There is a huge selection of places to eat in and around Sukhumvit and its side sois, although prices tend to be on the high side by Thai standards. With practically every cuisine in the world represented, this is the place to break your phad thai diet and sample some of the best Japanese, Lebanese, or Indian food you will ever eat.
Budget Eateries
Took Lae Dee, inside the Foodland Supermarket, Sukhumvit Soi 5 (Nana BTS Station) is a Bangkok institution. Imagine a long bar counter, only with chefs and food instead of bartenders and drinks, and a colorful cast of characters thanks to Nana Plaza across the street. The name literally means Cheap and Good and indeed basic fried rice starts at 40 baht, but the cheap Western dishes, many less than 100 baht, are what makes this place popular. The American breakfast (two eggs, ham, bacon or sausage, juice, toast, coffee) in particular is a steal at 47 baht between 06:00-09:00, or 58 baht at any other time.
Hong Kong Noodle, Soi 10 Siam Square. Serves up cheap and tasty wonton noodles (30 baht), a selection of dim sum (20-30 baht) and more Cantonese favorites in modern if utilitarian surroundings complete with air con, table service, etc. Excellent value. Open 10:00-22:00.
Soi 38. Under Thong Lo BTS Station, opposite Sukhumvit Soi 55. Not a restaurant in itself, but you'll get the best street food in Bangkok. Just sit at a table and order whatever you like from the numerous foodstalls (they'll figure out the bill for you). You can find the most delicious mango & sticky rice (khao niow ma muang) in town.
Between Soi 1 and Soi 3. A set of street food stalls with the best one furthest from the street. Good things to order include "Crispy fish in Chili Sauce", Tom Yum Soup and any of their Thai salads (such as mixed seafood salad). Also any Chinese-style fried vegetables is also delicious.
Food Courts
If you want cheap food and air-conditioning, head into the upper-floor food court of any department store. Most food courts use some variation of a coupon system; unused coupons are always refunded. Some of the better ones include:
Big C, Ratchadamri, next to Narayana Phand, 5th floor. New, bright, airy and very cheap with mostly Thai dishes as low as 20 baht. Payment with a stored-value card.
MBK, spacious fifth floor "The Fifth" food court was recently refurbished, has an assortment of Western, Asian, halal, and vegetarian dishes from 50 baht (electronic card system, pay as you leave). The sixth floor food court is cheap (less than 50 baht per serving) and popular but noisy, and serves mostly Thai food (pay by coupon).
FoodLoft, 7F Central Chidlom (connected to Chidlom BTS Station) [18]. Large and popular, a wide selection of food (Thai, Japanese, Chinese, Italian, Indian, Vietnamese) but fairly expensive with most dishes closer to 100 baht. You receive a 1000 baht token on entry and pay for what you've used on exiting.
Garden Kitchen, 1F Central Chidlom. Hidden behind the TOPS Supermarket in the same building as the FoodLoft, offers Thai fare (and English menus) at much cheaper prices (20-30 baht).
Emporium, 5F. Comparatively small and hidden behind the other restaurants, but cheap and often packed - at peak hours it's difficult to get a seat if you're alone. Pay by coupon, but the prices have been increasing over the past year.
Thai Restaurants
Kinnaree located in Sukhumvit Soi 8, about 150 meters inside the soi on the left. Short walk from Skytrain BTS Nana station. Very nice Thai ambience and decoration, great in the evening. Lounge bar and private rooms upstairs. A la carte main courses in the 200-400 Baht range. Different set lunch menus reasonably priced. Food excellent including items difficult to find in other places. Some dishes could be more spicy by Thai standards.
Once Upon A Time, 32 Petchaburi Soi 17, 02-252-8629. In a dubious-looking alley opposite Pantip Plaza, but worth hunting down despite the unlikely location. The restaurant is in an old Thai house with a garden, filled with photos of classical Thai film stars, and serves very good Thai food. Check out the special rooms upstairs on your way to the bathroom. Mains 100-200 baht.
Lan Som Tam Nua, also known as Som Tam Paradise, Siam Square Soi 4. If Thai food isn't spicy enough or you have yet to sample som tam (raw papaya salad), check out this trendy yet very friendly and very Thai restaurant specializing in northern Isaan food. For the full-on Isaan experience, order raw mango salad (ตำมะม่วง tam ma-muang), spicy pork salad (ลาบหมู laap muu), grilled chicken (ไก่ทอด kai thot) and sticky rice (ข้าวเหนียว khao nio) - which will cost less than 150 baht per head. No English menu, but the staff are glad to help. Warning: This is real Isaan food and thus very spicy!
Baan Khanitha, at 36/1 Sukhumvit Soi 23 (Asoke BTS Station). Well-known if mildly touristy restaurant in an old Thai house, the primary concession to Western tastes being the lack of chili. On the expensive side with most mains (esp. seafood) in the 200-400 baht range, but the food is generally excellent and the presentation spot-on. Best known for their pomelo salad and red curry with duck.
Cabbages and Condoms, 6 Sukhumvit Soi 12 (between Nana & Asoke BTS Stations). Run by Thailand's Population and Community Development Association, the odd name referring to the founder's belief that condoms should be as cheap as veggies; and no prizes for guessing what you'll get after dinner instead of an after-dinner mint. The food is competent but toned down for the foreign palate. Mains 150-300 Baht
Lemongrass, 5 Sukhumvit Soi 24. A very good if slightly expat-oriented Thai restaurant. Pomelo salad and tom yam kung (ต้มยำกุ้ง) are both excellent.
Food Centre Soi 5 (Nana BTS Station). Simple, well visited restaurant serving Thai and Western food. Thai dishes are reasonably original, with little concession to the Western taste. Rapid service. Main dishes around 100 baht.
Ruen Mallika, 189 Sukhumvit Soi 22. A very good in an "antique" Thai house with a leafy outdoor section. The menu is a huge picture book which should help in ordering. One thing to watch out is that it is actually not on Soi 22, it is in a little street off 22, take a right at the 7/11 when you are heading from Sukhumvit towards Rama IV and it is about 200-300m on your right. The staff are very friendly and wear traditional Thai outfits to complete the ambiance.
Fusion Restaurants
For Thai food with a twist, the hip districts of Siam Square and the H1 complex on Thong Lo (Sukhumvit Soi 55) are the best places to go hunting.
Bed Supperclub, 26 Soi 11 Sukhumvit, tel. 2651 3537. One of Bangkok's trendiest bar/club/restaurants with a sparsely minimalistic yet jaw-dropping decor. Visiting on weekends is recommended, as you'll be treated to a 4-course surprise meal and a weekly-changing floor show. Reservations are essential (by telephone or online), as only a single serving is served nightly at 21:00; be sure to request a bed and arrive at least 30 minutes early. Dietary restrictions can be catered for if informed in advance. But the bill for all this is steep: the 4-course meal will set you back 1750 baht plus drinks at around 200 baht a pop.
Greyhound Cafe, Emporium 2F (Phrom Phong BTS Station) and also Central Chidlom 2F (Chid Lom BTS Station). An extremely modern restaurant of concrete and brushed steel, offering a fusionesque menu of food ranging from authentic Thai to Italian pasta to Elvis burgers. Mains usually 100 baht+, although lunch sets are quite cheap.
Holy Pizza, Soi 7 Siam Square, 2654 6373. Siam Square at its best: hip, irreverent and innovative, with Thai pop art on the walls and thin-crust Italian pizza married to ingredients that would make the Pope blanch. Try the fairly conservative Vatican's Choice (mozzarella, Parma ham, rocket leaves; 240 baht), or get more experimental with chicken larb pizza.
Indian Restaurants
Indian Host, 30 Soi Sukhumvit 22 (Next to Grande Mercure Hotel), ☎ 02 2601115. Open 11:30 am to 11:30 pm. Contemporary North Indian Cuisine and Indo-Chinese Fusion. The tender lamb Raan is their signature dish.
Rang Mahal, 26F Rembrandt Hotel, 19 Sukhumvit Soi 18 +66 2-261-7100. Bangkok's best Indian restaurant, offering world-class Mughal (North Indian) food in surroundings fit for a maharaja. Fairly expensive (well over 500 baht per head), but the all-you-can-eat Sunday champagne brunch buffet at 499 baht is a steal. This 26th floor restaurant also offers great views of Bangkok, call ahead for reservations and request a window view.
Akhbar's, Soi 3 Indian and Pakistani food
INDUS, Soi 26 Indian Cusine "http://www.indusbangkok.com" A spectacular view as you enter the candle lit path into the restaraunt. You would feel like you are in a real Indian Palace of the Indus Valley. Get seated in the room with exceptional decorations. The food is mainly Indian and a wide range of spicy Indian tastes. An impressive list of vegetarian menu as also available. Relax and dine with some famous wines around the world as you chill out in the indus bar with cool music. Go outside, experiencing an amazing world of your own, not even noticing it is right here in downtown bangkok. Recommemded to reserve first through phone. Come check it out as you wouldn't want to miss this unique place.
Middle Eastern Restaurants
Soi 3 and Soi 3/1, a short walk from Nana BTS Station, is known as Soi Arab for the heavy concentration of Middle Eastern businesses in the area; in some spots you will see more signs in Arabic than in Thai! Thanks to a demanding clientele and heavy competition, the food here is some of the best this side of Lebanon.
Al Ferdoss, 1F Schiller's Inn, 77/1-3 Sukhumvit Soi 3/1. It may have the ambience of a motel lobby (which it pretty much is), but the food here is amazing. Dips and salads (hummus, tabbouleh, falafel, etc) 80 baht a pop, kebabs 130 baht and up, and best of all is the excellent oven-fresh naan. Air-con indoors, but move outside for mint tea and some puffs of the shisha (water pipe).
Beirut Restaurant, Ploenchit Center B1F, Soi 2 Sukhumvit. In an unlikely location next to a supermarket in an otherwise nearly desolate shopping mall, Beirut gets negative points for ambience but serves up very good Middle Eastern fare. Basic shwarma in a pita less than 100 baht, set meals 220 baht and up.
Shahrazad, 6/8 Sukhumvit Road Soi 3/1 (Phone 02251 3666) Great Middle Eastern, Malaysian and Indian food.
Budget Eateries
Took Lae Dee, inside the Foodland Supermarket, Sukhumvit Soi 5 (Nana BTS Station) is a Bangkok institution. Imagine a long bar counter, only with chefs and food instead of bartenders and drinks, and a colorful cast of characters thanks to Nana Plaza across the street. The name literally means Cheap and Good and indeed basic fried rice starts at 40 baht, but the cheap Western dishes, many less than 100 baht, are what makes this place popular. The American breakfast (two eggs, ham, bacon or sausage, juice, toast, coffee) in particular is a steal at 47 baht between 06:00-09:00, or 58 baht at any other time.
Hong Kong Noodle, Soi 10 Siam Square. Serves up cheap and tasty wonton noodles (30 baht), a selection of dim sum (20-30 baht) and more Cantonese favorites in modern if utilitarian surroundings complete with air con, table service, etc. Excellent value. Open 10:00-22:00.
Soi 38. Under Thong Lo BTS Station, opposite Sukhumvit Soi 55. Not a restaurant in itself, but you'll get the best street food in Bangkok. Just sit at a table and order whatever you like from the numerous foodstalls (they'll figure out the bill for you). You can find the most delicious mango & sticky rice (khao niow ma muang) in town.
Between Soi 1 and Soi 3. A set of street food stalls with the best one furthest from the street. Good things to order include "Crispy fish in Chili Sauce", Tom Yum Soup and any of their Thai salads (such as mixed seafood salad). Also any Chinese-style fried vegetables is also delicious.
Food Courts
If you want cheap food and air-conditioning, head into the upper-floor food court of any department store. Most food courts use some variation of a coupon system; unused coupons are always refunded. Some of the better ones include:
Big C, Ratchadamri, next to Narayana Phand, 5th floor. New, bright, airy and very cheap with mostly Thai dishes as low as 20 baht. Payment with a stored-value card.
MBK, spacious fifth floor "The Fifth" food court was recently refurbished, has an assortment of Western, Asian, halal, and vegetarian dishes from 50 baht (electronic card system, pay as you leave). The sixth floor food court is cheap (less than 50 baht per serving) and popular but noisy, and serves mostly Thai food (pay by coupon).
FoodLoft, 7F Central Chidlom (connected to Chidlom BTS Station) [18]. Large and popular, a wide selection of food (Thai, Japanese, Chinese, Italian, Indian, Vietnamese) but fairly expensive with most dishes closer to 100 baht. You receive a 1000 baht token on entry and pay for what you've used on exiting.
Garden Kitchen, 1F Central Chidlom. Hidden behind the TOPS Supermarket in the same building as the FoodLoft, offers Thai fare (and English menus) at much cheaper prices (20-30 baht).
Emporium, 5F. Comparatively small and hidden behind the other restaurants, but cheap and often packed - at peak hours it's difficult to get a seat if you're alone. Pay by coupon, but the prices have been increasing over the past year.
Thai Restaurants
Kinnaree located in Sukhumvit Soi 8, about 150 meters inside the soi on the left. Short walk from Skytrain BTS Nana station. Very nice Thai ambience and decoration, great in the evening. Lounge bar and private rooms upstairs. A la carte main courses in the 200-400 Baht range. Different set lunch menus reasonably priced. Food excellent including items difficult to find in other places. Some dishes could be more spicy by Thai standards.
Once Upon A Time, 32 Petchaburi Soi 17, 02-252-8629. In a dubious-looking alley opposite Pantip Plaza, but worth hunting down despite the unlikely location. The restaurant is in an old Thai house with a garden, filled with photos of classical Thai film stars, and serves very good Thai food. Check out the special rooms upstairs on your way to the bathroom. Mains 100-200 baht.
Lan Som Tam Nua, also known as Som Tam Paradise, Siam Square Soi 4. If Thai food isn't spicy enough or you have yet to sample som tam (raw papaya salad), check out this trendy yet very friendly and very Thai restaurant specializing in northern Isaan food. For the full-on Isaan experience, order raw mango salad (ตำมะม่วง tam ma-muang), spicy pork salad (ลาบหมู laap muu), grilled chicken (ไก่ทอด kai thot) and sticky rice (ข้าวเหนียว khao nio) - which will cost less than 150 baht per head. No English menu, but the staff are glad to help. Warning: This is real Isaan food and thus very spicy!
Baan Khanitha, at 36/1 Sukhumvit Soi 23 (Asoke BTS Station). Well-known if mildly touristy restaurant in an old Thai house, the primary concession to Western tastes being the lack of chili. On the expensive side with most mains (esp. seafood) in the 200-400 baht range, but the food is generally excellent and the presentation spot-on. Best known for their pomelo salad and red curry with duck.
Cabbages and Condoms, 6 Sukhumvit Soi 12 (between Nana & Asoke BTS Stations). Run by Thailand's Population and Community Development Association, the odd name referring to the founder's belief that condoms should be as cheap as veggies; and no prizes for guessing what you'll get after dinner instead of an after-dinner mint. The food is competent but toned down for the foreign palate. Mains 150-300 Baht
Lemongrass, 5 Sukhumvit Soi 24. A very good if slightly expat-oriented Thai restaurant. Pomelo salad and tom yam kung (ต้มยำกุ้ง) are both excellent.
Food Centre Soi 5 (Nana BTS Station). Simple, well visited restaurant serving Thai and Western food. Thai dishes are reasonably original, with little concession to the Western taste. Rapid service. Main dishes around 100 baht.
Ruen Mallika, 189 Sukhumvit Soi 22. A very good in an "antique" Thai house with a leafy outdoor section. The menu is a huge picture book which should help in ordering. One thing to watch out is that it is actually not on Soi 22, it is in a little street off 22, take a right at the 7/11 when you are heading from Sukhumvit towards Rama IV and it is about 200-300m on your right. The staff are very friendly and wear traditional Thai outfits to complete the ambiance.
Fusion Restaurants
For Thai food with a twist, the hip districts of Siam Square and the H1 complex on Thong Lo (Sukhumvit Soi 55) are the best places to go hunting.
Bed Supperclub, 26 Soi 11 Sukhumvit, tel. 2651 3537. One of Bangkok's trendiest bar/club/restaurants with a sparsely minimalistic yet jaw-dropping decor. Visiting on weekends is recommended, as you'll be treated to a 4-course surprise meal and a weekly-changing floor show. Reservations are essential (by telephone or online), as only a single serving is served nightly at 21:00; be sure to request a bed and arrive at least 30 minutes early. Dietary restrictions can be catered for if informed in advance. But the bill for all this is steep: the 4-course meal will set you back 1750 baht plus drinks at around 200 baht a pop.
Greyhound Cafe, Emporium 2F (Phrom Phong BTS Station) and also Central Chidlom 2F (Chid Lom BTS Station). An extremely modern restaurant of concrete and brushed steel, offering a fusionesque menu of food ranging from authentic Thai to Italian pasta to Elvis burgers. Mains usually 100 baht+, although lunch sets are quite cheap.
Holy Pizza, Soi 7 Siam Square, 2654 6373. Siam Square at its best: hip, irreverent and innovative, with Thai pop art on the walls and thin-crust Italian pizza married to ingredients that would make the Pope blanch. Try the fairly conservative Vatican's Choice (mozzarella, Parma ham, rocket leaves; 240 baht), or get more experimental with chicken larb pizza.
Indian Restaurants
Indian Host, 30 Soi Sukhumvit 22 (Next to Grande Mercure Hotel), ☎ 02 2601115. Open 11:30 am to 11:30 pm. Contemporary North Indian Cuisine and Indo-Chinese Fusion. The tender lamb Raan is their signature dish.
Rang Mahal, 26F Rembrandt Hotel, 19 Sukhumvit Soi 18 +66 2-261-7100. Bangkok's best Indian restaurant, offering world-class Mughal (North Indian) food in surroundings fit for a maharaja. Fairly expensive (well over 500 baht per head), but the all-you-can-eat Sunday champagne brunch buffet at 499 baht is a steal. This 26th floor restaurant also offers great views of Bangkok, call ahead for reservations and request a window view.
Akhbar's, Soi 3 Indian and Pakistani food
INDUS, Soi 26 Indian Cusine "http://www.indusbangkok.com" A spectacular view as you enter the candle lit path into the restaraunt. You would feel like you are in a real Indian Palace of the Indus Valley. Get seated in the room with exceptional decorations. The food is mainly Indian and a wide range of spicy Indian tastes. An impressive list of vegetarian menu as also available. Relax and dine with some famous wines around the world as you chill out in the indus bar with cool music. Go outside, experiencing an amazing world of your own, not even noticing it is right here in downtown bangkok. Recommemded to reserve first through phone. Come check it out as you wouldn't want to miss this unique place.
Middle Eastern Restaurants
Soi 3 and Soi 3/1, a short walk from Nana BTS Station, is known as Soi Arab for the heavy concentration of Middle Eastern businesses in the area; in some spots you will see more signs in Arabic than in Thai! Thanks to a demanding clientele and heavy competition, the food here is some of the best this side of Lebanon.
Al Ferdoss, 1F Schiller's Inn, 77/1-3 Sukhumvit Soi 3/1. It may have the ambience of a motel lobby (which it pretty much is), but the food here is amazing. Dips and salads (hummus, tabbouleh, falafel, etc) 80 baht a pop, kebabs 130 baht and up, and best of all is the excellent oven-fresh naan. Air-con indoors, but move outside for mint tea and some puffs of the shisha (water pipe).
Beirut Restaurant, Ploenchit Center B1F, Soi 2 Sukhumvit. In an unlikely location next to a supermarket in an otherwise nearly desolate shopping mall, Beirut gets negative points for ambience but serves up very good Middle Eastern fare. Basic shwarma in a pita less than 100 baht, set meals 220 baht and up.
Shahrazad, 6/8 Sukhumvit Road Soi 3/1 (Phone 02251 3666) Great Middle Eastern, Malaysian and Indian food.
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment