Photos and reporting by Stacie Joy
We stopped by the former Somtum Der space at 85 Avenue A between Fifth Street and Sixth Street on Friday, where auction crews were arriving soon to remove the restaurant's remaining fixtures and equipment.
As we first reported, the Michelin-recognized Isan-style Thai restaurant served its final meals on May 31, ending a nearly 13-year run in the East Village.
On Friday, owner Supanee Kitmahawong said there are no plans to reopen elsewhere in the neighborhood.
She said her daughter has graduated from school and that she has been working for a long time. "I'm tired and want to rest," she said.
Kitmahawong said she was grateful for the many customers who supported Somtum Der over the years, whether they were regulars from around the block or diners who traveled across the city for the restaurant's signature northeastern Thai dishes.
She is a partner in the Brooklyn location. In 2024, the team rebranded its Red Hook outpost as Goog Thai Cook Shop, shifting the focus from spicy Isan cuisine to Thai comfort food inspired by neighborhood cook shops in Bangkok.
Meanwhile, the chapter that began on Avenue A in 2013 has come to a close.
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