Thai Food in Madison (2025)

Owner-chef Dutdao Wonglaka moved her beloved Thai spot into a dream Atwood Avenue building, expanding the menu with vibrant noodles, papaya salads, and Southern-leaning heat. Profiled by Madison Magazine and a food vendor for Olbrich’s Sala Thai Festival, it’s as community-rooted as it is delicious. Recent hours and ordering are clearly posted by the restaurant.

A Madison mainstay since the 1990s, Sa-Bai Thong turns out textbook curries, noodles, and tofu dishes at its University Avenue flagship (with a West Side sibling). Cited by Madison Magazine’s Best of Madison and listed by Isthmus, the restaurant also cooks at the Sala Thai Festival, underscoring its local cultural ties.

Cash-only and proudly old-school, Sala Thai is a go-to for comforting curries, stir-fries, and takeout that tastes like home. Noted by Isthmus and adored by locals, its participation in Olbrich’s Sala Thai Festival highlights deep cultural roots. The official page keeps current hours and menu.

This west-side favorite graduated from a tiny takeout to a polished dining room without losing soul. The Wisconsin State Journal lauded its fragrant tom kha and balanced stir-fries, and Madison Magazine spotlighted the relocation. It’s a satisfying sit-down choice that still feels personal and family-run.

A Lao mother-and-son team cooks fiery, soulful food from a counter in Viet Hoa Market, with Thai staples like papaya salad offered in both Thai and Lao styles. Featured by The Cap Times and praised by locals, it’s a flavorful, no-frills stop that broadens the Thai-Lao conversation in Madison.

A lunch-hour favorite on Library Mall and a recurring Taste of Madison vendor, this cart turns out well-loved pad thai, panang, and green curry. Event calendars and local listings keep tabs on appearances, and pop-ups at breweries add to its community footprint.

Family-run since 2009, Thai Noodles leans into homestyle comfort with khewtiew noodle soups, customizable curries, and friendly prices. The restaurant’s story and hours are clear on its site, and Isthmus notes it as an accessible, inexpensive option serving the greater Madison area.

Primarily Laotian but integral to Madison’s Thai-loving crowd, this family institution is renowned for its squash curry and comforting Southeast Asian stews. Madison Magazine and local media chronicle its decades-long community role; the Atwood location continues to carry the legacy forward.