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Kalaya
Southern Thai
A skylit Fishtown warehouse with pistachio-green bar, rattan furniture, and colossal potted palms sets the scene for chef Nok Suntaranon's Southern Thai restaurant, a James Beard Outstanding Restaurant winner. The food makes a case that Thai cuisine belongs nowhere near a takeaway box: bird-shaped dumplings hide caramelized cod, and the tamarind-glazed pork chop has genuine chophouse swagger. Reservations are hard to get even after the place quintupled in size.
The awards strongest first
- James Beard Awards 2026 · Winner · Outstanding Restaurant
- The 50 #11 · North America's 50 Best Restaurants
- Food & Wine Thai Iced Tea Nam Kaeng Sai · Best Dishes Our Editors Ate This Year
- James Beard Awards 2023 · Winner · Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic · Chutatip “Nok” Suntaranon
- The 50 North America's Best Female Chef Award · Chutatip 'Nok' Suntaranon
- James Beard Awards 2022 · Nominee · Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic · Chutatip “Nok” Suntaranon
- James Beard Awards 2025 · Semifinalist · Outstanding Restaurant
- The New York Times The Restaurant List
- The Philadelphia Inquirer Dish of the Year: Goong Phao · The best dishes Craig LaBan ate
- Michelin Guide Selected Restaurant
- Philadelphia Magazine #2 · 50 Best Restaurants in Philadelphia
- The Philadelphia Inquirer Top 10
- The Infatuation #4 · The 25 Best Restaurants In Philadelphia
- The New York Times The 25 Best Restaurants in Philadelphia Right Now
- Eater The 38 Best Restaurants in Philadelphia
- The Philadelphia Inquirer The 76
One number, weighted & current 96
How we scoreThe dishes from the writeups
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Khao mun klone
“Review Khao mun klone at Kalaya”
Philadelphia Magazine, 2025 -
Miang pla phao
“like miang pla phao — a whole grilled branzino served with pineapple, herbs, and rice noodles”
Eater -
Tom yum kalaya
“a towering tom yum kalaya with giant river prawns emerging from the fragrant broth”
Eater -
Pla tod kamin
“Turmeric features in dishes like pla tod kamin (wok-fried barramundi)”
Michelin Guide
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