Smile Cafe

Smile Cafe is your quintessential neighborhood Thai spot, perfect for a noodle-packed weeknight dinner or take-out order of curry for one. Portions are plentiful at this Rittenhouse BYOB, and the sweet, spicy, and salty flavors are usually nice and balanced. And, if you’re an especially picky eater (or stuck dining with one), you can even create your own entree.

Is Smile Cafe going to make your personal top 10 restaurant list? Probably not. But we’ve never encountered a bad dish, and it’s an easy choice for a last-minute dinner in the area. Our order always includes the juicy papaya salad with shrimp, pineapple fried rice, and the panang curry packed with crisp vegetables. There are a few house specials not to be missed—the charcoal beef in particular is smoky and tender. Or you can just gather some friends and pick one item from every section of the menu.