Find the very best of Thai food in the U.S. thanks to Thai Select

According to Baan Thai’s website, their most popular dishes are the cold spring rolls, their eponymous salad, tom yum soup and tamarind chicken, but we think they’re selling themselves short. While the other dishes on the menu may not be as beloved, they are certainly equally delicious. The restaurant’s location at the end of a charming street in downtown San Anselmo, with its sleek and modestly upscale interiors, make it a perfect place for lowkey celebrations and bigger life events alike.

Saap ver means “damn good” in Thai—and trust, damn good is what this Mission District restaurant is. The menu is full of “country-style street food” including regional dishes like roasted duck curry and wok-fried crispy pork belly sweet basil, all of which pair beautifully with their delightful cocktail list (go for one made with fresh whole fruit like the Pin Up Girl, made with vodka-infused soju and fresh watermelon, served in a hollowed out watermelon shell—it’s great to share!).

Lers Ros is a small chain restaurant with outposts located throughout the city. It’s name is derived from Sanskrit (meaning “excellent taste of the food”), the original language of Thailand, and its menu is appropriately old school and authentic. Their lunch specials are an excellent deal: choose two items from a long list of trademark dishes like chicken satay, fried tofu, fried spring roll and yellow, red and green curries (served with salad and rice) for just $17.95.

The premise of this small chain of city favorites stems from the owners’ memories of their preferred after-school street food snack growing up in Thailand, khao man gai (chicken, rice and sauce). While the classic is always a good bet, the crispy chicken option is really something special (and if you really can’t get enough, they also offer “cluckins”—fried chicken skin chips served with sweet and sour sauce). If you’re hosting a group, the party set is great (feeds 4 to 5).

Vibrant and full of color, Farmhouse Kitchen is a lively and upbeat restaurant perfect for gatherings large and small. The entire menu is pitch perfect, but the crispy branzino and lobster pad Thai are real standouts, as are the large format cocktails, which are designed to serve a crowd. The Single & Ready to Flamingo ($115, serves 2 to 4 people) is a real treat: made with Absolut Elyx vodka, St. Germain, chrysanthemum tea syrup, lemon and rose water and served in a gorgeous rose gold flamingo punch bowl (which is available to purchase for the tidy sum of $1,000), it’s sure to impress.

If it’s true that you can judge a book by its cover, then you’ll be able to quickly discern just how fantastic Noi Thai is at first glance alone. The interiors seamlessly blend aesthetics of high end luxury with a welcoming coziness that somehow make the space feel both classic and unique. But the good times don’t stop there: the food is equally appealing and memorable, with standout dishes including the pad Thai and Bangkok red curry. The fire & ice cocktail (basically a vodka-based spicy mango margarita) is a fan favorite.

Is there anything better than a restaurant with a good backstory? Bai Tong is one of those places: it was originally opened close to 35 years ago near the SEA-TAC airport by a moonlighting Thai Airways flight attendant. Since then, the location and ownership have changed, but the authentic flavors and excellent service remain unparalleled. Go for the gai hor bai toey (chicken wrapped in a pandan leaf and fried) or the garlic delight (stir fry with choice of protein).

Named for the traditional hand-painted Thai porcelain that became synonymous with graceful beauty and royal quality, Benjarong aims to replicate its legacy by giving “the same kind of attention to the delicate balance and fine flavor of our traditional Thai cuisine.” Nestled in the cascade foothills, the Monroe restaurant is a favorite amongst the ski set and known for doing especially right by the classics: pad Thai, golden cashew chicken and Massaman curry—and their Thai iced tea is amongst the best in the state.

For an easily perfect meal start to finish, go for the trifecta of Thai favorites at this Capitol Hill mainstay: start with the crispy fried spring rolls, move on to the larb salad, and finish with the pad see ew (if you still have room at the end, cap it all off with the mango sticky rice for dessert). If you’re with a group and sharing, and want to turn the experience up a notch, toss one of the signature dishes into the rotation, like the crispy garlic chicken or the pumpkin curry—and the homemade coconut ice cream is always a good idea.

This vegan cafe has been delighting Seattle’s herbivores and omnivores alike for more than three and half decades. Inspired by the founders’ mother’s cosmopolitan sense of adventure, refined palate and love of good company and good conversation, the restaurant aims to live up to the motto “vegetables taste better here.” Amongst the stand out dishes are the tofu satay, tom kah soup, pineapple curry and the drunken mushrooms. The namesake noodle soup (cooked in a tom yum broth with fried tofu, seasonal vegetables, tomatoes and mushrooms) also can’t be missed, especially on cold rainy days.

The Instagram-worthy dishes at this downtown Houston restaurant taste even better than they look (and the sleek yet cozy environs make for a truly aesthetically appealing dining experience). The three flavor ribs, which are twice-cooked and slathered in a tamarind-chili glaze, the fisherman’s platter, a combo of baked lobster tail, scallop on half shells and crispy soft-shell crabs, and the khao soi gaiare, a northern-style coconut curry with egg noodle, stew chicken and pickled veggies, are all sure to please even the pickiest eaters.

Offering a subvervise yet deferential take on authentic Thai flavors, Asian Mint serves “New Bangkok style cuisine combined with an Asian-fused menu” to their loyal and hungry diners all over Dallas. The extensive menu is filled with both traditional Thai favorites—curries, fried rices and stir fries, all exquisitely prepared—and more unique fare, like the spicy tuna crisp (spicy tuna with seaweed salad on a crispy wonton with mango, cucumber, spicy mayo and Sriracha) and the crispy red snapper (served with bok choy, broccoli and red bell pepper).

For a full list of Thai Select restaurants, visit www.thaiselectusa.com. Also, follow their Instagram and Facebook accounts: @thaiselectusa.