Find one of the city’s best Thai restaurants located off Vanowen in North Hollywood at Sri Siam, just a skip away from the beloved Thai temple Wat Thai. With a menu that ranges from khao soi to crispy trout, it’s no wonder it has been a Valley go-to for more than 30 years.

Altadena’s newest Thai restaurant Miya embodies the vibes of Thailand’s ahaan tham sang restaurants or quick-order joints. The menu — scrawled on butcher paper taped up to a door — is small but mighty: find wok-fresh pad thai and pad see ew; a trio of yellow, green, and khao soi curries; and rice dishes that include spicy chicken stir-fried with basil. Miya is the spot for classics done simply.

Four-decade-old Anajak Thai is more than just a family affair; during the pandemic, it became a staple dining destination for fans in the Valley and all across Los Angeles with accolades to boot. Second-generation owner Justin Pichetrungsi has creatively played with ingredients and dishes in a series of fun events, from Thai Taco Tuesdays to his omakase dinners. Although reservations are difficult to come by, they are highly recommended.

Sapp is famous for its spinach-tinted jade noodles topped with a medley of barbecue pork, roast duck, and crab meat, but one would be hard-pressed to find a dud on the menu. From pad kra pao to an intensely fragrant boat noodle, everything is fair game at this Hollywood staple that won the hearts of Jonathan Gold and Anthony Bourdain.

Bhan Kanom Thai is a bodega-like palace of Thai sweets and snacks. One can find an array of Thai-flavored Lays (the betel leaf miang kam flavor is a favorite), both sweet mango sticky rice and sour green mango with anchovy dip, and freshly prepared Thai-style crispy crepes. The refrigerated section also boasts a selection of coconut cakes, Thai tea custards, and black sticky rice pudding studded with cubed taro.

For a taste of Bangkok street food, complete with plastic stools, visit this temporary stand that exists outside of Silom Supermarket at night. The Sathirathiwat family’s pop-up has been a trending TikTok favorite, serving only eight dishes, ranging from rad nah stir-fried noodles in gravy to pad kra pao with a fried egg, with aplomb.

East Hollywood newcomer Heng Heng Chicken Rice’s titular dish is worth a visit. This Thai take on Hainanese chicken rice comes with the choice of fried or steamed chicken atop garlicky rice with the option of adding on liver and gizzards, too. The dish is served with a side of comforting chicken broth and a fragrant ginger sauce. For heat seekers, be sure to also get the zabb crispy rice, a medley of pork belly, fried chicken, and herbs coated in a spicy and sour fish sauce dressing.

Southern Thai seafood is the star here. In order to navigate the restaurant’s menu of biblical proportions, avoid the treacherous dynamite spicy challenge and order one of Jitlada’s crab curries and the fried morning glory salad. Be sure to wave to owner Jazz Singsanong, who is a celebrity in her own right in East Hollywood.

Stepping into Siam Sunset is like entering a Thai grandmother’s home: the walls are adorned with posters of the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej, the TV is tuned into a Thai news channel, and the smell of fried Chinese doughnuts is inviting. The move here is breakfast. Get a comforting bowl of jok full of bouncy pork meatballs, pan-fried chive cakes that have a crunchy exterior and chewy interior, and of course Chinese doughnuts, known as pa tong go, dipped in sweetened condensed milk. Bring cash.

No essential Thai food list in Los Angeles could exclude critical darling Amphai Northern Thai Food Club. That crumbly sai oua (pork sausage) is hugely fragrant thanks to the addition of lemongrass, galangal, and a chiffonade of makrut lime leaf, and the khao soi is as good as one can find in the city.

“Hoy ka,” means to dangle legs — a reference to how Thai boat noodles were originally served alongside the Chao Phraya River to diners dangling their legs into the water. Although Hoy-Ka noodle is not quite as atmospheric, the space is still a fun time with wooden exposed beams, brick walls, and TVs all around. As the name suggests, boat noodles are the move here, but the spare rib tom yum, pink-hued yentafo, and roasted duck noodle soup are also worthwhile.

This longstanding Thai restaurant (which has an additional location in West Covina), is a charming spot that stands out among the rest of the SGV Thai restaurants due to its unique dishes. The crunchy catfish salad comes out in a dome-like puff and is paired with a spicy sour apple slaw, while the lime-punched century eggs with Chinese sausage salad should not be skipped.

This former Pico Boulevard staple has been reborn after 23 years, landing a new (and very updated) location on Sawtelle. Sisters Katy Noochlaor and Amanda Kuntee — who grew up in one of LA’s oldest Thai restaurants, Chao Krung — are running the show, turning out vibrant Thai dishes across a broad spectrum. Expect everything from noodles and papaya salad to a portion of the menu devoted entirely to pork belly.

Ayara Thai Cuisine is very much a family-run business and has been an important part of the Westchester community for nearly 20 years. The Asapahu family knocks out a solid menu with dishes like back baby ribs with a spicy sauce, ground pork and shrimp toast, and poached salmon in a red curry-coconut sauce. It’s also important to check the restaurant’s Instagram feed where special events are advertised, like a marijuana-infused boat noodle dinner and moo krata (Thai hot pot) parties.

This just-off-the-5 Norwalk restaurant, formally owned by the family behind Lotus of Siam, specializes in Northern Thai delicacies but doesn’t skimp on all the more broadly familiar stuff. Stop by for a great version of nam kao tod crispy rice with plenty of pork sausage and red cotton flower noodle soup known as kanom jeen nam ngiao.

It’s hard to imagine fast-casual Thai food being done any better than at Bowl Thai, the Gardena staple spot known for extra-spicy soups and traditional noodle dishes.

This cash-only Long Beach option is a great stop for both Thai and Lao food, offering a mixed menu that moves from starters like fried chicken to noodle and rice dishes and right on into Lao-style papaya salad with salted shrimp. The po tak, a fiercely sour soup loaded with seafood and chiles, is a must-order.