TAI: A Thai-Led Neighbourhood Gem in the Heart of Brockley

Food lovers listen up, TAI is a neighbourhood gem well worth discovering in Brockley. Serving up some of the best authentic Southern Thai food in London, TAI is a restaurant that should be on all foodies radar and is certainly worth the journey.

Located on Foxberry Road in the heart of Brockley, TAI is a trendy and inviting space adorned with bamboo, exposed brickwork and green foliage. Guests feel welcome the minute they walk through the door when they’re greeted by the friendly TAI team.

Popular dishes on the menu include:

Hat Yai Chicken: Southern Thai Spiced Chicken, marinated in fish sauce and coated in turmeric and black pepper. Deep fried to perfection and served with siracha.

Larb Patties: Bouncy & crunchy pockets of minced chicken combined with thai herbs and roasted rice. Served with sweet chilli sauce.

Massaman Curry: a rich curry full of silk road spices, cashews and potatoes. Choose from tofu, chicken or smoked duck.

Thai Drunken Man Noodles: a classic Thai street food dish made with chilli , Shaohsing wine, garlic, flat noodles, fine beans, bamboo shoots and mixed peppers. Wok fried and served with prawns, chicken, smoked duck or tofu.

Crab Fried Rice: a staple beachside order for Thai locals and tourists. This dish is egg fried rice with crab, carrots, tomatoes, onion, coriander, spring onion and lime.

TAI was founded in 2019 by Richard Poole who is also the co-founder of Slurp Thai and Dang’s—an authentic Thai restaurant and cocktail bar based in Shoreditch. With roots in Thailand, Richard’s family started the well-known restaurant chain Rosa’s Thai. He played a key role in its early success before launching his own venture, TAI. Many of the recipes on the TAI menu are treasured family secrets from his southern Thai side, passed down through generations and now shared with Londoners.

TAI is located 17 minutes from London Bridge or 7 mins from Canada Water by tube. Easy to get to TAI should be on all Londoner’s hit list of restaurants to check out this summer.

TAI holds environmental issues very close to its heart. The restaurant’s logo is created in honour of Marium, a beloved dugong from Southern Thailand who sadly died as a result of plastic pollution. Thailand’s southern population of Dugongs are an endangered species, deeply affected by climate change, and Marium’s story inspired the core values behind TAI. From the beginning, the idea was to create a Thai restaurant that prioritises sustainability along with minimising waste and as part of its mission TAI doesn’t serve beef and all of its packaging is fully recyclable. In addition TAI has partnered with ecologi to support carbon capture initiatives, and tree planting efforts aiding reforestation. The restaurant also contributes 50p from every pad thai sold, donating a total of £15,000 to children’s charity For Life Thailand whilst also supporting and donating to local charities and schools.