Secret Thai Garden began to evolve in 2001 as a family owned and operated restaurant with a simple ambition: to bring an authentic Thai dining experience from Thailand to New Zealand. Tucked into the heart of Otahuhu, it has grown into a garden-wrapped dining destination where hand-crafted teak furniture, home-grown produce and southern Thai cooking come together for casual dinners, special events and private functions.
The kitchen is led by the story of Aranya — better known as 'Tommy' — a trained chef born and raised in Surat Thani in southern Thailand, who met Kiwi-born Nobby and set out to recreate the flavours of home. In the early years Tommy worked the kitchen while raising her two sons; she later employed two authentic Thai chefs from different regions of Thailand so she could spend more time greeting guests in the restaurant. Following the sale of the property in 2018, Tommy became the sole owner in 2020 and remains committed to preserving the restaurant's vision for its loyal customers.
The menu covers the full sweep of Thai favourites: crispy entrees like zaab wings, curry puffs and satay skewers; tom-yum and tom-kha soups; red, green, yellow, phaneang and massamun curries; pad thai, pad-see-ew and fried rice; and stir-fries from cashew nut to sweet basil. Curries and stir-fries come with rice and your choice of protein, from chicken, pork, beef or tofu through to prawns, snapper, mixed seafood, roast duck, lamb and slow-cooked beef cheek. Unique Thai dishes such as yum nua beef salad, larb and goong chae nam pla reward the adventurous.
Many of the loyal, dedicated staff have been part of the team for several years, and much of the atmosphere comes from the garden itself: outdoor teak furniture hand-selected from Chiang Mai in Northern Thailand, each piece with its own unique history, and Tommy's extensive vegetable garden that still supplies the kitchen with fresh home-grown produce today.
Down Station Road in the heart of Otahuhu sits Secret Thai Garden, a family owned Thai restaurant that has been quietly evolving since 2001. It began with a simple ambition: to bring an authentic Thai dining experience from Thailand to New Zealand. More than two decades on, it remains a garden-wrapped haven for casual dinners, special events and private functions, run with the same care its founders poured into it.
The story starts with Aranya — better known as 'Tommy' — a trained chef who was born and raised in Surat Thani in southern Thailand. She met Kiwi-born Nobby, and together they set out to recreate an authentic Thai dining experience in Auckland. In the early years Tommy spent most of her time working hard in the kitchen while also raising her two sons, until she was able to employ two authentic Thai chefs from different regions of Thailand. That freed her to spend more time out in the restaurant, where she enjoys meeting and greeting customers and making sure they have the best dining experience.
Following the sale of the property in 2018, Tommy became the sole owner of Secret Thai Garden in 2020. Committed to preserving the vision, she ensured the restaurant remained open to its loyal customers, continuing to serve the genuine southern Thai food and culture the garden was built around.
The name is no accident. All of the outdoor teak furniture was selected from Chiang Mai in Northern Thailand, each piece hand crafted with its own unique history. The container of treasures arrived in August 2003, and the following two years were spent planting and landscaping — with the skills of friend Christopher — to create the dream Secret Thai Garden.
Tommy also created an extensive vegetable garden so the restaurant could be supplied with fresh home-grown produce. That practice continues today, with the chefs sourcing and selecting the freshest produce for the dishes.
The menu stretches from entrees to dessert. Start with the Chef's Selection platter of zaab wings, curry puffs, crispy wontons and spring rolls with dipping sauces, or graze on satay skewers, coconut tempura prawns or tom-yum crispy wontons. Soups include the classic spicy-and-sour tom-yum and the creamy, galangal-scented tom-kha.
Curries span red, green, yellow, phaneang and massamun, each served with rice and your choice of protein — chicken, pork, beef or tofu, all the way up to prawns, snapper, mixed seafood, roast duck, lamb and slow-cooked beef cheek. Noodle lovers can choose between pad thai, pad-see-ew, fried egg noodles and Thai fried rice, while the stir-fry list runs from cashew nut and young ginger to sweet basil, garlic and pepper, and pra ram long song.
For something distinctly Thai, try the unique dishes: yum nua beef salad, larb minced meat salad with toasted rice powder, or goong chae nam pla — raw prawns marinated in spicy Thai fish sauce with garlic, chilli and lime. Finish with ice cream and berry compote.
Secret Thai Garden is a perfect venue for casual dining, special events and private functions. For groups of 20 or more the Set Menu is recommended, while groups of 35 or more are steered toward the Buffet Style option; a 10% deposit is required for group bookings larger than 30 people, and 14 days' notice is needed to cancel for a full refund. The set menu is available from four guests, and there is kids' pricing for ages 5-8 and 9-12.
The restaurant is fully licensed, with BYO for wine only at a $10 per bottle corkage, and BYO cake for a small per-person fee. Takeaways are available from 5pm to 10pm, and online ordering makes pickup easy.
Secret Thai Garden is open Tuesday through Sunday from 5pm to 10pm and closed on Mondays. Whether you come for a long banquet in the garden with friends or a quiet weeknight curry, expect warm hospitality from a team — many of whom have been there for several years — who genuinely enjoy the vibe of their garden workplace.