Ka Pao Glasgow

Although Ka Pao describes itself as an “Asian restaurant,” the real heartbeat of its menu is unmistakably Thai - not in a traditional sense, but through a refined interpretation of flavours and techniques. Ka-Pao means basil in Thai. Every dish bursts with robust, layered taste - bold yet balanced, fiery yet nuanced. The chefs have a masterful grasp of herbs and spices, weaving complexity and aroma into every bite. I started with the salt and Szechuan pepper oyster mushrooms with pickled mooli - a dish that immediately evoked palo, the comforting Thai-Chinese herbal stew, but reimagined in a crunchy, aromatic form. The cured yellowfin tuna with kiwi, mint nam jim and macadamia was a brilliant play on Thai larb — fresh, zesty, and full of contrast between acidity, herbs, and nutty richness. Finally, the southern yellow curry of chalkstream trout offered deep, fragrant layers reminiscent of southern Thai curries, subtly nodding to the creaminess and spice of kanom jeen sauces. Service was warm and intuitive, perfectly matching the restaurant’s lively yet relaxed atmosphere. With its inventive interpretation of Thai flavours and meticulous execution, Ka Pao stands out as one of Glasgow’s most exciting dining experiences - vibrant, soulful, and truly unforgettable. The restaurant located at basement level but both stairs and elevator (wheelchair-friendly) are available.

Why isn't this 5 stars across the board. Nice fresh ambience, always full, friendly staff and mind blowing Thai food. There's a good reason it's Michelin guide recommended! The fried chicken, the pork and marrow sausage, duck breast, cucumber salad, beef tongue - and several others we ordered. Big bold punch flavours, generous servings and more than fair pricing- I'd be back often if I didn't live 5700km away! And the corn ribs!! Don't sleep on this place.

Always our favourite place to come for food when we come to Glasgow. We always get a selection of dishes we haven’t tried before and they are always 10/10. The flavours are amazing. The oyster mushrooms rooms are our favourite.

Amazing food and really cool atmosphere. Really great for coeliac/gluten free - staff informed of all the dishes that were/could be made GF (almost the whole menu). The fried chicken is a must!!

My experience at Ka Pao was exceptional. From the unique and flavorful starters to the gorgeous mains and brilliants desserts by Chef Ashley, every aspect of this meal was perfection. Service was excellent and attentive, atmosphere was extremely lovely. Cannot recommend this gem enough.

The best dish we tried were the satay corn ribs - they were delicious. The caramel fried chicken we had was good, but a bit too sweet. The green curry had hardly any meat in it and far too much aubergine which was quite disappointing. The padron peppers were class. Eton mess was not an Eton mess.

Not Thai food, but tasty food. Firstly and most importantly - get the tamarind pudding with mascarpone. It’s delicious. Maybe the best single dish of 2025. Shout out to whoever put some great and well priced natural wine on the menu. The food is quite rich overall. Usually a little sweet and sometimes quite fatty. So be careful when ordering to balance your meal. We came here expecting Thai food and found Thai flavours and some adapted dishes that were bold and generally very tasty. It’s definitely a great place to go with friends.

Lovely Asian fusion place in Glasgow offering some spins on the typical choices you get from Asian restaurants! Great service and food was brilliant, really interesting dishes and definitely will make you try new stuff, recommend getting a few plates to share between everyone to try it all out