The best Thai restaurant in Arizona and one of the best in the country — a husband-and-wife restaurant in Arcadia specializing in Isan (northeastern Thailand) street food, with hand-pounded curry paste, freshly squeezed coconut milk, and USA Today's 'Restaurant of the Year 2024' recognition that didn't change a thing about what makes it excellent.
Why It Belongs on the List
Glai Baan was opened by Yotaka and Alex Martin with a focus on the northeastern Thai region of Isan — a cuisine distinct from the Central Thai food most Americans know, with heavier reliance on fermented flavors, sticky rice, intense herb freshness, and the kind of funky depth that comes from fish sauce used seriously rather than decoratively. Every ingredient is treated with the respect of someone who understands the food from its source: hand-pounded curry paste, freshly squeezed coconut milk (not canned), herbs that were purchased that morning. The USA Today 'Restaurants of the Year 2024' recognition and the 2023 James Beard semifinalist nomination for Outstanding Restaurant reflect a national food media that has caught up to what Phoenix's chef community has known since the restaurant opened. The dining room is cozy, the reservation waitlist moves quickly, and the advice to go with the 'Arai Kodai' (chef's choice) option is the best single piece of Phoenix dining guidance available.
What Stands Out
- Best Thai restaurant in Arizona — USA Today Restaurant of the Year 2024, James Beard semifinalist
- Isan (northeastern Thai) cuisine: heavier, funkier, more fermented than Central Thai — a genuine education
- Hand-pounded curry paste and freshly squeezed coconut milk: the ingredient standards that matter
- Go with 'Arai Kodai' (chef's choice): the best single ordering strategy in Phoenix dining
- Book ahead — consistently packed; reservation waitlist moves but fills quickly