10-05-2025
Thai restaurant to move back to Welsh town where it all began
Thai restaurant to move back to Welsh town where it all began
Onzon Thai started as a takeaway and street food vendor
Penarth is set to get its first Thai restaurant
(Image: Onzon Thai )
A Thai restaurant, which began trading at food festivals and takeaways before finding a permanent home in Cowbridge, is now moving back to Penarth where their jounrey began. Onzon Thai, (Onzon translates as "amazing") have said they are "returning home". Established in 2014, Onzon Thai was founded by Chanya Slorach, 41, and her husband Hugo Slorach.
Chanya hails from Bueng Khong Long, close to the Mekong River in northeastern Thailand, where she perfected the art of Thai food. Hugo grew up in Penarth, where the family live with their young family.
During the Covid lockdowns they operated Onzon Thai from Penarth, renting a commercial kitchen for takeaways after being forced to shut their other beauty businesses.
After 18 months of feeding thousands, it was clear that Onzon Thai couldn't continue to meet demand without permanent premises to expand.
They paused operations and started searching for the correct location. Unable to find a suitable property in Penarth, they opened first in Cowbridge.
Onzon Thai already have a restaurant in Cowbridge
(Image: Onzon Thai )
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Now Onzon Thai are opening a permanent restaurant and cooking school in Penarth. For the latest restaurant news and reviews, sign up to our food and drink newsletter here .
The restaurant will open on Windsor Road seven days a week, and it aims to open in summer 2025, in June or July.
The Cowbridge restaurant is under new ownership and will be known as Thai Elephant Cowbridge when it reopens.
Onzon Thai will serve dishes such as pad Thai and Thai green curry, all from homemade recipes.
Speaking about opening in Penarth, Chanya said: "It feels like we are coming back home... it is very exciting" and said many customers have been asking them to return to Penarth.
Onzon Thai is not the only new foodie destination coming to south Wales as a much-loved Cardiff-based coffee business is set to take over Bute Park's iconic Pettigrew Tearooms.
Cardiff-born coffee company, Brodie's Coffee Co, has announced it will be taking over the Pettigrew Tearooms in Bute Park this summer.
In January 2025, Pettigrew Tearooms announced they will be closing down after 13 years of operating in their iconic Grade II West Lodge location.
The tearooms are best known for serving afternoon teas, breakfast, lunches, in-house baking seven days a week and friendly staff, who will be joining the Brodie's Coffee Co team as part of the transition. You can read more, here.
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