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Thais are passionate about food, and love discovering out-of-the-way shops that prepare unexpectedly tasty dishes. Nowhere is this truer—or more feasible—than in Bangkok. The city's residents always seem to be eating, so the tastes and smells of Thailand's cuisine surround you day and night. That said, Bangkok's restaurant scene is also a minefield, largely because the relationship between price and quality at times seems almost inverse. For every hole-in-the-wall gem serving the best sticky rice, larb (meat salad), and som tam (the hot-and-sour green-papaya salad that is the ultimate Thai staple) you've ever had, there's an overpriced hotel restaurant serving touristy, toned-down fare. In general, the best Thai food is found at the most bare-bones, even run-down restaurants, not at famous, upscale places.
If you want a break from Thai food, many other world cuisines are represented. Best among them is Chinese, although there's decent Japanese and Korean food as well. The city's ubiquitous noodle shops have their roots in China, as do roast-meat purveyors, whose historical inspiration was Cantonese. Western fare tends to suffer from the distance, although in the past few years many upscale and trendy western eateries have opened, some of them quite excellent.
As with anything in Bangkok, travel time is a major consideration when choosing a restaurant. If you're short on time or patience, choose a place that's an easy walk from a Skytrain or subway station. The easiest way to reach a riverside eatery is often on a Chao Phraya River express boat.
Paolo Vitaletti, a five-star chef whose dad toiled in a storied Roman meat market, runs this cozy space for which reservations are highly advisable. The Italian menu is mostly devoted to Rome specialties, including spit-cooked porchetta (pork roast stuffed with fennel pollen, garlic, and rosemary).
Close to Lumphini Park on Withayu Road, Baan takes recipes that have been handed down through generations and kicks them up a notch by using top-line ingredients and fine-dining presentations. Signature dishes include braised beef Massaman curry, spicy five-spiced egg stew, and dry-aged beef ka-phrao (stir-fry with holy basil and chili).
Bangkok has hundreds of Japanese restaurants, but only Isao has a line out the door almost every night, thanks to the most creative maki rolls west of California. The owner studied under the chef at the revered Green Tea in Chicago, and the repeat clientele attests to the widespread enthusiasm for his culinary flights of fancy in sleek modern surrounds.
Atop the Mandarin Oriental, this legendary French restaurant has been the city's most respected French dining room since it opened its doors in 1958, with impressive views of the Chao Phraya and remarkable food. Chef Alain Roux creates dishes that taste classically of the old country yet with a haute personal touch—tasting menus are of good value compared to à la carte, with the three-course lunch priced at B2,950 and the evening menu gastronomique of seven courses for B7,500. The restaurant has been awarded a star in Michelin Thailand.
The emphasis at this traditional Thai restaurant in a century-old house is on fresh seasonal ingredients and hard-to-find regional delicacies, with a regular menu but also a smaller one of specials that is consistently changing. The Local's decor, outdoor terrace, wood floors, antiques, and old photos make for a pleasant setting.
Inundated with colors, sounds, and smells, this is where Bangkok's top Thai chefs shop for quality produce, herbs, and cooking gear. Owned and operated by a farmers' collective, the market's food court is a legendary spot where spicy Thai fare is scooped onto plastic plates; you pick up the cutlery from trays, and grab a seat at one of the tables in the center.
The Michelin-award-winning Paste, an upscale intimate eatery run by Chef Bongkoch ”Bee“ Satongun, elevates traditional Thai food and flavors to a whole new level with fresh produce and technical flair. The name is a reference to curry paste, one of Thai cuisine's most technically challenging basics. It's on the top floor of the high-end Gaysorn Centre shopping mall and open for lunch and dinner, with à la carte and multiple tasting menus available.
This neighborhood restaurant has little in the way of atmosphere, but seafood aficionados still brave the traffic to Yannawa in order to splurge. Pen is expensive by Thai restaurant standards, but it's still a bargain compared to most hotel restaurants for charcoal-grilled seafood and a range of classic Thai fare.
A top contender as Bangkok's best pizzeria, the warmly industrial-looking Peppina is booked solid most nights (although there are other locations). The attention to detail includes wood firing, pizza dough that's left to rise overnight, and fresh buffalo mozzarella and other ingredients imported from Italy.
To enjoy chef Jay Fai’s Michelin-award-winning dishes at her small open-air eatery, plan in advance or be prepared for upwards of a 3-hour wait. It's worth it for the unparalleled crab omelet, seafood drunken noodles, and dry tom yam.
Luxurious and utterly unique, this restaurant upends conventional wisdom about Thai cuisine and technique. Chef Henrik Yde-Andersen's tasting menus, priced at B4,400 for dinner, represent a veritable catalog of Thai flavors and dishes, though through the iterations of foams, emulsions, powders, and plenty of smoky liquid nitrogen.
This two Michelin-starred restaurant from twin chefs Thomas and Matthew Sühring has evolved German cuisine past the stereotypes of schnitzel and sauerkraut. The brothers, who can be seen working together in a sleek open kitchen most nights, serve tasting menus inspired by their childhood in East Berlin—it's no wonder Sühring is one of Bangkok's trendiest restaurants. The setting is a 1970s Thai villa with several dining rooms, each with its own ambience. Tasting menus (there is no à la carte) start at B7,800 without wine.
Thanaruek Laoraowirodge, a successful restaurateur in New York City and Bangkok, has earned high praise for this cozy shophouse venue that specializes in regional dishes based on the recipes of his grandmother. The au courant cocktails go well with the eclectic menu, and Supanniga now has two other locations in Sathorn and Tha Thien.
My Choice might be located a bit far off the main Sukhumvit drag, but it’s very popular among Thais with a taste for their grandmothers' traditional recipes. Natural light, modern wood furniture, and leafy plants create a warm and inviting atmosphere, but when the weather is cool, diners prefer to sit outside.
This restaurant in a converted house with a pleasant outdoor garden balances a casually upmarket feel with fairly authentic Thai cuisine oriented toward less adventurous palates. The basics are done well here, from chu chee goong mae nam (curried river prawns) to khao yum (southern Thai-style rice salad). Local artwork adorns the walls.
This old wooden house is an oasis in the concrete city; the decor is turn-of-the-20th-century Bangkok, with antique prints and old photographs adorning the walls. Ban Chiang is a Thai restaurant popular with the foreigner and tourist set, so your food won't come spicy unless you request it that way but despite this caveat, the dishes are otherwise prepared true to form.
Casually upmarket and aimed at tourists, this decades-old restaurant formerly in Siam Square serves authentic Thai cuisine in an atmosphere a few notches above that of the simple family restaurants. What's best about Ban Khun Mae is its large dining area filled with big round tables, warm wood, and a few antique decorations, offering a comfortable and airy feel perfect for post-shopping relaxation. Both à la carte and set menus are available.
The food court on the fifth floor of the Big C shopping mall offers a staggering selection of authentic Thai (and a few Chinese, Korean, and halal/Muslim) dishes at rock-bottom prices, with virtually nothing exceeding B90. Prepay at the cashier station and get a debit card, then order at whatever counter you wish; the balance is refundable at the end.
It's easy to laze all afternoon at The Commons, a lofty community mall known for its gourmet food stands, restaurants, and comfortable open-air seating as well as air-conditioned indoor tables. You'll see groups dining on smorgasbords at single tables with cuisines ranging from Thai to Peruvian, as well as dishes like fried chicken and waffles, artisanal sandwiches, and more—but plenty of people simply grab an iced coffee and hang out with their laptops.
Many authentic Korean restaurants do business in Sukhumvit Plaza, but even with three stories of tables, there's often a wait day or night at Doo Rae. Go for the do-it-yourself barbecue grilling, with bulgogi (thin slices of beef in a tasty marinade) and fresh veggies, as well as sake or soju, a rice-based drink similar to vodka but with a lower alcohol content.
This restaurant has long been a favorite among government ministers and corporate executives, both for its outstanding Cantonese cuisine and its private areas, perfect for business lunches or romantic dinners. The main dining room is elegant, with crimson carpeting, carved screens, lacquer furniture, and porcelain objets d'art.
A good sign of quality, this restaurant is packed with Thais sharing tables filled with northeastern favorites like grilled chicken, spicy papaya salad, and minced duck salad. The open-air dining area can be hot, it's often crowded and noisy, and the staff don’t speak much English, so you’ll need to pick and point from the menu—but that's part of the fun.
This small house near the river is filled with Thai antiques and antique chests scattered with bric-a-brac, which all give the ambience of dining at a relative's house. The staff is very good at helping indecisive diners choose from the brief menu, and although the restaurant has become more touristy over the years, it also retains a loyal and regular local clientele.
Cha Cha, who cooked for Indian Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, died in 1996, but his recipes live on and are prepared with equal ability by his son Kovit. Typical Indian-themed decor and a long-standing menu of traditional dishes as well as intriguing daily specials make this restaurant an oldie but a goodie, with two other locations in Bangkok also available.
This simple family restaurant serves plenty of Thai-Muslim dishes, but it’s most famous for the khao mok gai (chicken biryani), a spicy rice dish that’s served here with pickled eggplant and a side dish of sweet yogurt sauce. The restaurant is a 15-minute walk from the Saphan Taksin Skytrain station. If arriving by taxi, tell the driver to come in via Soi 40.
In business since 1956, this expensive but worthwhile Chinatown classic takes you straight to Hong Kong with its excellent Cantonese roast meats, dim sum, clay pots, and service that is authentically brusque. Hua Seng Hong has other locations across Bangkok, including at CentralWorld mall in the city center, but this is the original and most beloved for its bustling atmosphere—from inside to outside on Chinatown’s main vein, Yaowarat Road.
Set in a rambling 1920s Thai-European villa with colorful decor by Dutch interior designer Hans B. Christensen, Issaya both surprises and charms with its delightfully laid-back atmosphere. The dining room is cozy with big couches and lots of antique touches, coupled with fun platings and garnishes and impeccable service. Lamb shank in Massaman curry is a highlight of the carefully curated menu. Both à la carte and prix fixe are available. A tropical garden outdoors is peppered with colorful bean bags during dry season.
A romantic, candlelit outdoor patio and a sleekly contemporary indoor dining space set a stylish tone that's echoed in the equally refined Italian cuisine served at Jojo. Traditional antipasto, pastas, and so on are gussied up with modern flourishes and high-quality products imported from Europe and beyond, perfectly befitting the luxe surroundings of the prestigious St. Regis hotel where the restaurant is located.
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