15 Best Restaurants in California, USA

In L.A.'s very crowded field of acclaimed Thai restaurants, Anajak has gotten a lion's share of the attention since former Disney art director Justin Pichetrungsi took over his family's decades-old establishment. The now James Beard Award winner kept the funky interior and menu signatures like fried chicken, various curries, and his mom's mango coconut rice dessert while also increasing ingredient quality, pushing the boundaries of Southeast Asian flavors, and improving the wine list with natural wines. His pandemic fix for closed dining rooms, cooking and plating gourmet fusion tacos in the alley, was such a hit that Thai Taco Tuesdays has stuck around years later and still has a line down the block.

The chefs behind this open-kitchen storefront eatery have mastered the art of fusing northern Thai and Northern California techniques without sacrificing authenticity. Hits such as whole fried chili-pepper fish, green papaya salad, and curry-marinated duck breast captivate even before the first bite with their fragrant aromas, colorful presentation, and obviously fresh locally cultivated ingredients.

Casual eaters of Americanized Thai food probably won’t recognize much at this modern, Michelin-star restaurant, but travelers to Thailand will likely see a few familiar items on the short, focused menu. Ingredients are sourced—more accurately, tracked down with dedication—from regional purveyors to create a range of powerful, unique dishes ranging from a mushroom curry mousse with crispy rice cakes to spicy charred squid.

There are a lot of Thai restaurants in Los Angeles, but none have quite reached the level of cult status of Night + Market Song. Its flavorful (and properly spicy) Thai dishes are practically mandatory when you’re in the neighborhood. Tucked between a free clinic, a small clothing store, and a tax office, this second rendition of chef Kris Yenbamroong’s popular WeHo restaurant is hard to miss with its pink exterior.

Northern Thailand–born chef-owner Lalita Souksamlane decorated her Wine Country restaurant with the same upscale flair—Thai wall ornaments, ornate wallpaper, cushy leatherette chairs, quartz tables adorned with roses—as her longtime San Francisco flagship. The decor signals that in their delicacy and finesse, her aromatic entrées (some garnished with orchid buds) are on par with similarly bedecked fine-dining establishments.

Tucked along the restaurant row of Caledonia Street, Arawan Thai is a noteworthy destination for some of the tastiest Thai dishes in Marin County. The elegant and cozy interior lends an intimate quality to this wonderful locals' favorite known for its generous variety of  soups, salads, and grilled specialties, along with shareable dishes, such as spicy angel wings (stuffed chicken wings) and prawn and cream cheese puffs. There's a wide selection of local and regional wines, and traditional beverages like Thai iced tea and iced coffee are not to be missed.

Bahn Thai has been a local's favorite since 2011, thanks to their reasonably priced and consistently tasty Thai favorites like different noodles, stir frys, curries, and soups. Due to very limited seating, takeout is best.

Los Angeles is known for wonderful hole-in-the-wall eateries tucked inside tiny strip malls, and family-owned Jitlada is Exhibit A, specializing in delicious, spicy, southern Thai dishes. Consider this experience a dive deep into Thai cuisine made with the freshest ingredients. If the colorful yet low-key dining area doesn’t astound you, then the menu with more than 300 options just might.

Try something beyond the same old pad thai at this authentic Thai standby. Thai herb sausage and papaya salad with salted egg are good appetizers to share, while the pork belly with crispy rind and basil leaves and duck larb (meat salad) come packed with flavor and heat. The food is such a hit that the restaurant has two other spots in the Mission and Hayes Valley. It's a favorite for late-night dining.

Fantastic flavors and gracious owners have earned this humble roadside restaurant with river-stone columns, pine-paneled walls and ceilings, and Thai statues and ornamentation the loyalty of Tahoe residents and regular visitors. The aromatic dishes include crab pad Thai, basil lamb, sizzling shrimp, and numerous curries.

Outdoor tables on a narrow sidewalk and inexpensive prices make this a standout. The simple menu by Bangkok-born chef-owner Su-Mei Yu has noodle soups; stir-fried noodles with chicken, beef, pork, or shrimp; and a couple of uncommon Vietnamese and Thai-Indian noodle dishes bathed with aromatic sauces.

With pierced, steel-paneled walls covered with fanciful designs, this tucked-away, twin-concept Thai palace has an extensive menu that varies a bit between the two neighboring locations; compare the menus before settling on a location. Next door to the indoor Saladang proper, Saladang Garden offers an outdoor dining space that's also used for special events. You'll find all the SE Asian favorites, including satays, curries, and pad Thai. But also consider the restaurants' other specialties, like Saladang Garden's Thai omelet with ground chicken or the fried taro rolls served with a cucumber salad. Be sure to save room for the mango with sweet sticky rice for dessert. 

Just a skip away from the Silver Lake Reservoir, the Silver Lake House is a perfect stop for a hearty Thai lunch before embarking on a hike, walk, or a run with the dogs. Their lunch specials boast some of the best deals around, arriving with a veggie spring roll and your choice of soup or salad.

Zab Linda may be a bit out of the way and lacking in atmosphere, but the northeastern Thai dishes featured on the menu—noodles, curry, and the spicy larb (think meat salad), which comes with pork, chicken, beef, catfish, or duck—make the trip worth it. Pick your spicy level, from 1 to 10 to add extra heat to your dish. After house favorites like drunken noodles, nam tok (beef salad), or tom kha gai (coconut soup), cool your palate with sweet rice with mango.

Aromatic pan-Asian spices, healthful ingredients, and inventive cocktails have made this arts-district eatery a local fave. Chef Preeda Piamfa, who hails from Thailand's east coast, focuses on Thai cuisine, including traditional curries, soups, and noodles (try the drunken noodles with duck), but he also prepares dishes from Japan, Singapore, and Vietnam. Preeda even puts an Asian twist on American standards. Case in point: the citrus-marinated rib-eye steak, served with carrot fried rice and steamed vegetables and topped with tamarind sauce.