Baan Lao

Richmond, Canada

• No.12 North America's 50 Best Restaurants 2025

Chef Nutcha Phanthoupheng brings her background as a nurse and former cancer researcher into the kitchen at Baan Lao, where dishes are as health‑driven as they are intricate. Having seen the cause and effect of poor diets on illness, she set out to deliver a refined Thai dining experience rooted in nourishment, artistry and heritage. After immigrating to Vancouver in 2014, Phanthoupheng found the city lacking in authentic Thai cuisine and set about redefining local perceptions. Her menu is all about meticulous preparation, with dishes such as the five‑hour lobster pad Thai decorated with a lattice of fried egg. Her 18‑course tasting menu also has a distinctly feminine touch, from a chick‑shaped chicken dumpling to vermicelli crowned with a squid‑ink tuile. Even the decor speaks to her appreciation for detail. Among the artwork are pieces by Suda, an elephant at the Maetaeng Elephant Park known for painting vivid scenes of trees, flowers and even self-portraits.

Key Information

• Tasting menu from $178
• Dinner: Wed – Sun
• 1 778-839-5711
• Visit Baan Lao's Website

Location

4100 Bayview St, Richmond, BC V7E 0B3