Madrid not only works (very) well the traditional recipes. It also cooks well the foreign cuisine. So much so that the Thai government itself has certified up to 11 restaurants in the city with the Thai SELECT seal, an international seal that guarantees the authenticity of its gastronomy. Of the 17 award-winning restaurants in Spain, most are here.
It is no coincidence: international gastronomy in Madrid has long ceased to be a replica of clichés and a pastiche of commonplaces to be a serious thing.
The capital does not only have top Thai restaurants. A few days ago we recalled how Japanese content creator Matcha Samurai praised the surprising precision of Japanese restaurants in Madrid. And also how seals such as the Copil Mexican Gastronomic Quality Sea certify the high quality of Mexican cuisine outside its borders.
Where to eat authentic Thai cuisine in Madrid?
Here you have the list of the eleven restaurants that have received the Thai SELECT in Madrid, with their addresses:
- Arroy Thai – Calle del Aviador Zorita, 3
- Arroy Thai Heron City – Calle de Camilo José Cela, 2
- Baiyor – Calle de Manuela Malasaña, 37
- Bus Bar 8 – Calle de Vallehermoso, 99
- Kai Thai – Calle de la Princesa, 13
- Krachai – Calle de Fernando VI, 11
- Krathong Thai – Calle de Fernán González, 37
- Pui’s Thai Tapas – Calle de José Antonio de Armona, 7
- Thai Garden 2112 – Calle de Conde de Cartagena, 15
- Thaidy – Calle de Jorge Juan, 54
- Yothai – Cuesta de San Vicente, 32
What exactly is the Thai SELECT seal?
Thai SELECT is not an honorary medal or a popularity award. It is an official program that seeks to certify, promote and protect authentic Thai cuisine in the world. It was born more than 25 years ago and today covers 2023 restaurants in 77 countries. Obtaining this seal implies meeting standards of quality, authenticity and knowledge of traditional Thai recipes, as well as using original ingredients and cooking techniques.
In its Spanish version, the Thai Ministry of Commerce has distinguished restaurants located in Madrid, Barcelona, Tarragona, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Balearic Islands and Badajoz.
And what does this mean for diners? Simply that every dish served in these restaurants, from pad thai to massaman curry, is as close to the original Thai flavor as if you had ordered it on a terrace in Chiang Mai.