Soi 38

Soi 38 in Melbourne's CBD is an authentic Thai street food eatery, with an atmosphere that perfectly mirrors the vibrant hustle and bustle of a Bangkok market. With plastic stools and brightly coloured tables, this is the kind of place you come to experience classic yet tantalising flavours with genuine Thai ambience.

The menu features several papaya salads, including Tum Thai Khai Kem with dried shrimps, peanut and salted eggs as well as Tum Phon La Man which is a seasonal mixed fruit salad. The raw menu includes black tiger prawns with a spicy chilli sauce and a king fish ceviche. If chilli isn't your thing don't be scared away, the Yum Salmon Zap with fermented fish sauce is probably the pick of the bunch.

Then you've got grilled meats and seafood, soups (all spicy) and a deep fried selection of delicious marinated chickened pork knuckle. Soi 38 rounds itself out with a couple of hot pots featuring a mix of seafood, meat, vegetables and rice. The menu never seems to end at Soi 38, staying true to the inventiveness of Thai street food.

Soi 38's beer list features favourites such as Chang, Singha and Leo, and they are basically mandatory for those over eighteen — considering the amount spice you're bound to ingest.

Appears in:

The Best Thai Restaurants in Melbourne for 2023