Nashville Best Of 2026 · Best Thai Restaurant
International Market
Since 1975, the Myint family has been introducing Nashville to real Thai cooking. Today a new generation runs this Belmont Boulevard landmark, and it’s our pick for the best Thai restaurant in Nashville.
The Verdict
Why International Market Earns the Title
International Market is where generations of Nashvillians had their first taste of authentic Thai food, and it has never been better. By day, it honors tradition with a quick steam-table lunch of curries and fried rice. By night, it becomes a full-service restaurant with Chef Arnold Myint’s creative Thai menu and a cocktail and wine program.
The recognition is hard to argue with. International Market is listed in the Michelin Guide, Chef Arnold was a 2024 James Beard semifinalist for Best Chef: Southeast, and it was the first restaurant in Nashville to earn Thai Select recognition from the Royal Thai Government for its authenticity.
1975
Original Opening
2
Generations
1st
Thai Select Honoree
2024
James Beard Semifinalist
What to Order
The Dishes That Keep Nashville Coming Back
Come for lunch, come for dinner, or better yet, come for both. Start with these favorites.
Hat Yai Fried Chicken
Southern Thai–style fried chicken made with locally sourced birds. Half-chicken orders take 24 hours to prepare, so reserve yours ahead of time.
Spicy Lamb Dan Dan Noodles
Chewy noodles tossed with richly spiced lamb and plenty of heat. A modern favorite that shows off Chef Arnold’s creative side.
The Steam Table Lunch
The tradition that started it all: a fast, affordable lunch line of rotating curries, fried rice, and Thai classics, just like the original International Market.
The Story
A Belmont Boulevard Landmark Since 1975
In 1975, Win and Patti Myint opened International Market & Restaurant on Belmont Boulevard. For almost 45 years, it fed Belmont University students, neighbors, and curious eaters, introducing many of them to Thai cuisine for the very first time.
After the original location closed, the Myints’ children, Chef Arnold and Anna, reopened International Market right across the street in 2021 with two of the original cooks. Arnold, a former culinary instructor who competed on Top Chef and Food Network Star, now blends his mother’s recipes with his own modern Thai cooking.
“For half a century, this is where Nashville learned to love Thai food.”
Nashville Best Of Editors
Plan Your Visit
Lunch and Dinner on Belmont
Lunch is walk-in friendly, and dinner reservations are recommended, especially on weekends.
Location
2013 Belmont Blvd
Nashville, TN 37212
(615) 297-4453
Right across the street from the original 1975 location.
Hours
Lunch: Wed–Sat, 11 am – 4 pm
(steam table until 2 pm)
Dinner: Tue–Thu, 5 – 9 pm
Fri–Sat, 5 – 10 pm
Sun–Mon: Closed
Good to Know
Planning on the Hat Yai fried chicken? Half-chicken orders must be reserved at least 24 hours in advance, and quantities are limited.
Taste a Nashville Tradition
Book a dinner table on Belmont Boulevard, or stop by for a quick steam-table lunch.