Thai Cuisine

Busaba ‘well placed to face economic challenges’

12-Apr-2024 By James McAllister

Thai restaurant group Busaba has said it is ‘well placed to face the anticipated customer and market economic challenges ahead’ despite a slight drop in sales.

Giggling Squid sees turnover rise following ‘another excellent year’

19-Dec-2023 By James McAllister

Giggling Squid has reported a rise in turnover with like for like sales ‘materially ahead’ of pre pandemic levels in its latest financial results.

How I Got Here: Gavin Adair

16-Aug-2023 By James McAllister

The Rosa's Thai CEO and former Wahaca commercial director on how he stays motivated, the best advice he's been given, and banning phones in restaurants.

Latest opening: Outcrop

15-Aug-2023 By Restaurant

Brutalism meets bucolic at this indoor/outdoor restaurant space that melds British ingredients with Thai cooking.

David Thompson pulls out of Chinatown restaurant

24-May-2023 By Joe Lutrario

High-profile Australian chef David Thompson and his partner TGP International are understood to have pulled out of the Chinatown site that had been secured for Thai casual dining concept Long Chim.

John Chantarasak: “We are adamant that we have to open this restaurant now”

18-May-2023 By Stefan Chomka

The AngloThai chef will cook at Outcrop, a three-month pop-up at 180 The Strand from next month. But he hasn’t given up on his dream of opening his own place.

Rosa's Thai secures funding from Barclays as it plots further expansion

11-May-2023 By James McAllister

Rosa’s Thai has secured a new £10m bank facility from Barclays to help fund its ongoing openings pipeline.

Camile Thai UK enters liquidation

20-Apr-2023 By Finn Scott-Delany

The company that operates Camile Thai in the UK has entered into liquidation.

Rosa’s Thai to make south west debut with Exeter restaurant

13-Jan-2023 By Restaurant

Rosa’s Thai will make its south west debut next month with the opening of a restaurant in Exeter.

Lime Squeezy shutters final site

10-Jan-2023 By James McAllister

Giggling Squid’s sister brand Lime Squeezy has closed its last remaining restaurant, bringing to an end its high street presence less than two years after it first launched.

Latest opening: Chet's

06-Jan-2023 By James McAllister

Thai/American fusion concept Chet’s has launched a permanent site at the newly-opened The Hoxton hotel in London’s Shepherd’s Bush.

10 restaurant trends for 2023

21-Dec-2022 By Restaurant

The rise of the 'grocerant', gourmet kids menus, elevated sides, smaller menus and a renaissance in full-service roadside dining are among our predictions for the next 12 months.

Latest opening: Speedboat Bar

18-Nov-2022 By Joe Lutrario

Luke Farrell’s latest restaurant is a love letter to Thai drinking culture and the food of Bangkok’s Chinatown.

AngloThai secures permanent restaurant site in Fitzrovia

14-Nov-2022 By James McAllister

AngloThai's John and Desiree Chantarasak are to open their first permanent restaurant next year having secured a site in London's Fitzrovia.

Lime Squeezy Brighton closes after just six months

07-Nov-2022 By Joe Lutrario

Giggling Squid’s sister brand Lime Squeezy has closed its central Brighton site after fewer than six months' trading.

Rosa’s Thai makes international debut

27-Oct-2022 By Shwetali Sapte

Rosa’s Thai has made its international debut in the UAE with a restaurant opening in Dubai on 22 October.

Friends in Thai places: the chef championing less established Thai cuisine

22-Aug-2022 By Stefan Chomka

With his Plaza Khao Gaeng and soon-to-open Speedboat Bar restaurants, Luke Farrell is introducing Londoners to Thai cuisine as they may never have experienced before.

Thai Leisure Group embarks on major refurbishment project

28-Jul-2022 By Joe Lutrario

Chaophraya and Thaikhun operator Thai Leisure Group is investing £1m into a refurbishment project that will see at least five of its 16 restaurants overhauled.

Luke Farrell motors into Soho with Speedboat Bar

13-Jul-2022 By Restaurant

Luke Farrell is to launch a second Thai restaurant in quick succession in the capital with a new project in Soho.

Latest opening: Lime Squeezy Brighton

27-Jun-2022 By Joe Lutrario

The recently launched all-day orientated Thai restaurant brand has chosen Brighton for its second location.

David Thompson to launch Long Chim in Chinatown

16-May-2022 By James McAllister

Former Nahm chef David Thompson has secured a site in London's Chinatown for his Long Chim casual Thai restaurant, which is expected to launch later this year.

Book review: Kin Thai

06-May-2022 By Joe Lutrario

John Chantarasak debut cookbook is based around the same concept as his successful AngloThai pop-up, with British ingredients standing in for Thai ones in some cases.

Latest opening: Arcade Food Hall

22-Apr-2022 By Stefan Chomka

The short-lived Arcade Food Theatre on London’s Oxford Street has been reborn with a new operator and a fresh set of food options.

Giggling Squid to make Welsh debut in Cardiff

17-Mar-2022 By James McAllister

Thai restaurant chain Giggling Squid is to launch its first Welsh outpost later this year in Cardiff.

JKS Restaurants to finally open Arcade Food Hall next month

09-Mar-2022 By Joe Lutrario

JKS Restaurants looks set to open Arcade Food Hall next month following the announcement of a new partnership with chef and Asian ingredient expert Luke Farrell, which will see him create two new concepts at the central London venue.

Zaap Thai arrives in Sheffield

01-Mar-2022 By James McAllister

Street food brand Zaap Thai is to launch its sixth restaurant this spring having secured a site in Sheffield.

Rosa’s Thai to make Wales debut

22-Feb-2022 By Joe Lutrario

Rosa’s Thai will open its first restaurant in Wales early next month.

Latest opening: Ajia

21-Feb-2022 By James McAllister

Busaba has launched an ‘immersive, speakeasy-esque’ bar in the basement of its new Oxford restaurant, suggesting a possible fresh direction for the Thai restaurant group.

Wok stars – how Rosa’s Thai’s training kitchen is inspiring the next generation of wok chefs

04-Feb-2022 By Restaurant

Rosa’s Thai CEO Gavin Adair on why the group has launched its own Wok School, growing the brand’s retail range, and what its growth plans are for the year ahead

David Thompson to bring Long Chim to London later this year

01-Feb-2022 By Joe Lutrario

Former Nahm chef David Thompson is understood to be bringing his Long Chim casual Thai restaurant format to London this year.

School of wok: Rosa’s Thai to open training kitchen

27-Jan-2022 By Joe Lutrario

Rosa’s Thai has launched a training kitchen at its Warren Street restaurant that offers diners a 50% discount on normal menu prices.

Rosa’s Thai launches range of branded sauces and pastes

22-Nov-2021 By Restaurant

Thai restaurant group Rosa’s Thai is making the move into retail with a range of branded sauces and pastes.

Turning Japanese? Busaba to launch izakaya concept

09-Nov-2021 By Joe Lutrario

Busaba is to trial a new izakaya-inspired bar concept at its upcoming Oxford restaurant that’s billed as a ‘naughty little sister’ to the Thai brand.

AngloThai to open permanent restaurant in London early next year

10-Aug-2021 By Joe Lutrario

AngloThai's John and Desiree Chantarasak are to open their first permanent restaurant next year.

Camile Thai launches 'neighbourhood' kitchen as delivery-only push increases

08-Apr-2021 By Restaurant

Camile Thai Kitchen is opening its first 'neighbourhood' kitchen in the capital as part of its plans to grow its presence in the delivery-only space.

Rosa’s Thai Veggie to return

05-Mar-2021 By Joe Lutrario

Rosa’s Thai Cafe is to bring back its vegetarian spin-off Rosa’s Thai Veggie in the form of a virtual brand in London Fields with ambitions to open further delivery-only sites as well as explore bricks and mortar opportunities.

Camile Thai Kitchen to grow to 13 UK sites this year

18-Feb-2021 By Restaurant

Thai restaurant group Camile Thai Kitchen will open seven new venues across the UK and Ireland as part of its international expansion plans.

Pranee Laurillard goes it alone with Lime Squeezy Thai Kitchen

12-Feb-2021 By Joe Lutrario

Pranee Laurillard has stepped back from national Thai restaurant chain Giggling Squid to launch faster paced concept Lime Squeezy Thai Kitchen.

Rosa’s Thai Café to open in Birmingham's Paradise development this spring

27-Jan-2021 By Restaurant

Rosa’s Thai Café will open its fourth restaurant outside of the capital, in Birmingham’s Paradise project.

Giggling Squid looks to build strong 2021 pipeline after reporting £38.4m turnover

22-Dec-2020 By James McAllister

Thai restaurant group Giggling Squid says it hopes to build a strong pipeline of openings in 2021, having remained in a 'commanding liquidity position' despite the impact of the pandemic.

Giggling Squid to open biggest restaurant to date in Cambridge

24-Sep-2020 By Restaurant

Thai restaurant group Giggling Squid will open its biggest restaurant to date next week in Cambridge.

First person

Natalie Tangsakul: “Help, I opened a restaurant during lockdown"

24-Jul-2020 By Natalie Tangsakul

Attempting to open a restaurant during lockdown has been exhilarating and scary, exciting and stressful, but I would not change it for the world.

Natalie Tangsakul: "I would love to open Talad as a restaurant, but this situation teaches us a lot"

26-Jun-2020 By James McAllister

Having originally planned to open as a ‘perma pop-up’ restaurant in London's Chelsea, Natalie Tangsakul has refocused her Northern-Thai concept Talad and is now launching it as an Asian-inspired deli.

Talad Eatery to refocus as Asian deli concept

09-Jun-2020 By James McAllister

Chef Natalie Tangsakul is to refocus her Northern Thai restaurant concept Talad and launch an Asian-inspired deli in its stead later this month.

Satay Street to open permanent restaurant in Spitalfields

19-Feb-2020 By Joe Lutrario

Street food stalwart Satay Street will open its first permanent restaurant – in Spitalfields – later this week.

Can Busaba bounce back?

18-Feb-2020 By Sophie Witts

Once the darling of the Thai restaurant scene, Busaba has had a tough few years, with falling profits and site closures. Now with a simplified offer and a fresh focus on the capital, it’s looking to bounce back.

Som Saa team to explore food hall and grab-and-go formats

02-Dec-2019 By Stefan Chomka

The team behind Thai restaurant Som Saa say they are considering food hall, grab-and-go and takeaway options as part of their expansion plans.

Som Saa to crowdfund to open second Thai restaurant in the capital

19-Nov-2019 By Stefan Chomka

London-based Thai restaurant Som Saa is looking to open a second restaurant in the capital.

Busaba Eathai earnings rise after closing regional sites

23-Aug-2019 By Sophie Witts

Thai restaurant group Busaba Eathai’s earnings are back in the black after the closure of all its sites outside London.

Thai and Japanese chains in UK soar while Chinese brands stumble

26-Mar-2019 By James McAllister

Britain’s restaurant tastes are changing, with Chinese and Spanish cuisines losing out to Thai and Japanese in the branded space over the last five years.