Who serves the best Thai food in Asheville? As locals, Tom and I love Bee Thai Kitchen, Thai Pearl, Siam Thai, and HieThai Thai Sushi & Vegan. Think steaming bowls of classic noodles, spicy curries, mango sticky rice, and soul-warming soups. I’ll tell you who has the best budget-friendly lunch specials. 📸 All photos are our own of what Tom and I order and devour…takeout containers included.
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It’s no secret that Asheville has outstanding restaurants. Often times, it can be difficult to choose, which is why I write these guides with my food model husband, Tom. Please know that Tom and I have been eating our way across the city since 2019. All guides are unique to us and our experiences.
🥢 Afterward, enjoy more of AVL’s best Asian cuisine. 🥢 We are a part Celiac household, so all of these restaurants have great gluten-free options, too. đź’™ Christine of Uncorked Asheville
🥢 Quick Cheat Sheet: Our Favorite Thai Food Restaurants In Asheville
Below, find reviews (and tips!) for the following restaurants:
- Bee Thai Kitchen (Downtown)
- Siam Thai Asheville (North)
- Thai Pearl (West)
- Pad Thai Asheville (Candler/SW AVL)
- DTK Thai Kitchen (North)
- HieThai Thai Sushi & Vegan (East)
Bee Thai Kitchen – Best Downtown AVL Lunch Specials
Bee Thai Kitchen took over for equally special Little Bee Thai. Located just outside the main Downtown Asheville restaurant area, mostly locals grab takeout or dine in here. Their menu features traditional Thai cuisine, including Pad Thai, Pad See Ew, Drunken Noodles, Basil Fried Rice, Tom Yum Soup, Wonton Soup, Som Tum, steamed dumplings, and “Healthy Rolls.”
Why We Recommend Bee Thai Kitchen
Bee Thai Kitchen is my favorite Thai food restaurant in Asheville for budget-friendly lunch specials. Think one entree and one appetizer for $15+. This is also a great stop before or after shopping and walking around Downtown Asheville. Their team is the sweetest. Say “hi” from us!
Bee Thai Kitchen | 45 S French Broad Ave #190, Asheville, NC 28801
Insider Tip: Next to Bee Thai Kitchen, head over to one of my favorite Asheville coffee shops, Pollen. Both a flower and coffee shop, enjoy coffee, tea, and vegan goodies from Back Porch Baking Co. Give me anything lavender matcha and a big a$$ cookie the size of my face. This is why we love living here. We also have a Downtown Asheville coffee shop guide, if you are heading deeper into the historic district.
Plan Your Magical Adventure: Our Free Asheville Guide + Bucket List
Siam Thai Asheville – Our Favorite For Takeout & A Hidden Local Gem
If you are looking for lunch in Asheville, Siam Thai won’t disappoint. They are one of our top Thai restaurants in Asheville when we want to eat it ALL (think apps!). Devour home-style, authentic Thai food. Pick your spice level, and dig right in.
Like Little Bee Thai, Siam Thai Asheville has equally budget-friendly and well-portioned lunch specials. For dinner, find larger specialty entrees. Menu highlights include Tom Kha Soup, seafood and duck dinner entrees, and stir-fry dishes.
Why Tom and I Love Siam Thai Restaurant
Tom and I both covet Siam Thai as one of North Asheville’s best-kept secrets with the friendliest service. The interior is incredibly casual, and they have loads of parking, which is a perk against the sometimes congested areas of the city. Siam is another extremely local haunt.
Tom and I usually order a handful of appetizers, including tofu, fresh rolls, dumplings, satay, and chicken wings. We pair these apps with delicious Thai noodle dishes like Pad Thai, Pad Z Ew, and Pad Woon Sen. Tom likes their orange sesame chicken.
Siam Thai Asheville | 100 Stone Ridge Blvd, Asheville, NC 28804
While in this area, Weaverville also has stellar restaurants, including Stoney Knob Cafe, Maggie B’s, and Soba Sushi. After lunch, grab a beer at Salt Face Mule Brewing Co. (it’s one of my favorite Asheville breweries for that back patio seating).
Thai Pearl – Tom’s Favorite With All The West Asheville Spice
While all the restaurants on this list are delicious, Thai Pearl is one of Tom’s favorites along with Siam. Who can blame him?
Select from curries, rice, stir-fry dishes, soups, and Thai salads. The Thai fried onion rings are a must, and try the green papaya salad. You can’t go wrong with any of the restaurants in West AVL; it’s a great foodie part of the city, and it boasts cool murals like RuPaul and Dolly.
Why We Suggest Eating At Thai Pearl
Thai Pearl is the prettiest Thai food restaurant on this list. Not to mention that Chef May is an absolute gem of a person, and she trained and cooked at The Royal Palace in Bangkok, Thailand. I love Chef May’s ginger soup. If you like spicier food, Thai Pearl is definitely it! That chili oil.
Thai Pearl | 747 Haywood Road, Asheville, NC 28806
Pad Thai Asheville – Smaller SW Asheville/Candler Area Local Spot
Another hidden gem and casual Asheville Thai restaurant, Pad Thai is located near our favorite southwest-area businesses, including Apollo Flame and Papas & Beer.
Go for the delicious food, lunch specials, and friendly service. Be sure to add a salad and spring roll to your lunch special. Order anything from beef and chicken pho and curries to Korean Woks, noodles, and pineapple fried rice.
Why I Recommend Pad Thai Asheville
Pad Thai Asheville is conveniently located near The NC Arboretum and Blue Ridge Parkway, two big Asheville attractions. I love the sweet signs and colorful local murals throughout this little house-like business. Tom mostly orders their Pad Thai (but he leaves off the peanuts, which are not gluten-free).
✨ Insider Tip: Don’t sit too close to the bathroom. The door opens into that table; trust me, we know from experience.
Pad Thai Restaurant Asheville | 18 Sardis Rd, Asheville, NC 28806
DTK Thai Kitchen – Only North Asheville Locals Know About This One With Yummy, Simple Food
As you can tell from our kitchen island, DTK Thai Kitchen is our go-to takeout spot (usually DoorDash). For local Thai food in Asheville—only North Asheville residents like us know DTK and go here—order anything from traditional noodles like Pad Thai, Pad See Ew, Pad Woon Sen, and Drunken Noodles along with apps, soups, stir-fries, and curries.
Discover all that North Asheville has to offer for foodies. I’m biased, but it is my favorite part of the city, along with RAD.
Why Tom and I Enjoy DTK Thai Kitchen
DTK Thai Kitchen is perfect for no-frills, simple Thai food at its best. I cannot eat super spicy meals with ulcerative colitis/IBD, and they are perfect for my stomach, feeling just a tad lighter than other Thai restaurants on this list. You cannot beat the convenience and price either.
DTK Thai Kitchen | 535 Merrimon Ave # C, Asheville, NC 28804
HieThai Thai Sushi & Vegan – Large Vegan Selection & A Former Suwana’s Location
Tom and I order loads of takeout from more recently rebranded HieThai Thai Sushi & Vegan. Think satay, lo mein, fried tofu, dumplings, fried rice, edamame, and spicy chicken wings. Plus, you know sushi is my favorite food group.
Then, select from soup and menu items like pork, tofu, or stir-fry with basil, ginger, eggplant, cashew chicken, garlic, or sweet and sour sauces. Of course, HieThai Thai Sushi has traditional curries and noodle dishes.
✨ It’s also notable that they are under new management with a new name (they are no longer part of Suwana’s or owned/operated by them). The Suwana’s brand has changed a few times—and back and forth in 2025 and 2026—across their many locations.
Why Tom and I Recommend HieThai Thai Sushi
HieThai Thai Sushi is one of my top picks for “everything” Thai food in Asheville. There is so much to choose from, and the menu is huge without sacrificing quality. I most enjoy their Thai fresh rolls and will order Vietnamese Pho or Pad See Ew with fried salmon—trust me on this one.
For dessert, I need that mango sticky rice with coconut milk, which reminds me of living in Indonesia and eating nasi uduk far too often (if you know, you know). Tom and I can never resist the pineapple fried rice. I appreciate HieThai Thai Sushi’s large portions for leftovers.
HieThai Thai Sushi | 45 Tunnel Rd, Asheville, NC 28805
Before You Go, Explore All Of Asheville’s Delicious Asian Cuisine
🥢 Sushi Restaurants Reviewed
🥢 Top Asian Restaurants Reviewed
🥢 Pho, Ramen, and More