Spice I Am

Surry Hills, Australia

3.9

Closed now

20 reviews

Does not accept credit cards

Contacts

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Telephone:
+61 2 9280 0928
Website:
www.spiceiam.com.au
Address:
90 Wentworth Ave Surry Hills, Surry Hills, New South Wales, 2010
Surry Hills
Nearby public transportation stops & stations:
500 ftCrown Hotel
500 ftSydney, Elizabeth Street nr Hay Street
590 ftSydney, Elizabeth Street nr Goulburn Street
Categories:
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Bussiness info

Takes Reservations
No
Delivery
No
Take-out
Yes
Accepted Cards
None
Good For
Dinner
Parking
Street
Wheelchair Accessible
No
Good for Kids
No
Good for Groups
Yes
Attire
Casual
Ambience
Casual
Noise Level
Loud
Alcohol
No
Outdoor Seating
Yes
Wi-Fi
No
Has TV
No
Waiter Service
Yes
Caters
No

Today

Today 11:00 am – 3:00 pm
6:00 pm – 10:00 pm
Closed now
Local time (Surry Hills) 15:04 Sunday, 1 June 2025

Business hours

Monday –
Tuesday 11:00 am – 3:00 pm
6:00 pm – 10:00 pm
Wednesday 11:00 am – 3:00 pm
6:00 pm – 10:00 pm
Thursday 11:00 am – 3:00 pm
6:00 pm – 10:00 pm
Friday 11:00 am – 3:00 pm
6:00 pm – 10:00 pm
Saturday 11:00 am – 3:00 pm
6:00 pm – 10:00 pm
Sunday 11:00 am – 3:00 pm
6:00 pm – 10:00 pm

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20 reviews of Spice I Am

No registration required
Place rating: 4
Redwood City, CA
Got recommendations for this place so we checked it out our first nite dining out in Sydney. We ordered three dishes and all were excellent. We would definitely go back. A couple of things to know before you go (which we didn’t know beforehand)… Bring cash because it’s the only method of payment they will accept. And, bring your own booze because they don’t serve any. Four stars since they charged us for packing up our leftovers to go.
Place rating: 3
Mid-Wilshire, Los Angeles, CA
I love Thai food but I can’t say that Spice I Am overly impressed me– which was disappointing considering the amount of hype that surrounds this little hole in the wall.
I came for a business meeting during the early Lunch rush but didn’t have to wait for a table at all as my group was there right on opening (11.30am). I ordered the Beef Pad Prik King for myself and also a Chicken Larb Salad to share amongst the table. Our meals came out relatively quickly and ticked all the boxes as far as freshness, taste and presentation go but they lacked pizazz, that real «WOW» factor that you look for in a meal. I feel this was also the case due to the intense lack of real atmosphere at Spice I Am– it feels like a cheap takeaway store rather than the home of some of the best Thai in Sydney (allegedly at least).
Unless I am made to head back for a meeting I definitely won’t be rushing back to this particular eatery.
Place rating: 5
Sydney, Australia
Spice I am is my favourite Thai restaurant. It’s a restaurant that can easily go unnoticed. It’s small with minimal decorations. But if you’ve met someone who’s been you’ll know it has huge hype because the food is jam packed with flavour and is BYO. This place is always busy so when I went with a large group, I was pleasantly surprised that we were seated and served quickly. We ordered the green curry/​massaman curry, pad Thai and the basil crispy chicken. All dishes were packed with flavour but note that the dishes are quite spicy.
This is a restaurant I will always recommend.
Place rating: 2
Kreis 1, Zürich, Switzerland
Not worth a detour.
I would not go again.
Service very rushed. Even place half empty, must use table they point us too. Very crowded in here, neighbors rubbing included, would be nice if neighbors are cute.
Food to spicy to taste if good.
And price rather very high for very unattractive location.
Place rating: 4
Haymarket, Australia
Don’t miss out on the lunch specials!
I highly recommend the crispy pork with Chinese broccoli stir fry. It’s almost the best in Sydney. I kid you not.
Place rating: 4
Minneapolis, MN
Great food– recommended by Travel and Leisure. Had the Pad Thai with Prawns and Spicy Fried Rice. Loved both. It’s BYOB but there is a wine shop on the corner. Great experience!
Place rating: 4
Sydney, Australia
Looking for authentic Thai food in Sydney? Then this is the place to be.
Spice I Am is the closest you will get to Thailand from Sydney, in foodie terms. Upon entering the restaurant, the mix of flavours wafted around and I conjoured up memories of my enjoyable and relaxing trips to Thailand straight away. When a smell brings you back to a place and a time, you know that this is the real deal (I’d never had that before at any other Thai restaurant in Sydney, although there are several good Thai eateries).
Every dish I’ve had is perfect. There is nothing that stands out as a recommended dish — they are all as great as each other! It’s surpisingly hard to get an authentic Thai stir fry in Sydney, but Spice I Am does them well. Just be careful — their dishes are very spicy — they do it just like the homeland!
Spice I Am is no place for lounging around and having a relaxed evening — in fact, quite the opposite. Be prepared to queue up outside the tiny little restaurant, squish on low stools, have waiters brush past you, and have the occasional odd customer at the next table. For this reason, Spice I Am doesn’t quite reach the 5 star mark.
Spice I Am is one of Sydney’s little gems and definitely worth a try, espcially for the Sydneysiders!
Place rating: 5
Crows Nest, Australia
Spice I am is one of those restaurants that you have to go to because it gets a lot of hype from anyone who has been. It’s amazing how some restaurants just have something special about them.
Walking past Spice I Am you would be perfectly right to not take any notice of it because it’s not beautifully decorated or a place that offers scenery to blow your mind. It’s simply located in a street with views into Central station. So clearly there’s another reason people go here.
Spice I Am offers exceptional tastes and flavours and put simply that’s what makes this place amazing. It’s true there’s no better praise then word of mouth and word has spread about this place because Anytime I have been or walked past this place is busy.
I was with a friend and I was like we need to order a few dishes even if your not hungry. So we opted for Duck Red Curry, ginger chicken and a papaya salad.
The Papaya Salad is really great and they justify the name because it was quite Spicy just the way I like it. The Ginger Chicken was loaded with protein and really satisfying to anyone who loves ginger.
The Duck Red Curry arrives out to your table inside a coconut. How cool is that right! The coconut perfectly compliments the curry and for those wanting to make it milder simply scratch the inside with you fork to break of more coconut. The flavours were great on this dish also and I really enjoyed it and it was a big portion.
Definitely justifies the hype surrounding it. Will be back again because the rest of the menu looks amazing too.
Place rating: 5
Greenacre, Australia
The food here is top notch! A gustatory delight for those keen for authentic, delicious Thai food!
The place is a little awkward due to the small space. The service is ok, but could be better.
Tough to rate (perhaps 4.5÷5)… overall, your tastebuds will thank you for your visit :)
Place rating: 5
Sydney, Australia
My search for the best crispy pork belly Thai style is actually ended. Finally I found it!
My favorite is always Phad Prik King, crispy pork belly, Phid king sauce so hot yet so yummy …
I think that’s the best Phid King dish that I have been tasted in Sydney
The complex of the dish is actually so hard to explain, crispy skin, not so much fat, spicy sauce and the fragrant from kafir lime leaves. Just keep you going and wanting more.
Tom Yum Gong also really good dish. This aromatic broths with hint of chillies that accompany your choice of protein is so beautiful, and tonight we chose seafood. Succulent juicy prawns is cook to perfection.
Pad see ew also really good, I think that’s the only few dishes that not come with spiciness on the menu.
Always wanting to get back for more
Place rating: 4
Darlinghurst, Australia
From Order To Table: Perfect timing. Like when toilet paper is on sale right when you’ve run out.
Service-​ometer: Cookie cutter service.
Stomachability: Like a home cooked dinner from mum. If Mum enjoyed putting so much spice that by the end you’re crying, can’t feel your tongue and the next day is volcanic. That’s the kind of mum I love.
Spice I am used to be one of Sydney’s best kept hidden secrets, but now it’s not, the only thing that has changed is waiting times.
I am a self appointed spice addict. The more pain the better. Spice I am really delivers in flavor and punch. It’s amazing how they manage to fit in so much enjoyment into a meal after your tongue has completely numbed.
There are also not so spicy options, but they’re not as fun, and well, if you’re not looking for spice you should be visiting «nice I am»
Place rating: 4
Auckland, New Zealand
This tiny restaurant had been recommended to me… I have to say their recommendation was valid… Small potions but so flavor some and fragrant that your senses are filled just as your belly ends up being. The ginger pawns had ginger thinly sliced that they appeared like noodles and very refreshing. Pop in for a casual no none sense lunch.
Place rating: 1
Surry Hills, Sydney, Australia
Actually want to give it a 0. Been here twice, through friend hype, with friends, unimpressed both times.
Beef salad was terrible, rare and unchewable.
Chrispy fish salad, to buy the ingredients would cost 18 $ but you could feed at least five people and be full. Lemon and salty dried fish isn’t worth a small dish for 18 $.
3 Mini pork sticks for 8 $ is pretty much ur pinky size snack. And my hands are very small.
Bland and pricy, there are MANY other better and great Thai restaurants near by, just crossed the road towards Capitol square, the Thai restaurants there Are much better. And if you want to drink as well. Turn right at the next corner towards world square.
Please don’t go to this spice I am place, it’s a rip off!
Place rating: 5
San Francisco, CA
Thai is so good in Sydney that you kind of just expect the Thai place around the corner from you to be good enough. You stop searching for the best spring rolls, that crispier Pad Prik King Crispy Pork Belly, the spicier green curry. I know I got into a little rut with the options on Glebe Point Road but I am glad I finally went to try Spice I Am (hard to find). The place is small and attached to a hostel so little singage. The menus seem super worn and the staff are not effervescently friendly but the food is probably the best I’ve had.
We ate the fresh spring rolls and mini curry puff and friend spring rolls to start. The fresh spring roll was a little carrot heavy bit still awesome. Then the main dishes started appearing: Pad Prik King Crispy Pork Belly, Green Curry, Ka Nom Jeen Nam Ya Pa, a noddle dish, and Soft Shell Crab with Mango Salad. Everything was so good and I’ll tell you why. The Pad Prik King has actual meat in it, not just whatever pork remnants most places put into their dish. I’m not normally a fan but I would eat this one every time. The Ka Nom Jeen was pretty mild on the first bite but then had such a complex flavor that it took really 4 bites to taste the whole thing. The noodles were great, well cooked. And mango salad is my fave, nice balance of heat without crushing the sweet fruit.
I will say I didn’t find too many veggie dishes on the menu which is a bummer but small price to pay for outstadning food. Its a bit of a hike for me but well worth it.
Place rating: 3
Surry Hills, Australia
The food is pretty good and I sometimes crave some of their signature dishes.
However the service is dreadful (plain rude), the wait is often long, it’s a very basic setting (sit on flimsy stools) and it’s cash only (a bit sketchy). Not cheap either.
I guess sometimes you put up with the negatives to get the food you’re after.
Place rating: 5
Brooklyn, NY
This restaurant came highly recommended by friends who live in Sydney. On a Sunday night, Spice I Am was packed for dinner. We dined at a few thai restaurants during our stay at Sydney and Spice I am was a clear winner. Its a small restaurant that only takes cash.
BYOB is the only way to go while dining for thai food. I would recommend a nice white wine like a semillon or a dry riesling to pair with the seafood dishes here.
We had the fried red snapper and a chicken dish. Let’s just say the fried red snapper blew our minds — taste and heat. As a NY’er, I have had my fair share of spicy thai food. NOTHING compares to the spicy factor in the thai food in Sydney. So if you can tolerate only some heat, air on the side of caution and make sure to ask how spicy the food is. Spice I Am did not ask us because they probably assumed that we took the name of the restaurant seriously. Both my husband and I asked for extra napkins to wipe the sweat off our head from the spiciness. The red snapper was none-​the-​less delicious when paired with the mango salad.
Place rating: 3
San Lorenzo, CA
This place was highly recommended in a brochure in our hotel room. What is better is that it was right across the street from our hotel! Looking at the Unilocal reviews we knew we had to try this place out!
My friends and I went during lunch right when it opened! I suggest you go early during the dinner time otherwise there may be a wait; there are not many seats available!
I got the spicy fried rice, and it was just okay. I was a bit disappointed because it had a pretty strong burnt taste to it. Nothing was visibly burnt so maybe it was the oil? I’m not sure and maybe it was supposed to be like that. My sister got the pad thai which was delicious, and my gf got the pad kee mao, which was pretty good but too soy-​saucy.
For the lunch specials, I would recommend this place, but I am sure the prices are higher for the dinner meals. I would not come here for dinner, but I would come back and give this place another chance during lunch!
Place rating: 5
Sunnyvale, CA
Every time I come to Sydney I try to make it to Spice I Am. This is by far one of the best Thai restaurants I know. It’s small, takes cash only, the food is served quickly and they turn around tables fast (because the line outside is long). But man the food is just amazing. It’s hot and spicy. It flavorful it’s beautiful to look at. It’s plentiful and it’s reasonably priced.
It is by far my most favorite Thai restaurant.
Place rating: 3
Los Angeles, CA
We came by later in the evening on a weekday and it was packed. THough it’s not hard to become packed considering it’s maybe 400 sq ft of space and can accommodate maybe 20 people comfortably but they still manage to get about 30 inside and another 10 – 15 or so outside. We only had to wait about 5 minutes for a table so it wasn’t quick and they came by right away with waters, menus.
The waitress was hard to understand and kept telling us the fish soup was «fishy» which made us nervous since it made us think it’d be especially oceany fresh. Fortunately, it was no more fishy than one would expect a fish soup to be. phewww.
Thai fried rice and some sort of fish soup both of which were good but not sure 20 $ is the appropriate pricing for a bowl of soup portioned for one or two people… I’d estimate about 20 – 24 oz, 1 $ an ounce of overly spicy soup?! cray. The fried rice was a normal price though so maybe there was a lil something extra special about the soup.
Worth coming here to try out but bring cash if you decide to come cause they will not accept the plastic we love oh sooo much :/
Place rating: 4
Sydney, Australia
This place definitely lived up to my expectation!
My two buddies and I arrived at the restaurant at around 6.20pm on a Saturday evening and there was already a huge crowd outside, waiting in line. We were told there would be a 30 minutes wait. Since it was windy and cold, we settled for this since the heat lamp outside the restaurant was keeping us relatively warm-​ish.
Even though the turnover was pretty fast, our wait was more than 30 mins. 40 minutes into the wait, one of the waitresses handed us the menu and asked us to place our order. (To be honest, this is probably not a bad idea because food would be served the moment we were seated, also it’s probably good for the business since it could increase its turnaround time). And within 5 minutes after we placed our order, we were seated & food was served within 2 minutes ! *impressed*
Mini Curry Puffs — good !
Mini fried shrimp rolls — not too bad, not spicy
Pad See Ew — Definitely one of the best I had in Sydney, two thumbs up
Basil Crispy Pork Belly — SPICY but soooooo goooooooood !!! Portion is pretty generous too. Highly recommended !
However, as soon as we were close to finishing, the waitress looked like she couldnt wait to clear our table so that we can get the f*ck out. I understand that there were still a lot of people waiting in line… but hey! I hate being «chased out» of the restaurant !
The restaurant itself is not classy/​cozy kind. So I wouldnt recommend it for a dinner date, but if you want good thai food, that’s where you want to be. =)