Free Williamsburg

The Williamsburg Brooklyn-based culture guide to New York and beyond.

Amarin Cafe

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Amarin is our go-to Thai joint for a reliably good meal. We’re never blown away, but the food is satisfying when we’re looking for affordable Thai cuisine. We like their Chicken Masaman Curry and their Pad Thai, but everything is done well. The dining room is unremarkable, but comfortable and rarely crowded which is a huge plus. One word of caution: when they say spicy, they mean SPICY. Be sure to order mild or medium unless you can handle it.

Featured Reviews

  • This no-frills Thai spot by McCarren Park promises flavorful fare at a low price. It’s great for such standbys are pad thai, curry, and satay, but also be sure to check out some of their house specials– the basil shrimp sauteed in onion, pepper, and chili sauce is on point. It’s cash only, but they offer free BYOB.

  • If you’re seeking refuge from the wave of glammy Thai spots to hit Williamsburg in recent years, head north, to where the only frills are the local artwork on otherwise bare green walls. All the brilliance here goes into the food: A pair of golden, crisp crab cakes are first good, then great when dunked in rich, coconutty peanut sauce. Basil chicken, ordered medium spiced, is quite hot; shrimp with asparagus is scattered with nicely crunchy cashews.

Getting There

SriPraPhai

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We were very excited to hear that SriPraPhai had opened a location in Williamsburg. The Queens restaurant is considered to be among the best Thai spots in New York City. That said, we were disappointed by the oily, low quality mess we were served at SriPraPhai. We haven’t visited the much-hyped Woodside location in a couple of years, but we hope their quality hasn’t dipped as well. Despite our high expectations, SriPraPhai is just another mediocre North Brooklyn Thai joint.

Featured Reviews

  • The expansion here makes SriPraPhai more accessible for much of NYC, bringing the restaurant much closer to Brooklyn and downtown Manhattan inhabitants. Signature dishes at the restaurant, often heralded as a pioneer in NYC’s Thai scene, include the Isan sour sausage and mango sticky rice, though the expansive menu also includes lots of larb, noodles, soups, curries, and more.

Getting There