WHEN it comes to Thai cuisine, Shanghai is full of classic takes on the Land of Smiles’ favorite fare. These menus feature pad thai, green papaya salad, tom yum soup, coconut milk-laden curries, and sticky rice and mango — usually tempered for local tastes.

Cheaper than a flight ticket to the islands, we’ve rounded up a handful of our go-to Thai spots around town when the craving for vacation is high but the number of remaining holidays is low.

Hidden Thai Bistro

Situated on Panyu Rd, Hidden Thai Bistro opened in the middle of 2020, when all of Shanghai was pining for that Thai getaway. And Hidden Thai Bistro serves that getaway up with a side of lemongrass tea, Thai basil and citrus.

The pan-Thai cuisine on offer traverses Isaan food from the northeast to the robust coconut curries of the south, with niche Thai fare not found elsewhere around town. But, of course, iconic plates, like papaya salad, tom yum soup, stir-fried morning glory, and pad krapow are available.

Chicken Pad Thai (45 yuan), for example, is textbook Bangkok, exactly the way we crave it. Arguably one of the most veritable versions in the city, the pad thai boasts a balanced spread of the five tastes — sour citrus, umami wok hei, sweet crushed peanuts, savory fried egg, and the obligatory spice. While the sweetness is dialed up slightly higher than we would prefer, it’s the overall equilibrium of flavors that tends to be missing outside of Thailand, one that is oh-so close at Hidden Thai Bistro.

But the restaurant’s real sleeper is a humble bowl of Boat Noodles (45 yuan). Full-bodied, the murky, dark chocolate-hued broth sees floating bits of stewed pork and seasoning, ensuring an explosion of flavor in each spoonful. Sweet from the first sip, the broth unfolds with savory and spiced notes owed to anise and cinnamon — a comforting bowl of goodness regardless of age or upbringing.

A heaping portion of flat rice noodles swims in the opaque soup along with boiled pieces of pork liver, tender pork slices and bouncy pork balls, making for a full meal.

Opening hours: 11am-10pm

Address: 395 Panyu Rd, by Xinhua Rd | 番禺路395号, 近新华路

Mi Thai | 米泰

A contemporary Thai restaurant backed by the Willis Group (Mr Willis, BOR Eatery, Henkes, Mi Mian Hui Xin, Something, Junn Izakaya), Mi Thai first opened back in 2010 along the tree-lined streets of Anfu Rd. A key draw, Mi Thai offers a lunch set for 108 yuan where diners can select three mains, each in petite portions.

Options start with Tom Yum Seafood Soup (68 yuan) — overflowing with jumbo prawns, squid, tomatoes and mushrooms in an equal parts tart and spicy soup.

The Yellow Curry Seafood (98 yuan) is a rich and heavily-spiced gravy spooned over prawns, squid, clams, tomato, potato, cauliflower, long bean, snow beans, corn, Thai eggplant and straw mushrooms. Rice is a must for sopping up every last drop.

Perfect for the upcoming days of warm weather, the Thai Beef Salad (88 yuan) (bottom right) is all about thinly-sliced and marinated beef tossed in an herbaceous citrus vinaigrette (made of mint, onion, chili, and lime) with a backdrop of Thai eggplant, tomatoes, cucumber and celery.

Opening hours: 11:30am-3pm / 5pm-10pm

Address: 2/F, 195 Anfu Rd, by Wulumuqi Rd M. | 安福路195号二楼, 近乌鲁木齐中路

Silom Road Thai Boat Noodles | 是隆路船面

Meant to mimic a market food stall on a Bangkok backstreet — replete with plastic tables, stools and a tented awning — Silom Road Boat Noodle is a rickety, semi-outdoor construction on Xinzha Rd (plus a second location on Dagu Rd and a third on Weihai Rd) doling out one thing and one thing only — beef broth Thai boat noodles.

Available at different price points (based on variety of beef parts preferred), bowls range from 48-68 yuan, with meat options spanning shredded and juicy Angus beef, sliced beef tenderloin, firm yet springy beef meatballs, and pleasantly gelatinous beef tendon.

The next choice is carbs — of which there are also four to choose from — rice noodles, rice vermicelli, flat rice noodles, and squiggly bamboo egg noodles. But the showstopper is the broth, layers of meatiness packed into its depth that only comes about from hours upon hours of simmered beef bones, meat and a slew of aromatics.

The soup is presented with morning glory greens, sprouts, and an abundance of fried shallots and garlic, plus Thai basil, lime and chili vinegar on the side for added fragrance and brightness.

Opening hours: 11am-9:30pm

Address: 1311 Xinzha Rd, by Shaanxi Rd N. | 新闸路1311号近陕西北路

Si Mian Tai | 四面泰

When Thai flavors and hotpot meet, our mouths water, our stomachs rumble, and our hearts fill with glee — a union of two of the very best.

And Si Mian Tai is just that, a Thai-inspired hotpot restaurant that surprisingly ladles out some genuine Thai soup bases, like Tom Yum Broth with Lobster Head and Shrimp (78 yuan), Thai Coconut Chicken Broth (78 yuan), and Thai Curry Broth (78 yuan), despite its mall basement location. A two-broth combo hotpot goes for 88 yuan. And drinking the soup is highly encouraged as its loaded with the refreshing and full flavors of Thailand without the excess oil at times found in hotpot.

In place of the usual DIY hotpot sauce setup, there are three dipping sauces — a fiery herb and citrus sauce (akin to Thai nam jim talay), a sweet and sticky chili jam (nam prik pao), and a Chinese chili crisp oil.

But from here onwards, the experience leans more toward hotpot, with routine hotpot-style ordering for all matter of seafood, beef cuts, vegetables, shrimp and meat balls, and tofu products.

While sticky rice and mango is what most think of with Thai desserts, the real standout at Si Mian Tai is the Coconut Pudding (36 yuan) — a hollowed out coconut filled with cold, luscious coconut custard. The walls of the coconut are still lined with the fruit’s meat, so the alternating crunch and slippery pudding make for the ideal contrast. Thoughtful yet simple, this dessert embodies a Thai vacation.

The average check comes out to about 150 yuan a person, making for a budget-friendly “escape to the islands” in Shanghai.

Opening hours: 11am-9pm

Address: LG1-143 iapm Mall, 999 Huaihai Rd M., by Shaanxi Rd S. | 淮海中路999号环贸IAPM广场LG1-143, 近陕西南路

Tai Bai Zan · Tai Guo Shi Dang | 泰百贊·泰國食檔

According to the Bangkok Post, fish ball noodle soup began with the popularity of a few street stalls on Charoen Krung Road nearly a century ago, and grew exponentially from there.

Now as synonymous with Thailand’s capital city as papaya salad and pad thai, fish ball noodle soup can be found at nearly every market and street corner across this megacity.

The makings of a proper Bangkok-style fish ball noodle soup comes down to two key components: the broth — usually a clear pork rib stock or a tom yum translucent broth, both heavier on spice and acidity; and the fish balls — umami-rich and bouncy, customarily a blend of a firmer fish such as snapper plus shrimp or cuttlefish.

Owned by a Bangkok native, Tai Bai Zan has two soup options, we gravitate toward the Hot and Sour Clear Broth (50 yuan) over the Tom Yum (50 yuan), with a choice of wide rice noodles or alkaline noodles.

Toppings are generous for the price, a bowlful of fluffy fish and beef balls, minced pork patty, fish cakes, and fried wonton skin.

Opening hours: 10:30am-9pm

Address: B2, 1601 Nanjing Rd W., by Changde Rd | 南京西路1601号B2, 近常德路

Tai Shi Shou Thai Tea Restaurant | 太食獸泰式茶餐厅

If you’re looking for a culinary Thai immersion, look elsewhere. If you’re looking for fast, casual Thai in a relaxed setting, Tai Shi Shou Thai Tea Restaurant is your new favorite lunch hangout.

While some of the dishes are presented for pure wanghong purposes (like shrimp cakes in a heaping portion served atop a scale), the majority are well-seasoned, cooked right, and boast proper Thai flavors.

Take the Papaya Salad (36 yuan) for instance, heavy on the fish sauce in the best of ways, it’s the closest rendition of this salad we’ve found lately outside of Bangkok. With equal parts chili heat and punchy sauce, the shreds of young papaya and carrot are studded with crushed peanuts, crispy dried shrimp, herbs, and cherry tomato halves. We’ll take two please.

A verdant Green Curry Chicken (57 yuan) is thick with coconut cream. Bobbing winter bamboo and chunks of chicken in various sizes float along the top, swelling with the curry’s lemongrass-forward spice.

Choose between chicken or prawns for your Pad Thai (36 yuan) — an excellent iteration of the Thai national dish. There’s silken rice noodles, stir-fried tofu, scallions, bean sprouts, fried egg and a pop of citrus.

Opening hours: 11am-2pm / 5pm-9:30pm

Address: 88 Yuanmingyuan Rd, by Beijing Rd E. | 圆明园路88号, 近北京东路

Urban Café

In 2023, Urban Café in The Sukhothai Shanghai welcomed Chef Anchalee Luadkham to the team. Hailing from a north Thailand village near Chiang Mai, Chef Anchalee began her cooking experience alongside her grandmother — the town’s unofficial chef for all social gatherings, like weddings, holidays and celebrations.

Since then, she has worked as a chef for over 10 years and cooked for the Thai royal family, celebrities like Jackie Chan, Pierce Brosnan and Chadwich Boseman, as well as Queen Elizabeth II.

Urban Café offers more than 30 Thai plates, with seasonal favorites that provide diners with an unexpected, and much-needed, escape to Southeast Asia.

Begin with a traditional northern salad, Larb E-San Moo (118 yuan) — a base of spicy, minced pork, tossed with roasted sticky rice powder, chili, mint and lime — scooped onto a wrap of lettuce and endive leaves.

The Chiang Mai-style Deep-Fried Marinated Soft Bone Pork Rib (188 yuan) is a commonly eaten street snack in Chef Anchalee’s hometown.

Opening hours: 6:30am-10:30am/12am-2:30pm/5:30pm-9:30pm

Address: 1/F, 380 Weihai Rd, by Shimenyi Rd | 威海路380号1层, 近石门一路