Restaurant
Canoe
A weekday fine-dining restaurant on the 54th floor of the TD Bank Tower, cooking seasonal Canadian ingredients with a tasting menu, à la carte dinner and…
Pai Northern Thai Kitchen
A popular Thai restaurant on Duncan Street, run by chef Nuit and her husband, serving Northern Thai dishes such as khao soi alongside pad thai, curries and salads.
At a glance
- Type
- Northern Thai
- Area
- Entertainment District, Toronto, Canada
- Price
- $$ · Mid-range
- Opening
- Open daily
- Official site
- paitoronto.com
Good to know
- Walk-ins welcome
- Vegan options
- Adjustable spice levels
- Takeout and delivery
Why we recommend it
Pai Northern Thai Kitchen is the downtown restaurant of chef Nuit and her husband, who met in northern Thailand, where she worked as a hospital nurse. They first ran a small place called the Curry Shack in the town of Pai, cooking dinner after her hospital shifts, before Nuit moved to Canada in 2004. Their first Toronto restaurant, Sukhothai, followed in 2008, and the group now also includes Kiin, Chaiyo, Thai Tavern and Makilala, with a second Pai on Yonge Street.
The menu is broad, but the northern dishes are what set it apart. Khao soi, egg noodles in a golden coconut curry topped with crispy noodles, is the obvious first order. Starters include Grabong squash fritters in red curry batter, served for dine-in only, and Thai chicken wings with crispy shallots and tamarind sauce. Kanom jeen nham ngeaw, a northern pork rib and tomato soup with vermicelli, is served for dine-in only, and the laab salad comes in the northern style with herbs, toasted rice, sticky rice and lettuce leaves. Chef Nuit's pad thai, made with a tamarind and palm sugar sauce, is the house version of the classic, and the curries range from mild massaman and panang to a medium green curry with kabocha squash.
Spice is taken seriously. Some dishes can be ordered at five levels, from no spice to Thai spicy, with mild, medium and farang spicy in between, while others are served at a fixed heat. Vegan versions are available for many dishes, and gluten-free dishes are marked. The drinks list includes cocktails, sangrias, beer and wine, plus a non-alcoholic section called Mai Mao.
The downtown restaurant opens from 11:45am to 9:30pm from Tuesday to Thursday and on Sunday, until 10pm on Friday and Saturday, and from 4pm to 9:30pm on Monday. Reservations are deliberately limited to keep space for walk-ins; online bookings open 30 days ahead and are not taken by phone, and lunch bookings from Tuesday to Thursday start at 2pm. Because so many tables are kept for walk-ins, be prepared to wait at busy times.
Pai suits groups, families and anyone wanting a good-value meal in the Entertainment District before an evening out downtown. Takeout and delivery are available through the website and delivery apps.
Pai Northern Thai Kitchen FAQs
What are the opening hours?
Monday 4pm to 9:30pm; Tuesday to Thursday and Sunday 11:45am to 9:30pm; Friday and Saturday 11:45am to 10pm.
Can you book?
Reservations are limited to favour walk-ins; online bookings open 30 days ahead and are not taken by phone.
What should you order?
Khao soi, the northern laab salad and Chef Nuit's pad thai are good starting points.
Can you choose the spice level?
For some dishes, yes, from no spice to Thai spicy; others have a fixed heat.
Are there vegan options?
Yes. Many dishes can be made vegan with tofu and vegetables.
Who runs Pai?
Chef Nuit and her husband, who also run Sukhothai, Kiin, Chaiyo and Thai Tavern.
Is there takeout?
Yes, through the website, delivery apps or by calling for pickup.
Are there other locations?
Yes. There is a second Pai at 2335 Yonge Street.