If you think of Tauranga, you may immediately picture beaches and beautiful sunsets. But allow me to let you in on a secret – our Thai food scene is absolutely on fire. And yes, we’ve done the legwork to prove it to you! 

These aren’t just your average stops that tourists flock to. We made sure to select the best Thai restaurants that will really make you go, wait…. how is this not in the Michelin guides?!

If that got your attention and want to learn more, all you need is to read on. 

1. Golden Rice Thai Cuisine

Golden Rice packs many punches above its weight in many areas. Despite the modest decor, which is more functional than atmospheric, the place doesn’t lag behind when it comes to the best Thai food in the city.

Some of their best offerings include the panaeng lamb curry and pad see ew. We absolutely loved that most of their curries come with a small portion of rice, which isn’t always the case at other Thai spots.

We also appreciate that several meals can be customised for vegetarian or vegan diners. And their friendly staff makes this so easy. In fact, during our first visit, the service remained attentive and fast even though they were short-staffed.

Clients we interviewed said this was their go-to for date nights and casual dinners. If you’re coming as a group though, you may want to order various dishes as the portion sizes per plate might not be filling enough for one person.

Great variety of dishes

“Great place for Thai cuisine. Did not have to wait long for service as well as for food ordered. Good customer service and variety of different tasty dishes on menu.I highly recommend Golden Rice when you want a night out for the best of Thai cuisine in Tauranga.Aroy Mak…..Food is really delicious.”

Franco Abrahams | Google Reviews

Amazing and fantastic food

“Been here on many occasions the staff are fantastic and the food amazing, went tonight for dinner and had a complaint about one of our mains, was treated so wonderfully by all the staff, their response was above and beyond, will definitely be going back,and would recommend anyone wanting an amazing meal and great atmosphere to give this place ago”

Lisa McClintock | Google Reviews

2. Tasty Thai Restaurant & Takeaways

We loved that Tasty Thai stays true to traditional Thai dining by serving all dishes at once. We find this great for families and groups, as it gives a communal feel to the experience – customers can easily share meals too.

The service is another area we like to highlight. We came in as a group of six and were immediately greeted warmly with a table. The orders were taken fast, and our food was ready in just about 10 minutes.

There are many things that make this a standout place too: there’s ample free street parking nearby, and the atmosphere is relaxed. It’s not too noisy inside – our group even managed to squeeze a meeting in with how cosy it was. 

We’d just like to give a heads-up: vegetarian options here appear to be mislabeled as the food came with an ingredient not meant for vegetarians. To avoid this oversight, we recommend personally speaking to their staff for requests instead.

Friendly and helpful service

“The BEST Tom yom goong I have ever tasted. Popped in late to grab a takeaway and got the soup and a noodle dish. Man was very friendly and helpful and it took just 10 minutes. Both were delicious but wow, the soup was the best I had ever had and I’ve tried a lot. Hot, sour, spicy (he really noted the level of spice I requested) and filled with herbs and prawns and everything delicious. Sad I am from Auckland but will absolutely be stopping back next time I’m down. Thanks!”

Grace Kemp | Google Reviews

Good and attentive service 

“Very delicious food. The service was very good. The place was booked out and they were understaffed that evening, the waiter was still all smiles, friendly and attentive. We didn’t have to wait long for our food and no shortcuts were made. We definitely go back.”

Sabine Tetzlaff | Google Reviews 

3. Thai Kitchen Tauranga

Thai Kitchen earned a spot on our list with its authentic Thai flavours and consistently good food. 

Some of the best meals we’ve had here include their prawn tom yum soup and gaeng phed red curry. They both had the right spice to them and solid servings of proteins and veggies.

We made 5 visits here and we’re happy to note that they were consistently quick at all times. On top of that, they have little touches that just made the entire thing better – complimentary hot green tea and Thai milk tea in a can.

With their large portions, you may think they charge high, but their prices are actually reasonable. Plus, the presentation of food was solid, whether you’re dining in or ordering for takeout. 

If you’re ordering takeout, though, just take note that wait times can be quite slow. It’s not always the case, but you may want to skip it if you’re seriously in a hurry.

Huge food portions 

“We ordered tofu pad thai and beef green curry, and both were delicious. The pad thai portion was huge with generous amount of tofu, maybe needed just a wee bit more salt. The green curry was BEAUTIFUL!!! We had it til the last drop. Everything on it was just tasty and the spices were on point.”

Tanya Utama | Google Reviews

Very authentic experience 

“Brilliant customer service. Smile. Very authentic. I thought mine was too spicy I didn’t complain just mentioned it when he came over and he was much obliging even bringing over a drink of the same that if bought. Really went over and above. We decided to eat in so he was going to being us proper utensils. Just so lovely. We had red curry, green curry and Pad thai. We eat Thai alot and were really impressed! Our new favorite!”

Ihipera Mahia | Google Reviews 

4. Ruk Thai

Ruk Thai gave us one of the best customer services we’ve encountered as a team. We visited as a dozen, and they had no problem serving us individually – several of us had gluten-free requirements and had no trouble ordering food.

As for the food, our team all agreed that the flavours were authentic Thai with the spices, even with their generously portioned dishes. 

Our favourites include their vegetarian spring rolls and the tender chicken satay on rice. The spring rolls have this nice, crunchy texture that makes the veggies explode with flavour. The chicken satay was tender and rich with flavour. 

The prices are reasonable – affordable even – for solo diners or groups. It’s accessible too, with convenient free parking in the area, so there’s no hassle staying for long.

We just wish that there was a better balance between meat and vegetables. We did notice that some dishes had more veggies than protein, which dulls the meat flavours. Otherwise, everything tasted fantastic.

Really good service 

“Ruk Thai do THE best red curry scallops in Tauranga and I’ve had them everywhere…. The scallops are plentiful, the rice is light and fluffy, the curry itself is fragrant and delicious, with soft lemongrass top notes, chock full of veges. Absolutely rate this dish! Service really good, considering how busy they were. A Tauranga must-do.”

Annacrusisnz | Google Reviews

A must go-to place 

“I have been there too many times to count and tried a lot of different things and they have never failed me once. Family owned and run, the place is very popular with locals at dinner so phone order is recommended. Staff are super nice and polite. Price is aligned with takeaways bracket but food is just as good as it is from a restaurant. A must-go-to place if you are staying in Greerton.”

Alumie Nguyen | Google Reviews

5. Lantern

Located near Domain Road, Lantern is convenient for those craving authentic Thai dishes. Although they’re not strictly Thai with their dishes and ambience, we still think they have offerings that easily beat the rest.

The place feels elevated but still homey, so it’s easy to bring a date over or the entire family, depending on your gathering. 

What’s consistent is the level of service. They’re fast, accommodating, and always polite. 

We absolutely loved their butternut yellow curry. It had a nice blend of turmeric, coriander, and cumin. The pad sew ew had perfect portions of tender meat and a nice hint of sweetness that didn’t overpower.

The ambience absolutely made us fall in love, with its stylish and conversation-friendly setup. There’s minimal noise, even during busy hours, so you can really spend a bit of time relaxing.

Unfortunately, parking can be tricky at the exact site. But if you don’t mind a bit of walking, you can use the free parking at the nearby shopping centre. It wasn’t such a big hassle if you’re curious.

Excellent Thai food

“My second time visiting Lantern within 2 weeks, such a chill and inviting atmosphere, excellent food and of course even better service!! Both times I’ve had Bronson taking care of our table and he’s always such a joy with a good sense of humour, honest with the amount of food needed for the table and he has such beautiful manners. Perfect man for the job!!!! Loved how the food came out as it was ready also! Will be back again”

Shania Clancy | Google Reviews

Enjoyable dining experience 

“Lantern is by far the best restaurant we have been to in a long time, could not fault the food or the service. It’s not very often that u finish your night having enjoyed everything about each plate you had. Great cocktails. We will definitely be coming back so we can have a crack at the lamb shoulder 😂. Thank you for a great night.”

Isaac Reinsfield | Google Reviews

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