Thong Smith signature boat noodles
If you have spent any time in Bangkok, you have probably walked past a Thong Smith. The chain, founded in 2018, turned Thailand’s humble boat noodles into a premium dining experience and now runs 28 branches across the country, from Siam Paragon to Chiang Mai. On 18 March 2026, the brand took its biggest leap yet: a first overseas restaurant, right here in Wan Chai.
The new outpost sits at Shop 1-6, G/F, Spring Garden Mansion on Spring Garden Lane, a short stroll from Wan Chai MTR Exit B2. The space continues the brand’s signature look of deep wood tones, vintage Thai murals, and neon accents that nod to Bangkok’s floating market heritage. From opening weekend, queues of more than 30 diners have spilled onto the pavement at peak hours, which tells you something about the anticipation this place has generated.
The Signature Boat Noodles
The star of the menu is the signature boat noodle, served in a rich, aromatic broth slow-simmered for eight hours with galangal, star anise, lemongrass, and pickled garlic. The base is then finished with pork blood for a deep, dark umami punch that gives the soup its distinctive mahogany colour. Piled on top are thick slices of Australian wagyu beef eye, braised beef brisket, hand-pressed beef balls, and tender beef tendon. The wagyu round version is priced at HK$148, while the wagyu chuck runs HK$158.
For those who prefer pork, there is a Kurobuta pork version with the same deeply flavoured broth. A lighter clear soup option is also available if you want the noodle experience without the intensity of the blood-enriched base. Tossed chicken noodles served with a side of clear pork bone broth round out the main noodle choices. Spice levels come in three tiers, so you can dial the heat up or down to match your tolerance.
What We Ordered
We went with the wagyu round boat noodle at medium spice and the Kurobuta pork version at mild. The beef bowl arrived first, and the broth was immediately impressive: thick, fragrant, and deeply savoury with a warmth that builds gradually rather than hitting you all at once. The wagyu slices were tender enough to pull apart with chopsticks, and the beef balls had a satisfying bounce. The noodles themselves were thin rice vermicelli, cooked just firm enough to hold up in the rich soup.
The pork version was slightly lighter but no less flavourful. The Kurobuta slices had a clean sweetness that paired well with the aromatic broth, and the portion was generous enough to leave us full without needing a side dish. If you are deciding between the two, the beef is the showpiece, but the pork is the safer bet for anyone who finds blood-enriched broth too intense.
Five Hong Kong Exclusives
Thong Smith has created five dishes available only at the Wan Chai location, and they are worth exploring beyond the noodles. The grilled pork jowl paired with a sharp papaya salad is a strong starter, with the charred, fatty pork cutting through the sour crunch of the salad. Stir-fried minced beef with braised tendon served over rice makes for a hearty alternative if you want something drier than a soup bowl.
The dessert of fluffy steamed bread with your choice of warm pandan or Thai-tea flavoured custard for dipping is a surprisingly good finish. The bread is pillowy and slightly sweet, and the pandan custard has a fragrance that lingers. These exclusives give Hong Kong diners a reason to visit even if they have already tried the original in Bangkok.
The Queue and How to Beat It
Be prepared to wait. Weekend lunch service sees queues forming before the 11:30 am opening, and dinner slots fill quickly too. The restaurant does not currently take reservations, so your best strategy is to arrive right as service starts. Weekday lunches between Tuesday and Thursday are noticeably quieter, and you can often walk straight in by 12:30 pm once the initial rush clears.
The space seats around 60 covers across the ground floor, and table turnover is fairly quick since most diners are eating noodle bowls rather than multi-course meals. If you are in the area and see a short queue, take the chance. Once word of mouth settles, the wait times should ease, but for now Thong Smith is very much in its honeymoon phase.
Getting There
Take the MTR to Wan Chai station and use Exit B2. Walk south along Spring Garden Lane for about three minutes and the restaurant is on your left at ground level. The area is packed with street food options and casual dining spots, so you can easily build a food crawl around your visit. If you are exploring further afield, the Kwai Chung Plaza food stalls or Tsuen Wan’s noodle shops make a good pairing on a different day.
Quick Info
| Restaurant | Thong Smith |
| Address | Shop 1-6, G/F, Spring Garden Mansion, 47-65 Spring Garden Lane, Wan Chai 灣仔春園街47-65號新春園大廈地下1-6號舖 Google Maps |
| Nearest MTR | Wan Chai (Exit B2), 3-minute walk |
| Hours | Mon to Sun: 11:30 am to 2:30 pm, 5:30 pm to 8:30 pm Last order 15 minutes before close |
| Phone | Check @thongsmith.hk on Instagram |
| Price | HK$100 to HK$160 per person |
| Must-Order | Wagyu Round Boat Noodle (HK$148), Kurobuta Pork Boat Noodle, Grilled Pork Jowl with Papaya Salad |
| Payment | Visa, Mastercard, AE, UnionPay, Octopus, AlipayHK, Apple Pay, Google Pay, WeChat Pay, PayMe |
