What Should I Order From A Thai Takeaway? Complete Guide!

Thai food is known for its bold flavours, fragrant spices, and unique combination of sweet, sour, salty, and spicy flavours.

Ordering Thai takeaway is a super convenient and delicious way to enjoy this cuisine without even getting dressed! 

But with so many options on the menu – some of which you might have never even heard of before –  how do you know where to start?

Well if you’re asking yourself, ‘what should I order from a Thai takeaway?’, you’re in the right place!

Here, we’re going to explore some of the most popular and delicious Thai dishes to order from your local takeaway, as well as some tips for customising your order to suit your taste preferences and dietary restrictions.

Spice Levels

Thai food is known for its bold flavours and spices. When ordering from a Thai takeaway, it’s important to consider the spice level of the dish.

Here’s a breakdown of the different spice levels you can expect (and what to order according to your personal preferences!):

Mild

If you’re sensitive to spice, look for these popular dishes that skip the heat but still offer plenty in the way of taste and satisfaction: 

• Pad Thai: A stir-fried rice noodle dish with prawns, peanuts, scrambled eggs, and beansprouts. You can often change from prawn to chicken or tofu, if you prefer. It’s a famous dish that you really need to try at least once! 
• Mango Sticky Rice: This is a beautiful dessert to enjoy after your pad Thai main course. Sticky, fresh, and utterly scrumptious, it’s the perfect palate cleanser. 
• Tom Kha Gai (Coconut Chicken Soup): Rich and creamy yet tangy and salty, every mouthful of this Thai soup is an absolute delight. It’s the ultimate in comfort food, and it’s rare that I order Thai food without making sure that I get a portion of this! I love to share it as a starter before a noodle dish, though it can be a main course in its own right. 

Medium

For those who enjoy a bit of spice, medium dishes are a great option. These dishes will have a moderate amount of heat that’s not too overwhelming. Some popular medium dishes include:

• Green Curry: Vibrant in colour and loaded with complex, fragrant flavours, a green curry is typically prepared with chicken or prawns and served with lime wedges, lots of coriander, and white rice. It’s another must-try Thai dish with a warming kick. 
• Massaman Curry: Rich and satisfying, slightly sweet and a little nutty, this one is a real warmer of a dish that’s prepared with spices like cinnamon, cardamon, and nutmeg. If you typically enjoy stew style dishes, this one’s for you. 
• Pad See Ew: This is a soy-sauce based noodle dish that’s a popular street food option in Thailand.  It’s salty and has a satisfying chargrilled taste from the skillet it’s prepared in. Go for this one if you like noodles that aren’t too spicy! 

Spicy

If you can handle the heat, look out for: 

• Red Curry: This is the go-to choice if you want to try something super spicy! Just make sure you have a drink to hand. 
• Tom Yum Soup: This hot and sour soup is laden with chillis, and the intoxicating flavours of lemongrass, garlic, lime, and coconut milk. 
• Spicy Basil Chicken: A stir fry dish that’s typically served with rice, this is perfect if you want to try something hot yet still full of beautiful flavours and complexity. 

When ordering, it’s important to note that different restaurants may have different spice levels for the same dish.

The red curry from my local takeaway might be significantly less spicy than yours, just for example, so make sure you keep that in mind when ordering, and remember that you can always move up the spice scale with your next order, if you want to play it a little safe!

If you’re unsure, don’t be scared to ask the takeaway staff for their recommendations based on the flavours you love and your personal spice tolerance. 

They’ll often be delighted to share their favourite dishes off the menu, and guide you towards the hidden gems that you might otherwise have missed!