What Our Inspectors Say: Kin Khao's menu conjures up dishes from across Thailand and is a virtual homage to local purveyors. Imagine a meaty and rich five spice duck noodle soup infused with duck bones and stocked with bok choy, noodles, and delightfully tender duck leg confit; or a deliciously fresh take on som tum, with julienned green papaya tossed with golden tomatoes, long beans, dried shrimp, and crushed red chili. More traditional options may include classic pad kee mao showcasing wide, flat noodles stir-fried with a potent mixture of ground pork bits, bell pepper, onion, and holy basil.

Even if you aren’t staying in the area, this upscale Thai restaurant inside the Parc 55 is a destination—and that’s thanks to the funky, spicy dishes, which are worth braving the pillars inside the 5th and Mission parking garage for. Any time spent in gridlock traffic will melt away once chunks of caramelized pork belly, and tamarind and Sriracha-glazed wings with a smattering of Thai chilis arrive in front of you. Get here for catch-ups with friends from out of town or birthdays that call for excellent cocktails and food.

Restaurant, Thai, Gluten-free, Vegan, $ Kin Khao is a restaurant located just off of Union Square owned by Pim Techamuanvivit, who grew up in Bangkok exploring a wide variety of food endeavors. After moving to the US, she decided to open up a restaurant that would provide Thai food of a richer quality than that commonly found here. Kin Khao makes use of seasonal produce and sustainably raised meats, as well as making all its curry pastes, sauces, and relishes in-house every day.

From the decor to the bold curries, everything is colorful and informal at this Michelin-starred Thai restaurant. Kin Khao—which translates to 'eat rice'—is the passion project of chef Pim Techamuanvivit, who was born and raised in Bangkok. (Her stated mission: 'To liberate her beloved Thai cuisine from the tyranny of peanut sauce.') Techamuanvivit’s produce, meat and seafood are sourced from local Northern California purveyors.

Casual eaters of Americanized Thai food probably won’t recognize much at this modern, Michelin-star restaurant, but travelers to Thailand will likely see a few familiar items on the short, focused menu. Ingredients are sourced—more accurately, tracked down with dedication—from regional purveyors to create a range of powerful, unique dishes ranging from a mushroom curry mousse with crispy rice cakes to spicy charred squid.

Even though it’s Kin Khao channels the bustling, no-nonsense vibe of Bangkok’s street eateries, with sleek, modern touches that match its fast-casual service. Dark-toned interiors and minimalist design strips away distractions, letting the food speak for itself. Chef Pim is redefining Thai cuisine in San Francisco, delivering a deeply personal interpretation of the food she grew up with in Bangkok.

Tenderloin/Union SquareKin Khao isn’t just another Tenderloin Thai spot. In fact, it’s the most ambitious Thai opening ever in the Bay Area. Pim Techamuanvivit -- of the incomparable Bi-Rite darling Chez Pim jams -- and Manresa’s former chef de cuisine Michael Gaines are behind it.

From the decor to the bold curries, everything is colorful and informal at this Michelin-starred Thai restaurant. Kin Khao – which translates to 'eat rice' – is the passion project of chef Pim Techamuanvivit, who was born and raised in Bangkok. (Her stated mission: 'To liberate her beloved Thai cuisine from the tyranny of peanut sauce.') All of Techamuanvivit’s produce, meat and seafood is sourced from local Northern California purveyors. The dishes are shareable and generously spiced, from the 'pretty hot wings' glazed with fish sauce, garlic marinade, tamarind, and Sriracha to the dry-fried Duroc pork ribs in a turmeric curry paste. Don’t miss Kin Khao’s modern spin on curries, like the rabbit green curry or the mackerel gaeng som sour curry.

Thai food is often, but not always, gluten-free, and so great service at places like Kin Khao makes gluten-free diners feel well taken care of. It also helps that chef Pim Techamuanvivit’s Michelin-starred restaurant is simply one of the best around. The mushroom hor mok appetizer, a curry mousse in a jar with mushrooms, coconut cream and crispy rice cakes ($20) is a non-negotiable starter; ask your server what else is gluten free, and you’ll be pleased when they tell you most everything is. (Kin Khao’s sister restaurant, Nari, is similarly accommodating.)

In Los Angeles we have such an abundance of culinary Thai greatness, but Pim Techamuanvivit’s restaurant wedged into one corner of the Parc 55 hotel near San Francisco’s Union Square deserves a mention. Kin Khao delivers Thai flavors in their maximalist grandeur, while leaning into plating and presentations that border finer dining. It’s a compelling style for disappearing into plah pla muek (Monterey grilled squid in a sauce shimmering with garlic, fish sauce and palm sugar) and rabbit in an enveloping green curry.

Beneath the Parc 55 hotel in downtown San Francisco is an out-of-the-way establishment that almost feels underground. Yet Kin Khao has been making some of the most memorable and inventive Thai food in the Bay Area since chef Pim Techamuanvivit opened the restaurant in 2014. Driven by her desire to help Thai cuisine evolve beyond peanut sauce, the Bangkok native's innovative approach secured a Michelin Star for Kin Khao just 18 months after opening (a Michelin Star means a restaurant is worth visiting).

When Bangkok-born and raised Chef Pim Techamuanvivit set out to establish her own Thai eatery it stemmed from a lack of good quality Thai food in her area. Determined to recreate the vibrant flavors of her youth, she established Kin Khao, which translates to "let’s eat" in Thai. Kin Khao has carved out an impressive reputation for itself among the many Michelin-star restaurants in San Francisco.

Located in the upscale Parc 55 Hotel near Union Square, Kin Khao is an ambitious eatery, pushing the boundaries of traditional Thai food. The proprietor and head chef, Pim Techamuanvivit, is on a mission to, in her words, “liberate her beloved Thai cuisine from the tyranny of peanut sauce.” If you want to experience some of the best Thai food outside of Thailand, this is the spot for you.

While not entirely vegan, Kin Khao deserves an honorary mention for its excellent selection of vegan-friendly Thai dishes. The bold flavours and authentic preparations make it a standout choice for anyone exploring vegan dining in San Francisco. Owned by Pim Techamuavivit who is known for her food blog, Kin Khao features a list of Thai foods that is rarely found outside Thailand.

Next on our list of upscale restaurants in San Francisco, it’s Kin Khao. Serving delicious Thai dishes, Kin Khao is one of the upscale restaurants in San Francisco that’s been awarded a Michelin star for its work. Unlike some of the other spots on our list, Kin Khao isn’t outwardly flashy; you’ll only find mugs and chopsticks on each of the tables!

Kin Khao – which means ‘eat rice’ – is the passion project of Chef Pim Tekmuanwivit, who was born and raised in Bangkok. (Their stated mission: ‘To liberate their beloved Thai cuisine from the tyranny of peanut sauce.’) All of Tekmuanwivit’s products, meat, and seafood are sourced from local Northern California purveyors.

55 Cyril Magnin St.San Francisco, CA 94102(415) 362-7456www.kinkhao.com. After a lengthy closure caused by the pandemic, Michelin-starred Kin Khao reopened its doors last September. Translated as the Thai phrase “to eat rice,” Kin Khao has been a hot spot ever since owner/chef Pim Techamuanvivit opened it in 2014.

Combine the talents of a Bangkok-born blogger, Pim Techamuanvivit, and a former Manresa chef, Michael Gaines, and you get a gem of a Thai eatery in the Parc 55 hotel. Hits include Pretty Hot Wings -- chicken, tangy with tamarind -- and lovely rabbit meatballs bobbing in green curry balanced with coconut milk.

Kin Khao, the first Michelin-starred Thai restaurant in California, makes some of the spiciest wings in the Bay Area. These crunchy paragons are slightly sweet, sour and properly hot. The unclipped wings are slicked with a thick, glossy tamarind sauce inundated with the high levels of Thai chile capsaicin.

Address:55 Cyril Magnin St, San Francisco, CA 94102, United States. Kin Khao, under the direction of Chef Pim Techamuanvivit, brings authentic Thai flavors to downtown San Francisco. The restaurant received its first Michelin star just 18 months after opening (in 2014) and has maintained it ever since.

Earning a Michelin Star, this inventive Thai restaurant is serving up a more simple menu for takeout during pandemic times. You’ll still get some of the best Thai food in town for a reasonable price. The highlight has to be the Khao Soi - which is one of my favorite dishes of northern Thailand.

In a town with plenty of good Thai food, it takes a lot to rise to the top. But owner Pim Techamuanvivit has won Michelin-star status by combining a modern, handsome dining room, the traditional foods of her homeland, and the use of seasonal produce and sustainable seafood and meat.…

Kin Khao – This Michelin-starred restaurant in Union Square offers creative and elevated Thai cuisine, with dishes like khao soi noodles and crispy pork belly. Address: 55 Cyril Magnin St, San Francisco, CA 94102. Google Maps Link: https://g.page/KinKhaoSF?.

- Rating: 4.0 / 5 (489 reviews)- Detailed ratings: Food (4.0/5), Service (4.0/5), Value (3.5/5), Atmosphere (3.5/5)- Type of cuisine: Asian, Thai- Price: $$ - $$$- Address: 55 Cyril Magnin St, San Francisco, CA 94102- Read more on Tripadvisor

Kin Khao serves delicious Thai Food that stays true to its origin. Made with seasonal produce and sustainably raised or caught meats and seafood. We make all our curry pastes, sauces and relishes in house daily.

Seasonal produce and sustainably sourced meats and seafood pair perfectly with fresh homemade curry pastes, sauces, and relishes at our Michelin-rated Kin Khao, serving Thai food that stays true to its origin.