The Thai category received more responses than any other restaurant category in the 2013 VegCharlotte Awards– with some voters offering a second, and even third, Thai choice.
I suppose it shouldn’t be that surprising – Thai food is notoriously vegan-friendly, and Charlotte, NC seems to have more of its fair share of Thai restaurants – from “Americanized” Thai to traditional. (Click here for advice on ordering vegetarian and vegan food in Thai restaurants.)
Surprisingly, the top vote getter in the Thai category isn’t a restaurant at all, but a takeout joint – Thai Thai on East Boulevard. I’ve not tried it myself – yet – but voters say it’s traditional-style Thai food, you receive large portions at reasonable prices, and the cooks are good at adjusting the dishes from “not so spicy” to “very very spicy.” Thai Thai was also ranked high on consistency. The only downside seems to be a very long wait time if you order on-site- so call your order in first!
Since Thai Thai is takeout only, I decided to offer a second award for top sit-down Thai restaurant. Overwhelmingly, the votes were for Monsoon on South Boulevard (see full review here).
Basil Thai came in second; after that, the votes were pretty evenly split among the following Thai restaurants. Since most Thai restaurants offer similar dishes – i.e., Pad Thai, Gaeng Massaman curry – if you are looking for a new favorite Thai place, my advice would be to make a special trip at least once to Thai Thai and Monsoon. And after that – choose a Thai restaurant that’s convenient for you, and then keep expanding outward until you find a Thai place that suits your price point, spice tolerance level, and preferred atmosphere.
- Basil Thai – A very popular chain with locations in Charleston, Mt. Pleasant, and uptown Charlotte. This was the second most popular pick after Monsoon.
- Thai House – I’m not sure this is a chain, but it has a “chain restaurant” feel – gorgeous but somehow generic decor, huge comfy booths, strip center locations. The food is somewhere between “Americanized” Thai and authentic. Locations in both the University area and in Pineville.
- Thai Taste – Charlotte’s first Thai restaurant (1988). Probably has the most charming, eclectic decor. East Boulevard.
- Bangkok Ocha – Traditional Thai. They will actually give you heat in your food if you want it. Carmel Road/Highway 51 area
- Thai Orchid – Super-friendly service; SouthPark area.
- Viet-Thai Noodle House – Notable for having Vietnamese dishes in addition to Thai. Pho and bubble tea are said to be awesome. Highway 51/Johnston Road area.
- Dejai Thai – Extremely mild and gentle “Americanized” Thai and sleek, modern decor. They also offer sushi, but only one vegetarian roll. Myers Park area.
- Thai Marlai – Super-fresh food – even the condiments on the table appear to be freshly made in-house. The proprietress is a deadpan comedienne who freely dispenses advice and jokes. Cornelius/Davidson area.
VegCharlotte 
We went to Basil Thai two weekends ago and we thought the menu was NOT vegan friendly at all. The food was fair and will not drive all the way there again.
Thanks for your feedback, mmmscott. I’ve not been to Basil Thai myself so I was just counting the number of votes. The interesting thing is, I know my omnivore friends have a mixed opinion of Basil Thai. Half love it and the uptown location; half think it’s snobby and overpriced. So I wonder if maybe it picked up some veg votes for the trendiness and “it” factor?
This is a topic that is close to my heart…
Best wishes! Where are your contact details though?
There’s a contact form in the top menu. Or email me at vegcharlotte@outlook.com.