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 Best Restaurants in BangkokFood is an inescapable part of everything in Bangkok, with every
home, market and small alley continually throwing chopped
ingredients into a hot wok. This has made nearly everyone both an
expert chef and food connoisseur, having the curious effect of
finding the very best meals made in the most unexpected locations.
While ambiance is often wanting, peeling walls and plastic chairs
provide just enough bare bones restaurant amenities to serve the
best food in the city. Portable food stalls line the busy streets,
creating a continuous unofficial buffet. It is a mistake to be put
off by such street vendors, as many tourists are, as they are
Bangkok''s great equaliser, bringing the very richest and poorest
together at a table. If your stomach is wary however, try one of
the food courts in the shopping malls and markets for equally cheap
and tasty eats. These are also a great alternative on Mondays, when
street vendors are banned from trading. Try the clusters of stalls
in Surawong and Silom Roads, the Khao San Road Area, and the Suan
Lum Night Bazaar. Choosing between one restaurant and another is a
difficult task, but in general, follow the local crowds. For a
quieter meal or more luxurious settings many unique restaurants can
be fun. Some truly unique places can be found in Chinatown, with
trendy dining along Sukhumvit and cheap western food in Banglamphu.
The most romantic restaurants are along the Chao Phraya River or on
it, aboard one of the many dinner cruises. |
The Wave
This vibey Bangkok restaurant has live music and karaoke in
addition to spicy Thai food at reasonable prices and a Japanese
sushi corner. The large restaurant has good views from its position
on the riverside, and the lavish d?©cor of waterfalls and springs
add to the festive atmosphere. CUISINE: Thai Address: 199/1 Rat Burana |
The Rain Tree Caf?©
The Rain Tree Caf?© offers a buffet of Thai and international
food for breakfast, lunch and dinner ideal for family meals. Their
Vodka Oyster Bar has four kinds of imported oysters, and special
seafood buffets are offered on Fridays and Saturdays. Come on
Sunday between 12 and 3pm for a Champagne Sunday Brunch. CUISINE: International Address: 61 Thanon Witthayu Wireless Road, Lumphini,
Pathumwan Website: www.plazaatheneebangkok.com/theraintreecafe |
Lemongrass
Popular with Westerners and just a short walk from the skytrain,
Lemongrass serves some of Bangkok's finest Nouvelle Thai cuisine.
Favourites on the menu include pomelo salad and chicken satay. The
(a spicy sweet-and-sour prawn soup with ginger
shoots) is delicious and comes highly recommended. Open daily for
lunch and dinner. Bookings are advisable. CUISINE: Local STYLE: Trendy Address: 5/1 Sukhumvit Soi 24 |
Ricky's
Just around the corner from the bustling backpacker district the
quiet coffee shop is a great stop for breakfast or early lunch. The
dark wooden interior transports diners to old Siam although
omelettes and baguettes are often welcome tastes of the west.
Ricky's recently moved down the street, and the new location has
added Mexican food to the menu. Open 8am to 11pm. Address: 18 Th Phra Athit |
Dosa King
The very popular South Indian aromatic cuisine known as
is a Punjabi dish traditionally eaten with the hands,
consisting of a rice and lentil pancake, crepe or tortilla
traditionally folded with a potato curry or other savoury filling,
and served with a vegetable and lentil broth called
. A purely vegetarian restaurant in Bangkok, Dosa King
is ideal for a quick and healthy meal for those exploring
Sukhumvit. Open daily for lunch and dinner. CUISINE: Indian STYLE: Trendy Address: 153/7, Sukhumvit Rd, Soi -11/1 Website: www.dosaking.net |
Cabbages and Condoms
This aptly named restaurant helps fund population control, AIDS
awareness and a host of rural development programs. Set in a large
compound, the two-story restaurant offers guests both indoor and
outdoor dining, the latter being decorated with fairy lights
creating a wonderfully romantic atmosphere. The
(fried boneless chicken wrapped in pandan
leaves with a dark sweet soy sauce for dipping) is an exciting dish
for the more adventurous palates. Open daily for lunch and dinner,
reservations advisable. CUISINE: Thai STYLE: Romance Address: 10 Sukhumvit Soi 12 Website: www.cabbagesandcondoms.co.th |
Somboon Seafood
This restaurant may not have the best, or indeed any, atmosphere
for that matter, but the food is simply delicious and well worth it
for those who are willing to make the sacrifice. A popular eatery,
Somboon Seafood is regularly packed with friendly staff and with
such a vast menu, guests will find themselves coming back time and
again. The restaurant also features a large aquarium full of live
seafood such as prawn, fish, lobster and crab. The house specialty,
chilli crab curry, comes highly recommended. Open daily from 4pm to
11pm. Credit cards not accepted. CUISINE: Seafood STYLE: Trendy Address: 169/7-11 Surawongse Rd Website: www.somboonseafood.com |
The Mango Tree
This 80-year-old Siamese restaurant house features its very own
tropical garden and offers a quiet retreat from Bangkok's chaotic
Patpong area. The food may not be authentic, but it's delicious and
the diverse menu with choices such as mild, green chicken curry and
crispy spring rolls won't leave guests disappointed. Live
traditional music and classic Thai decorative touches create a
wonderfully charming atmosphere. Open daily for lunch and dinner.
Reservations advisable. CUISINE: Thai STYLE: Trendy Address: 37 Soi Tantawan, Surawongse Road Website: www.coca.com/mangotree/ |
May Kaidee
A firm favourite in Bangkok's dining scene, May Kaidee is really
informal, but serves some of the most mouth-watering vegetarian and
vegan food the city has to offer. Known for serving the best
massaman curry in Thailand and an array of dishes, from sweet green
curry to good stir-fries and black sticky-rice with mango for
dessert, this eatery is a must! May Kaidee is also a Thai cooking
school, so if you love the cuisine you can come back and learn to
make it yourself. Open daily from 7am to 11pm. Cash only. CUISINE: Vegetarian STYLE: Trendy Address: 33 Samsen Road, Soi 2, Bang-lam-phu Website: www.maykaidee.com |
Le Banyan
This upscale restaurant epitomises elegance with white clapboard
walls adorned with Thai carvings, old photos, and prints of early
Bangkok. The flagship dish is pressed duck with goose liver,
shallots, wine and Armagnac to make the sauce. Other fine choices
include a rack of lamb a la Proven?§al and salmon with lemongrass.
Open daily for dinner from 6pm to midnight. Reservations
advisable. CUISINE: French STYLE: Romance Address: 59 Sukhumvit Soi 8 Website: www.le-banyan.com |
Phranakorn Bar and Gallery
Across the Ratchadamnoen Klang road from Banglamphu district is
a popular but low key hangout for the local trend setters. Most
come for the ambiance rather than the food as the first floor
usually hosts a live band, the second an art gallery, the third a
pool hall, and the fourth an open air terrace with beautiful views,
all filled with cheerful diners and drinkers. CUISINE: Thai Address: 58/2 Soi Damnoenklang Tai |
Pra Chan Pier
Next to Thammasat University this claustrophobic riverside
market has some of the best food in town. On the western edge of
the old walkway traditional Thai food is served buffet style on
wooden planked decks over the water. On the other side is a
surprisingly quiet and cool Thai pasta house and bakery popular
with students. CUISINE: Thai Address: Pra Chan Pier, next to Thammasat University |
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| Travel guide by (c) Globe Media Ltd. By its very nature much of the information in this travel guide is subject to change at short notice and travellers are urged to verify information on which they're relying with the relevant authorities. We cannot accept any responsibility for any loss or inconvenience to any person as a result of information contained above. |
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