When it comes to Thai food, LA has great coverage. But there is also an insatiable demand for Thai food, so it made sense that Sawtelle, which has over the years expanded from Japanese food to become a west side hub for Asian food, got some Thai food representation.

Anchoring the north end of Sawtelle near Santa Monica Blvd, Tuk Tuk opened in 2022, relocating from Pico Blvd and coming from a sisters of LA Thai restaurant legacy (the family behind Chao Krung). The menu matches the space, playful, bright, bold, curated. There’s a section for snacky street foods, a section for fiery Thai salads, and even a section dedicated to pork belly.

In the past year, they’ve partnered with Turntable to do a series of pop ups with new dishes and concepts throughout the year in collaboration with chefs and restaurants across the country. They also opened sister concept on the same block, Ban Ban Burger, which infuses Thai flavors into burgers and sandwiches.