10 Best Thai Restaurants in Bangkok

We all know that great Thai food can be found in humble shophouses and even by the roadside. But if you’ve traveled a long way and wish to treat yourself to something more sophisticated, there are a number of upscale Thai restaurants in Bangkok that dish up the most delectable fare.

Some of these restaurants come with a hefty price tag but remember: this is a complete dining experience with first-class service, delightful ambience, and other elegant touches that separate the great from the good. Most of all, these restaurants offer the chance to discover the true flavors of Thailand, which are executed by renowned Thai chefs (some with Michelin stars).

What are the best Thai restaurants in Bangkok?

Bangkok Hotels

1. Issaya Siamese Club

Exquisite regional fare from top chef Ian Kittichai

Good for: Couples, Families, Food

Issaya Siamese Club is the brainchild of Ian Kittichai, a celebrity chef, restaurateur, and television personality. His restaurant can be found in a 100-year-old house that’s set in the middle of a tropical garden in the Sathon district of Bangkok. With its wooden veranda and old-fashioned staircase, its the most atmospheric of settings for family dinners or romantic date nights.

Here, Thai locals, expats, and in-the-know travelers tuck into aromatic classics available across the set menu, tasting menu, and à la carte selection. Sample dishes like banana blossom and heart of palm salad, rouge salmon noodles with tamarind dressing, and lamb shank simmered in mussamun curry.

Location: 4 Soi Si Akson, Thung Maha Mek, Sathorn, Bangkok 10120, Thailand

Open: Daily from 11.30 am to 2.30 pm and from 5 pm to 10.30 pm

Phone: +66 83 889 4304

2. Bo.lan

Rustic restaurant rooted in time-honoured traditions

Good for: Couples, Families, Food

Recognized for many years as one of the best Thai restaurants in Bangkok, Bo.lan is not your everyday local. This is the kind of place where your take discerning friends and family food snobs, or when you want to impress visitors who think they’ve ‘tried it all before’.

The name Bo.lan comes from the two chefs who run it: Bo (Duangporn Songvisava) and Dylan Jones, who previously worked under the supervision of Michelin-starred chef David Thompson at Nahm London. Come here for the snapper with bio-diversified winter citrus, the minced Nakorn Pathom duck curry, and the petit fours with Bo.lan blended tea.

Location: 24 Sukhumvit Soi 53, Khlong Tan, Watthana, Bangkok 10110, Thailand

Open: Thursday from 6 pm to 10 pm, Friday–Sunday from 12 pm to 2.30 pm and 6 pm to 10 pm (closed on Monday)

Phone: +66 (0)2 260 2962

3. Sala Rim Naam at the Mandarin Oriental

Riverside gem reached by boat from the Mandarin Oriental

Good for: Couples, Food, Luxury

Sala Rim Naam at the Mandarin Oriental Bangkok combines all the essential elements to offer one of the best romantic Thai dining experiences in the city. This isn’t an easy thing to achieve, with so many great restaurants around town.

The restaurant succeeds thanks to its amazing location by the riverside—not meters from the water, but right next to your table! Another drawcard is the legendary Mandarin Oriental service and, of course, the delectable cuisine. Try dishes like coconut milk soup with blue river prawns and stir-fried lotus root with shiitake mushrooms.

Location: Mandarin Oriental, 597 Charoen Nakhon Rd, Khlong Ton Sai, Khlong San, Bangkok 10600, Thailand

Open: Wednesday–Sunday from 7 pm to 11 pm (closed on Monday and Tuesday)

Phone: +66 2 659 9000

4. Nahm Restaurant

Recipient of one prestigious Michelin star

Good for: Food, Luxury

Situated in the 5-star COMO Metropolitan Bangkok hotel, Nahm serves fragrant Thai cuisine inspired by ancient recipes found in historic royal cookbooks. It’s consistently ranked among the best restaurants in the world and is helmed by award-winning chef Pim Techmuanvivit.

Whether you are a longstanding visitor to Bangkok or it’s your first time eating traditional Thai food, Nahm will delight you in every way possible. Discover palate-pleasing flavors in dishes like charred chicken with cardamon and wild coriander, and Wagyu beef stir-fry with coconut shoots and peppercorns.

Location: Como Metropolitan Hotel Bangkok, 27 Sathon Tai Rd, Thung Maha Mek, Sathorn, Bangkok 10120, Thailand

Open: Daily from 6 pm to 11.30 pm

Phone: +66 2 625 3388

5. Saffron at Banyan Tree

Dine in style on the 52nd floor!

Good for: Food, Luxury, Photo

Cinematic vistas, sensational food, and friendly service come together at Saffron Thai Restaurant. Take in the glittering skyline while you feast on classic dishes with a contemporary twist like spicy yellowfin tuna tartare, crispy soft-shell crab with green papaya salad, and cappuccino coconut broth with grilled scallops.

The restaurant is split over two levels in the Banyan Tree Hotel and sits high above the city on the 52nd floor. The closest station is Lumphini MRT, but we recommend taking a taxi (the hotel is well known to drivers). Smart casual dress code. Reservations essential.

Location: 21, 100 S Sathon Rd, Thung Maha Mek, Sathorn, Bangkok 10120, Thailand

Open: Daily from 5 pm and 11 pm

Phone: +66 2 679 1200

6. Thanying Royal Cuisine

Traditional Thai dishes served in a charming old-world house

Good for: Food, Luxury, Unusual

Thanying is a popular restaurant owned by M.R. Sorut Visuddhi, son of Princess Sulabh. Royal cuisine isn’t overly complicated but requires using only the freshest ingredients. Everything must be cut so that guests never have to use a knife. The fish should be absolutely boneless and there are many other details that help distinguish this culinary offshoot. Presentation is always lavish.

Thanying is set in a classic house and features a small, shaded terrace on the side. The interior is elegant without being too ornate. Think plenty of vintage furniture and glinting chandeliers.

Location: 10 Pramuan Rd, Silom, Bang Rak, Bangkok 10500, Thailand

Open: Daily from 11.30 am to 10 pm

Phone: +66 2 236 4361

7. Steve Café and Cuisine

Good for: Families, Food, Unusual

Steve Café attracts throngs of hungry foodies for several key reasons: a great riverside location with no tall buildings blocking the view, thousands of silvery fish swimming around as locals feed them, and a permanent ballet of old-fashioned wooden boats that pass by.

The most important thing, however, is the food. It’s very Thai, using quality ingredients and cooked with passion. Classic dishes include chicken mussaman curry, minced pork grilled in banana leaves, and fried prawns and lotus root in chilli shrimp paste.

Location: 68 Sri Ayuthaya Road, Soi Sri Ayuthaya 21 (Devet), Vachiraphayabaan, Dusit, Bangkok 10300, Thailand

Open: Daily from 10 am to 10.00 pm

Phone: +66 2 281 0915

8. Supanniga Eating Room

Feel-good eats across the capital

Good for: Couples, Families, Food

There are three Supanniga Eating Rooms spread across Bangkok but our favorite has to be the one in the bustling Watthana district. It serves an appetizing range of traditional Thai dishes from the owner’s hometown in Trat (found on east coast) and Khon Kaen (northeast Thailand), where her family is now based.

Featured multiple years in a row in the Michelin Guide, the cuisine at Supanniga Eating Room are heavily influenced by the owner’s grandmother’s recipes. Order the beef shank spicy salad, the sam nam seabass in coconut soup, and the stir-fried kale with shitake mushrooms.

Location: 160/11 Sukhumvit Soi 55, Khlong Toei, Watthana, Bangkok 10110, Thailand

Open: Daily from 10 am to 10 pm

Phone: +66 91 774 9808

9. The House of Smooth Curry at the Athenee Hotel

Premium eating joint with skyline panoramas

Good for: Food, Luxury, Photo

The House of Smooth Curry is a beloved Thai restaurant that serves traditional dishes created with the finest ingredients in a warm and attractive dining room. The service and food quality are 5-star but the atmosphere is unstuffy, and once you’ve discovered this gem you’ll want to come back for more.

Smooth Curry is located on the 3rd floor of the The Athenee Hotel (it boasts a fabulous al fresco terrace if you want to dine outdoors). The menu is 80% organic and features all your Thai favorites like deep-fried fish cakes, char-grilled Wagyu beef, and roasted duck curry with lychees and pineapple.

Location: The Athenee Hotel, 61 Wireless Rd, Lumphini, Pathumwan, Bangkok 10330, Thailand

Open: Daily from 11.30 am to 2.30 pm and from 6 pm to 10.00 pm

Phone: +66 2 650 8800

10. Baan Home Cuisine

Good for: Food

Baan Restaurant on Wireless Road is a hidden place serving real Thai family cooking, all prepared by the very talented Chef Ton from the now-famous Ledu Restaurant in Silom. The food at Baan (which means ‘home’ in Thai) is 100% Thai without compromise – Chef Ton has brought these recipes from his childhood and added his knowledge of traditional ingredients and cuisine.

So, if you’ve been living in Thailand for a while or are a frequent visitor, names listed on the menu such as som tum and khao pad will definitely look very familiar. Some might (and will) ask why should you pay more to eat dishes that can be found on the streets for half the price. The answer is simple: this is what makes the difference between ‘food’ and ‘cuisine’; between ‘cooking’ and ‘home cooking’ (in addition to a cozy restaurant with air-conditioning, of course).

Location: 139/5 Wireless Road, Lumphini, Pathumwan, Bangkok 10330, Thailand

Open: Wednesday–Monday from 11.30 am to 2.30 pm and from 6 pm to 10.30 pm (closed on Tuesdays)

Phone: +66 (0)2 655 8995

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