A Melbourne icon redefining modern Thai with bold flavours, big energy and timeless consistency.

Longrain: The Benchmark of Modern Thai

Longrain has been setting the tone for contemporary Thai dining in Melbourne since 2005, and it hasn’t missed a beat. The room still buzzes with the same controlled chaos — a mix of clinking glasses, sizzling woks and conversation bouncing off concrete and timber. Its signature long communal tables were ahead of their time, built for shared dishes, shared laughs and that unmistakable Melbourne dining rhythm.

Everything here is designed for balance and boldness. It’s Thai food made for the city, without compromise, and it still feels as relevant now as the day it opened.

The Food: Tradition Reworked with Edge

Longrain’s menu walks the line between punchy street energy and refined precision. The betel leaf starters are a classic — packed with trout, pomelo or caramelised pork — followed by fragrant curries that layer heat and sweetness in equal measure. The caramelised pork hock, now legendary, lands crisp and sticky, a dish that’s earned its own cult following. There’s freshness everywhere: green papaya, herbs, lime, spice and crunch.

It’s a place built for sharing, not just because the menu says so, but because every dish demands it. No one person should have to take on a bowl of that yellow curry alone — though many have tried.

The Scene, The Energy, The Legacy

The cocktail list leans tropical but tight, with fresh fruit, lemongrass and spice woven through the drinks program. The wine list favours aromatics — riesling, gewürztraminer, chilled reds — all built to play well with heat. The staff know their menu and their audience, moving fast without ever feeling rushed.

Longrain is one of those rare places that never lost its relevance. It has evolved quietly while others came and went, keeping its fire — literally and figuratively — alive. Few restaurants capture Melbourne dining quite like this: confident, loud, and unapologetically delicious.