Mali Jasmine Thai is a Thai restaurant on Wairakei Road in Burnside, Christchurch, serving heartfelt Thai cooking from its kitchen for lunch and dinner. The restaurant describes its food as bold, fresh and made with skill, soul and passion, spanning silky curries, fragrant soups, crispy entrees and sizzling stir-fries.
The restaurant is fully licensed and also allows BYO wine, giving diners flexibility for dine-in meals. It offers a dedicated dine-in menu as well as a separate takeaway menu with takeaway pricing, plus lunch service on weekdays. Guests can dine in, order takeaway, or arrange delivery.
Mali Jasmine Thai has built a strong local following, with guests praising dishes such as beef larb, satay chicken, sweet and sour pork, ginger stir-fry and penang curry, and highlighting friendly service and a warm dining atmosphere.
On Wairakei Road in Burnside, Mali Jasmine Thai has built a loyal following among Christchurch diners looking for bold, home-style Thai cooking. The restaurant describes its approach simply: every dish made with skill, soul and passion, from silky curries and fragrant soups to crispy entrees and sizzling stir-fries.
The kitchen's range covers the dishes Thai food lovers look for — Massaman curry, including a version served with a slow-cooked lamb shank, alongside penang and green curries. Stir-fries feature heavily too, with ginger stir-fry, cashew nut stir-fry, and basil-based dishes with pork belly or duck. Noodle dishes include Phad Thai, drunken noodles, and Rad Na, while soups such as Tom Kha bring the coconut-based comfort Thai cooking is known for.
Guests repeatedly single out a handful of dishes: beef larb — described by one reviewer as the best they've had outside Thailand — along with satay chicken, sweet and sour pork, yum Thai salad, and a peanut satay stir-fry that keeps regulars coming back. Roti bread is often ordered alongside curries and stir-fries as a favourite pairing.
Mali Jasmine Thai is fully licensed and also welcomes BYO wine, giving diners the choice of ordering from the restaurant's own list or bringing their own bottle. Reviewers describe a warm, welcoming atmosphere, with traditional Thai music and decorative touches such as fairy lights adding to the setting. Diners can also ask for their preferred spice level when ordering, so dishes can be adjusted from mild to hot.
Service comes up often in reviews, with guests describing staff and the owner as friendly and attentive — including small touches like turning on a nearby heater for early arrivals on a cold evening.
Lunch service runs Monday to Friday from 12pm to 2pm, and is not available on public holidays. Dinner runs every day of the week from 5pm to 9pm, giving diners a consistent option even on weekends. Alongside dine-in service, the restaurant offers a separate takeaway menu with its own takeaway pricing, and guests have also reported ordering for delivery.
The restaurant is located at Shop 12, 501 Wairakei Road, Burnside, Christchurch. Tables can be reserved online or by phone, and the restaurant asks that same-day bookings be made by phone rather than through the online form. Walk-ins are also welcome for those who prefer not to book ahead.