Thai Orchid Restaurant has brought Thai cooking to Christchurch since 1988. Its Riccarton Road dining room serves separate lunch and dinner sessions seven days a week, with takeaway and delivery available alongside table reservations. The long service history is matched by a menu that moves from compact midday dishes to elaborate evening signatures, making the restaurant suitable for a quick curry at lunch or a shared dinner built across several courses.
Dinner can begin with a mixed Orchid appetiser that gathers spring rolls, curry puffs, chicken satay, prawn wontons and fish cakes with four dipping sauces. Tom yum builds its broth with galangal, mushrooms, coriander, lemongrass, chilli and kaffir lime leaves, while tom kha gai takes a creamier coconut milk direction. Fresh and fried spring rolls, pork ribs and coconut prawns add further choices before the larger dishes arrive.
The curry section spans green, red, panaeng, massaman and jungle styles, with proteins and vegetarian alternatives allowing diners to change the character of each sauce. Signature plates become more theatrical: pineapple fried rice arrives in a pineapple, crispy duck is paired with cashews and vegetables, and the massaman lamb shank is slow cooked with coconut cream, potato, kumara and cashews. A spicy fish fillet can be matched with peanut, red curry or sweet-and-sour flavours.
Stir fries and noodles keep familiar Thai standards in view, including chilli basil, cashew chicken, pad see ew, drunken noodles and pad Thai. Vegetarian, vegan, gluten free and dairy free choices are explicitly marked across the menus, so mixed groups can navigate the range more easily. Desserts such as honey banana and sticky mango provide a sweeter ending, while the split service and online ordering make the same kitchen accessible for dine-in lunches, evening celebrations and meals at home.
Address: 21 Riccarton Road, Riccarton, Christchurch 8011, New Zealand
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Thai Orchid Christchurch Menu
Lunch – SNAX
Lunch Available: 11:30am-2:30pm. Vegetarian | Vegan | Gluten & Dairy Free Options | No MSG
Orchid Wontons (New!)
Crispy Wontons (4) full of Prawn, Cheese & Lots of MMM – Served with our secret Orchid creamy sauce.
Porpia Phak Spring Rolls
Vegetarian deep fried spring rolls (4) made with vermicelli noodles and vegetables
Mini Mix of Spring Rolls & Curry Puffs
Spring Rolls (2): Deep Fried Vegetarian rolls made with vermincelli noodles and vegetables. Curry Puffs (2): Thai Orchid-made pastry stuffed with potato, pumpkin, carrot and curry powder. – Served with Spicy | Sweet & Sour Sauce
Lunch – CURRIES
All curries are served with quality Jasmine steamed rice.
Gaeng Kio Waan | Green Curry | Chicken
Thai chicken Green Curry with coconut milk, bamboo shoots, eggplant, capsicum, courgette, peas, beans and sweet basil. Chicken Green Curry is a classic.
Geang Daeng | Red Curry | Beef
Thai Red Curry with coconut milk, bamboo shoots, eggplant, capsicum, courgette, peas, beans and sweet basil.
Panaeng Curry | Chicken
Chicken Panaeng Curry with coconut milk, kaffir lime leaves, chillies, capsicum and peanuts
Massaman Curry | Beef
Our famous Mussaman coconut creamed curry with chopped potato, onion and cashew nuts.
Lunch – SOUPS & SALADS
Orchid Salad
Crispy Chicken and Prawn with perfect mixture with mint, lime juice, coriander, cucumber carrot, red onion, cashew nuts and Thai Orchid special sauce.
Tom Yum Gai
The famous Thai Chicken Tom Yum soup full of goodness – Galangal, mushrooms, coriander, lemon grass, chillies and kaffir lime leaves.
Lunch – STIR FRIES & NOODLES
Pad Se-Ew | Beef
Flat noodle beef stir-fry with broccoli, carrot and cabbage
Kow Pad | Fried Rice | Chicken
Thai style fried rice with your selection of protein, broccoli, onion, tomato and carrot
Pad Peanut Sauce | Beef
Most popular stir fry in New Zealand. Selected protein with leek, cabbage, carrot, topped of with bean sprouts and peanuts
Pad Thai | Chicken
The World famous noodle dish! Chicken with leek, cabbage, carrot, topped of with bean sprouts and peanuts
Pad Krapao | Chilli Basil | Beef
Traditional hot Thai dish. Slices of meat stir fried with fresh chilies, garlic, green beans, onion, capsicum and basil leaves
Dinner – ENTREE
Dinner Available: 5pm-9:30pm. Vegetarian | Vegan | Gluten & Dairy Free Options | No MSG
Porpia Phak Spring Rolls
Vegetarian deep fried spring rolls (4) made with vermicelli noodles and vegetables
Porpia Sod Fresh Spring Rolls
Freshly made rice paper rolls (4) with chicken, prawn, rice noodles, fresh mint and vegetables. Comes with secret Thai Orchid dipping sauce.
Orchid Wontons (New!)
Crispy Wontons (4) full of Prawn, Cheese & Lots of MMM – Served with our secret Orchid creamy sauce.
Thai Curry Puffs
Thai Orchid Curry Puffs (5) made of pastry stuffed with potato, pumpkin, carrot and curry powder.
Se Klong Moo Op | Pork Spare Ribs
Thai style Pork Spare Ribs marinated in secret Thai Orchid home-made sauce.
Tod Mun Pla | Thai Fish Cakes
Thai Style Fish Cakes (5) made with kneaded minced fish, red curry and special mixed herbs
Gai Sa-Teh | Chicken Satays
Marinated Chicken Satays (3) covered with Thai peanut sauce
Phek Gai Tod | Crispy Chicken Wings
Crispy fried Thai Style Chicken Wings (5) – Served with two secret TO dipping sauces – Hot & Spicy | Sweet & Sour
Goong Tod | Coconut Prawns
Thai Style deep-fried Coconut Crumbed coated King Prawns. – Served with a side of Secret Orchid creamy dipping sauce.
Mixed Orchid Appetiser
A mix of Thai Orchids appetizers including: Thai Spring Rolls, Thai Curry Puffs, Chicken Satays, Orchid Wontons & Pla Fish Cakes. – Four Orchid dipping sauces – Hot & Spicy | Sweet & Sour | Creamy Sweet | Creamy Sour – Portion Sizes: Single: 1 of each; Double: 2 of each
Dinner – SOUPS & SALADS
Vegetarian Options: Tofu -$.5 | Veg -$1
Orchid Salad
Our Signature Crispy Chicken and Prawn with perfect mixture with mint, lime juice, coriander, cucumber carrot, red onion, cashew nuts and Thai Orchid special sauce.
Laab Salad
Traditional Thai Style Laab Salad. Your choice of chicken or pork that is minced and seasoned with lime, chillies, mint and coriander. Side of lettuce and cucumber.
Tom Yum
The famous Thai soup full of goodness – Galangal, mushrooms, coriander, lemon grass, chillies and kaffir lime leaves.
Tom Kha Gai
Creamy chicken soup – Full of Galangal, kaffir lime leaves, mushrooms and coconut milk
Dinner – CURRIES
NOTE: All signature dishes are served with quality Jasmine steamed rice. Vegetarian Options: Tofu -$.5 | Veg -$1
Gaeng Kio Waan | Green
The classic Thai chicken Green Curry with coconut milk and our Fresh Orchid Vegetables (FOV). – (New!) Green Curry Salmon – Amazing!
Geang Daeng | Red
Thai Red Curry with coconut milk and our Fresh Orchid Vegetables (FOV). Note: Duck is a superb combination with Red curry flavours!
Panaeng Curry
Panaeng Curry with coconut milk, kaffir lime leaves, chillies, capsicum, (Beef Cheek also includes spinach & broccoli) & topped off with peanuts. – (New!) Slow Cooked 4 hour Tendered Beef – Tender As!
Massaman Curry
Our famous Mussaman coconut creamed curry with chopped potato, pumpkin, onion topped with cashew nuts. Kumara is added to our Signature Lamb Shank (Tendered 4 hour slow cooked lamb shank).
Gaeng Paa | Jungle
Thai country style curry is a non-coconut based hot curry. Full of our Fresh Orchid Vegetables FOV with pumpkin, rhizome & green pepper corns.
Dinner – SIGNATURE
NOTE: All signature dishes are served with quality Jasmine steamed rice.
Massaman Lamb Shank
A tender and tasty Lamb Shank (slow cooked 4 hours) infused with our yummy Massaman curry, coconut cream with chopped potato, kumara, broccoli, onion & spinach topped with kumara chips and cashew nuts.
Pla Sam Rod | Spicy Fish Fillet
Crispy fried Fish Fillet with secret sweet Thai Orchid sauces on bed of vegetables … Three flavour options: 1. Pla Lui Saun | Peanut Sauce – Lemongrass, broccoli, mushroom, capsicum and cabbage 2. Chu Chi Pla | Red Curry – Kaffir lime leaves, chillies and capsicums 3. Pla Ra Prig | Sweet & Sour – Fresh chillies, pineapple, tomato, palm sugar and tamarind
Sizzling Beef
Grilled tender beef fillets with our Fresh Orchid Vegetables FOV in a secret sweet Thai Orchid sauce, served sizzling on a hot plate.
Ka Ob Saparot | Pineapple Fried Rice
Pineapple full of our special Chicken & Prawn fried rice. Includes pineapple, cashew nuts, special Orchid curry powder, peas, onion, carrot and corn.
Black Pepper Steak
A great dish! … Although only 2 chillies, it packs a little punch when the chillies hit the pepper. Superb flavours with the dark greens of broccoli, peas, mushroom, spinach and beans. A dash of coriander & red capsicum.
Ped Thai Orchid | Crispy Duck
Our signature dish Crispy Duck. Cashew Nuts covering our beautiful duck on a bed of stir-fried carrot, broccoli, mushroom, bok shoy and cabbage, coated with our secret sweet home-made Orchid sauce.
Spicy Lemon Salmon
Our signature dish Spicy Lemon Salmon. 200g of King Fisher Salmon in a bead of salad and our secret Salmon sauce and lemon to squeeze and please.
Chicken Volano | Som Tum
The Classic Thai Orchid Speciality is back! Flaming Chicken on reverse skew with the famous Thai Som Tum. All topped off the special Nam Jium Jeaw sauce. – Very exciting and unique addition is back on the menu!
Dinner – STIR FRIES
Vegetarian Options: Tofu -$.5 | Veg -$1
Pad Med Mamuang | Cashew
Sautéed sweet and sour tendered Meats featuring Cashew Nuts, our Fresh Orchid Vegetables (FOV) plus mushroom, tomato, onion and pineapple.
Pad Peanut Sauce
Most popular stir fry in New Zealand. Meat is sautéed with broccoli, carrot, mushroom, pumpkin, cabbage, served with our house-made peanut sauce.
Kow Pad | Fried Rice
Thai style fried rice with your selection of protein, broccoli, onion, peas, tomato & carrot.
Pad Phed | Spicy Stir Fry
A unique Thai style Curry Stir Fry. Based from the red curry and coconut milk it includes, bamboo shoots, chillies, peppercorn, capsicum, rhizome, the fresh Orchid Vegetables (FOV) and many other secret Thai herbs and spices.
Pad Krathiem Prig Thai | Garlick
Crispy Chicken marinated with Garlic, pepper, broccoli, carrot and mushroom.
Pad Krapao | Chilli Basil
Traditional hot Thai dish. Slices of meat stir fried with fresh chilies, garlic, green beans, onion, capsicum & basil leaves.
Dinner – NOODLES
Vegetarian Options: Tofu -$.5 | Veg -$1
Pad Se-Ew
Flat noodle beef stir-fry with broccoli, carrot and cabbage
Pad Thai
The World famous noodle dish! Chicken with leek, cabbage, carrot, topped of with bean sprouts and peanuts
Pad Kee Mao | Drunken Noodle
Hot and Spicy traditional Drunken Noodle. Flat noodle stir-fry with your selection of protein, chillies, garlic, green beans, capsicum and onion.
Dinner – DESSERT
Ice Cream Sunday
I scream, you scream, we ALL scream for Ice cream! with Strawberry & Choc!
Honey Banana
Deep Fried Banana coated with Honey and served with Vanilla Ice cream.
Chocolate Brownie
Chocolate Brownie topped with chocolate sauce, strawberry and served with Vanilla Ice Cream.
Sticky Mango
Our Signature Sticky Mango – Mango, Sticky Rice, Pineapple, Cream, Ice cream all coated in Coconut Cream
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+ Log your visitHow prices compare
Against typical prices in Christchurch
- Pad thai Typical in Christchurch: $20.25 $18.50
- Massaman curry Typical in Christchurch: $22.00 $19.50
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