Aksorn's Thai Kitchen

thai_restaurant — Belfast · Christchurch

About Aksorn's Thai Kitchen

Aksorn's Thai Kitchen is a family-run Thai restaurant located at 281 Greers Road in Bishopdale, Christchurch. The restaurant is the project of chef Sema, who has returned to the Christchurch dining scene with her flavours and skills in a new kitchen, named in honour of her eldest daughter Aksorn (known as Fern), who works alongside her in the restaurant.

The kitchen is built around a menu of mainstream Thai dishes enriched with well-known family recipes — including Sema's own unique Pad Thai sauce and the restaurant's popular hot and spicy Tom Yum soup. Noodle soup dishes, which have long been a signature of Sema's cooking, are also on the menu. The overall philosophy is a careful balance of spicy, sour, sweet, and salty flavours using fresh herbs and quality ingredients.

Aksorn's Thai Kitchen is fully licensed and also accepts BYO wine. Both dine-in and takeaway are available, and online ordering can be placed through their website. Parking is available at the back of the premises. The restaurant is open for lunch Wednesday through Sunday, and for dinner Tuesday through Sunday — closed Mondays.

Aksorn's Thai Kitchen Bishopdale: Family-Run Christchurch Thai Restaurant With Signature Pad Thai, Tom Yum, and Noodle Soups

Aksorn's Thai Kitchen is a family-run Thai restaurant at 281 Greers Road in Bishopdale, Christchurch — a neighbourhood suburb a short drive from the city centre. The restaurant is the work of chef Sema, a well-known figure among Christchurch's Thai food community, who returned to the restaurant scene after stepping away from her previous kitchen.

The name "Aksorn" was chosen deliberately: it is the Thai name of Sema's eldest daughter (also known as Fern), who works alongside her mother at the restaurant. Naming the business after Aksorn was both a personal gesture and a practical one — Sema wanted to distance herself from the name of her previous restaurant while keeping the family connection at the centre of the business.

The Food: Family Recipes Behind Familiar Thai Dishes

Aksorn's menu is built around the mainstream Thai dishes most people know and enjoy, but each with the kind of depth that comes from family recipes refined over years. The Pad Thai features Sema's own unique house sauce — not the generic version found elsewhere — and the Tom Yum soup is described as one of the restaurant's most popular and well-known dishes: hot, spicy, and clearly the product of a specific recipe rather than a generic base.

Noodle soup dishes are also a key part of the menu. Sema's noodle soups were a long-standing favourite at her previous restaurant, and their return to the menu was a deliberate part of how she shaped Aksorn's offering. The kitchen's approach is described as finding balance across the four core Thai flavour dimensions — spicy, sour, sweet, and salty — using fresh herbs throughout.

The full dine-in and takeaway menus are available as PDFs on the Aksorn website and via online ordering.

Dine In, Takeaway, and Online Orders

Aksorn's Thai Kitchen offers both dine-in and takeaway. The restaurant is fully licensed, and BYO applies to wine only. Online ordering is available through their website at online.aksornthai.co.nz for takeaway orders.

The restaurant is open for lunch Wednesday through Sunday from 11:30am to 2:30pm, and for dinner Tuesday through Sunday from 5:00pm to 9:00pm. Monday is the only day the restaurant is fully closed. Parking is available at the back of the premises.

Prices were updated in November 2024 — if you have an older menu, the prices on the website and via online ordering will be current.

Signature items

  • Pad Thai
  • Tom Yum Soup
  • Noodle Soups
  • Takeaway & Online Ordering
  • BYO Wine

Menu

Signature Dishes

  • Pad Thai — House recipe Pad Thai with the chef's own unique family sauce
  • Tom Yum Soup — Hot and spicy Tom Yum — one of the restaurant's most well-known dishes
  • Noodle Soups — Chef Sema's signature noodle soup dishes, a long-standing fan favourite

Frequently asked questions

What are Aksorn's Thai Kitchen's opening hours?
Lunch is served Wednesday to Sunday, 11:30am to 2:30pm. Dinner runs Tuesday to Sunday, 5:00pm to 9:00pm. The restaurant is closed on Mondays.
Is Aksorn's Thai Kitchen open on Tuesdays?
Yes — for dinner only. Lunch is not served on Tuesdays. Dinner runs from 5:00pm to 9:00pm.
Can I order takeaway or order online?
Yes — both takeaway and online ordering are available. Online orders can be placed at online.aksornthai.co.nz.
Is the restaurant BYO?
The restaurant is fully licensed and also BYO — but wine only (not beer or spirits).
Is parking available?
Yes — parking is available at the back of the premises at 281 Greers Road, Bishopdale.
Have the prices changed recently?
Yes — prices increased from 1 November 2024. The current menus on the website and online ordering system reflect the new pricing.
Who runs Aksorn's Thai Kitchen?
The restaurant is run by chef Sema and her eldest daughter Aksorn (known as Fern). The restaurant is named after Aksorn and is a family-run operation.

Tips

  • {"body":"The restaurant opens for dinner from 5pm on Tuesdays but does not serve lunch. If you're planning a Tuesday visit, arrive from 5pm onwards.","title":"Tuesday is dinner only — don't arrive at lunchtime"}
  • {"body":"Aksorn's increased their prices in November 2024. If you have an old menu saved somewhere, check the website or online ordering system for current pricing before you visit.","title":"Check the current menu online before you go — prices updated November 2024"}
  • {"body":"Parking is available at the back of the premises at 281 Greers Road. If the front looks tight, drive around — there's dedicated off-street parking behind the building.","title":"Park at the back, not out front"}
  • {"body":"The restaurant is licensed but also accepts BYO, however wine only applies. Don't bring beer or spirits — those aren't covered by the BYO policy.","title":"BYO wine is allowed — but wine only"}

Good to know

  • {"parking":"Available at the back of the premises"}