Ayuthaya Restaurant

You'll drive past this unassuming spot on Liverpool Road without a second glance, which is exactly how the regulars like it. Inside, the dining room feels like someone's front room – plastic chairs, fluorescent lighting, and zero pretense. What matters is what comes out of that kitchen. The pad thai arrives with proper tamarind tang and fish sauce funk, not the sugary approximation you get elsewhere. Their green curry has enough heat to make you sweat, and the som tam will reset your palate with its fierce combination of lime, chili, and fermented fish. This is Thai food cooked by people who actually understand it, served to locals who've been coming here for years and wouldn't dream of going anywhere else.