A woman sitting outdoors on the grass is slicing food on a cutting board. She is wearing a pink dress, gold jewelry, and has short curly hair. There are plates with food and bowls on the table beside her.

Our family

Our journey began in 1995 with a small Thai takeaway in Bolton called Pattakhan, built on family recipes, hard work, and a passion for sharing authentic Thai food with our local community.

What started as a small family business soon grew into something much bigger. From our first food van travelling across the UK, we brought the flavours of Thailand to festivals, events, and towns around the country — serving freshly made curries that quickly became what we were known for.

At the heart of everything has always been family. From recipes passed down, to the care that goes into every dish, our food is deeply rooted in tradition, authenticity, and home cooking.

A family of three holding hands in front of a food stand labeled 'Thai Food.' The woman is wearing a red apron, and the children are wearing casual clothes. The stand has a menu board on the left side.

Castlefield, Manchester - 1995

Three women standing in front of a pink Thai cafe and takeaway called Jing JAI, holding hands and smiling. The cafe has a large window with illustrations of Thai food and drinks, and the women are wearing aprons and caps, two in red and one in black.

Bradshawgate, Bolton - 2025

Jing Jai is born

After opening our food van outside our home during Covid, we were overwhelmed by the support from our local community. So many people in Bolton came back time and time again for our food, and as festivals and events began returning after the pandemic, we constantly received messages asking when we would be serving in our hometown again.

That support inspired us to start thinking about creating a permanent home for our food. After almost two years of searching and carefully considering different locations, we finally found the perfect spot in the heart of Bolton town centre.

In Thai, “Jing Jai” means “true heart” — a phrase that represents kindness, generosity, and sincerity. We chose the name Jing Jai because it reflects who we are as a family and how we’ve always served our customers. We’ve always believed in giving a little extra to people who enjoy our food, because making people happy through authentic Thai cooking is at the heart of everything we do.

Our Menu
Close-up of a plate of Asian cuisine with noodles, chopped onions, chopped red cabbage, chopped greens, a lemon wedge, and curry.

What makes us different?

One of the things that makes our food so special is our commitment to sourcing authentic Thai ingredients. We work closely with farms in Thailand to source many of the fresh herbs and ingredients used in our curries and dishes.

Woman wearing a straw hat with a pink ribbon, white shirt, and sunglasses hanging on her shirt, smiling and holding a bunch of fresh green herbs in an outdoor garden with green plants and a blue sky in the background.

From fragrant Thai Sweet basil and lemongrass to chillies, kaffir lime leaves, and galangal, these ingredients are carefully selected to ensure every curry delivers the depth, aroma, and flavour of true Thai cooking.

What our customers say …

“I can honestly say I had given up trying Thai food in the UK - until I experienced Jing Jai’s Thai food. This is a family owned, authentic Thai food cafe and you can taste the love that goes into the food in every bite.”

— Geraldine

“I highly recommended visiting Jing Jai; the food and handcrafted drinks are delicious and the family who own/run the cafe are incredibly friendly and welcoming.
I'd argue the food here is the best Thai food I've come across in the UK.”

— Rio

“The best Thai food I have come across in the UK. Not only is it from an amazingly friendly family but all there herbs are organic brought from Thailand. The quality and portions are great. Will definitely be returning.”

— Dimi