PAI Northern Thai Kitchen, a Michelin-recommended restaurant specializing in Northern Thai cuisine, is preparing to open a new location in Mississauga at 100 City Centre Dr.
The company’s new location is planned for Square One Shopping Centre, according to an Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario listing. The filing indicates the restaurant will feature both indoor and outdoor dining areas. While an exact opening date has yet to be announced, the expansion will bring PAI’s Northern Thai menu to one of Canada’s busiest shopping destinations.
PAI currently operates locations at 18 Duncan St., 2335 Yonge St., and 1108 King St. W. within Kitchen Hub, all in Toronto. The restaurant is led by Chef Nuit Regular and her husband, Jeff Regular, who also operate sister concepts including Thai Tavern, Kiin, Chaiyo by PAI, and Makilala. The Mississauga restaurant marks the brand’s continued growth across the Greater Toronto Area.
The concept traces its roots back to the village of Pai in Northern Thailand, where Nuit and Jeff opened their first restaurant together before relocating to Canada. After launching Sukhothai in Toronto in 2008, the pair expanded with several additional concepts, including PAI. Chef Nuit, a former nurse, has since become one of Toronto’s most recognized chefs and serves as a judge on Food Network Canada’s Wall of Chefs.
PAI has earned recognition from the Michelin Guide, which notes that the restaurant is named after the Thai village where the couple opened their first restaurant. The restaurant has also attracted a following that reportedly includes Sandra Oh, Matt Johnson, Paul Sun-Hyung Lee, and Hasan Minhaj.
The menu focuses on Northern Thai cuisine and includes dishes such as Khao Soi, a noodle-and-coconut-milk dish, and Kanom Jin Nam Ngiao, a pork rib and tomato soup served with rice vermicelli. This will be an excellent landing space for PAI, considering Square One’s steady foot traffic and status as a major dining and shopping destination in Mississauga.
