The best Thai food in America

Another favorite of West Coast food god Jonathan Gold, this modest-looking restaurant is located—you guessed it!—in a strip mall. However low-key Lotus of Siam appears from the outside, inside, the kitchen is cooking up some of the most serious Thai food in America. If you skip the standard lunch buffet and leaf past the menu’s pad thai and fried rice, you’ll be rewarded with some of Northern Thailand’s most intriguing flavors. There’s pungent catfish larb, subtly spicy with dried chiles; shredded jackfruit in a porky, tomato-y sauce; khao soi, the Burmese-style coconut curry laced with egg noodles; and so much more, all of it fresh and delicious.

This upscale San Fran mini-chain is a favorite among locals, prized for its un-dumbed-down renditions of funky Thai classics such as yum nahm salad, featuring raw shredded pork, and kao ka moo, stewed pork leg with mustard greens. Noodles, too, are a favorite: packed with fresh herbs and not too greasy, dishes including pad kee mow and pad see-ew are filling and delicious.