A Food Lovers Guide To Bangkok!
The way to a country's soul is through its food! Find out what food makes Thailand tick and let me introduce you to my favourite top 10 places in Bangkok!
Thai Food Culture
It’s safe to say that Thai people LOVE to eat! Walking the streets of Bangkok you’ll find street food vendors everywhere. People are rushing past with small plastic bags of food they just purchased from one of the many street food stalls or 7/11 convenience stores. Every so often you walk into a cloud of fresh chillies, lemongrass and garlic smell wafting from a close-by food cart! People seem to eat non-stop all around the clock! It still baffles me how Thai people manage to stay so petite!
What makes Thai cuisine so delicious are the strong aromas of fresh herbs, ginger, garlic, chillies, lemongrass as well as soy- and fish sauce! This creates the delicate balance of sweet, sour, salty, bitter and spicy! And to be totally honest, most dishes are fried in litres of oil, sport a decent amount of sugar and are traditionally spruced up with a good dash of MSG. That’s what makes it extra tasty!
The typical eating utensils in Thailand are not chopsticks by the way, but fork and spoon! If you want to impress, know that the sophisticated Thai eater uses the fork to shovel food onto the spoon and then eats from the spoon, not the fork. Knives are not needed and therefore you won’t find them at any Thai restaurant! Also, you won’t find salt and pepper as condiments at the restaurant table. Instead, there are four integral condiments on offer to spice up your dish – sugar, fish sauce, chilli flakes and vinegar. It’s different, but once you get used to it you wouldn’t want to do without!
How many chillies can you eat?
Thai people are fiercely proud of their food and spice is one of the most important elements! The more chilis the better! Often times street food vendors ask if you want “Thai spicy” or “Farang spicy”. My recommendation is to keep it real and to know your limits!
“Farang” is the universal Thai name for all Western foreigners, which you will come across a lot!
Western food such as pizza, sandwiches or burgers is deemed stodgy, heavy and bland. Obviously, Thai people do eat it, often however it seems more like a status symbol than real enjoyment. The one thing Thai’s love about Western food is the deserts. Across the city, you will find many restaurants specialised in deserts, often with line ups 20 people deep! I guess it’s hard to beat a chocolate mud brownie or a scrumptious fudge cake!
Sharing is Caring!
Sharing and food go hand in hand in Thailand! It is a crucial part of Thai culture. All dishes you order will be shared with everyone around the table. You never order your individual dishes as you do in the Western world. Meanwhile, it takes a bit to get used to, it is such a beautiful way to eat and you’ll adapt quickly! Portions are usually rather small so it’s easy to order a few dishes to try as much as possible from the menu. As a consequence don’t be surprised to see a group of Thai’s in a Western restaurant sharing a T-Bone steak, a pizza and a burger between them. Possibly even for breakfast!
In its most humbling form, you see the principle of food sharing on the streets. If you get up early you can witness in some areas in Bangkok monks standing at the side of the road waiting for people to drop off cooked rice, curries, fish cakes or whatever the closest street food stall sells. Giving alms to feed the monks at the monastery is a tradition people take great pride in!
Street Food
Most visitors to Thailand believe that eating street food is dangerous and will have them hugging the toilet bowl for the next 24 hours. This is absolutely not the case! Please do yourself a favour and try as much street food as possible! You will find some of the best Thai food on the streets of Bangkok! Street food vendors specialize and usually only cook one or two dishes with all fresh ingredients. Once their stock is gone, they pack up and go home! Especially if there is a big line up you can be sure it is fresh and delicious! Typical street food you can pick up on the go are fried chicken, fish cakes, fresh fruit and little Thai deserts. It’s dirt cheap and so good! Make sure you try as much as your palate allows!
My Favourite Thai Street Food Dishes
Most street food vendors have a little seating area where you can eat some crowd pleasers! My absolute favourite dish in Thailand is Pad Krapao – boiled rice topped with a stirfry of minced meat, chilly and Thai basil. Add a fried, runny egg on top and you are straight off into culinary heaven. For your meat, you can usually choose between ‘Moo’ – which is pork or ‘Gai’ – which is chicken! Another favourite is noodle soup! A simple, slow-cooked chicken broth with ingredients of your choice – chicken, wontons, different types of noodles… It doesn’t sound like much, but it is just to die for!
Somtum is a Thai favourite and should be on your list of dishes to try. Somtum is a Thai staple, a salad made from papaya, peanuts, dried shrimp, fish sauce, lime juice and loads of chilly. It’s extremely spicy so make sure that the vendor takes mercy on you with the use of chilly! It’s a must-try and most delicious with some sticky rice.
Last but not least, I love a good Pad See Euw. It’s stir-fried flat noodles in oyster sauce and with chicken and Chinese broccoli! Simple, but aroy maak, as they say in Thailand! Very delicious!
My Personal Top 10 Places In Bangkok
You certainly need more than One Night in Bangkok to explore all the delicacies the city has to offer! The list below is just a tiny selection in the big pond of Bangkok’s restaurants. Not only do you have delicious Thai food on offer, but also some of the best international cuisines. Many top chefs have set up shop here to spoil the taste buds of locals and visitors alike! The places I have chosen are purely my personal preference, based on delicious food, drinks as well as their atmosphere. As you will see not all restaurants I have chosen are Thai since there are so many great places to visit with other delectable cuisines. And to be honest, as much as I love Thai food, sometimes you need a break.
As in most big cities, restaurants and bars change regularly as it is. But especially now, with the current COVID pandemic, we can only hope that all of the below will still be up and running by the time tourism comes back to Thailand! They are all special in their own way!
# 1 - The Smokin' Pug
And off we start with an American BBQ & Blues Bar! The Smokin’ Pug is not Thai at all, but my favourite place in Bangkok! What can you do?!
Apart from their outstanding home-smoked, slow-cooked BBQ ribs, their pulled pork goodness and mouthwatering briskets, owners Dana and Danny make you just feel at home! This American dream team couple is authentic, caring and they love what they do! Since February 2015 they hit the ground running with their BBQ joint quickly making their way up among the top 10 restaurants in Bangkok! The “Pug” is a favourite amongst ex-pats as well as local Thai’s, where you never manage to leave without too many cocktails and their amazing Key Lime Pie! We only allowed ourselves to go there every few months, because it always turned into a big night out! The atmosphere is amazing, the staff is truly incredible and you can’t get enough of the scrumptious food and delicious cocktails. Even though people fight to get a table at the Smokin’ Pug, they never make you rush or feel like you need to leave. Instead, you go into round 3 of the Espresso Martini’s and enjoy the great atmosphere. If you visit Bangkok book a table and make it a night out at The Smokin’ Pug.
# 2 - Issaya Siamese Club
This is Thai food at its finest in an amazing location! The Issaya Siamese Club is set in a beautiful, traditional Thai house, hidden in the backstreets of Silom. Arriving there by taxi, the last thing you would expect in this rather rough neighbourhood is this little luxury haven, like a well-kept secret.
The food is truly amazing, innovative with traditional flavours and they know how to present it! Decorated with edible flowers or flambeed at the table, it really is an experience!
Many of the herbs and vegetables come from the chefs garden at the restaurant, all other ingredients come from the local market! The dishes change according to what is in season and locally available. Make sure you haven’t eaten that day to be able to taste as much as possible. The first time we went we made the mistake of ordering too many starters, which were way bigger and more filling than expected! It really is a special experience, so dress up and book a table at this beautiful place! It will be a once in a lifetime experience. Definitely one of my favourite places in Bangkok!
# 3 - Supanniga Eating Room
The Supanniga Eating Room offers some of the tastiest Thai food I have eaten in Bangkok! I absolutely love their food! They have by now 3 identical restaurants under the Supanniga brand. I have tried the one in Sathorn Soi 10 and the one in Thonglor (Sukhumvit Soi 55)! Their food is truly outstanding, traditional Thai recipes with a modern twist in a lovely atmosphere! Some of my favourites here are the chargrilled pork, the winged bean salad and the beef red curry – just to name a few! Try it yourself – it’s a tasty and not too expensive feast for all senses! It comes highly recommended!
# 4 - Somtum Der
If you want to try some traditional Issan food, from the North East of Thailand, go eat at Somtum Der! Another favourite of mine and owned by the same people as Supanniga! As the name suggests Somtum, the papaya salad is their flagship dish here. If that’s not for you, don’t worry, there are plenty of other options. Their fried chicken, the fried meatballs and the chargrilled pork neck are to die for! Order some sticky rice with your somtum and enjoy the easy-going atmosphere! Issan food is naturally spicier already, so if you can’t eat too spicy, let the waiter know.
They have two Somtum Der restaurants in Bangkok – one in Silom and one in Thonglor! Both are equally good! It is some of the best food in Bangkok, so give it a try!
# 5 - La Dotta
This tiny restaurant in Thonglor Soi 9 offers some of the best Italian pasta I have ever eaten! What a find! Hidden just off Thonglor main road La Dotta is a great alternative if you need a break from Thai food! It’s a cosy little place where you can enjoy some truly amazing pasta dishes! Slow-cooked Amatriciana tomato sauce with cured pork cheek or Parpadelle in 8-hours braised lamb ragout…This is honestly the tastiest pasta around! You shouldn’t leave Bangkok without having tried this place!
# 6 - The Commons Thonglor
If you had a read through our last post “Bangkok – Experience this amazing city your way!” you have come across The Commons already!
It’s an indoor market place with different food stalls, coffee places and communal seating areas! You can find all sorts of cuisines here – Thai, Vietnamese, Korean, Italian, Mexican… you name it. A fancy coffee bar caters for all your coffee needs, while the ice cream and desert places soothe your sweet tooth. Get yourself a craft beer or try the delicatessen counter where you can order cheese platters and wine! Over the weekends there is live music playing and it’s a generally great atmosphere! It’s definitely worth having a look around!
# 7 - El Mercado
Staying with good cheeses, charcuterie and wines – let’s have a look at El Mercado! This French place is a definite favourite amongst the ex-pats spending their hard-earned cash on decadent cheese and wine! Thailand doesn’t really produce dairy products or wine, therefore all the good stuff is imported and accordingly expensive. But once in a while, you need a little treat and El Mercado is the perfect place to do so! You can go to their deli room, a wonderland of the best cheeses and charcuterie from all over Europe! At the counter, you can pick and choose what you would like and how much of each you want on your platter! It’s easy to spend a little fortune here, but it is 100% worth it! Sit outside in their beautiful courtyard and enjoy the warm night with a cool wine and a delicious platter! Make sure to book a table since this is a very popular place!
# 8 - Le Cafe des Stagiaires
This little gem is a Belgian Cafe in Sathorn Soi 12! We used to live right next door when Le Cafe des Stagiaires first opened and ended up pretty much financing their first few months with our constant patronage! We were hooked on the street cafe atmosphere, their affordable wine and delicious cheese platter! The concept is based on having interns (or stagiaires in French) working here, learning the ropes of running a restaurant. From a little cafe in a side street, this place has developed into a popular ex-pat hangout with international beers, wines and cocktails! They have a small menu with European delicacies such as mussels in white wine sauce, croque monsieur as well as pizzas, pasta and tapas. This place has just this great street cafe vibe, where you feel like Europe in summer! I would definitely recommend stopping by if you are in the area!
# 9 - Junker and Bar
Not far from Le Cafe des Stagiaires on Suan Phlu Road you will find Junker & Bar! This American diner is owned and run by Thai’s and once again a favourite amongst ex-pats! It has a great and relaxed atmosphere and they make probably the best burgers you can find in Bangkok! Sit on the street with a cold beer and enjoy the hustle and bustle of the Suan Phlu neighbourhood!
If you feel like a fancy cocktail in a cool retro multilevel bar afterwards, walk two doors down to Smalls! It’s a bit more expensive than Junker and Bar, but they do make some great cocktails! Choose to sit inside by the bar or enjoy the warm night on their terrace upstairs. While you are in the area you might try both places!
# 10 - Tawan Daeng
Wow, this one is special! The first time we went to Tawan Daeng, we were under the impression that this would be a “German beer house” of some sort! And yes, you can get steins here and they do have pork knuckle on their menu, but nothing could have prepared us for what this place is really all about! It’s a huge hall with beer benches and a big stage in the front! Most patrons are Thai, usually bigger groups or families. With beer towers on the table, the atmosphere is festive and you can feel the excitement in the air. It starts off quite relaxed, but just wait until the entertainment starts. The stage comes to life and you are in for a full Thai variety show with costumes, dancers, acrobatics and insane stage props! The atmosphere heats up, half of the Thai patrons are off their benches and dancing excitedly! The waiters are trained to make very sure there are no empty glasses around which adds to the complete crazy that unfolds! In the bathrooms, they even have dedicated vomiting sinks! This was a first for me! A night at Tawan Daeng is honestly a once in a lifetime experience and a chance to possibly make some Thai friends. It’s not your date-night kind of place, but if you are travelling with a few people, give this unusual place a try! Make sure to book a table and have fun!
There are so many more amazing places that should be mentioned, but as always you need to start somewhere! I hope once it’s possible to travel to Bangkok again you’ll be able to try some of the listed restaurants to make up your own mind.
Thanks for joining us, we hope you enjoyed the little food safari through Bangkok! Hope to see you again!
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Until next time!
