Kolae Borough Market Review | Best Thai Restaurant in London for Bold Southern Thai Food

This is the kind of restaurant you tell your friends about immediately, especially if you love bold flavours, Thai food in London, and standout Borough Market restaurants.

Tucked into the heart of Borough Market, Kolae brings the fire and intensity of Southern Thailand to London in the most unforgettable way. This is not subtle dining; it is food with confidence, heat, and personality in every single dish.

Have you been to Kolae? The menu is built around fire, smoke, and bold flavour, balanced with sharp citrus, fresh herbs, and creamy coconut. It is the kind of Thai restaurant in London that immediately feels exciting, with dishes designed for sharing and arriving in the middle of the table to be devoured quickly.

The room itself is intimate and constantly buzzing, one of those Borough Market restaurants where the energy is as much a part of the experience as the food. It feels fast-paced, social, and full of anticipation as plates land and disappear almost instantly.

The standout dish has to be the mussel skewers in Kolae sauce. Smoky, rich, slightly sweet, and layered with a clean chilli heat that builds and lingers. The mussels are grilled and glazed in that signature Southern Thai-inspired sauce, creating something completely moreish and impossible to forget.

This is confident cooking, rooted in bold Thai flavours, and delivered with real precision.

Southern Thailand is in the heart of London.

Kolae captures everything people search for when looking for the best Thai restaurants in London: authentic flavour, intense spice, and a dining experience that feels vibrant and modern while still deeply rooted in tradition.

Every dish is built around fire, smoke, chilli, citrus, and coconut, creating a balance that keeps you coming back for more. It is the kind of place where you order widely, share everything, and let the table fill with colour and heat.

The signature mussel skewers in Kolae sauce are the highlight. Smoky, rich, slightly sweet, and finished with that unmistakable chilli kick, they are grilled to perfection and glazed until glossy. It is the dish everyone remembers.

It is a yes from me.

If you are looking for must-visit restaurants in Borough Market, or the best Thai food in London, add Kolae to your list immediately.

Elizabeth Hawthornthwaite