Popular Toronto restaurant officially opens first GTA location in Ontario town

This past year, many acclaimed Toronto hotspots have moved west and opened outposts in the 905, including a fast-growing Thai brand that has appeared on several “must-visit” lists since its flagship eatery opened in 2024. 

Recently, the team behind Pii Nong, the 10,000-square-foot, two-level Midtown destination that features a 120- to 130-seat restaurant, a Thai market, and a second-floor spa, announced that they have quietly entered the soft-opening phase of their brand new downtown Oakville location–their first in the GTA.

“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 advertisement 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.

 

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Earlier this year, Pii Nong representatives told INsauga.com that their Oakville location was moving forward and expected to open in time for the 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 Oakville was picked to be the site of the growing brand’s first non-Toronto outpost. 

The restaurant is located at 266 Lakeshore Rd. E., a spot conveniently located right in the town’s picturesque downtown core. 

The news of the newest location broke not long after the much-anticipated 2024 opening of the restaurant’s Yonge and Lawrence location. Prior to that, Pii Nong operated out of a smaller space on Bayview Avenue in Leaside, a location the team has since transformed into Chon Modern Thai Cuisine.

Since opening the Midtown resto, head chef and co-owner Pii “Nana” Nong has earned praise for her street food-inspired offerings. 

Fellow co-owner Tom Ha, who splits his time between Pii Nong and the rejuvenated Saigon Star–a near-historic Richmond Hill mainstay that underwent a substantial makeover after serving customers for more than four decades–previously told INsauga.com that the flagship was created following conversations about opening “something so insane, so crazy, so big that people would be like, ‘Are you sure you can pull this off?’” 

Previously, Ha and Jacky Yoh, marketing director with SEA Hospitality Group Inc., said the Oakville location will span about 6,000-7,000 square feet and also feature a market and, in the near future, a Lamai Thai Massage. 

Thai Lamai massage, offered at Pii Nong’s midtown restaurant, became so popular that sessions sold out immediately after launch. While an exact opening date for the restaurant’s massage portion has not yet been confirmed, Ha and Yoh previously said they expect it to open before the end of the year. 

The new Oakville location, which can seat about 120 guests, also boasts patio seating, which is not available at the Midtown resto. 

As for food, Ha previously told INsauga.com that Chef Nong plans to be on site at the Oakville location frequently, along with her son, who has been toiling in the kitchen with her for some time. 

The newest location offers staples familiar to Pii Nong diners, including pad Thai, pad kee mao, pad see ew and khao soi, as well as unique offerings such as Thai pong karee crab, soft shell crab curry, basil chili paste clams and a crying tiger steak made with beef tenderloin soaked in a sweet oyster sauce marinade and served with sticky rice and cilantro. 

The new restaurant will also offer its signature Instagram-worthy teddy bear drinks (available in both alcoholic and non-alcoholic varieties), made with either mango juice or milk tea and served with endearing frozen teddies. 

Ha has said customers can expect some new dishes, as well as multiple Halal options. 

In a social media post, the restaurant’s team says feedback has already been positive. 

“Thank you to everyone who [has] already come out to support our Oakville location the 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 to always provide the best service and authentic Thai food to our communities,” they wrote. 

During the soft opening phase, the Oakville location will be closed on Mondays.