Bangkok is one of our favourite cities in the world and right now, its food and drink scene is popping off
The city has of course always been renowned for its incredible street food and it remains unmatched in the sheer array of cheap, tasty dishes available on almost every corner. But now, new avenues are emerging in thrilling fashion – a creative young crop of chefs is shaking things up, with mid-range openings bringing natural wine, good taste and hipster interiors in equal measure.
At the same time, fine dining chefs are launching more casual spin-offs left, right and centre; sustainability is starting to mean something; shared supper clubs are gaining momentum; artisan producers are popping up across the city in shops and on menus; and female founders are doing big things. Get the full lowdown on the city’s fast-changing food and drink scene here.
After seven trips and more than three weeks spent eating our way around Bangkok in 2026 alone, this is our hit list. It’s the result of repeat visits, endless meetings, a lot of research and a frankly heroic amount of stomach space. You’re welcome.
1. Gaggan
There’s a reason Gaggan is No.1 in Asia on the World’s 50 Best list. In a world of box-ticking tasting menus, phones eating first and the general sense that the news is bleak, dinner here is pure escapism. It’s part restaurant, part theatre show, and fully unhinged in the best way. Fast-paced, high-energy and completely f**king bonkers, it somehow still backs all the chaos up with seriously good cooking. Add to that what’s probably the best low-intervention wine list in Bangkok and you’ve got yourself a fun night out.
2. Baan Lamyai
Set inside the house chef Chalita Uttasart grew up in, Baan Lamyai is named after her grandmother, and the whole place feels deeply personal as a result. The menu draws on family cooking and recipes, with produce sourced from small Thai farmers, local makers and interesting sato breweries. It’s so good we went twice on our last trip. Right now it still feels a little under the radar, which means the room is often filled with some of the city’s best chefs and international hospitality people. We can’t see that lasting for long – this will soon be the hottest reservation in town.
3. Soma
The newest opening from Chef Chalee Kader (also behind 100 Mahaseth and Wana Yook) sees him teaming up with Num Weerawat of Samuay & Sons (in Udon Thani) and head chef Pak Yamoo. Together, they’ve created a creative Thai menu that takes traditional dishes and gives them a bit of cheffy magic. The restaurant itself is beautifully designed, from the branding to the service ware – we wanted to buy the staff T-shirts – and the drinks list is just as strong, with lots of satos, sakes and wines to work through. If the rice pot with salted mackerel is on, do not miss it – genuinely one of the best things we ate in Bangkok.
4. Noi Samrub Bar
The new spot from Prin Polsuk of Samrub Samrub Thai, and former head chef of Nahm, this is the more laid-back sibling in what’s becoming a mini Bangkok empire. Samrub Samrub itself started life as a post-Covid pop-up before going on to win a Michelin star in its new permanent location. This one, inside Dusit Central Park, has more vibes than the others, plus excellent iced beer and sato on draft and a long menu full of flavour bomb dishes. We loved the Trang venison skewers tossed in toasted spices, the not-fried chicken wings and the Tai Phao clams with fingerroot salad. All excellent.
5. Charmgang Curry Shop
Opened in 2019, Charmgang Curry Shop was one of the first places in Bangkok to do Thai food that felt more elevated than street food, more casual than fine dining, and came with hipster branding, cool interiors and natural wine. Tucked away in Talat Noi, it’s run by a team of ex-Nahm chefs and has built a serious reputation for bold curries and flavour-first cooking that doesn’t hold back, including unusual dishes like the white curry that you won’t find in many other spots. Be sure to grab one of the “No Pad Thai on the Menu” totes on your way out.
6. Charmkok
The newest addition to the Charm group, Charmkok is a more casual, slightly chaotic younger sibling to Charmgang and Charmkrung. It does lunch and dinner very differently: by day it’s drawing a crowd for khanom jeen and Southern Thai rice salad, and by night it turns into a lively standing bar with spicy small plates and plenty to drink. It’s got all the hallmarks of the group: big flavours, cool branding, a room with proper energy, and an interesting drinks list.
7. Electric Sheep
Set in The Warehouse in Charoen Krung, Electric Sheep does progressive Mediterranean food with a strong sustainability angle, filtering it through local ingredients and a zero-waste ethos. By using only Thai producers across both the food and drinks menus, it manages to feel rooted in Bangkok rather than flown in from somewhere else. The room has a retro-futuristic fit-out, there’s a huge fermentation room, and chefs Amerigo Tito Sesti and Yoan Martin clearly know what they’re doing. It also has one of the biggest sato selections in town.
8. Potong
Set inside a former Chinese pharmacy owned by Chef Pam’s family, in the heart of Chinatown, Potong is one of Bangkok’s biggest-ticket tables for a reason. The tasting menu takes Thai-Chinese cooking and turns it into something far more ambitious, without losing the sense of family history. It’s dramatic and very polished, but not soulless, which is rarer than it should be at this level. And with Chef Pam being named Asia’s Best Female Chef 2024 and then The World’s Best Female Chef 2025, alongside an already packed awards cabinet, it’s easy to see why the place has become such a draw.
9. Haawm
This family-style supper club takes place in the living room of chef Dylan Eitharong’s house. The menu riffs on Thai flavours in smart, slightly chaotic ways, and the dishes we loved most included the prawn schnitzel with rose apple salad and salted plum dressing, a Thai-style duck biryani, and a long eggplant salad with dill and scallops. It’s BYOB, everyone eats together, and the whole thing lives or dies on the guests. If you get seated next to someone with no chat, it’s a long night, so go for the later sitting when *hopefully* the crowd tends to be looser.
10. Wana Yook
Chef Chalee Kader’s Michelin-starred Wana Yook takes the humble Thai format of khao gaeng (rice and curry), and gives it a serious glow-up. Set inside a gorgeous 100-year-old colonial house, the restaurant serves a seasonal tasting menu built around Thai comfort food, with different regional rice varieties running through the meal. It’s polished and very cheffy, but still feels grounded in something real rather than just being fancy for the sake of it.
11. 100 Mahaseth
Often described as Bangkok’s answer to St. John, Chef Chalee Kader’s spot champions nose-to-tail cooking, so the menu leans heavily into offal and lesser-used cuts, all given a hit of Isan flavour. It’s set inside a cool old house, the room has a relaxed, low-lit charm, and the whole thing manages to feel both serious and fun at the same time. Be sure to swing by Mahaniyom Cocktail Bar upstairs for epic drinks and fun snacks from the same kitchen.
12. Aksorn
David Thompson has long been one of the godfathers of Thai food outside Thailand, having made his name as the chef behind Nahm, the first Thai restaurant to win a Michelin star. At Aksorn, he turns that deep knowledge into a seasonal menu that shifts focus between different regions of Thailand, drawing on old cookbooks and forgotten recipes.
13. Ms. Maria & Mr. Singh
Mexican-meets-Indian at this brightly coloured spot from Gaggan Anand’s collection, built around the fictional love story of a Mexican girl and an Indian boy. The room is a lot of fun, and so is the food, with a mash-up of dishes like vindaloo tacos, chicken tikka masala and local-fruit aguachiles. Go with people who like flavour bombs, and excellent low intervention wines.
14. Khao San Seek
Chef Pam of Potong’s newer spot, Khao San Sek, is built around five essential Thai ingredients: rice, chilli, coconut, fish sauce and palm sugar. Spread across three floors of a 70-year-old building in Chinatown, there are some properly unusual dishes on the menu, including sato crudo, sago palm weevil – yes, those grubs from I’m a Celebrity, according to my sister – and Wolffia soup. There’s also a solid line up of our favourite Thai rice wine, sato, on the menu so you can happily work your way through that too.
15. Nuss Bar and Nusara
Part of Chef Ton’s empire, Nuss Bar and Nusara share the same building overlooking golden Wat Pho, which is surely one of the best views in the city that’s not from a rooftop. Downstairs, the Nuss bar has super cool 70s-style interiors and an excellent list of Thai spirits and French fizz, of course. Upstairs, the food is made up of refined takes on Thai family recipes, served in a tasting menu format. It’s got a Michelin star, sits at No. 6 on Asia’s 50 Best 2025, and still manages to feel intimate rather than showy.
16. Zao Isan
This restaurant started life in Ubon Ratchathani with a mission to champion local farmers and proper northeastern flavours, and that same energy comes through in Bangkok, where the food really hits. It’s in a pretty boujee neighbourhood, set inside an old house with super cute interiors and an excellent list of low-intervention wines. Just be mindful of the spice levels – if you ask for spicy, this is Bangkok hot and then some.
17. Samlor
Omelettes are one of the most sought-after dishes in Bangkok, partly because of Jay Fai and partly just because Thai omelettes are excellent. Samlor offers the most expensive one we tried in the city, but it’s also the biggest we saw, served soufflé-style with or without crab. It’s massive. The restaurant is part of the newer wave of premium-casual Thai spots that opened in Bangkok after Covid, with a Bib Gourmand to boot. It’s run by chef couple Napol “Joe” Jantraget and Saki Hoshino, formerly of 80/20 (which is just down the street).
18. Here Hai
In our opinion, this is the best crab omelette in Bangkok. It’s soft, silky and properly delish. It’s also excellent value when you compare it with some of the more famous omelettes in town. There’s basically a queue non-stop, so dodge the worst of it and go around 2pm, just before they close for a break and reset for afternoon service. Here Hai is a well-deserved Michelin Bib Gourmand spot, and the mantis shrimp with chilli and salt, XL river prawns are all well worth a look too, not to mention the zesty, spicy seafood sauce.
19. Vivin Bistro
As much as we could happily eat Thai food three times a day, sometimes you need a break, and that’s where VIVIN comes in. With more than one spot in Bangkok now, it’s the place to go when you’re craving baguettes, cheese, charcuterie and a hit of French bistro energy. They make their own cheese and charcuterie, work with small Thai artisans and producers across the country, and stock everything from pasta and sauces made in Koh Samui to Thai wine from GranMonte. Go when you need a reset from chilli and fish sauce.
20. Polo Fried Chicken
This old-school spot near Lumphini has been knocking out its famous fried chicken for decades, and it’s still as reliable as ever. The chicken comes piled with crisp fried garlic, and the range of som tam salads is worth the trip alone. Come for the chicken, order the full Isan spread, and walk it off in Lumphini Park afterwards.
21. Warehouse Bar by Jaang
The kind of place you end up staying at longer than planned, especially when they’ve got home-brewed white and red sato on draft. Set in a warehouse-style space with an indoor room and an outdoor “garden”, it’s got a laid-back feel that makes it very easy to linger. There’s also a big selection of craft beers and some Japanese-style snacks on hand, and it makes a very good pre- or post-stop after Polo Fried Chicken.
22. Nai Mong Hoi Thod
Bangkok has no shortage of famous omelettes, but Nai Mong is one of the old-school greats. Just off Yaowarat, this Chinatown institution has been serving hoi thod (oyster omelette) for more than three decades, with the option of going crispy or soft. It’s always busy, but service is fast, and every omelette comes with a pot of zingy sweet chilli sauce on the side.
23. Prachak Roasted Duck
Open for well over 100 years, Prachak in Bang Rak is an institution. It’s all about Cantonese-style roast duck with burnished skin, juicy meat and zero interest in modern reinvention. Order the duck over rice or noodles, and maybe throw in some roast pork for good measure.
24. Kway Chap Uan Photchana
Yaowarat has no shortage of famous bowls, but this is one of the classics. Kway chap here comes in a proper peppery broth with rolled rice noodles and crispy pork. It’s a Michelin Bib Gourmand spot, but it still feels gloriously no-frills, which is basically what you want from somewhere like this.
25. Pu Curry Puff
Tucked into Talat Noi, Pu Curry Puff has been quietly knocking out golden, flaky curry puffs for decades. It’s a one-room, family-run factory, hand-making and baking batch after batch of puffs every day. Start with a chicken curry puff, then follow it up with a sweet pineapple one.
26. Wor. Ratsamee
This noodle shop feels like stepping back into old Bangkok, with interiors that look almost frozen in time. It serves just one dish, pork soup noodles, and locals still flock to it, so it gets super busy during peak periods with local office workers. The soup may not be the best in the city, but the interiors alone make it worth a stop.
27. Jack’s Bar
Sitting right on the river, Jack’s is gloriously scruffy, refreshingly unfussy and exactly where you want to end up for a cold beer as the sun goes down. There’s nothing polished about it, which is very much the point, and that riverside setting does a lot of heavy lifting. Although it’s a bit of a tourist trap these days, it’s still worth popping by for the views and fun vibes – tables are to be shared, so strike up a convo with another traveller (it’s full of them).
28. Or Tor Kor
Right by Chatuchak, Or Tor Kor run by Thailand’s Marketing Organization for Farmers, was set up to give farmers a direct route to sell their goods, and that focus still shows in the quality of the fruit, veg, seafood and prepared food on offer. It’s cleaner, calmer and a little pricier than most markets, but there’s a great selection of both fresh produce, like mangoes and durian, and hot food to get stuck into. Look out for the stall selling crispy pork and dried sausage – you’ll want a big bag of both.
29. Ta Chai Sukhothai Noodles
Chef Gaggan’s favourite noodle spot in the city, Ta Chai is all about punchy, sweet-sour Sukhothai noodles, with a choice of ten different noodles served either dry or in soup. We tried almost every variation and liked the soup and flat rice noodles the best – but whatever combo you go for, we can confirm that they really are a cut above many other noodle spots in Bangkok. The setup is simple and the food comes out fast, making it a great lunchtime pitstop if you are in the area.
30. Ann Tha Din Daeng
In Little Chinatown, Ann Tha Din Daeng is the kind of no-fuss seafood spot Bangkok does best: busy, local and full of flavour. It’s been open for over 20 years and is still run by the same female chef. Being across the river and slightly off the tourist trail means it’s packed with locals. Order the stir-fried crab with yellow chilli, the crispy pork and the river prawn, then throw in the clams with sweet chilli paste and Thai basil if you’re going all in.
31. Lung Pratunam Boat Noodle
In the middle of all the Pratunam chaos, Lung Pratunam is exactly the kind of no-fuss spot you want up your sleeve. It’s also one of the best places to try Boat Noodles, a rich noodle soup made from pork and beef bones, flavoured with star anise, cinnamon and garlic and thickened with pig blood. The soup is usually topped with sliced beef, pork and meatballs, though there are lots of different styles and variations.
32. Soei
On every chef’s Bangkok list for a reason. Hidden away near on the edge of hipster ‘hood Ari it serves fiercely flavoured Thai food that doesn’t hold back, and there’s a seafood counter right outside where you can pick your fish before heading in. Just don’t get cocky with the chilli levels.
33. Kuay Teow Kua Gai Nai Hong
Bangkok has no shortage of excellent noodle shops, but Nai Hong is one of the names people keep coming back to for a reason. It’s all about kuay teow kua gai here: crisp-edged, smoky wide rice noodles with chicken, egg and just enough wok char to make the whole plate sing. Hidden down an alleyway, the vibe is pure old-school Bangkok.
Extra Curriculum…
More of what we love
Soi Nana
Think of it as the adult version of Khao San Road: all the late-night energy, but with very good cocktails instead of buckets and far better taste. Tucked into Yaowarat, this short Chinatown street has gone from faded shophouses to one of Bangkok’s best bar-hopping strips, packed with moody cocktail bars and divey drinking dens. It’s got that old-Bangkok backdrop of crumbling buildings and neon, but the crowd is more in-the-know than gap year.
Messenger Service
Set inside Baan Trok Tua Ngork, a restored ancestral home with more than 100 years of history behind it, Messenger Service is worth seeking out. The interiors are super slick, with one of the best bar designs we’ve seen in ages: part science lab, part very cool drinking den. The menu showcases local Thai flavours and unexpected ingredients, and because all the cocktails are pre-batched, they come fast. Throw in a hip hop soundtrack and you’ve got an excellent place to spend the evening.
Maison Ysaé
If you need a break from eating and drinking your way round Bangkok, Maison Ysaé is a very good reset. With outposts in Sukhumvit 31 and Gaysorn Amarin, it majors in non-invasive facial sculpting, lifting massages and Kobido-style treatments. The whole thing is slick, calm and very French in feel. Go when you’re puffy, knackered or just want to look a bit more alive.
TUR Hair Salon
Housed inside a very cool warehouse with dogs and a cat roaming around, TUR has that effortlessly hipster energy that Bangkok does so well. The stylists look cool as hell, which thankfully is matched by the fact they clearly know what they’re doing. Go for the warehouse vibes, stay for the very reasonably priced keratin treatments, which are far cheaper than back home.
