KIN Urban Thai Kitchen is a casual Thai restaurant in Shanghai. It’s more of a cafe, and serves a few northern Thai-inspired dishes like Nam Prik (chili dips) and Khao Soi (egg noodles in sweet yellow curry).

KIN, a Thai restaurant in Shanghai.

KIN Urban Thai Kitchen

KIN makes its home on Yongkang Lu, a street once known for its roadside parties and bars that has now morphed into a cafe-lined street. It’s a rebrand of Urban Thai Kitchen, following a partnership between F&B powerhouses Camel Hospitality Group (Bull & Claw, DOC, Hooked, el Luchador, etc.) and Camden Hauge (Bird, Bitter, Egg).

KIN, a Thai restaurant in Shanghai.
KIN, a Thai restaurant in Shanghai.
All interior images provided by KIN

It’s open all day through lunch and dinner.

The Food

There are many Thai restaurants in Shanghai. KIN differentiates itself by taking a northern Thai accent, serving a few specialties like laab (or larb in Laos), a meat salad served with lettuce to wrap. They’re not reinventing the wheel—there are plenty of top 10 Thai dishes on the menu like papaya salad and tom yum goong.

KIN, a Thai restaurant in Shanghai. Photo by Rachel Gouk.
Papaya Salad (¥58)
KIN, a Thai restaurant in Shanghai. Photo by Rachel Gouk.
Nam Prik Noom Platter (¥58) – Raw seasonal vegetables and pork cracklings with a smoky, fermented green chili dip.
Tom Yum Goong at KIN, a Thai restaurant in Shanghai. Photo by Rachel Gouk.
Tom Yum Goong (¥78) – sour-spicy broth with shrimp
Chicken wings at KIN, a Thai restaurant in Shanghai. Photo by Rachel Gouk.
Nam Pla Chicken Wings (¥68) – The wings are coated in a viscous caramelized fish sauce glaze. They’re piping hot, sticky and spicy. A real highlight.
Tamarind Glazed Ribs at KIN, a Thai restaurant in Shanghai. Photo by Rachel Gouk.
Tamarind Glazed Ribs (¥118) – Meat with a chew, a nice rendition of popular street-side barbecue.
Pad Thai at KIN, a Thai restaurant in Shanghai. Photo by Rachel Gouk.
Pad Thai (¥78)
Fried rice at KIN, a Thai restaurant in Shanghai. Photo by Rachel Gouk.
Nam Khao Tod Crispy Rice (¥68) – Great with a bit of their house chili sauce. Though, pricey for fried rice.
Khao Soi noodles at KIN, a Thai restaurant in Shanghai. Photo by Rachel Gouk.
Khao Soi Yellow Curry (¥78) – A Chiangmai classic of egg noodles in a thick, sweet curry. It’s a massive portion, and is heavy and rich from the coconut milk. Recommend sharing.
Pork Laab at KIN, a Thai restaurant in Shanghai. Photo by Rachel Gouk.
Pork Laab (¥68) – Fried minced pork with herbs and lettuce to wrap.
Mango sticky rice at KIN, a Thai restaurant in Shanghai. Photo by Rachel Gouk.
Mango Sticky Rice (¥88) – It’s there because you have to, I guess. Though, it’s nearly double the price in comparison to other restaurants in Shanghai. Ranks low on value.

In Summary

Favorites: Nam Pla Chicken Wings and Khao Soi Yellow Curry Noodles.

What’s good about KIN is that it’s a cozy spot, and dishes are comforting and easily likeable.

It’s a definitely more expensive than other Thai restaurants in town, but it’s in non-mall location on a hipsterish street, and has a few hits worth going for.

KIN Urban Thai Kitchen
Address: 45 Yongkang Lu, near Jiashan Lu 永康路45号, 近嘉善路
Tel: 64330201
Hours: 10am-late