6 Best Restaurants in Kanchanaburi, Around Bangkok

Founded by two award-winning Bangkok chefs, this relatively new addition to the local culinary scene focuses on traditional Thai recipes made with the best ingredients available locally. The air-conditioned dining room is famous even among visiting Bangkokians for phat ka-phrao (meat stir-fried with fresh chilies and holy basil), available in pork, chicken, beef, and seafood versions. Thai omelets and southern Thai-style kaeng leuang (thick spicy soup made with fish) are also highly recommended. Curry and rice plates cost a reasonable B89 to B179.

For cheap eats, the market opens early in the evening, with dozens of vendors selling Thai soups, rice dishes, satays, and other delights. The blended frozen fruit drinks are particularly good. All sorts of electronics, clothing, and other goods are also for sale.  On Saturday evenings, the street heading west from here to the river is pedestrian-only, and even more vendors line the road.

It's worth the effort to get to this excellent restaurant in the countryside, located just over the river Khwae Yai on the way to Sai Yok National Park, with views of local rice fields. Classic offerings like tom yum (hot, sour soup) and expertly rendered hor mok (steamed Thai fish custard) have authentic and uncompromising Thai flavors.

With a great view of the River Kwai Bridge from its terraces and lots of lush greenery, this floating restaurant has a sophisticated yet comfortable feel. It caters mostly to Thais, so the food can be quite spicy—if you can't handle it, ask the waiter to tone the heat down (say "mai phet").

This is a great option for tasty vegetarian and vegan specialties from the northeast of Thailand, including curries that pack a fiery kick. The eponymous owner also offers cooking classes and it's clear from the punchy dishes that she has plenty of wisdom to pass on. Desserts of mango or jackfruit with sticky rice provide a toothsome finale to any meal. 

Follow the crowds to this open-air floating restaurant in the shadow of the railway bridge, where the offering includes aromatic Thai favorites and seafood freshly caught in the Kwai Yai and Kwai Noi rivers. The chefs tone down the food considerably for foreigners, so if you want yours spicy, you’ll have to say so.