Best Pad Thai in Brisbane
The best pad thai in Brisbane right now is Pawpaw Cafe (score 91 from 3,737 reviews), based on 21 venues re-ranked weekly.
Where locals actually go for pad thai in Brisbane — not just what tops a Google search.
● Updated September 2026 · re-verified 21 venues this month
🔄 Re-ranked 2026-09-08: no moves since 2026-09-02 — the current order held steady.
The verdict: the best pad thai in Brisbane right now is Pawpaw Cafe in Woolloongabba ($$ price tier) (3 community mentions · 3× called the best · in 3 youtube reviews), ahead of Doodee Boran, Thai Pan Kitchen. That call comes from community consensus blended with Google review strength across 21 ranked venues — no pay-to-rank, updated September 2026.
The numbers: 21 venues ranked · 23,252 Google reviews analysed · median rating 4.5★ · #1 leads the field by 20 ranking points. Updated September 2026.
| 🏆 Top pick | Pawpaw Cafe (Woolloongabba) |
| 💸 Best cheap eat | Thai Pan Kitchen |
| 📊 Most reviewed | Pawpaw Cafe (3,737 reviews) |
| 📍 Venues ranked | 21 across 15 suburbs |
| Venue | Suburb | Price | Rating | Known for | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Pawpaw Cafe | Woolloongabba | $$ | 4.7★ | — |
| #2 | Doodee Boran | Brisbane City | $$ | 4.5★ | — |
| #3 | Thai Pan Kitchen | Highgate Hill | $ | 4.8★ | — |
| #4 | Boo's Kitchen | South Brisbane | $$ | 4.6★ | — |
| #5 | Banana Leaf Thai:East Brisbane | East Brisbane | $$ | 4.7★ | — |
You've tried 0/21
#1 of 21 pad thai spots in Brisbane
📍 898 Stanley St E, Woolloongabba QLD 4102, Australia
★ 4.7 (3,737 reviews) on Google Maps
Why it ranks: 3 community mentions · 3× called the best · in 3 YouTube reviews
#2 of 21 pad thai spots in Brisbane
📍 Ground Floor, Shop A/46 Charlotte St, Brisbane City QLD 4000, Australia
🍴 What to order: Get the fried chicken skin; the soups and noodles are highlights.
★ 4.5 (1,237 reviews) on Google Maps
Why it ranks: 4 community mentions · 4× called the best · dish praised in 2 of 5 recent Google reviews
#3 of 21 pad thai spots in Brisbane
📍 36B Gladstone Rd, Highgate Hill QLD 4101, Australia
🍴 What to order: Get the pad see ew; the beef massaman curry is a standout.
★ 4.8 (340 reviews) on Google Maps
Why it ranks: 1 community mention · 1× called the best · in 1 YouTube review · dish praised in 3 of 5 recent Google reviews
#4 of 21 pad thai spots in Brisbane
📍 Shop 1/12 Annerley Rd, South Brisbane QLD 4101, Australia
🍴 What to order: Get the deep-fried barramundi and beef cheek; both are exceptional.
★ 4.6 (599 reviews) on Google Maps
Why it ranks: 2 community mentions · 1× called the best · dish praised in 2 of 5 recent Google reviews
#5 of 21 pad thai spots in Brisbane
📍 4/121 Wellington Rd, East Brisbane QLD 4169, Australia
🍴 What to order: Get the Duck Curry; the spring rolls and Penang curry are excellent.
★ 4.7 (781 reviews) on Google Maps
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#6 of 21 pad thai spots in Brisbane
📍 1/60 Vulture St, West End QLD 4101, Australia
🍴 What to order: Get the cashew chicken; the papaya salad is the sleeper hit
★ 4.8 (262 reviews) on Google Maps
#7 of 21 pad thai spots in Brisbane
📍 South Bank Parklands, Unit 4b/15 Tribune St, South Brisbane QLD 4101, Australia
🍴 What to order: Get the fried rice; the pork pad thai is excellent too.
★ 4.5 (945 reviews) on Google Maps
Why it ranks: 1 community mention · 1× called the best · dish praised in 2 of 5 recent Google reviews
#8 of 21 pad thai spots in Brisbane
📍 Embassy Chambers, Level 1/214 Elizabeth St, Brisbane City QLD 4000, Australia
🍴 What to order: Get the Massaman curry and chicken satay skewers.
★ 4.5 (564 reviews) on Google Maps
#9 of 21 pad thai spots in Brisbane
📍 136 Commercial Rd, Newstead QLD 4006, Australia
★ 4.5 (338 reviews) on Google Maps
Why it ranks: 1 community mention · 1× called the best · dish praised in 2 of 5 recent Google reviews
#10 of 21 pad thai spots in Brisbane
📍 4/4 Gaythorne Rd, Gaythorne QLD 4051, Australia
★ 4.3 (173 reviews) on Google Maps
Why it ranks: 1 community mention · 1× called the best · dish praised in 2 of 5 recent Google reviews
#11 of 21 pad thai spots in Brisbane
Chalong
22📍 1/620 Moggill Rd, Chapel Hill QLD 4068, Australia
★ 4.9 (486 reviews) on Google Maps
#12 of 21 pad thai spots in Brisbane
📍 12A Martha St, Camp Hill QLD 4152, Australia
★ 4.7 (794 reviews) on Google Maps
Why it ranks: 1 community mention · 1× called the best · dish praised in 1 of 5 recent Google reviews
#13 of 21 pad thai spots in Brisbane
📍 6/158 Adelaide St, Brisbane City QLD 4000, Australia
★ 4.7 (650 reviews) on Google Maps
#14 of 21 pad thai spots in Brisbane
📍 21 Park Rd, Milton QLD 4064, Australia
★ 4.5 (2,661 reviews) on Google Maps
Why it ranks: 1 community mention · 1× called the best · dish praised in 1 of 5 recent Google reviews
#15 of 21 pad thai spots in Brisbane
NAGA
17📍 2 Sidon St, South Brisbane QLD 4101, Australia
★ 4.4 (429 reviews) on Google Maps
Why it ranks: 1 community mention · 1× called the best · dish praised in 1 of 5 recent Google reviews
#16 of 21 pad thai spots in Brisbane
📍 163 Elizabeth St, Brisbane City QLD 4000, Australia
★ 4.3 (2,599 reviews) on Google Maps
Why it ranks: 1 community mention · dish praised in 1 of 5 recent Google reviews
#17 of 21 pad thai spots in Brisbane
📍 32 Morrow St, Taringa QLD 4068, Australia
★ 4.9 (82 reviews) on Google Maps
#18 of 21 pad thai spots in Brisbane
📍 Shop AM3 Ada Lane, 46 James St, Fortitude Valley QLD 4006, Australia
★ 4.5 (1,841 reviews) on Google Maps
#19 of 21 pad thai spots in Brisbane
📍 111 Melbourne St, South Brisbane QLD 4101, Australia
★ 4.5 (3,353 reviews) on Google Maps
#20 of 21 pad thai spots in Brisbane
📍 R7/1 N Lakes Dr, North Lakes QLD 4509, Australia
★ 4.1 (1,197 reviews) on Google Maps
Why it ranks: 1 community mention · 1× called the best
#21 of 21 pad thai spots in Brisbane
📍 L02 Great Western Super Center, Keperra QLD 4054, Australia
★ 4.4 (184 reviews) on Google Maps
Why it ranks: 1 community mention
Common pad thai questions in Brisbane
What's the best budget pad thai in Brisbane?
Thai Pan Kitchen is the top-ranked budget ($) option in Highgate Hill — #3 overall for pad thai.
Where's the best pad thai in Brisbane for a special occasion?
Pawpaw Cafe ($$ price tier) is the highest-ranked venue worth the splurge, in Woolloongabba.
What's the best vegetarian-friendly pad thai in Brisbane?
sAme sAme Brisbane is the highest-ranked venue with confirmed vegetarian options, in Fortitude Valley.
Keep exploring: Related: 🍜 best ramen in Brisbane · 🍲 best pho in Brisbane · 🍜 best laksa in Brisbane · 🍲 best hotpot in Brisbane. Pad Thai elsewhere: Melbourne · Sydney · Perth · Adelaide. By suburb: best in Brisbane City · best in South Brisbane. Q&A: your pad thai questions answered. Nationally: best pad thai in Australia, 14 cities compared. Also: head-to-head: the top two compared. See the data report.
How we rank
We machine-scan the community discussions (Reddit threads and food guides in the search index) for each venue's name, then blend: community mentions 70% (mentions ×10, 'the best' superlatives ×6, normalised) + Google review strength 30% (rating above a 3.8 baseline, weighted by review volume). Global fast-food and dessert franchises are excluded. This page is auto-mined; flagship pages get hand curation on top.
Frequently asked
What is the best pad thai in Brisbane?
Pawpaw Cafe currently ranks #1 for pad thai in Brisbane — 3 community mentions · 3× called the best · in 3 YouTube reviews.
What is the best cheap pad thai in Brisbane?
Thai Pan Kitchen is the highest-ranked budget option in Highgate Hill.
How does BestDish rank pad thai in Brisbane?
Venues are scored by blending community mentions from local discussions with Google review strength (rating above a 3.8 baseline, weighted by review volume). Global chains are excluded.