Nan Thai Fine Dining
Thai restaurant · Atlanta
1350 Spring St NW #1, Atlanta, GA 30309
Highlights
Upscale Thai dining with flavorful dishes & modern, Zenlike interior
Upscale Thai dining with flavorful dishes & modern, Zenlike interior
"If a single drop of the rich, red curry in your siam ruby entree winds up on the table, your server will lay out a fresh white napkin to cover the evidence. That attention to detail extends to the fantastic food and is why Nan’s has situated itself at the top of every list of best Thai restaurants in Atlanta since they opened two decades ago. A gallery’s worth of Southeast Asian artworks, towering ceilings, and extraordinarily good dishes like pad thai topped with two fried lobster tails make every dinner here feel like a special occasion." - jacinta howard, juli horsford, nina reeder
"This Midtown anchor hasn’t changed much since 2003. The dining room still has towering ceilings, a gallery’s worth of Southeast Asian artworks, and extraordinarily good dishes like pad thai topped with two fried lobster tails. It rightfully resides on every best Thai list, which is why it’s perpetually full of people celebrating everything from anniversaries to the end of a long week. Even the service is elite. If a single drop of the rich, red curry in your siam ruby entree winds up on the table, your server will lay out a fresh white napkin to cover the evidence." - demarco williams, nina reeder, juli horsford, jacinta howard
"Several skyscrapers have filled in around this Spring and 17th Street corner since 2003. But Nan—with its giant golden tamarind pod statue—remains king of the block. Towering ceilings and a room full of Southeast Asian art make a meal here feel grand. And business crowds, friend gatherings, and more-than-occasional celebrity sightings continue to cement this Midtown spot as the place to be. But the main reason for Nan's longevity is their wide range of consistently flavorful Thai dishes. Standards like the tasty pad thai get an upgrade with two fried lobster tails. And fresh seafood selections like the juicy pan-seared scallops just taste better doused in their rich red curry." - jacinta howard, juli horsford, nina reeder
"In the early 2000s, it was common to see a celebrity licking spicy curry off their spoons at Nan Thai Fine Dining. Icons like Michael Jordan, Evander Holyfield, Jack Nicklaus, Vijay Singh, and Robin Leach all have smiley pictures with the Nan chef. That's because Nan was the city’s most pre-eminent Thai restaurant where pad thai came topped with fried lobster tails. Tables donned white tablecloths and gold utensils. Hell, even the bathroom with sinks that trickle water over basins filled with smooth stones looked like it was plunked from some Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous episode. Celebrity sightings are fewer these days, replaced by corporate lunches, everyday regulars, and date nights. The novelty of this Midtown restaurant has faded a bit. But this upscale favorite still competes with the other heavy hitters in Atlanta’s Thai food scene because of their top-notch service and dishes that consistently impress. If a single drop of the rich, red curry in your siam ruby entree winds up on the table, your server will lay out a fresh napkin to cover the evidence. The whole snapper (flaky enough to render your knife useless) comes artistically curled around a bed of crispy okra, eggplant, and its own fish nuggets. Others have tried (including the chef’s own daughter at sister restaurant Tuk Tuk) to mimic the previously mentioned pad thai. But they haven’t mastered the balance of chewy rice noodles, crushed peanuts, and tangy pickled radishes the way Nan has. The food still hits all the right notes, even if the menu hasn’t changed much. So while the city's Thai scene has grown tenfold—with buzzier spots that the new celebs flock to, kitchens that bend tradition, and atmospheres of fashionable nonchalance—Nan Thai remains a stalwart for reliably good, upscale Thai food. Food Rundown Nan’s Tasting Tree We love a good appetizer sampler, and this six-dish, multi-tiered platter is up there with the best of them. Our favorites are the ka nom jeeb (ground shrimp and chicken-filled dumplings) and pla muk tod (perfectly fried calamari with a spicy chili sauce). photo credit: Juli Horsford Whole Snapper The whole snapper is fileted, lightly fried, and served with a bed of crispy okra, eggplant, and its own fish nuggets. The presentation alone would make this worth an order, but the fish is tasty and flaky, so it's really covering all the bases. photo credit: Juli Horsford Lobster Pad Thai If you can only get one entree, make it this pad thai. A hefty amount of crushed peanuts, bean sprouts, and tangy pickled radishes help the rice noodles zing with flavor, and the addition of two crispy lobster tails is just a fun and delicious bonus, making it one of the best in the city. Siam Ruby All of their curry-based dishes are excellent. We usually go with this one because the tender sea scallops are the perfect vessel to absorb the spicy red curry. Geah Yang Tender grilled lamb chops pair so perfectly with this sweet soy coriander glaze that it’ll reaffirm your belief in soul mates." - Juli Horsford
"Owned by chef Nan Niyomkul, Nan Thai Fine Dining has been a staple on the Midtown restaurant scene for 18 years. Born in Bangkok, Niyomkul infuses her passion for cooking and serving the foods of Thailand into the beautiful dishes found at her eponymous restaurant. Standouts on the menu include the panang talay with jumbo prawn, sea scallops, and calamari, the Thai barbecue lamb chops (geah yang) in a kaffir lime honey glaze, and Nan’s Tasting Tree, a sampler platter of nearly every appetizer offered. Don’t skip the cocktails here. Reservations encouraged." - Eater Staff
