The shared table gives Thai food a particularly useful place in Philadelphia’s dining scene. Kalaya in Fishtown and Grandma’s Philly in Center City both connect the meal to a chef’s family history, yet their menus take different routes through it. At Kalaya, Nok Suntaranon’s Southern Thai roots shape dumplings, curries and wok cooking. At Grandma’s Philly, Chef Locket brings childhood dishes into a range of small plates, salads and noodles. For a group, the choice begins with the kind of discovery it wants to share.
Kalaya takes its name from Suntaranon’s mother, whose market stall in Trang helped form the chef’s understanding of food and hospitality. The restaurant won the James Beard Foundation’s Outstanding Restaurant award in 2026, a distinction that gives its recent reputation a precise reference. The menu provides the more immediate introduction. Bird-shaped dumplings filled with caramelized cod and preserved radish sit beside flower-shaped chicken dumplings, each giving the opening of the meal a recognizable construction as well as a distinct filling.
The dinner can then widen into curries and grilled preparations. Goat-and-lamb curry brings toasted coconut and the restaurant’s spice blend; charcoal-grilled chicken takes another route through coconut cream and turmeric. A dry red curry with crisp tofu and vegetables adds a further choice. Ordering across those forms gives the shared table different textures and techniques rather than several versions of the same dish. Kalaya’s family-style tasting option can organize the selection for the whole group, while à la carte ordering gives diners more say over the combination.
Grandma’s Philly makes smaller plates a central part of the meal. Curry puffs bring chicken, potato and onion into pastry, while sai ua offers Northern Thai pork sausage with herbs and spice. Crisp chive cakes and satay skewers can broaden the order before a larger curry or noodle dish arrives. The format works well for a table that wants to build the evening gradually, with familiar dishes creating an entry point and less familiar preparations providing the next step.
The current menu’s larb ped combines minced duck with herbs, toasted rice powder, chili and lime, giving the table a bright counterpart to fried or richer dishes. Khao soi follows a Northern Thai route through coconut curry soup, soft egg noodles, crisp noodles and pickled mustard greens. A stir-fried noodle dish or a curry with rice creates another possible center. Cocktails drawing on pandan, mango and Thai tea extend the restaurant’s culinary vocabulary into the drinks, without making a cocktail necessary to enjoy the meal.
For a group ready to make regional Thai cooking the main event, Kalaya offers the more expansive shared experience in Fishtown. For a Center City dinner assembled through small plates, salads and a personally chosen curry or noodle dish, Grandma’s Philly gives the table a flexible route. Both reward an order that pays attention to contrast. A curry, a crisp preparation and an herb-driven salad can give each diner a clearer picture of the kitchen than a solitary bowl would allow.
Explore the profiles: Kalaya · Grandma’s Philly
Recommended restaurants
The profiles below explain each restaurant’s cooking and give practical details for planning a visit.
Nok Suntaranon’s Fishtown restaurant builds shared meals around Southern Thai roots, shaped dumplings, curries and wok cooking; the 2026 James Beard Outstanding Restaurant winner.
Southern Thai cooking, shaped dumplings, goat-and-lamb curry, charcoal-grilled chicken and family-style dining.
Chef Locket’s Center City Thai table pairs small plates for sharing with curries, herb-driven salads and Northern Thai khao soi.
Thai shared plates, sai ua pork sausage, curry puffs, duck salad and khao soi.
Sources & references
Sources for the information and reporting discussed in this guide.
- Kalaya: Nok Suntaranon, history and Thai roots ↗ Primary source kalayaphilly.com · Accessed September 28, 2026
- Kalaya: current food and beverage menus ↗ Primary source kalayaphilly.com · Accessed September 28, 2026
- Kalaya: currently linked dinner menu ↗ Primary source kalayaphilly.com · Accessed September 28, 2026
- Kalaya: Fishtown location, services and contact ↗ Primary source kalayaphilly.com · Accessed September 28, 2026
- James Beard Foundation: Kalaya, 2026 Outstanding Restaurant winner ↗ Primary source www.jamesbeard.org · Accessed September 28, 2026
- Kalaya: Google Maps listing ↗ Primary source www.google.com · Accessed September 28, 2026
- Grandma’s Philly: chef Locket, cooking, contact and hours ↗ Primary source www.grandmasphilly.com · Accessed September 28, 2026
- Grandma’s Philly: dine-in menu linked from its main page ↗ Primary source www.grandmasphilly.com · Accessed September 28, 2026
- Grandma’s Philly: official drinks menu ↗ Primary source www.grandmasphilly.com · Accessed September 28, 2026
- Grandma’s Philly: Google Maps listing ↗ Primary source www.google.com · Accessed September 28, 2026