A Guide to the Best Thai Restaurants in Denmark

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New Nordic is all well and good, but there’s plenty more to the Danish food scene than small plates and micro herbs. Scratch below the surface (or peek down some of Copenhagen’s hidden streets) and you’ll find a plethora of cuisines from around the world. Thai food is especially present and, although there are plenty of great restaurants to choose from, there are a select few that have achieved the Thai Select award. This certification, granted by the Department of International Trade Promotion, Ministry of Commerce, Thailand, guarantees that the food, service, and restaurant are all authentic and above excellent, with a Thai Select Signature award indicating a degree of excellence of 5-star or higher.

So if you’re after fine dining or comfort food, searching down something you tried on holiday or longing for a taste of home, or even just seeking a little spice in a country famed for its aversion to the hot stuff, we’ve got you covered.
 

Here’s a handy guide to some of the best Thai restaurants to try in Denmark:

Blue Elephant

THAI SELECT SIGNATURE RESTAURANT

Blue Elephant, located in the Radisson Blu Scandinavia Hotel, has been around since the 90s, though the current owner, Ms. Yupin, didn’t come on board until 2006. The restaurant space is decorated as a “small village,” with rooms that look like Thai homes and marketplaces. There are Thai antiques dotted around between lilies, green plants, and the occasional water fountain.

The food itself is truly authentic, as Ms. Yupin likes to cook “in the ancient way.” This is particularly seen in dishes like the Panang curry, something that’s been reinterpreted and redeveloped in the years it’s been around. Nowadays, many restaurants add vegetables to the dish, but Ms. Yupin keeps it original and prepares hers with 100% meat. This was how it was traditionally prepared, so this is how it’s made at Blue Elephant.

Their Masaman lamb is another great example: a southern Thai dish that’s fiendishly tricky to make, it must be cooked low and slow for a long time to get the sauce thick enough.

Their commitment to staying true to traditional Thai recipes has seen them team get creative with service to ensure everyone enjoys their meal. Instead of changing the flavor of a curry by removing the spice – because, according to Ms. Yupin, a curry without spice “is just soup” – they instead allow customers struggling to make a decision to have a small taste before committing, much like when ordering a bottle of wine.

Blue Elephant strives to be honest, open, and hopes to educate its guests about the right way to eat Thai food. They want everyone to enjoy their meal and find a bit of Thailand that fits them.

Blue Elephant

Radisson Blu Scandinavia Hotel
Amager Boulevard 70
2300 København

Opening hours:
Monday – Thursday: 5 pm – 10 pm
Friday – Saturday: 5 pm – 11 pm

Eat at Blue Elephant

Khun Juk

THAI SELECT SIGNATURE RESTAURANT

Khun Juk, which is Thai for “Mr. Juk”, was opened by Mr. Juk himself in 1999. While studying at the Glion Institue of High Education, one of the most elite hospitality management schools situated in Glion sur Montreux, Juk was one of two picked from 300 students to train at the Parisian hotel Hyatt.

After, he finished his training at the Hotel de Rhine Geneva, where he found his inspiration to create food in different ways. Despite his remarkable training and the restaurant’s truly luxe feel, Khun Juk feels inclusive and welcoming to all. Juk himself states the importance of giving people the best experience of going out and eating. “You don’t need to have a high price to have a wonderful dining experience. I want to be sure to treat all the guests the same way.”

The restaurant is located in Bolton’s arcade, next to Copenhagen’s oldest building, where it has been for the past 20 years. It has a lush outdoor courtyard space, where you can dine al fresco, or step inside its hygge room where you’re surrounded by the smell of lilies.

The food is fresh, vibrant, upmarket but familiar, and features rich flavors that complement the restaurant’s wine pairing well. You may associate Thai food with beer, but Juk disagrees: “Spicy food goes well with the right wine. Even better with champagne.”

Khun Juk currently has a Collaboration with SAS Eurobonus, where each krone spent equals an air mile – so you can get a little closer to Thailand with every bite.

Everything is super fresh and delicious, made with a blend of fine-dining culinary styles and authentic Thai flavors, but we particularly recommend the lobster with lemongrass and chili paste served with avocado and pomelo. This special dish has an unusual but effective combination of lobster with spices and herbs.

Khun Juk

Store Kongensgade 9
1264 København

Opening hours:
Monday – Saturday: 12 pm – 11 pm

Eat at Khun Juk

A further 10 restaurants in Denmark have been awarded the Thai Select Classic stamp of approval. Thai Select Classic indicates a 3 to 4-star degree of excellence in restaurants that serve fine, authentic Thai food.

These restaurants offer diners a fine-dining experience and classic Thai food:

Baan Thai Isarn

THAI SELECT CLASSIC RESTAURANT

Opened over twenty years ago in Copenhagen, Thai Isarn was one of the first Thai restaurants in Denmark. The restaurant has stayed in the same family since, with different siblings taking over ownership before moving on to open their own restaurants. Ban Gaw, for example, was opened by the original owner, Duenpen Pota’s, daughter. Now, Duenpen Pota’s son, Sitthiphon Chitphumisak, has been charged with continuing Thai Isarn’s legacy.

Since taking over in 2014, he’s changed a few things – like the name to Baan Thai Isarn – but has continued to cook in the Isarn style that his mother taught him in the restaurant’s kitchen when he was a child. All the children in the family continue to prepare their mother’s recipes, though Baan Thai Isarn has focused even more on flavor and quality, and seen a surge in popularity as a result.

One addition to the menu by Sitthiphon Chitphumisak is a fried salmon dish, cooked with fresh Thai herbs. A delicate and fragrant dish, it’s a testament to his knowledge of the Isarn cooking style and his ability to work creatively within it. When you eat at Baan Thai Isarn, you’re eating the essence of Thai food. It might not be a dish you’ll see repeated at every restaurant, but it’s still authentic.

Baan Thai Isarn

Lille Istedgade 7
1706 København

Opening hours:
Sunday – Thursday: 12 pm – 10 pm
Friday – Saturday: 12 pm – 10:30 pm

Eat at Baan Thai Isarn

Ban Gaw

THAI SELECT CLASSIC RESTAURANT

Ban Gaw, which is named after the Thai word for home and the owner’s name, was opened in 2003. It wasn’t the first of Gaw’s restaurants, though, as she opened her first in 1996. The daughter of Baan Thai Isarn’s owner, Duenpen Pota, which her brother now runs, she grew up learning her mother’s recipes before starting her own business. There are a few more siblings from the Baan Thai Isarn dynasty now cooking in Copenhagen, all with their own restaurants and unique interpretations of their shared family recipes.

The food at Ban Gaw is of incredibly high quality and strives for authenticity: you won’t just see Thai people eating here, but Thai chefs from other restaurants. All of the chefs working at Ban Gaw are also from Thailand, so they understand the nuances of the dishes that allow for the traditional preparation of classic food, but also more modern variations and street-market favorites.

The menu has interesting and lesser-known items on it, like Thai iced tea made with condensed milk. This drink is so popular in Thailand it’s sometimes sold from street vendors poured over crushed ice in a plastic bag, but you’ll find this version in a glass, don’t worry.

Ban Gaw

Halmtorvet 44
1700 København

Opening hours:
Monday – Sunday: 12 pm – 12 am

Eat at Ban Gaw

Bangkok Restaurant

THAI SELECT CLASSIC RESTAURANT

Born in Bangkok, Dan moved to Copenhagen 32 years ago and opened Bangkok Restaurant 11 years later. He’s since become a mainstay of the community, with local children calling him Uncle Dan. He returns their affection with free ice cream, providing they finish their meal (and vegetables), making him a favorite with parents too.

The restaurant itself is also an important part of the community. Located in North Sealand and with a 150-person capacity for events, it’s come to act as a community center of sorts and can be rented out for weddings, baptisms, wakes, and birthday parties. Basically, any event that requires food. Good food.

They throw a Danish Christmas every year, plus an annual summer party called “One Night in Bangkok” which makes heavy use of its impressive beer garden. And why a Bangkok disco? “Because we are Restaurant Bangkok! We have to!” Dan explains.

He ultimately wants to bring a bit of Bangkok to Slangerup, noting that at the time of opening, “all the Thai restaurants were in Copenhagen. I’ve wanted to teach people in North Sealand how to eat authentic Thai food.” Authentic and exciting, the menu has some real show-stopper items, none more so than the deep-fried whole Red Snapper served with a Thai chili sauce. Make sure to call ahead to book this and Dan will order it in fresh for you.

Bangkok Restaurant has a staggering beer selection too, with up to 20 different types from all over the world, including hard-to-find Thai, Chinese, and Japanese beers.

Bangkok Restaurant

Kongensgade 13
3550 Slangerup

Opening hours:
Monday – Sunday: 5 pm – 10 pm

Eat at Bangkok Restaurant

Ranee’s

THAI SELECT CLASSIC RESTAURANT

Ranee grew up in a small village in Thailand where she helped on her family’s farm, went fishing with her father, and learned how to cook with her mother. She spent time in Bangkok working as an au pair and in a hotel before moving to Denmark at the age of 21. She then spent two years looking for the perfect location before the current venue became available. It was the original spot of a Tibetan restaurant, which is why the colors of the Tibetan flag still wrap around the outdoor walls to this day. Ranee said she wanted to hold onto this flag because “we think it is beautiful and worthy of preservation.”

At the time of opening in 2007, Ranee had little money and was 3 months pregnant. She worked 16 hour days every day just to keep the restaurant going, but it paid off and Ranee’s is now a favorite spot among locals and tourists; Thai food novices and professional chefs alike, where she and a dedicated team cook her mother’s recipes.

Ranee uses as many fresh ingredients as she can in her dishes, often having the harder to find items, like Banana Flower, imported directly from Thailand. Everything is to an incredibly high quality – the fish she uses in sashimi-grade quality – and is full of vitamins and minerals.

Ranee’s serves organic wine, beer, and soft drinks, along with freshly-ground coffee from Riccos and Jasmin & Oolong tea from A.C. Perch’s Thehandel.

We recommend trying the Yam Bli Goui, a banana flower and pork dish, though it would be criminal to miss her world-famous fishcakes.

Ranee’s

Blågårds Pl. 10
2200 København

Opening hours:
Monday – Saturday: 5 pm – 11 pm

Eat at Ranee’s

Satang Thai Bistro

THAI SELECT CLASSIC RESTAURANT

Opened in August 2017, Satang Thai Bistro was finally realized after Suppi and Niran first met at language school in Denmark in the 90s. They shared a mutual love for their home culture and quickly fell for each other. Since then, they’ve dreamt of bringing a little piece of Thailand to Denmark, which is exactly what Satang Thai Bistro achieves.

The food is authentic, beautifully prepared, and delivers a true Thai experience – aka, there’s some real spice. The restaurant itself feels like a visit to a family home – relaxed and full of god stemning, or good atmosphere. This is especially important to Suppi and Niran, who have carved space for family time into the business. “It is really important to us that there is balance in our life so that we have time to be a family, that we have time for love and that we have time to do what we love. If we can’t enjoy our guests and have time for a chat or a cozy time, it will no longer be worth it.” They even host live music on Fridays from 7 pm to 9 pm.

Their takeaway menu is a nice entry point for customers looking to explore Thai for the first time or those wanting to dig into classic comfort-food favorites. Spice levels are a little tamer and there’s even a massage pillow to use while you wait to collect, making this the best option for a pick-me-up after a particularly bad day.

Satang Thai Bistro

Åboulevard 51
1960 Frederiksberg

Opening hours:
Monday: 5 pm – 9 pm
Tuesday: closed
Wednesday – Thursday: 5 pm – 9:30 pm
Friday – Saturday: 5 pm – 9:30 pm
Sunday: 5 pm – 9 pm

Eat at Satang Thai Bistro

Sikhiu Thai Restaurant

THAI SELECT CLASSIC RESTAURANT

After running a restaurant in Thailand, Mac opened Sikhiu Thai Restaurant in Copenhagen in 2015. The intention of this restaurant was to stay true to Thai dishes, which is why it’s loved by Thai people living in Copenhagen and Danes looking to recreate some of their holiday magic.

Mac always goes that little bit extra, either in her wonderfully elaborate presentation or the little twists she makes to classic dishes. Her plates are always beautiful, full of color, and brilliantly garnished, while the food is always to a high standard.

In Thailand, food is served all at once and multiple dishes are eaten together. This has been of great importance to Mac, because what is the point of eating traditional food if you’re not going to eat in the traditional way? For this reason, she’s kept the menu price fair. Sikhiu Thai Restaurant gives you the chance to try lots of different dishes and styles, making it the best place to come for a detailed overview of Thai cuisine.

Sikhiu Thai Restaurant

H. C. Ørsteds Vej 53
1879 Frederiksberg

Opening hours:
Monday – Saturday: 11 am – 2:30 pm & 4:30 pm – 9:30 pm

Eat at Sikhiu Thai Restaurant

Thai Pan

THAI SELECT CLASSIC RESTAURANT

NOTE: THAI PAN IS PERMANENTLY CLOSED

Thai Pan is a family business that’s been in operation since 1997, when the now owner would help out as a child. Ataya, who took over management in 2006, started helping his mother when he was just 13 years old. He was 20 when his mother retired, leaving him in charge, though she’s a tough one to get out the kitchen: you’ll probably see her in the back when you visit, where she insists on helping at the age of 73.

The restaurant itself is directly on the lakes, with a wonderful view of the waterfront and a beautiful rose garden, that can be enjoyed from its window seats or the beautiful outdoor terrace. They’re partnered with Nørrebro Bryggi – because, as Ataya notes: “In Nørrebro we’re good at helping each other” – which means there’s always an excellent selection of organic beer on offer, plus a full drinks menu.

The friendly service and generous portion sizes makes Thai Pan extremely popular with locals looking for Thai comfort food and a relaxed evening spent gazing out at one of Copenhagen’s prettiest neighborhoods.

We recommend trying the curry sticks of grilled chicken satay with peanut sauce and cucumber salad, or the Pad Thai fried noodles with prawns – though the restaurant is also famous for its curries. Decisions, decisions.

Thai Pan

Korsgade 1
2200 København

Opening hours:
Sunday – Thursday: 12 pm – 10 pm
Friday – Saturday: 12 pm – 11 pm

NOTE: THAI PAN IS PERMANENTLY CLOSED

Eat at Thai Pan

WOK Vesterbro

THAI SELECT CLASSIC RESTAURANT

WOK’s original location, the Vesterbro shop originally belonged to the co-founders father and was a butcher shop – much like the rest of the meatpacking district at that time. After his Father’s death in 2004, the shop was rented out to various other businesses, but none could make it work long term. When faced with the decision of either getting rid of the venue or using it for himself, Sally and her husband decided it was time to set up their own business – or risk losing a piece of their family. In 2010, while working closely with their head chef Joy in creating a fresh and exciting menu, WOK finally opened.

Joy moved from Maechan Chiang Rai in northern Thailand and was cooking in another restaurant when Sally and her husband offered her the role. Sally says her energy and commanding presence in the kitchen made her the obvious choice, and her knowledge of Thai food and playful approach to creating menus has allowed WOK to become what it is.

They place an emphasis on modernizing the experience of eating Thai, through the restaurant’s interiors and the menu.

Classic dishes have plenty of herbs and vegetables added to them, to create a depth of flavor that stays healthy. The restaurant has upmarket design features like oversized, pendant lights hanging from the ceiling, that add to this modern take on Thai.

WOK Vesterbro

Vesterbrogade 103
1620 København

Opening hours:
Monday – Sunday: 10 am – 10 pm

Eat at WOK Vesterbro

WOK Christianshavn

THAI SELECT CLASSIC RESTAURANT

Opened in 2013, the Christianshavn location is WOK’s second restaurant. Co-founder Sally grew up in this area, so felt strongly about returning to it as a business owner. Having looked for a location for years, when an opportunity arose she pounced. It’s an incredibly diverse neighborhood, which is important to Sally: “You have the rich and the poor, the young and the old, the hippies, they’re all here. It’s home.”

Sally and her husband have extended this idea of home to all the employees who work with them, often helping them and their loved ones with visas issues and supporting those making big moves from Asia to Europe. Tony, the sous chef, moved from China around six years ago and joined Sally, her husband, and Joy in becoming a tightknit team dedicated to making WOK a success.

The result is a community spot, able to feed everyone and bursting with the concept of choosing your own family.

They cook up warming, crowd-pleasers, like Thai red curry, great for family gatherings and impromptu picnics with friends. The fragrant and slightly spicy dish has a depth of flavor achieved without MSG (Monosodium glutamate), as the restaurant chooses to double up on fresh herbs instead. The vegetables soak up all the delicious flavor without losing their bite or becoming overcooked, and the chicken stays tender.

WOK Christianshavn

Torvegade 49
1400 København

Opening hours:
Monday – Sunday: 10 am – 10 pm

Eat at WOK Christianshavn

WOK CPH Airport

THAI SELECT CLASSIC RESTAURANT

The most recent WOK location, but by no means the last, WOK CPH Airport opened in 2016 after being picked from over 30 applicants. WOK is primarily a takeaway business, or as co-founder Sally sees it, “Thai food for the busy person.” This ties into the reality of the Thai food that they serve, which is heavily inspired by the bustling food markets and street vendors of Thailand where these quick and delicious dishes are served on the go.

With WOK CPH Airport, however, Sally has created a space that can cater to the last-minute traveler dashing for a plane, but also acts as a meeting place for friends, family, and colleagues to find one another. Deborah Kerr and Cary Grant may have agreed to meet atop the Empire State Building in An Affair to Remember, but in Copenhagen airport, you agree to meet by WOK’s fish tank. It’s the largest of all the tanks across all the sites, and the impressive feature has come to facilitate rendezvous of all kinds, as people break spring rolls before their flight.

The spring rolls in question are famous in their own right, repeatedly named “the best in Copenhagen” by customers. It’s easy to see why: they’re meaty in texture, stuffed full of umami flavor, with a crisp light shell, and totally moreish.

WOK CPH Airport

Copenhagen Airport Terminal 2 Landside
Lufthavnsboulevarden 6
2770 Kastrup

Opening hours:
Monday – Sunday: 10 am – 10 pm

Eat at WOK CPH Airport