Ali Domrongchai

You know that first bite of green curry that instantly clears your sinuses and makes your eyes water? That sharp, on-fire feeling isn’t just heat—it’s science. Capsaicin, the compound that makes chili peppers spicy, attaches to receptors on your taste buds, allowing ions to push through. In other terms, it’s actually opening your taste buds, heightening your sensitivity to flavor. More and more Thai chefs in the city are cooking more food that is true to them, and it’s my personal theory that this has made the New York Thai food scene hotter—and better than ever. I’m a Brooklyn-based food writer who comes from a restaurant family in the South—one full of Thai chefs (who exclusively spend their free time eating at other Thai restaurants). I’ve spent my life immersed in Thai food, and let me just say that it has been exhilarating witnessing the renaissance that Thai food is having in the city. More and more Thai chefs are opening restaurants that reflect their culinary history and identity, the (fantastic) results are evident on the plate. Between the highly-regional Isan spots slinging skewers with playful cocktails in the West Village and highly-honed spots exclusively serving khao mun gai, here are a few of our favorite Thai restaurants. RECOMMENDED: Find more of the best restaurants in NYC

This intimate 20-seater opened a few months ago in East Williamsburg and specializes in 19th- century recipes from the royal consort of King Rama V’s court. Kaew Jao Jorm, named after the former King’s favorite flower, brings a revitalized taste of regal Thai cuisine to the city. Don’t miss the signature flower dumplings—chicken and peanut filling encased in delicate blue dough—that are just as beautiful as they are delicious and highlights the elegance and complexity of Thailand’s royal culinary technique and flavor.

It's almost been a year since Sappe (the sister restaurant of Soothr) opened in the West Village and has quickly made a name for itself in the city that captures the not-as-much-highlighted playful nature of Isan Thai cuisine in the city. The restaurant has an impressive cocktail program that features $18 drinks inspired by Thai movie stars. If you’re looking for something to ogle at while you eat, you can’t go wrong with the Somsri, a tequila-based frozen guava cocktail with spicy salted plum powder but my go-to is the Riam that is made with an in-house sticky rice-fermented vodka. At the heart of the menu is Thai Ping Yang, a nod to Northern Thailand’s charcoal-grilled skewers. These skewers—four for $20—are the perfect drinking snack and come in twelve different flavors. My ideal lineup is the lin wua ping (beef tongue), koong yang (tiger prawn), nung gai ping (chicken skin), and sai moo ping (pork intestines), but there are twelve different skewers to choose from and you really can't go wrong.

Sukh isn’t just a restaurant, it's an experience. Just steps away from the Fulton Street G-train stop, ambient jazz music greets you at Sukh's vintage train-car style entrance complete with booths reminiscent of the private luxury compartments of the 19th and 20th centuries.  The food at Sukh is just as in on the bit, with a menu that spans the diverse regions of Thailand (and has a map marking cities and regions where each dish came from!). Standouts include the Northern-style kang pu, a spicy coconut crab curry and khao tom haeng, a Phuket-favorite featuring pork three ways—crispy pork belly, minced pork, and Chinese sausage—served with steamed rice and soup.