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About Sanook Thai Restaurant

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Family Recipes & the Meaning of Sanook

At Sanook Thai Restaurant, our story begins with the cooking our owner learnt while helping her mother growing up in Thailand. Those family recipes and Thai traditions still shape the food we share.

We stay true to those recipes and use the freshest ingredients available, with some dishes depending on suitable seasonal ingredients. After first working in the Corlette kitchen, our owner took over the restaurant on 5 October 1998.

We remain locally owned and operated. We later opened Tilli Thai by Sanook in Tanilba Bay, bringing our family-inspired cooking to another community while keeping each restaurant's own menu and service hours.

We welcome couples, families, locals and visitors for relaxed meals and time together in Port Stephens. Sanook means happiness and good times. For us, that means welcoming you warmly and bringing people together over Thai food.

Dishes, Flavours & Time Together

Traditional Thai food offers a wonderful variety of flavours and textures. A fragrant curry feels different from a savoury noodle dish; bright salads and stir-fries bring their own balance of herbs, sauces and spice.

We enjoy offering guests that choice, including dishes to enjoy on their own and others that are lovely passed around the table. Our Corlette dining room adds traditional artwork and gallery-style decor to the occasion, while Tilli Thai brings the same spirit of welcome to its own setting.

You might settle in for a quiet meal, share a selection with friends or take a favourite dish home. We hope the flavours feel familiar when you return and exciting when you decide to try something new.

Restaurant Locations
A dining table set with green plates beside carved wooden Thai decor

Frequently Asked Questions

Illustration of Thai basil, lime, chillies, lemongrass and rice

Yes. I first worked in this restaurant's kitchen alongside my sister, who was head chef. A year later, I bought the business and opened Sanook Thai on 5 October 1998.

I started helping my mum cook for our family of ten when I was seven or eight. I later earned a marketing degree from Suan Sunandha Rajabhat University and taught myself how to run the restaurant.

My role has included cooking and helping both the kitchen and front-of-house teams wherever needed.

Massaman curry and Thai green curry are long-standing favourites. Both reflect the traditional Thai flavours at the heart of our cooking.

We keep our core favourites and offer specials as ingredients and seasons allow. Check the current menu or ask our team what's available.

Long-serving kitchen and front-of-house staff have been part of our story. Our original interview celebrated team members with up to 14 years of service.

We aim for a relaxed, intimate setting where you can enjoy Thai food and time together.

We welcome couples, families, locals and visitors. Many guests return for their favourites, and holiday periods can be busy, so check table availability before visiting.

Our original restaurant story highlighted long-standing relationships with Newcastle Seafood Market and Port Stephens Eggs.

Family has shaped the restaurant from the start, from my mum's recipes to working with my sister. My child also helped before moving on to other career opportunities.

Our past fundraising events have supported charitable causes, including Buy-A-Bale, which helps drought-affected farmers feed their livestock.

I stay true to my mum's recipes and use the freshest ingredients available. Some dishes may be unavailable when suitable seasonal ingredients can't be sourced.

I grew up on a fruit plantation in Nonthaburi Province, Thailand.

Asian-style seafood, especially when it's spicy.

Discover Our Story & Share a Meal

Reach Out
Call Corlette (02) 4984 3363