This past year, several popular Toronto restaurants have expanded westward into the 905 area, including a fast-rising Thai brand that has made it onto various “must-visit” lists since its flagship opened in 2024.
Recently, the team behind Pii Nong, a spacious 10,000-square-foot restaurant spread over two levels featuring a 120- to 130-seat dining area, a Thai market, and an upstairs spa, shared that they have quietly begun soft-opening their new downtown Oakville location-this is their first spot in the Greater Toronto Area.
“As some of you may have realized, we recently did a very quiet soft opening at our Oakville location a few weeks ago, and even without any the Oakville community SHOWED UP!! We have been overwhelmed with all the love and support by customers simply noticing our doors being opened and walking right in,” operators wrote on social media.
Earlier this year, Pii Nong representatives told INsauga. com that their Oakville location was progressing as planned and anticipated opening just in time for warmer weather.
“It’s always been on my bucket list,” Tom Ha, co-owner of Pii Nong, told INsauga. com in March when asked why they chose Oakville for their first non-Toronto establishment.
The restaurant can be found at 266 Lakeshore Rd. E., perfectly situated right in the town’s charming downtown area.
The announcement of this new location came shortly after news about the eagerly awaited opening of their Yonge and Lawrence spot set for 2024. Before this expansion, Pii Nong operated from a smaller venue on Bayview Avenue in Leaside; that space has now been transformed into Chon Modern Thai Cuisine.
Since launching the Midtown restaurant, head chef and co-owner Pii “Nana” Nong has received accolades for her street food-inspired dishes.
Coworker Tom Ha splits his time between Pii Nong and Saigon Star-a longtime Richmond Hill favorite that recently underwent significant renovations after more than four decades of service-and previously mentioned to INsauga. com that the flagship was conceived through discussions about creating “something so insane, so crazy, so big that people would be like, ‘Are you sure you can pull this off?’”
Ha along with Jacky Yoh from SEA Hospitality Group Inc., noted that the Oakville site will cover around 6,000-7,000 square feet and will also include a market along with plans for Lamai Thai Massage soon.
The Lamai massage offered at Pii Nong’s Midtown location became such a hit that sessions sold out right away after launch. While there isn’t an exact date yet for when massage services will start at the new location, Ha and Yoh expect it to open before year-end.
This latest spot can accommodate around 120 guests and features outdoor patio seating not available at Midtown.
<p Regarding food offerings, Ha informed INsauga. com earlier that Chef Nong intends to frequently be present at the Oakville site along with her son who has been working alongside her in the kitchen for quite some time.
<p The new venue serves favorites familiar to regulars of Pii Nong like pad Thai, pad kee mao, pad see ew and khao soi; plus unique items such as Thai pong karee crab, soft shell crab curry, cand basil chili paste clams alongside a crying tiger steak made with beef tenderloin marinated in sweet oyster sauce served with sticky rice and cilantro.
<p Additionally, the new restaurant will feature its signature Instagram-worthy teddy bear drinks (available both alcoholic and non-alcoholic), made from either mango juice or milk tea accompanied by adorable frozen teddy bears.
<p Customers can look forward to some fresh dishes as well as multiple Halal options according to Ha's comments.
A post from the restaurant’s team indicates early feedback has been positive.
“Thank you to everyone who [has] already come out to support our Oakville location over these past two weeks during our Soft Opening! We are learning and growing every single day leading up to our very special grand opening (date to be announced soon)! Our mission is always to provide top-notch service along with authentic Thai cuisine for our communities,” they expressed.
The Oakville branch will remain closed on Mondays during its soft-opening phase.INsauga’s Editorial Standards and Policies Last 30 Days: 42 ,124 Votes All Time:1 ,410 ,649 Votes3911 VOTES
A post from the restaurant’s team indicates early feedback has been positive.
“Thank you to everyone who [has] already come out to support our Oakville location over these past two weeks during our Soft Opening! We are learning and growing every single day leading up to our very special grand opening (date to be announced soon)! Our mission is always to provide top-notch service along with authentic Thai cuisine for our communities,” they expressed.
The Oakville branch will remain closed on Mondays during its soft-opening phase.INsauga’s Editorial Standards and Policies Last 30 Days: 42 ,124 Votes All Time:1 ,410 ,649 Votes3911 VOTES
