Crol and Co London Bridge

"At Kolae, fire whooshes up from the wok in the buzzy open kitchen-cum-counter and, from your first sip of a mini martini to the final crunch of deep-fried prawn head, you’ll be swooning at its flavour-fuelled charm offensive. The slick three-floor restaurant, which focuses on southern Thai cooking, is smack bang in the heart of Borough Market, near London Bridge. But a trip to this spot is worth its own occasion." - jake missing

"There’s a choreographed flamethrower show in Kolae’s open kitchen, and it’s just one of the reasons this Thai spot’s counter in Borough Market feels so thrilling. Juicy hunks of chicken are rotated over flames, wok tornadoes of fire are tamed, and flavour-laded mussel skewers are plated up. It’s one of London’s liveliest bars, and the food matches the heat of the kitchen. " - heidi lauth beasley, jake missing, rianne shlebak

"Kolae is a southern Thai restaurant in Borough Market that's best enjoyed at the counter. Every so often, a whoosh of jagged flames shoots up from the wok in the open kitchen, diners squeal, the chef expertly manoeuvres his wrist, and the £5 martini should be mandated by law. The Soho House-lite space feels like somewhere that’s trying to appeal to everyone, but Kolae’s menu—lively curries, herbaceous kale fritters, sticky pandan rice—is where it shows real personality." - sinead cranna, rianne shlebak, jake missing, daisy meager, heidi lauth beasley

"At Kolae, the focus is on southern Thai flavours and marinated things cooked over a very hot coconut—and some of those things are very, very good. The slick, three-floor spot in Borough Market suits all kinds of get-togethers, but the kitchen counter is where the action is and where this place feels most alive. Flames shoot out beneath woks, mussel skewers are expertly grilled, and you won’t be able to resist having one more mini martini. Bigger groups will want to take a room upstairs to devour deep-fried prawn heads in privacy, but wherever you sit at Kolae, you’ll happily find the food is your focus." - heidi lauth beasley, jake missing