A Thai food expert shares their favorite places to eat and drink in Bangkok

People sometimes talk about “love at first sight” when they arrive in a new city, but that wasn't my first emotion when I moved to Bangkok. When I arrived in 1995, I was absolutely overwhelmed – the streets were packed with traffic, the sidewalks heaved with vendors, and the entire city felt abuzz 24 hours a day – but Bangkok's food grabbed my attention.

Getting to know the Bangkok food scene wasn't easy. In fact, I was so intimidated that I set out to write a street-food guide – which turned into three street-food guides – about how to navigate Thailand’s tastiest food stalls.

I’m now a full-time food writer and make my living navigating Bangkok's menus. Like its food, the city is an acquired taste, and anyone who gets here needs just a little time – and a little gumption – to explore all its fascinating nooks and crannies. Best of all, great meals can be had here for pocket-friendly prices without the need to reserve ahead or dress up.

To start the gastronomic journey, here are my tips for a food-focused day out in Bangkok, starting with breakfast noodles and ending with nighttime cocktails, visiting some of the best places to eat and drink in the city.

Best places for breakfast

For a hearty Bangkok breakfast, my go-to spot is Guaythiew Pik Gai Sainampung, a chicken-noodle shop in an alleyway between Sukhumvit Sois 18 and 20, close to the Asok and Phrom Phong BTS Skytrain stations. It will stand out since it’s the only business on the street that’s not a hostess bar. The chicken-wing noodles here are famous, but my standard order is the yentafo noodles, a tart-and-spicy Hakka-style dish in a pink broth flavored with red fermented tofu.

If I’m feeling ambitious, I’ll go into the old part of the city east of Ko Ratanakosin, to Kope Hya Tai Kee, an old-school coffee shop where old guys still meet up to trade Buddhist amulets. The line is long on weekends, so it’s best to go right when it opens at 7am. The special here is kai kata(“egg in a pan”) – a local interpretation of the breakfast created by the Vietnamese for US GIs during the American War.

Where to find Thai coffee

Alas, the preparation of traditional Thai coffee is a dying art. The local way of brewing coffee originally took shape because of the high cost of coffee beans, which spurred the addition of other ingredients such as cardamom and sesame seeds. However, for a morning pick-me-up, a handful of Bangkok vendors still make coffee the old-fashioned way.

You can identify authentic Thai coffee shops by the old-fashioned “stockings” used to strain the coffee before serving. Thai coffee drinks usually include condensed milk and are served iced in a plastic bag with a straw. Chinatown is a good place to find vendors – Pa Tong Go Savoey sells deep-fried pa thong ko (Chinese crullers) to go with your coffee.

Great spots for lunch

Some people think the historic center of Bangkok is just Khao San Road, the Grand Palace and Wat Pho – but the district also includes Samsen Rd, north of the Rama VIII Bridge, which hosts a lovely fresh-food market in the mornings and has some excellent lunch stops.

Seek out Krua Apsorn, an all-around good Thai restaurant that specializes in tasty lunches. The cook is named Auntie Dang (Apsorn is her sister’s name), and her best-loved specialties include stir-fried crabmeat with long beans, lotus-stem curry and deep-fried chicken wings (my favorite).

If you don’t have much time for lunch, head over to Zabb One Ratchada near the Thailand Cultural Center in the Ratchadaphisek Rd area. This restaurant specializes in Isan food from Northeastern Thailand, such as green papaya salad and larb (tangy minced meat salad). They also serve up delicious chicken that tastes like a cross between Isan-style grilled chicken and Chinese BBQ. Of course, with this being Isan cuisine, you need to get sticky rice to go with it all.

Where to enjoy happy hour in Bangkok

As the afternoon wears on, visitors seek out a spot for a drink at sunset. I love the open-air dining room at Samsara Cafe & Meal at any time of the day, but my favorite time is at dusk, since Samsara is right at the edge of the Chao Phraya River, just south of Chinatown, and you can watch the sun dip down below the city skyline as the sky turns purple.

There are no fancy cocktails or expensive champagnes here, just beer, but with the view of the water and the boats floating by, you really don’t need anything else. Remember to check if the place is open if you’re visiting during the rainy season, when the Chao Phraya’s banks sometimes overflow, affecting businesses along the banks.

You can get to Samsara from Banglamphu via the Chao Phraya Express Boat, disembarking at Marine Department pier, then walking north. On the boat trip, you'll get splendid views of the river, the golden chedis (stupas) of Ko Ratanakosin, and the iconic prang (spire) of Wat Arun.

Memorable places for dinner in Bangkok

The Thai capital has an astonishing variety of restaurants for dinner, serving cuisines from across the globe. You might be surprised to learn that Bangkok is home to the world’s second-largest Japanese expat community after Brazil, and the Japanese restaurants here are truly excellent. One type of food that my Japanese friends particularly enjoy is yakitori, where all the parts of the chicken are grilled on skewers and slathered in sauce or salt.

My friends tell me that Thai chicken is superior to the chicken in Japan. Among the best stops for yakitori is Shirokane Torit-Tama, where the “dinner course” includes many offal cuts with memorable flavors. The sake is great, too.

If you’re looking for Thai food, you should try Charmgang Curry Shop in the very hip Talat Noi neighborhood. Run by three Thai chefs, Charmgang serves flavorful, creative dishes with an open view of the tiny kitchen in the back. Get here by river boat to Marine Department pier, or walk from the Hua Lamphong MRT station.

The vibe is very colorful and cheerful, even if the decor feels a little bit like a 1990s dorm room. The menu changes all the time, but if you see the “scallop cracker” appetizer, order it. There’s a long table available for walk-in diners.

Best bar stops after hours

Bangkok nightlife is famously varied. My favorite thing about the Mutual Bar near Phrom Phong BTS station is that you have to know it’s there. Even though there’s a sign at the top of Sukhumvit Soi 24, there isn’t even a hint of a corresponding window to prove that a bar is indeed open at this address. It’s only once you take the grungy elevator ride up to the 5th floor that you realize something is happening here, and it looks pretty cool.

The interior is dominated by a big bar, usually crowded with people; live music fills the stage many evenings. I normally make a beeline for the little room in the back, where people sit if they are old (like me) and want to relax. The warm lighting is like an old-time movie, and all of the drinks and cocktails are recommended, especially the coffee-flavored Vivid Midnight.