Thai Silver Spoon
The spot at 249 W. Central Ave has been the site of a few different restaurants recently, but the new Thai Silver Spoon spot brings a different kind of cuisine to a place previously a Chinese restaurant for a long time. There’s more than one reason to consider giving this place a try, be it the simple but quality menu of Thai noodle dishes and soups, all of which can be made spicy to your liking. This spot is popular with the Springboro crowd and the locals like their food a certain way.
Thai Paradise
Athens has a ton of options for Chinese food, but other cuisines from Asia are actually pretty hard to come by in the College town. Sure, a few places to sushi, and a few others have pad Thai but that’s about it. Thai Paradise has brought the change; opened in 2008 in Pickerington, east of Columbus, this destination staked out a spot in Athens in 2014 and since then has been the go-to place for Thai food in town. With a great selection of dishes to try, and a feel that is just a bit on the nicer side, this is one you will want to try.
White Lotus
Even if you spend a lot of time around downtown Dayton, you can still very easily miss the hardy little restaurant on East Third Street known as White Lotus, and the hardy little one-woman show that keeps the spot running. It’s a very funny thing this little spot, where you can order a number of great Thai dishes or a burger. You wouldn’t think those two things would both be good at the same restaurant, but they’re the two items that White Lotus does best.
China Dynasty
While there are a ton of good restaurant options in the Dayton area, especially with Chinese food, there are not a ton of places that focus on a quality dine-in experience. Most are priced for convenience or set up as a take-out or delivery business. This spot actually is one of the few Chef-owned Chinese spots in town, and Chef Stephen can often be found walking through the restaurant and making sure everyone’s food is perfect. This is one of the older spots in town too, having opened in 1995 and rolling along ever since, as the Centerville area has developed all around it.
House of Thai
House of Thai is one of several restaurants in its genre putting out popular Thai dishes. However, compared to those other spots, this one is more of a casual restaurant theme and it’s also more spacious, giving it more of a subrurban allure to the niche spots closer into the city. This restaurant sports a lot of the same cuisine in a less expensive setting, but it’s also sacrificing a little bit of the flavor for that price. Thai is a tight market in Dayton, and so that little extra distinction can go a long way.
Tik’s Thai Grille
Tik’s Thai Grille is a popular Dayton establishment with three locations on the east and south of the city. Founded by Siriya “Tik” Sirpol as a way of introducing the city to Thai food, it’s since seen a measure of success for its clean and formal concept, quick and unusual Thai food, and pleasant service.
The newest location opened just a few months ago in Springboro. The departure of the former tenant, China Village, has left a hole in my heart. I really liked that place, though I’m glad a new, better-managed restaurant is now in its place.
Siam Pad Thai
A corner business near one of Kettering’s business intersections in central Dayton, Siam Pad Thai is a real hole in the wall. The tiny restaurant is a popular Thai food establishment with only a dozen or so tables which are regularly filled with locals from the surrounding neighborhood. Thai food restaurants aren’t terribly common in this part of Ohio, though more are popping up. With places like Siam Pad Thai pioneering the cuisine, there’s definitely a lot to be excited about. The food is outstanding and the service is awesome.
Choe’s Asian Gourmet
As one of the many refined dining destinations at The Greene in east Dayton, Choe’s Asian Gourmet is an upscale purveyor of both Chinese and Thai dishes as well as sushi and vegetarian dishes. It’s a classy little joint, the kind with a very sleek contemporary feel and where you might want to dress up a little. The people here seem to pride themselves on creating an excellent dining experience, and you certainly will find that there is plenty to appreciate here.
Thai 9
You might not be able to tell from its plain-looking building, but Thai 9 Thai and Sushi Restaurant is often mentioned as one of the best Asian cuisine places in Dayton. The Thai food place is situated on the edge of downtown and the Oregon District — where many of the city’s more cultured establishments are situated. Spend any decent amount of time around this city, and you’re certain to run into one local or another who swears Thai 9 has the best food they’ve ever eaten.
