Chef Eddy's Thai Street Food expands with second location, third coming soon

The popular Pensacola restaurant is opening a new express location and transforming a Gulf Breeze eatery into another Thai Street Food spot.

Published on Feb. 24, 2026

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Chef Ratchakrit Wilertthada, known as 'Chef Eddy,' and his wife Lawan Claflin have opened a second location of their popular Thai restaurant Thai Street Food by Chef Eddy in Pensacola, with a third location planned for Gulf Breeze. The new express restaurant offers a condensed menu of fan-favorites and some new additions, while the flagship location will remain the hub for the full dining experience.

Why it matters

The expansion of Chef Eddy's Thai Street Food demonstrates the growing demand for authentic Thai cuisine in the Pensacola area. The new locations will provide more accessibility and convenience for customers to enjoy the restaurant's signature dishes.

The details

The second location, called Chef Eddy's Thai Express, opened on February 19th at 7700 W. Fairfield Drive in Pensacola. It offers a slightly more condensed menu compared to the flagship restaurant, but still features many of the popular dishes like Pad Thai, Pad See Ew, and crispy pork belly. Chef Eddy is also working on transforming the Lao Ocean restaurant in Gulf Breeze into another Thai Street Food location, which will have an expanded sushi menu.

  • The second location, Chef Eddy's Thai Express, opened on February 19, 2026.
  • Chef Eddy plans to transition the Lao Ocean restaurant in Gulf Breeze into a Thai Street Food location sometime next month.

The players

Chef Ratchakrit Wilertthada

Also known as 'Chef Eddy,' he is the owner and chef of Thai Street Food by Chef Eddy.

Lawan Claflin

Chef Eddy's wife and co-owner of Thai Street Food by Chef Eddy.

Lao Ocean

A restaurant in Gulf Breeze that Chef Eddy plans to transform into another Thai Street Food location.

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What they’re saying

“I'd also like to invite people in this neighborhood to try my food.”

— Chef Ratchakrit Wilertthada (pnj.com)

What’s next

Chef Eddy plans to make the transition of Lao Ocean into a Thai Street Food location sometime next month.

The takeaway

The expansion of Chef Eddy's Thai Street Food demonstrates the growing popularity of authentic Thai cuisine in the Pensacola area. The new locations will provide more accessibility and convenience for customers to enjoy the restaurant's signature dishes.