San Francisco Thai restaurant closes after 30 years
Feb 15, 2022
The Castro’s Thailand Restaurant has quietly closed its doors.
Andrew D. and Kevin W. via Yelp
Thailand Restaurant, a mainstay in the Castro for nearly 30 years, has closed, as first reported by Hoodline.
Angeli Wirattigowit, the restaurant’s former manager, confirmed the closure to SFGATE. She explained that her parents, Narongchai and Nopparat Wirattigowit, owned Thailand Restaurant up until November 2019, when ownership was transferred to a family member (however, the restaurant’s name and recipes remained the same). Angeli Wirattigowit cited the challenges of maintaining momentum during the pandemic as the reason behind the closure.
Thailand Restaurant, located at 438A Castro St., was first established in 1992, making it one of the first Thai restaurants in San Francisco, according to the business’s Yelp page. It was known for serving affordable, authentic Thai food classics, from pad thai to Panang curry. “Great portion sizes, super fresh ingredients and always piping hot,” wrote one Yelp reviewer. “The service staff was very nice. The food was delicious,” another wrote.
A listing for the closed restaurant is currently active on Craigslist, advertising 1,800 square feet of second floor retail space for lease at $3,900 a month.
For those still looking to get their Thai food fix in the Castro, Narongchai and Nopparat Wirattigowit still own and operate Thai Chef, another Thai restaurant just around the corner at 4133 18th St.
Madeline Wells is a reporter for SFGATE covering food and drink in the Bay Area. She grew up in the Seattle area and received her BA in English and Media Studies from UC Berkeley. Prior to SFGATE, she was an associate editor at East Bay Express and freelance writer covering the Bay Area music scene. Email: madeline.wells@sfgate.com
