Golden Boy

Contemporary Thai diner Golden Boy may be housed in an historic Adelaide building, but the food and the atmosphere is far from stuffy. Interpreting classic Thai dishes for a modern audience while staying true to authentic Thai flavours is no mean feat, but Golden Boy pulls it off with aplomb, thanks to stylish presentation and many vegetarian and vegan-friendly options. Choose the ‘Tuk Tuk’ menu and the kitchen will feed you a menu perfectly suited to your tastes – maybe marinated wagyu with roasted rice and Thai herbs, a crisp sweet and sour eggplant salad, and an eight-hour beef cheek tangerine and ginger curry.

This contemporary Thai eatery is a highly awarded Adelaide establishment, beloved by locals and visitors alike. The Australian Good Food & Travel Guide, acknowledged as Australia’s most comprehensive restaurant, accommodation and travel authority, has regarded Golden Boy has one the top 1% of restaurants in the country at the recent ‘ Australian Good Food Guide Chef Hat Awards.’. Golden Boy offers curated contemporary Thai dining experience that is unlike any other in Adelaide’s CBD. They recommend the ‘Tuk Tuk’ dining experience for the best of their fresh a flavourful menu.

Slick, modern Thai with a nifty feed-me optionThis Thai diner is located in a historic building with cool interiors (think leather booths and palm-frond wallpaper) and plenty of outdoor seating in the leafy pavement area. The aesthetic is Instagram-friendly, but the food is just as slick, with modern twists on traditional Thai ingredients and dishes. There’s vegan larp with toasted sticky rice; son-in-law eggs with tamarind caramel; deep-fried soft-shell crab with scud chilli; and char-grilled pumpkin with peanut satay and seaweed crips.

Head to the corner of Adelaide’s beautiful North Terrace on the border of the CBD for the vibrant flavours of Golden Boy. Contemporary Thai dining at its finest, with food as attractive as the tropical décor that surrounds you, we recommend starting your meal with their standout dish of Kingfish sashimi with nam jim, coconut cream, kaffir and zesty finger lime. With flavours and textures like these, plus the moody and vibrant venue, there’s a reason for their multiple award wins, including five time ‘Best Thai Restaurant’ accolade.

With a feature in our guide to the best vegan-friendly restaurants in Adelaide’s East End, Golden Boy is a hit time and time again within our city’s vegan community. The contemporary restaurant and bar serve up Thai cuisine with plenty of modern plating. Golden Boy’s ‘tuk tuk’ degustation menu includes five or six courses with the likes of: tofu larp with toasted sticky rice and lettuce cups; as well as yellow vegetable curry with apple, eggplant, tofu, sweet potato, and mushroom.

Golden Boy serves as one of Adelaide’s best Thai restaurants, referred to for its lively and authentic Thai cuisine. They provide a range of dishes made from fresh, premium ingredients.Their modern and stylish setting establishes a welcoming atmosphere appropriate for both casual dining and special occasions. Golden Boy is a common location for those looking for a true Thai eating experience in Adelaide, with a focus on offering exceptional flavour and attentive service.

Thai food in Adelaide is synonymous with Golden Boy and a night at this humming local favourite will never go astray. Expect a comprehensive exploration of Thai flavours lifted by South Australian produce, making this energetic kitchen one of the city’s most valuable for when the typical Modern Australian brief is running a bit stale. Truth be told, Adelaide doesn’t really have the command over the flavours of Asia that are better served by Sydney and Melbourne.

Golden Boy is just one of Rundle Street and North Terrace’s stable of undeniably good, un-passable restaurants. The gorgeous terraced white haunt offers ample inside and alfresco dining options, but the real benefit of dining outside is that while enjoying a sweltering Thai green curry or spicy braised pork shoulder, that cool breeze will cool your sweat-slicked body. The large benches, shaded by leafy fronds, also permeate a South-East Asian canteen feel.

Inside this East End haunt, servers dodge and weave past punters, juggling entrees so fragrant it will make your stomach rumble on first whiff. The surrounding city and constant flow of foot traffic makes for organised chaos, a dance reminiscent of tuk tuks pivoting and pirouetting through Bangkok traffic. Golden Boy’s famed ‘Tuk Tuk menu’ is a dedication to this dance, with a tailored mix of Thai-fusion and pan-Asian flavours.

An energetic atmosphere, authentic but polished Thai menu and impressive cocktail list makes Golden Boy a popular dinner haunt for locals. Feast on favourites including wok-tossed mussels with Thai basil, chilli jam and lime, mushroom stir-fry with sawtooth coriander paste, garlic stem and green chilli and eight-hour beef cheeks with tangerine jus pickled ginger. Make sure to try the roti with pandan custard for dessert.

When we ranked the most powerful restaurants in Adelaide in 2019, Golden Boy came in at number 15. Over its 11 years it’s climbed the charts and now makes our top three. We appreciate the way Golden Boy is tucked away in its corner spot and minds its own business (but God forbid you try and book into the restaurant on a Saturday with one week’s notice – we think it’s been like this since day one).

A night at Golden Boy falls into a similar vein as Africola, not only because they're both inside two different sections of the same building. The food is obviously different; Golden Boy's menu is modern Thai with a few other South East Asian influences. But both restaurants are modern and a bit more vibrant than you might expect from your standard romantic dinner.

The pink neon light at the entry sets the tone: contemporary, upbeat and fun and while the menu is extensive – almost to the point of overwhelming – friendly and helpful staff will steer you to tastebud heaven, whether that’s lettuce cups with spicy southern style chicken, stir-fried crispy pork belly with snake beans or the feed-me feast known as the ‘tuk tuk’.

If you want to impress, book a table to Golden Boy — and you will definitely have to book because this place gets busy every night of the week. We suggest the Tuk-Tuk option where they feed you for $64 per person. It includes a range of share dishes tailored to your dietary requirements and even dessert.

Location: 309 North Terrace, Adelaide, SA 5000 Ph: (08) 8227 0799. Golden Boy offers a welcoming, communal dining experience. They pride themselves on serving uniquely presented contemporary Thai cuisine, either on communal tables for sharing, or in more intimate booths.

There’s something about Adelaide and uber cool Asian restaurants. Golden Boy is everything you want on a night out with friends. Super cool interiors, a menu full of taste sensations and a dedication to making delicious cocktails.

Food was 10/10, incredible flavours and yes, the fried chicken is gluten free - so many options for coeliacs!. The service was friendly and attentive. Shout out to Ollie and the rest of the team for taking care of us :)

This gorgeous green botanic restaurant in Adelaide CBD on North Terrace oozes style and deliciousness. It’s hard to miss – not that you’d want to. Golden Boy serves up contemporary Thai dining that pack a punch.

When you try Golden Boy’s energetic modern takes on Thai cuisine (and cocktails to match), you’ll know this place isn’t messing around. Go for the Tuk Tuk menu – you won’t regret it.

Thai food with imaginative twists in a grand villa: son-in-law eggs with tamarind chilli, and tingly cumin lamb. The plates come at lightning speed, but every dish is astonishing.

Menu Items: Kingfish sashimi, braised pork shoulder pancake, green papaya salad, and many more. Website: https://golden-boy.com.au/. Address: 309 North Terrace, Adelaide SA 5000

With the energetic atmosphere, unreal vegan Thai food - this venue is a winner. Book your own private room and treat yourself to the Tuk Tuk option. You won’t regret it.