How Thai menus are organized
Most Thai restaurant menus group dishes by cooking style. The sections you will see most often:
- Stir-fries (ผัด, phat) — the largest section on most menus. Pad thai, pad see ew, pad kra pao (basil stir-fry) all live here. You choose the protein and sometimes the noodle or base.
- Curries (แกง, kaeng) — coconut milk curries in multiple colors plus the drier, more intense panaeng. Served with steamed jasmine rice.
- Soups (ต้ม, tom) — tom yum (spicy and sour broth with lemongrass), tom kha (coconut milk with galangal), and variations.
- Salads (ยำ, yam) — Thai salads are punchy and spicy. Som tam (green papaya salad), yam nua (beef salad), and larb (minced meat salad with herbs and toasted rice) all belong here.
- Rice dishes (ข้าว, khao) — fried rice (khao phat) with various proteins, and sometimes congee (khao tom).
- Noodle soups (ก๋วยเตี๋ยว, kuaytiaw) — noodles in broth, usually a separate section from stir-fried noodles.
Thai curry types explained
Green curry (แกงเขียวหวาน)
Fresh green chilies make this the most aromatic Thai curry. It uses coconut milk, Thai basil, and kaffir lime leaves. Despite the name, green curry is often quite spicy. See the green curry guide.
Red curry (แกงเผ็ด)
Dried red chilies give this curry its color and a deeper, earthier flavor than green. Red curry paste includes shrimp paste, lemongrass, and galangal. A reliable choice for those who enjoy spice but prefer slightly more complexity than heat.
Massaman curry (แกงมัสมั่น)
The mildest Thai curry and one of the most complex. Influenced by Persian and Indian spices: cardamom, cinnamon, and cloves alongside the standard Thai aromatics. Usually made with beef or chicken and potatoes. Deeply savory rather than spicy.
Tom kha gai (ต้มข่าไก่)
Chicken in a coconut milk broth with galangal, lemongrass, and kaffir lime leaves. Milder and creamier than tom yum. The galangal gives it a distinctive piney warmth. See the full tom kha gai guide.
Pad thai (ผัดไทย)
The global ambassador of Thai noodles. Rice noodles in a tamarind-fish sauce-palm sugar base, with egg, bean sprouts, and your choice of protein. Arrive with a condiment tray and adjust the flavor yourself. See the pad thai guide.
Pad see ew (ผัดซีอิ๊ว)
Wide flat rice noodles in dark soy sauce with egg and Chinese broccoli. Smokier and richer than pad thai. The wok char (breath of the wok) on a good pad see ew is a highlight. See the pad see ew guide.
Spice levels on Thai menus
Thai food has genuine spice, and "Thai spicy" at a local restaurant in Thailand can be much hotter than the same description abroad. At restaurants outside Thailand, the spice is usually calibrated for a broader audience.
Many menus use a chili pepper symbol scale (one to three or five). A single pepper is mild; three or more means the dish is genuinely spicy. At Thai restaurants in Thailand, telling staff "mai pet" (ไม่เผ็ด) means not spicy. "Pet nit noi" (เผ็ดนิดหน่อย) means just a little spicy.
Even at zero spice, Thai food has enormous flavor from lemongrass, galangal, kaffir lime, and fish sauce. The spice is an addition, not the foundation.
Thai menu vocabulary worth knowing
- Pad / Phat (ผัด) — stir-fried
- Tom (ต้ม) — boiled or simmered (as in soups)
- Yam (ยำ) — spicy salad
- Kaeng (แกง) — curry
- Khao (ข้าว) — rice
- Kai (ไก่) — chicken
- Mu (หมู) — pork
- Nua (เนื้อ) — beef
- Pla (ปลา) — fish
- Tofu (เต้าหู้) — tofu (always available as a protein swap at most Thai restaurants)
Use ChefBear to get dish recommendations based on your taste preferences, or browse related guides at what to order.
FAQ
What is the difference between Thai green, red, and yellow curry?
Green curry uses fresh green chilies and is the most aromatic. Red curry uses dried red chilies and is richer. Yellow curry uses turmeric and dried spices for a milder, more warming flavor. All three use coconut milk as the base.
What does pad thai actually contain?
Pad thai is rice noodles stir-fried with eggs, bean sprouts, and green onions in a sauce of tamarind paste, fish sauce, and palm sugar. It arrives with a condiment tray of peanuts, dried chili, sugar, and fish sauce that you use to adjust the flavor yourself.
How do I order Thai food at a mild spice level?
Tell your server "not spicy" or "mild." In Thailand, "mai pet" means no spice. Even mild Thai food is very flavorful — the spice is separate from the aromatics of lemongrass, galangal, and kaffir lime.
What is tom kha gai?
Tom kha gai is chicken and coconut milk soup with galangal, lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, and mushrooms. Milder than tom yum but deeply aromatic. One of the most approachable Thai soups.
What is the difference between pad thai and pad see ew?
Pad thai uses thin rice noodles with a tamarind-based tangy-sweet sauce. Pad see ew uses wide flat rice noodles with dark soy sauce for a richer, smokier flavor. Both are stir-fried but taste quite different.
Get beyond pad thai at your next Thai meal.
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