In a bustling city like Bangkok, choosing a dining spot can feel like a daunting task. From creatively crafted gastronomic experiences to lively street-style Thai cooking tucked away on a hidden alley, here are our picks for the best restaurants in BKK.
1. 55 Pochana
Famous as a place to eat late at night with delicious Thai-Chinese dishes.
Address: 1087-1091 Sukhumvit Road, Khlong Tan Nuea, Watthana, Bangkok 10110
Price: Most dishes range from 140-250 THB / 3.90-7.00 USD
This bustling eatery caters to a diverse crowd, from night owls reveling until the early hours to Japanese businessmen and local night owls. The menu caters to a variety of palates with a rich selection including soups, salads, and crispy fried dishes. The creamy, hot oyster omelet competes with any dish you'll find in Chinatown, while the stir-fried beef with eggs, shrimp, dried squid, and glass noodles is a crowd-pleaser. Steamed duck with egg noodles, Sichuan peppercorns, garlic, and whole ginger served in a pot is a must-try dish hidden at the end of the menu. Adventurous eaters might try crispy fried pig intestines or steamed blood cockles. Local beers are always on hand, served with a bucket of ice and tongs. Sit outside to experience the sights and sounds of Sukhumvit Road.
2. Khua Kling Pak Sod
Best for: Spicy southern Thai dishes made from old family recipes in a casual setting; You can bring your own alcohol to the bar.
Address: 98/1 Pai Di Ma Di Klang Alley, Khlong Tan Nuea, Watthana, Bangkok 10110
Price: Fries, soup and curry 240-380 THB / 6.70-10.60 USD; shrimp and crab dish 580-780 THB / 16.20- 21.75 USD
Traditional family recipes, seasonal ingredients from the South, and friendly service shine at this unpretentious eatery on a small street, attracting a well-heeled local crowd with its flavorful menu. The fiery minced pork curry is a signature dish, eaten with cabbage, string beans, carrots, and white turmeric. There are plenty of seafood dishes for seafood lovers: crispy crab cakes are pricier but tastier than you'd expect. Spicy and fragrant sour fish soup cleanses and refreshes, while stink beans and shrimp stir-fried with shrimp paste showcase the unique flavors of Southern Thai cuisine. Braised pork belly with herbs and soy sauce is slow-cooked for six hours and is the softest you'll ever eat, while local greens like fingerroot or bai liang leaves stand out throughout. Cool down with Thai-style iced tea, craft beer, or your own wine with a corkage fee (500 THB / 14 USD per bottle). Additional branches of Khua Kling Pak Sod can be found throughout Bangkok, but Thonglor is the first branch..
3. Supanniga Eating Room
Best for: Crowd-friendly Thai food with rowdy cocktails
Address: 160/11 Sukhumvit 55 Road, Khlong Tan Nuea, Watthana, Bangkok 10110
Price: Most dishes range from 180-390 THB / 5.00-10.80 USD; cocktails from 290 THB / 8.00 USD.
Supanniga's dining room draws crowds for its skillfully prepared Thai food, vibrant atmosphere, and down-to-earth vibe. It draws inspiration from traditional recipes and aims to revive the grandmother's home-cooked recipes from the province of Trad in the east, combined with the contemporary vibe of Bangkok. The restaurant's name comes from the yellow supanniga flower grown in the backyard of Khun Yai in Isaan province. Minced pork stir-fried with garlic and peanuts on a betel leaf plate is one of many perfectly suited appetizers. Salads, soups, and curries cater to every palate, and tender braised pork with Thai herbs and sour cha muang leaves is an unforgettable dish. Meat lovers can enjoy grilled pork or beef Isaan style, sliced and served with grilled sticky rice. The bar staff craft elaborate cocktails and mocktails with fresh passion fruit, lemongrass, or pomegranate juice. The restaurant also has a riverside branch with the most beautiful view in the city, overlooking the stunning Wat Arun temple.
4. Charmgang
Best for: The best Thai curry in the old town
Address: 14, Charoen Krung 35 Road (Nakhon Kasem 5 Lane), Talat Noi, Samphanthawong, Bangkok, 10100
Price: Curry starts at 490 THB / 13.65 USD;
A hip-hop vibe, lively music, and a hidden location in an alleyway in the trendy Talad Noi neighborhood make Charmgang one of the most sought-after restaurants in Bangkok for curry enthusiasts. The townhouse is adorned with bright neon lights and contemporary art, with a performing kitchen where chefs work with meticulously prepared ingredients. Green mussel curry is an exquisite and flavorful appetizer, and you can taste the charcoal flavor in the smoky pork loin and crunchy mango salad. The complex curry is an attractive dish that showcases the unique flavors of Thai Southern cuisine and combines unique ingredients. Highlights include yellow curry with prawns and pomegranates or spicy smoked catfish curry with sator beans. The menu is always changing and includes grilled skewers, spicy soups, spices, and desserts. Craft beers, local craft beers, and a list of European-style wines complete the offering.
5. Jay Fai
Famous for its legendary street food from seafood
Location: 327, Maha Chai Road, Samran Rat, Phra Nakhon, Bangkok 10200
Price: From 380 THB/11 USD
Jay Fai's Michelin-starred street food isn't exactly a secret, but it couldn't be tastier, and this humble spot is worthy of its reputation as an iconic neighborhood eatery. You'll certainly have to wait about 1 hour for a table, but the signature crispy crab omelet and top-notch phad kee mao noodles are well worth the wait, as is the sight of 77-year-old Supinya "Jay Fai" Junsuta donning her black beanie and ski goggles intently frying.
6. Samlor
Experience Thai tradition on Bangkok's oldest street, with a relaxing interior.
Address: 1076 Charoen Krung Road, Bang Rak, Bangkok 10500
Price: Dishes from 200-420 THB / 5.55-11.60 USD
Vibrant hip hop vibes and exposed brick interiors set the tone at Samlor, one of Bangkok's most sought-after dining spots. The pace of service is energetic but not rushed as friendly staff move from bar to table. The shrimp ceviche on top of the lettuce is a bomb of flavor, and you'll be asked how much you like the spicy wagyu tartare appetizer. The crispy duck meat has an eye-catching sour taste, and the grilled green eggplant salad with water bug vinaigrette suddenly appears in a pretty, finger-friendly cylinder. The mouth-watering Thai omelet flies out of the kitchen and is gently opened by waiters to reveal the slimy core of the souffle-like structure. Local craft beers are served in can-shaped glasses and wines are served in Gabriel-Glas glasses. Locally made YORA ice cream and desserts are also available. Order by phone or LINE app.
7. Burapa
Best for: Eastern Thai cuisine in a nostalgic setting
Location: 26, Soi Sukhumvit 11, Khlong Toei Nuea, Watthana, Bangkok 10110
Price: A la carte from 800 THB/24 USD; Tasting menus from 2,200 THB/66 USD
There's more to this Oriental Express-themed restaurant. Located on the famous nightlife street Sukhumvit 11, Burapa is at the forefront of Eastern Thai cuisine, with creative twists masterminded by owner Wongwich Sripinyo. Herbal chicken soup with cardamom and aromatic spices, pork sausage with jellyfish fried in sesame oil, massaman curry with unripe durian are notable dishes and don't miss the dessert – unripe durian with Sea salt and coconut milk-cream is a sweet treat you've always wanted to try. Take your lover to a special occasion and let the food do the talking.
8. 100 Mahaseth
Best for: Northern and Northeast Thailand with head-to-tail cooking
Location: 100, Mahaseth Rd, Si Phraya, Bang Rak, Bangkok 10500
Price: From 1,500 THB/45 USD
The rich flavors and rich textures of offal are key to Thai cooking, and this nose-to-tail restaurant is the place to savor the flavors of pig heart, bone marrow and beef tongue. dried. The menu is based on the dishes of northern and northeastern Thailand - where no part of the cow or pig is wasted - and is crafted with skill and modernity by chefs Chalee Cader and Randy Nopprapa. Charcoal-grilled bone marrow and rich oxtail curry with cinnamon are flavorful ways to ease into grittier dishes, such as two-week-dried tongue grilled on longan wood and served with tubers. Salted cabbage, pepper and chamuang leaves. It's worth noting that all ingredients are top quality and sourced from local farms. While you're here, you should head upstairs to the new bar, Mahaniyom, to enjoy delicious, adventurous cocktails made with squid ink or beef fat.
9. Sorn
Best for: famous Southern Thai food, peaceful setting
Location: 56, Sukhumvit 26 Road, Klongton, Khlong Toei, Bangkok 10110
Price: From 3,200 THB/95 USD
Considered the most difficult restaurant to book at the moment, Sorn is worth waiting for all month. Hidden inside a historic house on Sukhumvit Road, this restaurant serves Southern Thai cuisine through a tasting menu featuring a variety of dishes that combine locally sourced ingredients with traditional cooking techniques. Sour yellow curry with fish and young mangosteen is one of the most praised dishes, but to explode flavors in the long term in your mouth (not to mention your memory), call Forest Meets the Sea - a colorful rice salad of wild herbs, turmeric, and sauce made from fermented fish organs..
10. Aksorn
Best for: Michelin-starred authentic Thai restaurant in the old town, outdoor seating
Location: 1266, Charoen Krung Road, Bang Rak, Bangkok 10500
Price: Tasting menus from 2,800 THB/85 USD
Despite the sudden surge in combined East-West dining establishments, Michelin-starred Aksorn remains steadfast in preserving traditional Thai cuisine recipe by recipe. It stems from the kitchen of renowned Australian chef and writer David Thompson, who delved into Thai cooking textbooks from the 1950s to the 1970s and directed kitchens to serve elaborate family-style dinners. Some beloved classic dishes include shrimp and wild ginger wrapped in coral leaves; noodles with green crab, chicken, and galangal in coconut milk. Sit inside to sneak a peek at the performance kitchen or dine outdoors on the balcony to admire the skyscraper State Tower.