Must-see restaurants in Bangkok

  • Saawaan

    Bangkok

    Two exceptionally talented chefs run what can easily be called one of the finest Thai restaurants in the world. Its name meaning 'heaven', this chic…

  • Le Du

    Bangkok

    A play on the Thai word for 'season', Le Du intertwines Thai dishes with Western flavours, and applies 21st-century deconstructionist cooking techniques…

  • Gaa

    Siam Square, Pratunam, Phloen Chit & Ratchathewi

    This uber-acclaimed restaurant is run by Michelin-starred chef Garima Arora (a protégé of former Bangkok chef Gaggan Anand) who also honed her craft at…

  • BANGKOK, THAILAND - 2010/08/29: The interiors of David Thompson's restaurant, Nahm, in Bangkok. Thompson, an Australian native, is widely regarded as the world's foremost expert in Thai cuisine and cooking. (Photo by Leisa Tyler/LightRocket via Getty Images)

    nahm

    Bangkok

    In the modern-day melee of top-notch restaurants here, nahm may no longer be on top of the competition, but it's still one of Bangkok's nicest Thai…

  • Sühring

    Bangkok

    Twin chefs Mathias and Thomas Sühring from Germany present a mix of family recipes in explosive renditions that could be framed and hung in a modern art…

  • Men preparing food, Thip Samai.

    Thip Samai

    Banglamphu

    This institution reputedly serves the definitive version of pàt tai (fried noodles) – period. Every evening, scores of eager diners queue on the pavement…

  • Jay Fai

    Banglamphu

    Wearing ski goggles and furiously cooking over a charcoal fire, septuagenarian Jay Fai is renowned for serving Bangkok’s tastiest (and priciest) crab…

  • Il Bolognese

    Bangkok

    Run by a passionate, hands-on Italian chef, this fabulous restaurant serves a sturdy range of northern Italian goodies in its casual yet stylish premises…

  • Krua Apsorn

    Banglamphu

    This cafeteria-like dining room is a favourite of members of the Thai royal family and restaurant critics alike. Just about all of the central and…

  • Supanniga Eating Room

    Bangkok

    Supanniga has three outlets across Bangkok (plus a superpopular dinner cruise), but this branch in Sathorn is a favourite in terms of ambience and service…

  • Bacco

    Thanon Sukhumvit

    The slightly cheesy interior of this osteria (Italian-style wine bar) serves as a cover for a fabulous Italian menu. There’s an abundance of delicious…

  • Krua Apsorn

    Bangkok

    This is the original branch of this homey, award-winning and royally patronised restaurant. Expect a clientele of large families and middle-aged ladies,…

  • Indus

    Thanon Sukhumvit

    Unless someone conclusively proves otherwise, Indus will reign as Bangkok's finest traditional Indian restaurant. Its North Indian staples such as biryani…

  • Tonkin Annam

    Ko Ratanakosin & Thonburi

    The retro-minimalist interior here might be a red flag for hipster ethnic cuisine, but Tonkin Annam serves some of the best Vietnamese food in Bangkok…

  • Lenzi Tuscan Kitchen

    Siam Square, Pratunam, Phloen Chit & Ratchathewi

    Stylish Lenzi embodies the basic tenets of Italian dining: using the best ingredients and producing a complex melange of flavours and tastes through…

  • Soul Food Mahanakorn

    Thanon Sukhumvit

    This contemporary Thai diner is a favourite go-to place for a comfort meal. The menu – incorporating tasty interpretations of rustic Thai dishes – has not…

  • Bo.lan

    Thanon Sukhumvit

    Upscale Thai is often more garnish than flavour, but Bo.lan has proved to be the exception. Bo and Dylan (Bo.lan is a play on words that means 'ancient')…

  • Cocotte Farm Roast & Winery

    Thanon Sukhumvit

    Cocotte brings a fine selection of organic farm products – sourced from Bangkok and Chiang Mai – to the table and pairs them with a classy selection of…

  • Le Cabanon

    Bangkok

    With an emphasis on seafood, this alfresco restaurant in a cosy bungalow is the place to come if you're craving a jumbo platter of steamed mussels, juicy…

  • Eathai

    Siam Square, Pratunam, Phloen Chit & Ratchathewi

    This expansive food court spans Thai dishes from just about every corner of the country, including those from several famous Bangkok restaurants and…

  • Sri Trat

    Thanon Sukhumvit

    This fabulous restaurant specialises in the unique fare of Thailand's eastern provinces, Trat and Chanthaburi. What this means is lots of rich, slightly…

  • Hong Bao

    Siam Square, Pratunam, Phloen Chit & Ratchathewi

    The popular verdict is that this Cantonese restaurant makes some of the best dumplings in Bangkok, so make a point to drop in if you happen to be a fan…

  • Chicken satay and vegetables

    Likhit Kai Yang

    Bangkok

    Located just behind Rajadamnern Stadium, this decades-old restaurant is where locals come for a northeastern-style meal before a Thai boxing match. The…

  • Yusup

    Northern Bangkok

    The Thai-language sign in front of this restaurant boldly says rah·chah kôw mòk (King of Biryani) and Yusup backs it up with flawless biryani, not to…

  • Saravana Bhavan

    Bangkok

    This well-reputed overseas branch of a legendary Indian eating house makes a fabulous range of southern Indian vegetarian dishes. We love the dosai …

  • Luka

    Bangkok

    This extremely popular Silom cafe serves all-day brunch and comfort food such as truffle mushroom omelettes, shakshuka, and honey-glazed duck with burnt…

  • Issaya Siamese Club

    Bangkok

    Housed in a charming 1920s-era villa, Issaya is a top-of-the-line outpost serving Thai food. Dishes alternate between somewhat saucy, meaty items and…

  • Daniel Thaiger

    Thanon Sukhumvit

    Bangkok's most-loved burgers – read ultrajuicy beef or lamb patties served in a brioche bun – are served from this American-run, food-truck-turned…

  • Ocken

    Bangkok

    The creative menu here changes as often as the seasons. Five featured courses cover imaginative appetisers, hearty pasta or risotto dishes, and…

  • Open House

    Siam Square, Pratunam, Phloen Chit & Ratchathewi

    Housed in posh Central Embassy mall, Open House is a chic, light-filled multi-use space from the same team who designed the Tokyo headquarters of YouTube…

  • Hai

    Bangkok

    An excellent introduction to the wonders of lâhp (spicy, herbal mince-meat ‘salad’), sôm·đam (spicy green papaya salad) and other Isan (northeastern)…

  • Charley Browns Mexicana

    Thanon Sukhumvit

    Chef Primo's flair for living it large reflects in the menu at this fun and irreverent restaurant serving authentic provincial Mexican dishes. Go beyond…

  • Prai Raya

    Thanon Sukhumvit

    This Phuket institution's Bangkok branch – housed in a charming lime-washed villa – brings to the city the southern Thai island's uniquely spicy,…

  • Polo Fried Chicken

    Bangkok

    Although the sôm·đam (spicy green papaya salad), sticky rice and lâhp (a spicy salad of minced meat) of this former street stall give the impression of a…

  • Chef Man

    Bangkok

    If you're a dumpling fan, drop into this elegant restaurant during lunchtime, when its open kitchen serves some of the nicest dim sum and siu mai (open…

  • Khua Kling Pak Sod

    Northern Bangkok

    Southern Thai is probably the country's spiciest regional cuisine, so if you're going to sweat over dinner, why not do so in white-tablecloth comfort…

  • El Mercado

    Thanon Sukhumvit

    A restaurant, charcuterie, fromagerie, boulangerie, winery and grocery store all rolled into one pleasant alfresco commercial complex, this popular food…

  • Luka Siri House

    Siam Square, Pratunam, Phloen Chit & Ratchathewi

    Having one hip cafe in Silom wasn't enough, so the team behind Luka opened a hang-out in Somkhit offering the same comfort food and craft coffee in a mid…

  • Le Normandie

    Bangkok

    Le Normandie has maintained its niche in fine-dining-obsessed Bangkok, and is still the only place to go for a genuinely old-world ‘Continental’ dining…

  • Saneh Jaan

    Siam Square, Pratunam, Phloen Chit & Ratchathewi

    A fabulous restaurant with an old-school feel, Saneh Jaan features a menu of intriguing, unusual – and delicious – Thai dishes, many with a southern Thai…