The best of Thai cuisine in Manila

If you’re a lover of Thai cuisine, worry not, as you won’t need to fly to Thailand to taste its authentic flavors. 

The Thai Select Festival 2025 held last month at the Shangri-La Plaza showcased eight festival-certified restaurants, each representing the rich and bold tastes of Thailand.

The Department of International Trade Promotion, Ministry of Commerce, the Royal Thai Government launched the program to certify and promote authentic Thai cuisine around the world. It is a seal of approval granted to Thai restaurants in Thailand and overseas that serve authentic Thai food and processed Thai food products. The objective is to increase the recognition of quality Thai restaurants and processed Thai food products, as well as to encourage Thai restaurateurs and Thai food producers to raise their quality while maintaining authenticity.

Thai cuisine takes pride in its rich heritage, practiced as an art and handed down from generation to generation. It is known for the harmonious blend of flavors created by different ingredients, various such as coriander root, lemon grass, Thai basil, shallots, galangal, tamarind pulp and of course, chillies. 

Nam Pla or fish sauce, palm sugar and shrimp paste are staple ingredients in Thai cuisine, which impart a unique character to every Thai dish. Whether in a curry, spicy soup, savory salad or sweet dessert, the competing and complementary flavors create a harmonious blend that, once tasted, will never be forgotten.

Since the 1960s, Thai cuisine has become well-known worldwide.

Currently, there are approximately 15,000 Thai restaurants around the world. But due to Thai food’s huge popularity, many restaurants overseas try to attract customers by naming their places “Thai restaurant” or serving Thai food. Many of them do not even have Thai food on their menus.

Regarding the restaurant certification, Thai Select not only certifies food, but also includes the hospitality and atmosphere of the restaurant. Chefs must have expertise in cooking food with authentic Thai flavors. Receiving this prestigious award is not easy; the bar is set high, and the guidelines are strict. Still, through training and inspections, high-standard Thai restaurants worldwide have achieved this distinction.

At the festival, attendees savored a diverse array of dishes from renowned establishments, including Mango Tree (BGC and City of Dreams branches), Benjarong Manila, Samyan Thai Street Food, Nara Thai Cuisine (Megamalls and Molito Lifestyle), Thai BBQ Original Restaurant and Greyhound Cafe.

 From the royal elegance of Benjarong Manila’s traditional dishes to the lively street food vibes of Samyan Thai Street Food, the festival offered a culinary journey through Thailand’s signature flavors: spicy, sour, salty, sweet and umami. Guests delighted in exquisite royal dishes, street food favorites, comforting barbecue specialties and innovative fusion creations. 

“We are very grateful to our Filipino friends for continuously appreciating our dishes. Our food reflects years of history, culture and values, and we are excited to share more authentic Thai flavors during this festival at Shangri-La Plaza,” Sutinee Vathana, director of the Thai Trade Center Manila, said.