaurant located in Central Lawrenceville southwest of the park.

I usually order for delivery or pickup, although I appreciate eating in now and then because the staff is so friendly, polite, and inviting.

But the best aspect of Thai Cuisine is that the food is quite spicy, which is more challenging to get in Pittsburgh than, say, Thailand!

They ask you for a spice level between 1-10, and if you love spicy food like me, don’t be afraid to ask for a 10.

The spice is still quite flavorful, which is lovely.

Thai Cuisine is also a great spot for vegetarians, as they have plenty of veggie options to choose from.

Thai Gourmet

4505 Liberty Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15224
Phone: 412-681-4373
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Right next to Thai Cuisine in Lawrenceville is Thai Gourmet, which is in a slightly bigger building with more seating.

Thai Gourmet is a local favorite because it’s one of the most affordable Thai places in Pittsburgh, without compromising taste or quality.

I love their affordable lunch specials, which come with soup, a spring roll, and your choice of entree.

The entrees at Thai Gourmet come with white or brown rice, and you can choose from options like pad thai, yellow curry, green curry, massaman curry, and more.

I’ve never had a regrettable experience at Thai Gourmet, and I always leave feeling happy and full.

Pad Thai Noodle

4770 Liberty Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15224
Phone: 412-930-0977
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Like Thai Cuisine and Thai Gourmet, Pad Thai Noodle is another Thai restaurant on Liberty Avenue.

It’s arguably the smallest of all three, which I actually prefer sometimes when looking for a particularly cozy and intimate feel.

It’s family-owned, and you get that comfortable family feeling immediately upon arrival.

They have laksa, a coconut curry soup that is amazing, and all of the classic Thai favorites like pad thai, green curry, and tom yum noodle soup.

Little Bangkok in the Strip

1906 Penn Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15222
Phone: 412-586-4107
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Little Bangkok in the Strip is appropriately named because the industrial-style high ceilings and small dining area make you feel like you’re in an actual Bangkok eatery.

Little Bangkok, between Frank Curto Park and the Allegheny River, is a top spot to get “drunken noodles,” which are traditionally called pad kee mao.

I appreciate that they serve exceptionally large portions here, which makes it one of the best places to go with friends to share meals or if you simply want leftovers for the next day.

This spot serves some of the best-tasting and perfectly spicy Thai food in the strip district — all at an affordable price.