PhuThai Esarn Restaurant

About PhuThai Esarn Restaurant

PhuThai Esarn is a Thai restaurant on Cambridge Terrace in central Wellington, specialising in authentic dishes from the North and North-Eastern provinces of Thailand. The restaurant is licensed and BYO, open seven days, and offers $19 lunches on weekdays alongside a full à la carte dinner menu.

Over the years PhuThai Esarn has picked up a string of local recognition, including being named one of the top three Thai restaurants in Wellington by Capital Times in 2010, Best Thai Restaurant in Wellington in 2011 and again in 2012 by Capital Times readers' poll, and Best Thai Restaurant in Wellington for 2018 by Capital Magazine. The restaurant has also featured in Dominion Post restaurant reviews and its 'My Favourite Table' section, and has been mentioned by local media figures as a favourite spot for Thai food.

The menu spans classic Thai curries, stir-fries, noodle and rice dishes, soups, hot plate specials, and a dedicated Esarn (North-Eastern Thai) section featuring larb, som tam and grilled meat salads, plus an extensive seafood selection and a full vegetarian and vegan range. Click & Collect and delivery are available through DeliverEasy and UberEats, and the restaurant takes bookings for birthdays, work functions and private parties.

PhuThai Esarn: Award-Winning North & North-Eastern Thai Cuisine in Wellington

On Cambridge Terrace in central Wellington, PhuThai Esarn has spent years building a reputation as one of the city's go-to spots for authentic Thai food, with a particular focus on dishes from the North and North-Eastern (Esarn) regions of Thailand — a cuisine style that leans into bold, herb-driven, often spicy flavours rather than the more familiar central Thai dishes found elsewhere.

A History of Local Recognition

PhuThai Esarn's track record with Wellington diners goes back over a decade. Capital Times named it one of the top three Thai restaurants in Wellington in 2010, then Best Thai Restaurant in Wellington in both 2011 and 2012 through its readers' poll. In 2018, Capital Magazine again named it Best Thai Restaurant in Wellington. Along the way, the restaurant has also featured in Dominion Post restaurant reviews from critic David Burton and in the paper's 'My Favourite Table' series, with local figures citing it as a personal favourite for Thai food in the capital.

From Esarn Salads to Whole Fried Fish

The menu is genuinely broad. Alongside the curries most diners expect — green, red, Panaeng, mussaman and a roast duck red curry — there's a dedicated Esarn section built around larb, som tam and grilled meat salads dressed with fresh herbs, lime juice and chilli, true to the North-Eastern Thai style. The seafood side of the menu goes further still, with a run of whole fried and steamed fish dishes like Pla rad Prik and Pla Choo Chee, plus hot plate seafood combinations served sizzling.

Rice and noodle dishes cover the usual favourites — Pad Thai, Pad See Yew, Khao Pad — while the stir-fry section runs through basil, cashew nut, ginger and peanut sauce preparations across chicken, beef, pork and seafood. A genuinely extensive vegetarian and vegan section swaps tofu into most of the curry, stir-fry and noodle dishes on the menu, with many options also available gluten free.

Lunch, Dinner and Takeaway

PhuThai Esarn is open seven days. Weekday lunch runs from 12pm to 2:30pm with $19 lunch specials, and dinner service runs from 5pm until late, seven nights a week. The restaurant is licensed and BYO, giving diners flexibility on how they drink with their meal.

For those not dining in, PhuThai Esarn offers Click & Collect, along with delivery through DeliverEasy and UberEats. The restaurant also takes bookings for birthdays, work functions and private parties, and gift vouchers are available for anyone looking to share the experience.

Worth the Visit

Between the depth of its Esarn-specific dishes, its long list of seafood specialties, and a genuinely wide vegetarian and vegan range, PhuThai Esarn offers more variety than a typical neighbourhood Thai restaurant. Combined with over a decade of local awards and reviews behind it, it remains one of Wellington's established names for Thai food.

Signature items

• Green Curry
• Pad Thai
• Larb
• Tom Yum Goong
• Pla rad Prik
• Red Duck Curry

Menu

Soup

• Tom Yum Ta-ley — Hot and sour mixed seafood soup with mushroom, lime juice and lemongrass (GF)
• Tom Yum Goong — Hot and sour prawn soup with mushroom, lime juice and lemongrass (GF)
• Tom Kha Gai — Chicken coconut milk soup with galangal, lemongrass and lime juice (GF)
• Tom Kha Ta-ley — Lightly spicy seafood soup flavoured with lemongrass and coconut milk (GF)
• Tom Yum Gai - Fired Pot — Hot and sour chicken soup with mushroom, lime juice and lemongrass (GF)
• Tom Sab Neur - Fired Pot — Hot and spicy beef soup, Esarn style, with galangal and lemongrass (GF)

Curry

• Green Curry — Thai green curry with coconut milk and vegetables, choice of chicken or beef (GF); fish, prawn or mixed seafood available
• Mussaman Beef Curry — Mussaman curry and coconut milk with peanuts and potatoes
• Red Curry — Thai red curry with coconut milk and vegetables, choice of chicken, beef or pork (GF); fish, prawn or mixed seafood available
• Panaeng Curry — Thick Thai red curry with coconut milk and vegetables, choice of chicken, beef or pork; fish, prawn or mixed seafood available
• Red Duck Curry — Roasted duck in red curry with vegetables, pineapple and tomatoes

Dessert

• Ice Cream — Served with lychee or pineapple
• Deep Fried Ice Cream — Battered and deep fried ice cream
• Sweet Sticky Rice with Lychee & Ice Cream — Sticky rice served with lychee and ice cream
• Khao Tom Mud Banana with Ice Cream — Banana sticky rice parcel served with ice cream

Hot Plate

• Lamb ka-ta ron — Grilled fillet of lamb served on a sizzling hot dish with vegetables
• Pad Cha Ta-ley — Thai style stir-fried assorted seafood with fresh chilli, rhizome, basil leaves and vegetables
• Seafood Pad Nam Prik Pow — Stir-fried mixed seafood with Thai chilli paste, served on a sizzling hot dish
• Seafood Pad Poh Tak — Stir-fried mixed seafood with tom yum paste and vegetables, served on a sizzling hot dish

Appetisers

• Karee Puff — Curry puff stuffed with minced chicken, potato and onion
• Fresh Spring Rolls Chicken — Fresh spring rolls filled with chicken, fresh vegetables and herbs
• Fresh Spring Rolls Vegetarian — Fresh spring rolls filled with fresh vegetables and herbs (V, VG, GF)
• Toong Thong — Deep fried minced chicken and shrimp parcels with mixed vegetables
• Goong Yang — Grilled prawn served with spicy seafood sauce
• Thai Fish Cakes — Thai style deep fried fish cakes served with sweet chilli dipping sauce
• Meuk Yang — Grilled squid served with spicy seafood sauce
• Chicken Satay — Slices of chicken marinated in curry powder, served with peanut sauce
• Chicken Na Kai — Deep fried chicken patties on bread
• Mixed Entrées — Karee Puff, spring roll, Toong Thong and chicken satay or chicken na kai
• Fried Vegetarian Spring Roll — Deep fried vegetarian spring roll with vermicelli and vegetables (V, VG)

Stir-Fried

• Chicken and Cashew Nuts — Stir-fried chicken and cashew nuts with vegetables
• Basil Chicken, Pork or Beef — Stir-fried with fresh chilli, sweet basil and vegetables
• Pad Khing — Stir-fried chicken, beef or pork with fresh ginger and vegetables
• Pad Pong Karee Ta-ley — Stir-fried seafood combination in a curry sauce with spring onion and capsicum
• Choo Chee Goong — Prawns cooked in red curry with capsicum and kaffir lime leaves (GF)
• Pad Phet Duck — Hot chilli paste stir fry with mixed herbs, basil and duck
• Pad Praew Wan — Thai style sweet and sour stir-fry with beef, chicken or pork
• Pad Peanut Sauce — Sautéed chicken, beef or pork with vegetables and peanut sauce
• Pad nam mun hoi beef — Tender slices of beef with onion, vegetables and oyster sauce
• Pad Phet — Hot chilli paste stir fry with chicken, beef or pork and vegetables
• Pad Kra Tiem — Stir-fried chicken, beef or pork with garlic and vegetables

Rice And Noodle

• Pad Thai — Fried rice noodle with house-made tamarind sauce, spring onion, egg, peanut and choice of chicken, beef or pork
• Pad Thai Prawns — Fried rice noodle with house-made tamarind sauce, spring onion, egg, peanut and prawns
• Pad See Yew — Thai style fried rice noodle with chicken, pork or beef in thickened soya sauce
• Khao-pad — Fried rice with choice of chicken, pork or beef and vegetables
• Khao-pad Pineapple — Fried rice with pineapple, tofu, cashew nuts, raisins and turmeric (V, VG, GF)

Seafood Specials

• Hor Mok Ta-ley — Seafood steamed with red curry sauce and coconut milk (GF)
• Pla rad Prik — Crispy whole fish topped with Thai chilli sweet and sour sauce (GF)
• Pla sa-mune Prai — Deep fried whole fish topped with crispy lemongrass and lime leaves, served with special sauce
• Larb Pla tua — Crispy whole fish topped with herbs and roasted crushed rice in a lemon-based sauce (GF)
• Pla rad Kaew Wan — Crispy whole fish topped with vegetables cooked in Thai green curry
• Pla Choo Chee — Crispy whole fish topped with traditional Thai red curry sauce (GF)
• Meuk Kra Tiem — Stir-fried squid with garlic and vegetables
• Seafood Pad Peanut Sauce — Sautéed seafood with vegetables and peanut sauce
• Choo Chee Scallop — Stir-fried scallop with traditional Thai red curry sauce and vegetables
• Pla rad Med Ma Muang — Deep fried whole fish topped with stir-fried cashew nuts and vegetables
• Pla rad Praew Wan — Crispy fillet or whole fish topped with vegetables in sweet and sour sauce
• Choo Chee Prawn — Grilled tiger prawn with traditional Thai red curry sauce and vegetables (GF)

Vegetarian & Vegan

• Red Curry Tofu and Vegetables — Tofu and vegetables in red curry (GF, VG)
• Green Curry Tofu and Vegetables — Tofu and vegetables in green curry (GF, VG)
• Panaeng Tofu and Vegetables — Tofu and vegetables in thick red curry (GF, VG)
• Steamed Vegetables — Steamed seasonal vegetables (V, GF)
• Tofu Cashew Nut and Vegetables — Tofu stir-fried with cashew nuts and vegetables
• Tofu Pad Praew Wan — Sweet and sour tofu with vegetables
• Basil Tofu and Vegetables — Stir-fried tofu with fresh basil and vegetables
• Tofu Pad Khing — Stir-fried tofu with fresh ginger and vegetables
• Khoa-pad Tofu — Fried rice with tofu and vegetables
• Pad Phet Tofu — Hot chilli paste stir-fried tofu with vegetables
• Pad Thai Tofu with Vegetables — Pad Thai made with tofu and vegetables
• Pad See Yew Tofu and Vegetables — Fried rice noodle with tofu and vegetables in soya sauce
• Peanut Tofu and Vegetables — Tofu and vegetables in peanut sauce
• Tom Yum Tofu — Hot and sour tofu soup (GF)

Esarn & North-Eastern Thai Dishes

• Som-tam Goong Tod — Carrot salad with deep fried shrimp, lemon juice, tomato, garlic and chilli
• Som-tam Carrot — Carrot salad with lemon juice, tomato, garlic and chilli (GF)
• Nam-tok Beef — Grilled beef with fresh herbs, lime leaves, lime juice, onion and chilli (GF)
• Beef Salad — Grilled beef salad with Thai dressing sauce, fresh herbs and onion (GF)
• Larb Ped — Minced duck with fresh herbs, lime leaves and lime juice
• Larb — Minced chicken, pork or beef with fresh herbs, lime leaves and lime juice (GF)
• Yum Seafood — Spicy mixed seafood salad with lime juice and chilli sauce (GF)
• Pha Goong — Spicy prawn salad with chilli-based paste and sliced lemongrass (GF)
• Larb Tofu — Esarn style fried tofu with fresh herbs, lime leaves and lime juice (V, GF)

Frequently asked questions

What are PhuThai Esarn's opening hours?

Monday to Friday 12pm-2:30pm and 5pm-late, and Saturday-Sunday 5pm-late. The restaurant is open 7 days.

Does PhuThai Esarn have lunch specials?

Yes, $19 lunches are available Monday to Friday.

Is PhuThai Esarn licensed or BYO?

It is licensed and BYO.

Does PhuThai Esarn offer delivery or takeaway?

Yes, Click & Collect is available, along with delivery through DeliverEasy and UberEats.

Can I book PhuThai Esarn for a private event?

Yes, the restaurant takes bookings for birthdays, work functions and private parties.

Are there vegetarian, vegan or gluten-free options?

Yes, there is an extensive vegetarian and vegan section, and many dishes across the menu are marked gluten free (GF).

What awards has PhuThai Esarn won?

It was named Best Thai Restaurant in Wellington by Capital Times in 2011 and 2012, one of the top three in 2010, and Best Thai Restaurant in Wellington for 2018 by Capital Magazine.

Tips

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• {"body":"The restaurant takes bookings for birthdays, work functions and private parties.","title":"Book ahead for groups or events"}
• {"body":"PhuThai Esarn is licensed but also allows BYO.","title":"BYO if you want your own wine"}
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Good to know

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