Lantern Society is a neighbourhood kitchen in Stoke, Nelson, serving Asian comfort food built from recipes carried from home kitchens across Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam and beyond. The name is a nod to the lanterns that light up streets, markets and family dinners across Asia — a quiet invitation that says come in, you're welcome here.
The kitchen opened its doors in 2026 with a small team and a lot of heart, cooking the dishes the owners grew up loving — the ones their mums, aunties and grandmothers taught them to cook. Think slow-cooked curries, steaming bowls of laksa, crispy wings and fragrant rice plates, all made without shortcuts: curries simmer low and slow, sambal is made in-house, and rice is always served hot.
Fully licensed with wine, beer and cocktails (no BYO), Lantern Society is located in the former Crusoe's cafe, behind Liquorland Stoke, and serves both lunch and dinner seven days a week.
In Stoke, Nelson, Lantern Society set out with a simple goal: to be the neighbourhood's favourite Asian eatery, the kind of place that feels like a regular spot even on your first visit. Opened in 2026 with a small team and a lot of heart, the kitchen brings together recipes carried from home kitchens across Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam and beyond.
The menu leans into genuine comfort food — the dishes the owners grew up eating, taught to them by their mums, aunties and grandmothers. Think slow-cooked curries, steaming bowls of laksa, crispy wings and fragrant rice plates, all made without shortcuts. Curries simmer low and slow, sambal is made in-house, and rice is always served hot — small details that add up to honest, carefully made food.
On the entree side, the menu spans a genuinely wide range of styles and countries. Sticky Tamarind Pork Ribs are slow cooked then grilled with a spicy tamarind sauce, while Hatyai Fried Chicken brings a Southern Thai take with garlic, coriander root, pepper and crispy shallots. Vietnamese Fresh Spring Rolls pack grilled pork, herbs and vermicelli into rice paper with a peanut dipping sauce, and Miang Pla wraps crispy fish and fresh herbs in leafy greens with a tamarind dressing. For something with more crunch, the Calamari Gochujang and Crispy Snow Chicken both bring a sweet-and-spicy edge, while vegetarian and vegan diners are catered for with the Crispy Corn with Wasabi Mayo and Crispy Eggplant with Chinese Spiced Vinegar.
The name Lantern Society is a nod to the lanterns that light up streets, markets and family dinners across Asia — a quiet invitation that says come in, you're welcome here. That welcoming feeling extends to the space itself, set in the former Crusoe's cafe behind Liquorland Stoke, and to the drinks list: Lantern Society is fully licensed with wine, beer and cocktails, though it doesn't offer BYO.
Open for both lunch and dinner seven days a week, Lantern Society gives Stoke a genuine neighbourhood spot for Asian comfort food — the kind of place built on family recipes rather than trend-chasing, where every dish is meant to tell a story.