Ayada Thai Chelsea

“​Ayada has a wall full of Michelin awards for a reason, and this mango sticky rice absolutely slaps. ​The rice is warm, perfectly chewy, and soaked in sweet coconut milk without being mushy. The mango was a total jackpot—super bright, perfectly ripe, and literally melted in my mouth. That extra drizzle of salty-sweet coconut cream on top completely ties it together.”

“I’m definitely giving this place a 5‑star rating - the service was pleasant, the food was delicious (spicy, but I love spicy!), and the passion‑fruit cocktail was so good. Highly recommend! PS: don’t forget to add mango sticky rice for dessert 😋”

“Ayada — Built on Kindness, Rooted in Legacy There are restaurants that feed you and there are restaurants that tell a story. Ayada is a love letter to the extraordinary culinary excellence of Thailand. A family-owned operation rooted in recipes passed down through generations, built on tradition and defined entirely by a beautiful dream. Some places cook food. Ayada honors it. I have walked past this place more times than I care to admit, always assuming I would find better Thai food somewhere else in the city. I was laughably wrong. The first thing that hits you is the warmth of the staff. Thai people take kindness to an exalted art form and anyone who has spent any time in Thailand knows that hospitality is in their DNA. On the server’s suggestion I ordered the Tom Kha Gai soup and the Pad Kra Prow. The Tom Kha Gai was hands down the best version I have ever had. Insanely delicious, a coconut broth so silky and balanced it felt less like soup and more like a warm hug to my soul. The Pad Kra Prow, ground chicken with long hot chili, garlic, and basil over jasmine rice, was utterly fantastic. When Michelin recommends you seven consecutive years, the food is doing all the talking. Every bite here is a chapter in a story that started with a mother feeding factory workers from a food cart in Pichit, Thailand, and thankfully found its way to New York. Ayada gently reminds us that the best experiences in life are rooted in tradition, executed with care, and shared generously. I absolutely love to experience and support places like Ayada. Highly-highly recommend. ❤️”

“Food was incredible - I had the red curry with crispy pork belly. Really flavourful, the pork belly was perfectly crispy and the rice was cooked to perfection. The restaurant itself is very cute, would come again with friends! I didn’t try the cocktails but the menu was extensive with lots of fun options. Portion was very generous - I barely got through half of it by myself! Staff was very attentive and helpful. Only minor downside is that the music is a bit loud but otherwise great experience!”

“Delicious penang crispy duck (mild spicy), tom gai soup, and sausage sticks. The crispy duck was amazing as the penang sauce was the perfect taste. However, I found the soup to be a bit too flavorful. Perhaps it could have been less thick but that's just me. I wish we tried the mango sticky rice but there was no longer room in our stomach. The Leo bottled beer went well with the food as it was light and refreshing.”