I received an email from Jamie, a reader of the blog asking for suggestions on where to find good eats in Bangkok. I thought it would be a good idea to post my response here for others to check out.
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The best Thai food you can have in Thailand, in my opinion, is on the street (check out my post on Egg Noodles with roasted red pork). Although I tend to review the higher end places, I do in fact eat “local style” most of the time. Most dishes can be had for 25 to 35b and more often than not are excellent. Just wonder around and keep an eye out where the locals eat. Thai’s are really fussy about their food, so if there are many Thai’s eating at one stool, the chances are it’s bloody good!
Remember to smile when ordering… a smile goes a long way in Thailand. If you can’t speak Thai just point at what looks good. The great thing about street food is it’s so cheap that you can try multiple dishes… some won’t be to your taste, but if you order 3 dishes then there’s a good chance you’ll at least like one. Take a pen and paper and write down the names of the dishes you like for future reference, or check out 12 Thai dishes I bought from the street here.
Some good restaurants I’ve reviewed here on the blog include:
Mid Price Options
- Pizza Patio – The best Pizza I’ve ever had
- Teppanyaki restaurants in Bangkok – Great for dinning with friends
- MK – A Suki style restaurant chain. Great food at affordable prices
- Tony Romas – The best Ribs EVER!
- Zen – Japanese restaurant chain with stores all over Bangkok
- Lee Cafe – A great mix of Asian Fusion food at reasonable prices
High End Options
- The Oyster Bar – The best Oyster bar in Bangkok
- Biscotti Restaurant – One of my fav restaurants in Bangkok – Superb Italian food
- Cyan Restaurant – Great international cuisine in a very swanky setting
- The Riverside Terrace at the Oriental Hotel – Perfect for the romantics out there!
- Shanghai 38 – My fav Chinese restaurant in Bangkok
- Ma Maison – Great French cuisine with a beautiful garden to roam around in
- Eat Me – My fav restaurant in Bangkok
I also recommend checking out the major shopping centers where you’ll find lot’s of mid-priced dinning options to chose from like the Gustoso Italian Restaurant or Fondooz, a good Fondue Restaurant. Both are located in Central World). I also dig the Peri Peri Chicken Restaurant and 9th Cafe, a mix of Italian/Thai food – both are located in Siam Paragon. Central Chitlom is great for stocking up on food and they have ready made Thai dishes that are excellent.
If your going to splurge, check out one of the hotel buffets in Bangkok which normally happen on Saturday/Sunday. There are some great spreads available for 1,000 to 2,000b (some include wine).
Bon appetit!
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What’s your fav mid-price and high end restaurant in Bangkok?
Since I discovered Pizza Paatio thanks to one of your articles some ttime ago, let me share that one with you:
Italian Restaurant, La Buca, Sukhumvit Soi 1
Their pizzas (around 300 bahts) are delicious, but I’d rather suggest you to order a piece of beef wrapped into parma ham with some gorgonzola sauce! (a bit pricey though, this meal alone must be at 700 bahts)
I hope you’ll try that meal one day!
Aroy!
And thanks again for Pizza Patio: their parma ham pizzas are like dream pizzas!
:)
Beef wrapped into parma ham sounds yummy! I’ll give it a go next time I’m in BKK
Don’t forget to ask for the gorgonzala sauce on top of it!
It’s not always on the menu, but don’t hesitate to ask the chef (that’s waht I do), he’s a nice old chap from Italy.
;-)
Killer resource, getting bookmarked and will be making some visits. I was hoping we could convince you to share some of your favorite WIFI working spots as well!
I find it hard to work in public areas… there always seems to be soemthing wrong (table height, music, noise, ambiance etc.)… Although the Magnolia coffee shop in Hanoi was rare… everything is perfect there.
Keep me updated if you find the perfect work spot in BKK… as I don’t know of any!
Hey Chris, thanks for going the extra mile to compile all this. It’s REALLY helpful!
Whoa i was reading a couple of your posts and came to know of your big move from UK to the Thai. That sort of a decision is really admirable. I’m from Kuala Lumpur by the way.
Alright, all the best in whatever you do (:
No worries. Please a few peps have found the info useful.
Shintaro – A sushi restaurant at the Four Seasons. They consistently serve the best saba I have ever had, as well as many other tasty sushi treats.
Hazara – An upscale Indian joint at the Face Bar. The only thing I don’t like there is their mangoes and rice. Everything else is darn tasty.
My janapense friend who works in BKK also highly recommends Shintaro – I
need to give it a go!
Whilst I love Thai food more than any other cuisine I am afraid that my special occasion restaurant in Bangkok is Chesa. Simple Swiss cuisine, perfectly executed, in a very professional restaurant owned by two very experienced International chefs [they being Swiss, of course]. Simple things like the best roesti ever [at some Swiss restaurants it is disgusting!]. Over Christmas it is game time; venison, hare, ostrich, etc. You would think you are in Europe! However my prefernces may change when famous Thai chef David Thompson [Australian not Thai but the master of the cuisine, royally royal!] opens his restaurant at The Metropolitan mid 2010, although their Cyan restaurant will also undergo a change with one of Australia’s brightest young stars, Chris Miller taking over from former workmate Dan Moran.
I’ve been to Chesa and agree, it’s a great restaurant!
So, you said “The best Thai food you can have in Thailand…is on the street” but I didn’t read anywhere the name of the best food street in BKK: did you ever been on Sukhumwit 38? You’ll find there also great egg noodles!!!
I like your blog!