[Hai Lights] 7 New Places To Satisfy Your Thai Cravings Part 2

When it comes to Thai cuisine, Shanghai is full of classic takes on the Land of Smiles' favorite fare. These menus feature the likes of pad thai, green papaya salad, tom yum soup, coconut milk-laden curries, and mango sticky rice – at times tempered for local tastes. Thai food is abundant in Shanghai.

So much so that one year later, we're doing a Part 2 for all the noteworthy new Thai places in town. In case you missed Part 1, you can read it here.

Cheaper than a flight ticket to the islands, and riding on our previous rundown of Thai eats around Shanghai, we've rounded up a handful of new Thai spots around town, ideal for when the vacation craving is high but the number of remaining holidays is low.

1) Akanee Thai Izakaya

Akanee Thai Izakaya is a contemporary Bangkok brasserie that opened a few months back on Yuyuan Rd, with an emphasis on grilled and smoked mains.

Akanee Thai Izakaya is a contemporary Bangkok brasserie that opened a few months back on Yuyuan Rd, with an emphasis on grilled and smoked mains. Rather than traditional Thai eats, diners enjoy riffs on regional plates, like beef tongue jerky with Thai spices, larb pork balls, pad Thai with orecchiette rather than flat rice noodles, and Thai tea flan, among so much more. The cozy yet stylish space features vaulted wooden ceilings, a brick façade, and greenery abounds, plus ample wine-stacked shelves.

Beginning with the best of the best, the Tom Yum Goong (88 yuan) tastes like the epitome of Thailand. While it does lean creamier, said richness is tempered by punchy sour, spicy, and seafood notes, as the pot is brimming with prawns, oyster mushrooms, lime, and fresh herbs.

The Stir-Fried Spicy Squid (98 yuan/2 pieces) packs some major heat, doused in a fiery chopped yellow chili and fried garlic sauce. The squid itself is bouncy and fresh, expertly cooked. Similarly, the Grilled Giant River Prawn (58 yuan/2 pieces) is equally high in quality, kissed by grill heat and slathered in the chef's signature shrimp spread. Although it's paired with tom yum and Thai chili dipping sauce, the succulent meat is so sweet that it doesn't need it.

Pugliese orecchiette – little pasta "ears" – is not what one expects to find on a Thai menu, but it somehow works as the Pad Thai Orecchiette Pugliesi (58 yuan), which captures the essence of streetside pad Thai, just with an alternate carb. The al dente pasta shells soak up the fish sauce, oyster sauce, palm sugar, and tamarind components that make pad Thai what it is, as if these little pasta ears were made for it.

A must-order, and at a deal of a price, the Kaphrao Beef Rice (42 yuan) is a base of spiced minced beef tossed with holy basil, firm rice kernels, and a flawlessly fried egg with the essential runny yolk that brings it all together. It's peppery, pungent, and boasts depth and fragrance from the high-heat stir-fry.

Firm-fleshed grass carp is smothered in an aromatic paste of lemongrass, cilantro, coriander seeds, turmeric, galangal, garlic, dried chili peppers, and kaffir lime leaves – a blend that represents what Thai cooking is all about – as the Chili and Ginger Fish (138 yuan). The fish itself is recognized for having a "crunchy" texture that doesn't fall apart when cooking.

Don't skip the desserts, from the trembly Thai Tea Pudding with Salty Cheese Cream (48 yuan) with its burnt caramel aroma to the Thai-style Coconut Gelato (48 yuan), icy and refreshing, surrounded by jackfruit and cassava jelly dragon fruit balls, both are a delectable way to round out this winner of a meal.

Akanee, 1293 Yuyuan Lu, 愚园路1293弄

2) ChaTraMue

From the brand that has been a representation of Thailand for over a century, ChaTraMue is the first Thai tea manufacturer bringing a true taste of Thai tea around the globe. With three locations in Shanghai, dozens more across Asia, and 50 outposts around the world, this brand is synonymous with that milky sweet drink so near and dear to every Thai's heart.

In Shanghai, there are more than 40 drinks on offer, from classic Thai tea to green milk tea to lemon tea and coffee, including seasonal specialties such as yuzu green tea, Assam milk tea with brown sugar, and coconut whipped Thai milk tea.

Perfect for summer, there is also Thai Tea Soft Serve (16 yuan) available in two flavors: original milk tea and green milk tea. Demurely sweetened, the ice cream is silky with hints of vanilla, Assam, and spices. While the green tea definitely carries a higher sugar content, the robust, bitter Thai tea flavor balances said sweetness for the best edible midday pick-me-up.

ChaTraMue, LG1-15, CP Jing'an, 68 Yuyuan Rd 愚园路68号CP静安LG1-15

3) Ethai Café

Contemporary Thai establishment Ethai Café offers a fresh take on Thai cuisine, with Malaysian and Vietnamese bites sprinkled throughout.

The streamlined menu offers an ample spread of the usual suspects – papaya salad, tom yum, spring rolls, and more – plus some surprising twists, like the Chicken Massaman Curry Bread Bowl (88 yuan), a creamy coconut, lightly spiced curry simmered with potatoes and boneless chicken, ladled over a plush, hollowed-out bread bowl. It's as if Panera served a curry bowl – an unexpected fusion that we can really get behind.

While rice is the more accepted way to go about it, there is something oddly satisfying in how the pillowy bread soaks up the flavor-packed curry like a sponge. Despite the sweetness, a nip of heat in the finish keeps us coming back for more.

But the showstopper here is the Tom Yum (38 yuan/300 grams, 98 yuan/1,200 grams), the most authentic rendition of tom yum Shanghai has to offer. It's sour, spicy, bold, and the ultimate balance of creamy yet light. Each bowl comes with prawns, squid rings, and – surprisingly – abalone, plus the conventional mushrooms, lemongrass, fresh herbs, and tomatoes.

An equally viable contender, the Papaya Salad (48 yuab) hits all the right notes: crunchy green papaya and carrot shreds, fish sauce, peanuts, lime, palm sugar and herbs. It's light, bright, and just right. Make sure to ask for extra spicy if you're craving actual Thai street cart-level heat.

For dessert, if you daka (check in) on your Dianping app, you will receive a free Coconut Cream, Sago and Taro Pudding (8 yuan), exactly like it tastes at your favorite Bangkok night market.

Ethai, 1000 Trees, L5F-07, 600 Moganshan Rd 莫干山路600号大洋晶典天安千树L5F-07单元

4) Khiri Thai Tea

Shanghai's newest wanghong Thai tea and dessert shop, Khiri Thai Tea, deserves all the hype and then some. With a menu chock-full of creative Thai-inspired bevvies and confections – like Thai Milk Tea Slush (26 yuan) with cheese cream and coconut crispy rolls, Thai Milk Tea topped with Black Sesame Cream (26 yuan), Thai Tea Dirty (22 yuan) with a shot of espresso, and Thai Tea Egg Tarts (16 yuan) – it's no shocker that we've been back several times in the span of just a week.

In addition to stellar sugar-packed sippers and sweet treats, one of the most underrated menu items, in our humble opinion, is the Toasted Bread Thai Milk Ice Cream Toffee (29 yuan), a decadent ice cream sandwich of sorts in a serving size befitting a family of four.

This behemoth sees a monster-size scoop of dense Thai tea-flavored ice cream sandwiched between two toasted brioche buns, drizzled with sticky toffee sauce, and sprinkled with coconut flakes. The bread itself is modestly sweetened and feathery, with a welcome toasted crunch. It remains structurally sound yet soaks up some of the melting ice cream, a bite worth throwing your diet in the trash for.

Khiri Thai Tea, 1089 Xikang Rd, 西康路1089号

5) Kukuwa

A Chiang Mai-style café and restaurant, Kukuwa opened at the end of last year on Huashan Rd in an airy, sun-filled space. The menu includes Thai specialties – pad krapao, tom yum, crab curry, grilled pork neck, fish sauce chicken wings, papaya salad, and the like – presented in a modern bistro style against a feminine café design aesthetic. Think pastel hues, fanciful tiling, an upcycled antique-looking pastry display case, decorative lace-like wall paneling, and ample plants.

It's cutesy. Oh, and it's also huge: a split-level space with more than 20 tables, each with so much space around it that it almost feels empty even when the restaurant has 100+ patrons inside, a rarity in Shanghai.

The food, while slightly toned down in flavor and dolled up on presentation, still delivers overall on balance of the five tastes that is the hallmark of bona fide Thai fare. Portion sizes are on the small side, but you're paying a premium for the design appeal, prompt service, roominess, and ability to roll up without pre-booking and still be guaranteed a table, which, in this case, we're all for.

On to the food, expect clean flavors and presentation, bordering on a health-conscious interpretation of Thai cuisine, but still with a great kick of heat. Case in point, the Thai Beef Salad (65 yuan) features citrus- and spice-cured, thinly sliced beef in a deeply aromatic chili, lemongrass, and fresh herb dressing. This is the restaurant's top seller, according to Dianping, and for good reason.

Equally standout, the Lime Sour Soup Squid (88 yuan) offers that vital QQ bounce, brightened by a blazing chili citrus sauce. Pro move: pour the leftover sauce over the Pad Krapao (59 yuan) so the rice soaks in said flavor bomb. The pad krapao itself – available with either pork or chicken as the protein – is solid with ample spice, albeit lacking in the Thai basil department. However, this is quickly forgotten within the first bite of that impeccably fried egg, ooey-gooey yolk and all.

While some plates hit it out of the park, others fall short, namely the Papaya Salad (48 yuan) – arguably the best barometer for testing out a Thai spot. Flavors feel underwhelming due to a lack of the requisite fish sauce and palm sugar, a grave error that results in bland and boring julienned green papaya speckled with a few stray chilis.

Likewise, the skewers, like Grilled Eel (15 yuan), Beef (18 yuan), and Chicken (15 yuan) are equally forgettable. Not bad, just not worth the table space. Instead, spring for other favorites like Yellow Curry Crab (289 yuan), Fried Chicken Wings (49 yuan), Seafood Tom Yum (108 yuan), Yellow Chicken Curry (68 yuan), and Thai Tea Ice Cream (32 yuan).

Pro Tip: Do not skip said Thai tea ice cream, also available with a crispy sugared churro as dunking fodder.

Kukuwa, 325 Huashan Rd 华山路325号

6) Lai Lai Lai

A casual Thai canteen outfitted with mismatched neon-colored tables (in shades of pink, green, yellow, and blue), Lai Lai Lai is like the trendiest Bangkok bistro with Chinese flair. It's cheap, cheerful, and quaint, with space for fewer than 20 guests. The doors open up onto Changle Rd, further leaning into the streetside food stall vibe so intertwined with Bangkok's food culture.

The tight menu of roughly a baker's dozen dishes sees mostly expected offerings, beginning with the most-ordered plate: Pork Larb (43 yuan with rice, 58 yuan for a full meat portion). While the portion size is favorable, necessary components – like equal parts spicy and sour larb seasoning, grainy toasted rice powder, and fresh herbs – are minimal, if not absent. However, you can drop another (beyond worth it) 5 yuan for a soft-poached Marinated Egg with that obligatory custardy yolk and a potent slow-braised flavor, not unlike a Taiwanese-style 卤蛋 (marinated egg).

Pro move: Pour the leftover braising liquid over rice, and thank us later.

As for soups, we sampled both the Seafood Sour Soup (58 yuan) – with spongy fishballs, tender squid rings, shrimp, bone-in pork, boiled egg, fresh herbs and shallots – as well as the Seafood Tom Yum Soup (58 yuan) – sweet, sour, spicy, and somewhat creamy, loaded with squid, shrimp, fluffy pork meatballs, clams, shallots, herbs, and diners' choice of noodles – of which the latter is preferred.

The seafood soup is overly sour, but lacking in depth beyond that. It's not really Bangkok boat noodles without the aromatic porky goodness, and the excessive quantity of glass noodles is overbearing, making everything feel just, well, mushy. While the Tom Yum also gets overrun with too many noodles, it's less egregious, as the squiggly bamboo noodle texture is spot on.

The Crab Omelette (78 yuan) is ultra-buttery with fluffy, soft-scrambled eggs and a hefty serving of stir-fried crab meat. However, this is on the heavy side for just one person, so save this one for sharing. Across the board, portions are generous, but flavors seem to be toned down to meet the Chinese palate. A solid 6.5 out of 10.

Lai Lai Lai, 225 Changle Rd 长乐路225号

7) Lucky Boy

Lucky Boy is a down-to-earth Thai-style eatery, furnished in hip Thai bistro decor: neon signs, colorful patterned wallpaper, retro knickknacks, and old-school Thai ingredient packaging. The menu is a cherry-picked roster of casual Thai classics with a few fusion plates sprinkled throughout.

The restaurant's original top-seller, the dish that put it on the Shanghai dining map, is its pocket-friendly Pad Krapao (38 yuan). Although not the most traditional, this filling take on stir-fried meat with garlic, chilis, and holy basil is nothing short of delicious, with the laciest-edged fried eggs on top.

Another rice bowl option, the Shrimp Head Oil Seafood Rice (89 yuan) is undeniably a top seller that deserves its lofty status. Mouthwatering shrimp, tender lump crab meat, popping beads of fish roe, and chicharrón-like pork belly are loaded atop crispy-bottomed (guoba 锅巴) claypot rice. What's not to love?

The pungent Tom Yum (89 yuan) is slightly fishy with strong tomato undertones, delivering an indispensable nip of heat despite lacking in its full sour potential.

The Jianxing Curry Squid and Shrimp (120 yuan) is velvety with large prawns and squid, but quite sweet, requiring rice and chili flakes to cut through the richness.

Lemongrass and Coconut Salad (52 yuan) features dried squid and crispy grilled pork belly atop shredded green papaya and lemongrass, with toasted cashews lending a layer of nutty crunch.

Perfect pleats of juicy, ripe mango are flanked by lavender-hued, butterfly pea-dyed sticky rice as the Mango Sticky Rice (45 yuan), finished with a dribble of salted coconut milk, textbook in the best of ways.

Lucky Boy, 112 Ruijin Rd No.2, 瑞金二路112号

Bonus: Thai Treats Worth Seeking Out

Outside of objectively Thai spots, here are some honorable mentions we felt we should include in this roundup. These places aren't new and have built their following, but for the folks who might land on this article who are visiting from out of town, these are also great places to check out:

Dip in Gelato

Dip in Gelato is a small gelateria that shares a space on Weihai Rd with a local chocolate brand. The store offers a variety of unconventional gelato flavors like yuzumisu, red guava and bergamot, clementine jasmine, mezcal & nutmeg, rooibos tea, and the list goes on.

Equally out there, they serve some creative ice cream sandwiches, namely the Thai Cocoa Tea & Smoked Chili Mango Ice Cream Sandwich (28 yuan). Nestled inside a half white chocolate-covered butter biscuit sandwich is a thick smear of smoked chili mango sorbet below another equally liberal spread of cocoa-infused Thai tea ice cream. The square cookie sandwich is eccentric to say the least and downright avant-garde to say the most, yet tasty nonetheless. With so many flavors hitting the palate at once, the Thai tea flavor does get a bit lost in the fray, but lends a milky component that tempers the tart mango and subtle chili.

Dip in Gelato, 644 Weihai Rd, 威海路644号

Jumbo Seafood

Although not Thai per se, Jumbo Seafood – a renowned Singaporean restaurant chain specializing in high-quality seafood, like its award-winning chili crab and black pepper crab – does serve a smattering of noteworthy Thai plates that rival some of the tastiest in the city. Thus, it finds its way onto our list as a bonus.

For starters, the Tom Yum (48 yuan) is bright and creamy at once, its zingy broth amped up by a touch of coconut milk. Plump prawns, springy squid, clams, tofu, and lemongrass elevate this brimming bowl that does Thailand proud.

Jumping straight to sweets, the luscious Thai Tea Pudding (28 yuan) is milk tea in silky flan form, providing a distinctly Thai tea flavor. Each melt-in-your-mouth bite explodes with milky richness, enhanced by a liberal scoop of whipped cream on top.

Pro tip: Certain Jumbo Seafood locations around Shanghai also serve a commendable rendition of streetside papaya salad.

Jumbo Seafood, L5-502 iapm Mall, 999 Huaihai Rd M. 淮海中路999号, iapm广场L5-502

Speak Low

Not the most expected place for a Thai-themed refreshment, but globally recognized cocktail bar Speak Low's Tom Yum Mule (120 yuan), available only on the third floor, is equal parts spicy, herbaceous, and adventurous. Vodka is infused with kaffir lime, galangal, and ginger, finished with a splash of beer for bubbles – the ideal tipple to top off a night of Thai eats.

Speak Low, 579 Fuxing Rd M. 复兴中路579号