Little Basil Thai: Authentic Thai Cuisine in New York City

Little Basil Thai Introduce

In a city as vast and diverse as New York, the search for truly authentic and delicious cuisine can feel like an endless journey. For those who appreciate the vibrant and complex flavors of Thai food, there’s a beloved spot that has been a go-to for locals for over a decade. Welcome to Little Basil Thai, a cozy and unassuming restaurant that packs a powerful punch of flavor and authenticity. Tucked away on a quiet street, this Thai restaurant is a well-kept secret for many, despite its long-standing reputation for quality. Little Basil Thai prides itself on serving traditional Thai dishes with a modern twist, using fresh ingredients to create a menu that is both familiar and exciting. The atmosphere is casual and inviting, making it the perfect spot for a relaxed dinner with friends, a quick lunch, or a satisfying meal on your own. It’s the kind of place that loyal customers, even those who have moved away, can't help but come back to, a testament to its consistent quality and delicious food. Little Basil Thai is more than just a place to eat; it's a culinary experience that brings the rich flavors of Thailand to the heart of New York City.

Little Basil Thai is conveniently located at 153 E 26th St, New York, NY 10010, making it easily accessible for a wide range of New Yorkers. Situated in a central Manhattan neighborhood, the restaurant is just a stone's throw from key transit hubs and is a fantastic option for both residents and visitors. Its location on a side street gives it a hidden, almost exclusive feel, and while it may not have a lot of street traffic, its reputation for amazing food means that business from delivery and pickup is always flowing. The neighborhood is well-connected by subway and bus lines, allowing for a seamless journey from almost any part of the city. Additionally, the restaurant is committed to accessibility, featuring a wheelchair accessible entrance and seating, ensuring that all diners can enjoy their experience without any barriers. Whether you're coming from the office for a midday meal, meeting friends for a group dinner, or simply passing through the neighborhood, the location of Little Basil Thai is incredibly convenient and easy to find, making it a reliable choice for any occasion.

Little Basil Thai provides a comprehensive range of services to cater to the fast-paced lifestyle of New Yorkers, while also offering a comfortable space for those who want to dine in. The services offered are designed for maximum convenience and flexibility:

Dine-in: The restaurant offers table service in its cozy, casual, and trendy space. It's a great spot to enjoy a relaxed meal, whether you're with a group, a friend, or dining solo.
Takeout: For those who are in a hurry or prefer to eat at home, the takeout service is efficient and ensures your food is fresh and ready to go.
Delivery: The restaurant offers both standard and no-contact delivery, a popular option that allows you to enjoy their authentic dishes from the comfort of your own home or office.
Catering: Little Basil Thai also provides catering services, making it an excellent choice for corporate events, parties, or large family gatherings where you want to serve high-quality, delicious Thai food.

The menu is extensive and features a variety of options, including vegetarian options and dishes that can be made with various proteins to suit your preference. It’s a great place for a quick bite or for a full, satisfying meal, with offerings ranging from small plates to hearty entrees.

Little Basil Thai is more than just its location and services; it's a place defined by its features and highlights, which have earned it a loyal following. One of the most significant highlights is the quality and authenticity of its food. Customers consistently praise the dishes, particularly the Pad See Ew, which one reviewer calls "the best" they've ever had in NYC. This noodle dish is a perfect example of their culinary expertise, with noodles that have a "slight chew" and perfectly soak up the flavorful sauce. The restaurant's menu includes many classic Thai dishes, all prepared with a remarkable level of skill and care. The Great tea selection is another highlight, offering a range of refreshing beverages like Thai Iced Tea and Milk Green Tea to complement your meal. The atmosphere is described as cozy and casual, with a trendy vibe that makes it welcoming to everyone, from college students and families to groups and the LGBTQ+ friendly community. The service is also a major plus, with the staff being "super efficient and friendly," ensuring a pleasant and timely dining experience. Little Basil Thai also identifies as an Asian-owned business, a testament to its authentic roots and commitment to its cuisine. The ability to accept reservations is another convenient feature, allowing you to plan ahead and secure a table, especially for group gatherings. From the amazing food to the warm and friendly ambiance, every element of Little Basil Thai is designed to create a memorable and satisfying experience.

For those ready to experience the delightful flavors of Little Basil Thai, here is the essential contact information:

Address: 153 E 26th St, New York, NY 10010
Phone: (212) 689-1444

When considering where to dine in New York City, Little Basil Thai stands out for a multitude of reasons. What is truly worth choosing about this restaurant is its steadfast commitment to authenticity and quality. In a city where restaurant trends come and go, Little Basil Thai has maintained its high standards for over a decade, which is a powerful indicator of its excellence. The food is consistently praised for being delicious and true to its Thai roots, with a focus on fresh ingredients and well-executed classics. The Pad See Ew is a must-try for any noodle lover, and the crispy spring rolls and vegetarian curries are also highly recommended. The restaurant’s atmosphere is a perfect blend of cozy and trendy, making it an ideal setting for any occasion, from a romantic dinner to a group outing. Furthermore, the efficiency and friendliness of the service ensure that your dining experience is seamless and enjoyable. The convenience of their location, coupled with the option for delivery and takeout, makes Little Basil Thai a go-to choice for a great meal, no matter your schedule. Ultimately, choosing Little Basil Thai means choosing a reliable, authentic, and delicious culinary experience that has earned its place as a true favorite among New Yorkers.

Little Basil Thai Menu

Appetizers
Veggie Rolls $11.00
Crispy mixed vegetables and mushroom spring rolls with plum sauce. Vegetarian.
Fried Tofu $11.00
Crispy tofu with sweet chili sauce and crushed peanut. Vegetarian.
Edamame $11.00
Healthy soy bean. Vegetarian.
Fried Chive Pancakes $12.00
Crispy chive pancakes with house soy sauce. Vegetarian.
Fried Little Basil's Pork Bun $12.00
Crispy pork bun with house soy sauce. Vegetarian.
Steamed Dumplings $12.00
Mixed shrimp, chicken, water chestnut and shiitake mushroom with house soy sauce.
Fried Dumpling $12.00
Mixed shrimp, chicken, water chestnut and shiitake mushroom with sweet chili sauce.
Little Basil Wings $12.00
Crispy chicken wings tossed with spicy Thai herbs.
Curry Puff $12.00
Home made puff pastry mixed chicken, onion, potato and curry powder with cucumber relish.
Satay $13.00
Grilled marinated chicken skewers with house peanut sauce and cucumber relish. Gluten free.
Calamari $13.00
Crispy calamari with herbs with sweet chili sauce.
Pork Spare Ribs $13.00
Sauteed marinated pork spare ribs with garlic and ground black pepper.
Moo Yang (Recommend) $13.00
Chef's special Thai BBQ pork tender served with spicy lime dressing.
Coconut Shrimp $13.00
Fried shrimp battered with shredded coconut.
Gai Yang $13.00
Homemade grilled BBQ chicken served with chili lime sauce

Noodle Soup
Beef Noodle Soup $20.00
Rice noodle in beef broth with beef, beef balls, bok choy, bean sprout and basil leaves.
Chicken Tom Yum Noodle Soup $20.00
Rice noodle in Tom Yum broth with minced chicken, fish balls, bok choy, bean sprout and crushed peanut. Spicy.
Duck Noodle Soup $25.00
Sliced duck with rice noodle, bok choy, bean sprout, celery, cilantro, scallion, and fried garlic.
Yentafo Noodle Soup $23.00
Minced chicken, squid, shrimp, coconut shrimp, and fried tofu with broad rice noodles, bean sprout, snow fungus and bok choy topped with fried wonton.

Soup
Tom Yum Soup (Cup) $9.00
Traditionally Thai style soup with lemongrass, galangal, kaffir lime leaves, mushroom and tomato. Spicy.
Tom Yum Soup (Bowl) $16.00
Traditionally Thai style soup with lemongrass, galangal, kaffir lime leaves, mushroom and tomato. Spicy.
Tom Khaa Soup (Cup) $9.00
Coconut milk based soup with galangal, kaffir lime leaves, mushroom and tomato.
Tom Khaa Soup (Bowl) $16.00
Coconut milk based soup with galangal, kaffir lime leaves, mushroom and tomato.
Vegan Soup (Cup) $9.00
Clear vegan broth with Napa, celery and wood ear mushroom.
Vegan Soup (Bowl) $16.00
Clear vegan broth with Napa, celery and wood ear mushroom.

Salad
Thai Salad $11.00
Mixed greens, tomato, cucumber, carrot and fried tofu with peanut dressing.
Avocado Salad $14.00
Mixed greens, tomato, cucumber, carrot, red onion and fresh avocado with ginger dressing.
Papaya Salad $13.00
Green papaya, long bean, cherry tomato and roasted peanut with chili lime dressing. Gluten free. Spicy.
Mango Avo Salad $14.00
Mango, avocado, red onion, cherry tomato, scallion, cilantro and cashew nut with chili lime dressing. Spicy.
Moo Yang Salad $15.00
Chef's special Thai BBQ pork tender, mints, red onion, scallion, cucumber and cherry tomato with chili lime dressing.
Yum Woon Senn $16.00
Glass noodles, minced chicken, shrimp, squid, red onion, scallion, cherry tomato, celery, culantro, cilantro, fried garlic with chili lime dressing.

Fried Rice
Thai Fried Rice $17.00
Thai style fried rice with egg, Chinese broccoli, carrot, onion, scallion and cherry tomato.
Pineapple Fried Rice $17.00
Thai style fried rice with egg, pineapple, cashew nut, onion, scallion and cherry tomato.
Little Basil Fried Rice $17.00
Spicy fried rice with egg, basil leaves, carrot, bell pepper, onion and scallion. Spicy.
Chicken Ka Praw Over Rice $18.00
Minced chicken with spicy basil sauce topped with fried egg. Spicy.
Crab Meat Fried Rice $25.00
Fried rice with crab jumbo lump, egg, scallion and onion.

Stir Fried Noogles
Pad Thai $17.00
Rice noodle with egg, red onion, dried turnip, bean sprout, scallion, paprika and crushed peanut. Gluten free.
Pad Thai Woon Senn $17.00
Glass noodle with egg, red onion, dried turnip, bean sprout, scallion and crushed peanut. Gluten free.
Pad Se-Ew $17.00
Broad rice noodle with egg and Chinese broccoli with sweet soy sauce topped with black pepper and jalapeno.
Singapore Noodles $17.00
Angel hair noodle with egg, Napa cabbage, onion, scallion, celery, cherry tomato, bean sprout and wood ear mushroom with curry powder.
Drunken Noodle $17.00
Thin rice noodle with egg, garlic, chili, onion, cherry tomato, carrot, bell pepper and basil leaves with spicy basil sauce. Spicy.
Pad Woon Senn $17.00
Glass noodle with egg, bamboo shoot, napa cabbage, onion, scallion, celery and wood ear mushroom.
Kua Gai Noodles $21.00
Broad rice noodle, chicken, squid, egg, dried turnip, scallion and bean sprout served with sriracha sauce on the side.

Sauteed
Spicy Basil $18.00
Garlic, chili, basil leaves, onion, bell pepper, broccoli and carrot. Served with jasmine white rice.
Ginger $18.00
Ginger, garlic, onion, scallion, bell pepper, napa and wood ear mushroom. Served with jasmine white rice.
Garlic (served with battered meat) $18.00
Garlic, onion, scallion with steamed broccoli. Served with jasmine white rice and deep fried meat.
Pra-Rahm (served with battered meat) $18.00
Peanut sauce with steamed mixed vegetables. Served with jasmine white rice and deep fried meat.
Cashew Nut $18.00
Cashew nut, bamboo shoot, onion, scallion, bell pepper and mushroom. Served with jasmine white rice.
Spicy Bamboo $18.00
Garlic, chili, bamboo shoot, carrot, basil leaves, onion, bell pepper and spicy chili paste. Served with jasmine white rice.
Sweet Chili (served with battered meat) $18.00
Spicy sweet and sour sauce with steamed mixed vegetables. Served with jasmine white rice and deep fried meat. Spicy.
Prik Khing $18.00
Sauteed curry paste with string bean, bell pepper and kaffir lime leaves. Served with jasmine white rice.

Curry
Red Curry $18.00
Bell pepper, bamboo shoot, string bean, eggplant and basil leaves. Served with jasmine white rice. Gluten free. Spicy.
Green Curry $18.00
Bell pepper, bamboo shoot, string bean, eggplant and basil leaves. Served with jasmine white rice. Gluten free. Spicy.
Panang Curry $18.00
Bell pepper, string bean and basil leaves. Served with jasmine white rice. Gluten free. Spicy.
Massaman Curry $18.00
Potato, onion, peanut, avocado and fried shallot. Served with jasmine white rice. Gluten free. Vegetarian.

Curry Noodle
Kao Soy Noodle $19.00
Egg noodle in Northern style curry topped with cilantro and red onion.

Chef's Specials
Mhor Din $24.00
Clay pot fried rice with scallop, shrimp, chicken, Chinese sausage, onion, scallion and shiitake mushroom. Served with jasmine white rice.
E-Saan Combo $24.00
Home made BBQ chicken with papaya salad, sticky rice and chili lime sauce. Served with jasmine white rice. Spicy.
Green Curry Roti $23.00
Chicken, artichoke in green curry with roti bread, rice and cucumber relish. Served with jasmine white rice. Spicy.
Duck Pineapple Curry $29.00
Marinated crispy duck in spicy basil sauce with bell pepper, onion and basil leaves. Served with jasmine white rice. Spicy.
Duck Spicy Basil $29.00
Marinated crispy duck in spicy basil sauce with bell pepper, onion and basil leaves. Served with jasmine white rice. Spicy.
Duck Tamarind $29.00
Marinated crispy duck with tamarind sauce. Served with jasmine white rice.
Salmon Green Curry $29.00
Bell Pepper, bamboo shoot, string bean, eggplant and basil leaves.
Salmon Spicy Basil $29.00
Sauteed salmon chunk in spicy basil sauce with bell pepper, onion and basil leaves. Served with jasmine white rice. Spicy.
Salmon Mango $29.00
Grilled salmon steak with mango, red onion, cherry tomato, scallion, cashew nut and cilantro with spicy lime dressing. Served with jasmine white rice. Spicy.
Salted Egg Shrimp and Squid $24.00
Salted egg, shrimp, squid with onion scallion and long hot pepper.

Vegan Menu
Siamese Tofu (Vegan) $19.00
Soft tofu topped with garlic, onion, scallion, mushroom, shittake mushroom, broccoli and carrot with gravy soy sauce. Served with jasmine white rice.
Massaman Curry (Vegan) $18.00
Mixed vegetables, fried tofu, avocado, potato, onion, peanut and fried shallot.
Eggplant Basil (Vegan) $19.00
Sauteed mock duck with eggplant, garlic, chili, basil leaves, onion and bell pepper in spicy basil sauce. Served with jasmine white rice. Spicy.
Prik Khing Mock Duck (Vegan) $22.00
Sauteed curry paste with mock duck, string bean, bell pepper and kaffir lime leaves. Served with jasmine white rice. Spicy.
Vegetable Combo (Vegan) $19.00
Sauteed mixed vegetable and fried tofu with ginger sauce. Served with jasmine white rice.

Side Orders
Jasmine White Rice $3.00
Brown Rice $3.50
Sticky Rice $3.50
Peanut Sauce $3.50
Steamed Mixed Vegetable $6.50
Fried Egg $3.50

Desserts
Chocolate Mousse Cake with Thai iced tea Ice Cream $11.00
Served with Thai iced tea ice cream.
Chocolate Lava Cake with Green Tea Ice Cream $11.00
Served with green tea ice cream.
Fried Banana with Coconut Ice Cream $11.00
Served with coconut ice cream.
Trio Ice Cream $11.00
Green Tea Ice Cream $9.00
Coconut Ice Cream $9.00
Mango Sticky Rice (Summer Season Only) $14.00

Drinks
Can of Soda (Coke, Diet Coke, Sprite, Ginger , Seltzer) $3.50
Lemon Iced Tea $3.75
Thai Iced Tea $4.75
Thai Iced Coffee $4.75
Unsweetened Iced Tea $4.75
Milk Green Tea $5.75
Lychee Iced Tea $5.75
Spring Water (250ml) $3.75
Pellegrino (500ml) $5.75

Little Basil Thai Details

From the business
Identifies as Asian-owned

Service options
No-contact delivery
Delivery
Takeout
Dine-in

Highlights
Great tea selection

Popular for
Lunch
Dinner
Solo dining

Accessibility
Wheelchair accessible entrance
Wheelchair accessible seating
Wheelchair accessible parking lot

Offerings
Beer
Coffee
Comfort food
Healthy options
Quick bite
Small plates
Vegetarian options
Wine

Dining options
Brunch
Lunch
Dinner
Catering
Dessert
Seating
Table service

Amenities
Restroom

Atmosphere
Casual
Cozy
Trendy

Crowd
College students
Family-friendly
Groups
LGBTQ+ friendly

Planning
Accepts reservations

Payments
Credit cards
Debit cards
NFC mobile payments
Credit cards

Parking
Parking

Little Basil Thai Photos

Little Basil Thai Location

Little Basil Thai

New York New York County New York East 26th Street

153 E 26th St, New York, NY 10010, USA

Little Basil Thai Reviews

An average rating of ★4.3 from 529 user reviews.

drunken noodlesBYOBdeliverydumplingspad see ewduckbottleareawinesteamed

★ 5★ 4★ 3★ 2★ 1

Lovely eatery serving authentic, tasty Thai food in a simple, no-frills space. I stumbled into Little Basil with a friend for a quick, casual Friday dinner after getting off my train from DC. It seemed quite unassuming from the outside, tucked into a little side street with minimal signage and a pretty limited flow of people (seems like most of their business comes from pick-up and delivery vs. folks dining in), but it was phenomenal. The service was super efficient and friendly, and we were in and out of Little Basil within about an hour and a half, largely extended just because my friend and I enjoyed yapping away.The menu included most of the American Thai restaurant classics, and everything was prepared remarkably well. I had their pad see ew with tofu, which was fantastic; the noodles had a slight chew and really soaked up the sauce, and the tofu was quite flavorful. The tofu did seem a bit cold compared to the rest of the dish and the sauce was a little sweeter than I was accustomed to, but it was still a very tasty start to my NYC trip.
April 03 · Sonya Hu
My favorite Thai restaurant in NYC. I have been eating here for 13 years and so happy they're still at it. I've since moved to Brooklyn but pick up takeout any time I'm in the neighborhood, it's that good.Seriously, the best pad see ew of any Thai restaurant in NYC, and I've tried many - perfect combination of flavors - sweet, roasted and pickled peppers. I'm in love.Amazing crispy spring rolls. Their veggie curry with avocado is delicious, but really, so is everything I've tried here.
July 31 · Jen F
I love the food but today was disappointing!!! I ordered takeout and my containers were a little over half full. It was sad because I spent over 100 bucks and I don't feel like I got my moneys worth at all.
March 06 · Kal Clarke
Been to so many Thai places in the city and this was one is hits home! Very tasty vegan dishes. The massaman curry had roasted peanuts - amazing! And drunken noodles had a great flavor. Hard to find noodles dishes with robust flavor. Will be back!
September 05 · Natasha Patel
Wonderful little Thai food restaurant with a fantastic lunch special in the heart of Manhattan. Enjoyed the vegetable spring rolls and Thai salad appetizers - great portion sizes! For the main course, I ordered their chicken pad see-ew. It was flavorful; however, the Chinese broccoli with soy sauce had a tangy taste that didn't compliment the pad see-ew. Overall, recommended.
June 19 · M E