Nua Thai Kitchen — Restaurant in Oakland

In 2015, I found myself drifting along the winding roads of Thailand, sampling the kind of street-side wonders that haunt your palate long after you’ve packed up and flown home. Every bowl of noodle soup whispered with fresh herbs and briny fish sauce, every stir-fry teased with subtle heat and the promise of coconut-laced comfort. Nothing since then has lifted me back up to that glorious high of simple yet undeniably rich flavors—until I walked into Nua. It was as if I’d stepped off a plane in Bangkok all over again.

Stepping inside Nua is an immediate warm embrace—a place where food and positive energy converge in perfect harmony. The staff radiates the same warmth as those smiling vendors in Chiang Mai, making you feel like a welcome friend rather than a paying customer. Their dishes never scream for attention; instead, they sing in soft, comforting notes of lemongrass, galangal, and a subtle chili burn that reminds you what real Thai cooking feels like. There’s nothing else like it in the area, and while I couldn’t recommend it enough, I’d still keep this gem under wraps—some things are just too good to share 😉

as a bad habit, and you will see from most of my reviews without images, the best places that I go to I forget to take images and just eat so fast. Nua...

Tried Nua for the first time with my family yesterday and it was great! The decor and ambience are both lovely. Service was fantastic! The staff were all attentive, friendly, and helpful with our inquiries. As for the food, it was genuinely some of the best Thai we’ve had! We were recommended the calamari and the sakoo for appetizers and both were so so so delicious. I have a mild gluten intolerance and so many dishes on the menu are gluten free or are able to made gluten free. I had the kee mao and it was so tasty. My girlfriend has a peanut allergy and the staff were accommodating with this, as well. She had the khao soi and the curry broth in it was so nice. My mom ordered the duck larb salad (recommended by our waitress) and it was so yummy too. The crispiness of the duck was fantastic. My dad got the hen green curry and roti (also recommended) and that one stole the show for me. I tried some and it was so good, I ate the leftovers as soon as we got home lol.

We will definitely be back, thank you! Already planned a get together with my friends...

We started with their Vegan Thai iced tea + coffee, it was sweet and refreshing! ( You can’t tell it’s vegan, and it won’t hurt your tummy if you’re lactose intolerance.)

For starters, we tried the Crispy Salmon Mango Salad, it was so refreshing and tasty! First time having veggie Sakoo and it did NOT disappoint (Thai-style steamed tapioca dumplings with seasoned peanut and shiitake mushroom filling.) 😋Must try it!!

Next, we had the Nua Prawn Garlic Noodles that was super tasty. The Massamun Short Ribs are a must-order! So much flavor! ( Short rib braised for 8 hrs, with sweet potato and onion in rich + aromatic massaman curry sauce.) It’s so tender and fall-the-bone delicious, so good with rice.

🐟 The Pla Tod Kamin (fish) looked amazing and tasty delicious! Make yourself some delicious + refreshing lettuce wrap with some fried fish and sauce. Yum! Oh, if you like chicken Teriyaki, you’ll definitely love the Nua BBQ Chicken Sticky Rice Combo. Sweet and Savory!

🥭🍚 Mango + Pandan Sticky Rice to end this delicious meal. Not too sweet,...