Food Scene

Where to Find Must-Try Thai in Tempe

July 31, 2024

Spice up your life at these Tempe Thai restaurants

When it’s comes to Thai cuisine, it’s never a miss. There’s a favorite authentic dish for every mood, season, occasion and spice level. With these excellent family-owned and operated Thai restaurants serving up fresh and flavorful dishes in Tempe, Thai is always a good idea.

Authentic family recipes are a certainty, and all of our top restaurants deliver a perfect blend of hot, sour, sweet, salty and smidge of bitter. You’ll find variety of vegetarian dishes as well as gluten-free options at all of these gems, too. The richness is in the the unique touches each one puts on some of the most iconic dishes to distinguish theirs from the rest. No spoilers here though, you’ll have to take your tastebuds on this Thai journey to explore these delicious distinctions yourself.

Chanpen Thai Cuisine
2700 W. Baseline Road, Tempe, AZ 85283 | 602-438-4029

Chef Chanpen Ramonaitis has served up flavorful dishes across the Valley, most recently landing in an unassuming, word-of-mouth spot in Tempe. Chanpen Thai Cusine is home to all the favorites you’d expect — drunken noodles, pad see yew, a variety of curry offerings and, of course, pad Thai — and everything is made from scratch, including most of the sauces.  For presentation, you can’t beat the soups which arrive in the unmistakable hot pot. Try the Thai coconut soup, which is actually a hot and sour soup with coconut milk added. Exploratory diners should absolutely ask about the chef’s specials, which can range from crispy Thai pork ribs to Ka-Ree, a stuffed puff pastry.

Sala Thai Restaurant
1740 E. Broadway Road, #106, Tempe, AZ 85282 | 480-264-4287

For over two decades, Sala Thai has been offering an authentic taste of Thailand in the Valley of the Sun. In February 2024, this family of concepts expanded to Tempe. Here you can choose from a wide variety of delicious Thai dishes — soups, noodles, fried rice and curries — just like at the other two Greater Phoenix locations. Our advice, however, is to dive straight into the Tempe-exclusive street food section of the menu. Selections include kho mun gai (Thai chicken and rice), khao soi (yellow curry with chicken and egg noodles), khao moo dang (barbecue pork and rice) and Yumm Mama (the best instant ramen you’ll ever eat). Bonus: This location is open until midnight from Thursday to Saturday for all the late-night weekend foodies.

Smile Thai Cuisine
2107 S. Rural Road, Tempe, AZ 85282 | 480-894-5495

When you walk through the door of Smile Thai Cuisine, the fragrant aroma from the kitchen may capture your attention before fresh aesthetic does. The menu offers several options to choose from including some of the less-common curries — pineapple, mango, avocado, pumpkin, duck and Kao Soi (curry noodle) — which come highly recommended. There’s also a straightforward barbecue section on the menu, which outlines chicken, pork and grilled seafood (prawns, calamari, scallops, mussels and sole fish). Noodle and rice favorites are just as tantalizing … needless to say, we’re due for a return visit.

Thai Basil
Rural Road: 1111 S. Rural Road, Tempe, Arizona 85281 | 480-557-0101
University & Farmer: 403 W. University Drive, #101, Tempe, AZ 85281 | 480-968-9250

Thai Basil understood the assignment, which is taking iconic recipes and crafting a choose-your-own adventure style menu with them. Poring over the entrees, the first thing you’ll notice is that there are no protein indicators. Just the perfect combination of flavors, vegetables, rice/noodles and sauces — to which you choose to add chicken, pork, beef, veggies, tofu, shrimp, calamari, salmon, red snapper, scallops or duck as the star of the show. Don’t miss the tom kha (coconut soup), which is a savory compilation of coconut milk, galangal, kaffir lime leaves, lemon grass, roasted chili and mushrooms. The sweet and sour sautéed plate is also other worldly.

Tasty Thai Restaurant
510 W. Broadway Road, Tempe, AZ 85282 | 480-557-9999

Living up to its name since 2011, Tasty Thai offers a wide variety of iconic dishes, including authentic appetizers, fried rice, noodles and more curries than one person could ever try. So heed our advice and opt for the King of Thai Herbs Curry, a staff recommendation — and for good reason. This dish pairs your choice of protein simmered in a coconut milk, chili paste, spicy Thai herbs, onions, mushrooms and lime sauce with sliced cabbages and scallions. As far as other menu surprises, Thai money bags (ground chicken wrapped in a crispy spring roll bag served with Thai homemade sauce) are not something you see every day. What else sets this spot apart from is the late-night kitchen, which is open until 12:30 a.m. daily. If you’re arriving in Tempe after most places have wrapped up dinner service, add this restaurant to your must-try list.

Yupha’s Thai Kitchen
1805 E. Elliot Road, #115, Tempe, AZ 85284 | 480-839-0576

Owned and operated by chef Yupha Dequenne, a Thailand native who’s been recognized among the top 45 by “Best Chefs America.” So, be prepared to peruse this extensive menu for a bit. In fact, order a glass of the delightful Thai wine to enjoy while you ponder your decision. Yupha’s is known for some of the most unique vegetarian dishes, which means vibrant colors and bright flavors — so don’t be shy about the veggies. Depending on your palate, the Long Life Noodles (egg noodles stir-fried with a load of veggies) and the Evil Jungle Princess (red curry with perfectly simmered veggies, served over rice noodles), are both excellent choices. Alternatively, the Ped Gra Prow (crispy roast duck) and the Crying Tiger (grilled rib eye steak) and the Pla Lad Prik (crispy tilapia) are absolute winners as well.