Now that more and more of your friends are heading back to visit Bangkok again, it’s likely they’ll come to you, the budding local, for restaurant recommendations. Here are some of the best, most reliable, fail-safe, and authentic Thai restaurants in Bangkok.
Whether it’s to savour classic flavours, unusual flavours, or flavours in the company of music and local spirits, there’s a Thai restaurant out there in Bangkok for any kind of crowd. Whilst we normally stay away from the tourist traps, there’s still a plethora of Thai restaurants that are worth visiting, even if — or especially if — you live here.
We’re steering clear of any street food or major chain restaurants for this list, and sought out to put together a list that checks all the boxes. Price-friendly, nice ambience, delicious food: here’s where to take your friends and family when they want to go to the best restaurants in Bangkok, according to a local.
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[Hero image credit: Khao Jaan-Prod/Facebook; Featured image credit: Sri Trat]
The best Thai restaurants in Bangkok (casual dining)
Ruen Urai
Open daily, 12-11pm
We’re starting our list with a real classic, both in terms of story, setting, and menu. Translating to “House of Gold,” Ruen Urai is beloved for its elegant and romantic Thai ambience. The menu is inspired by various regions of Thailand, and spans recipes from royal Thai cuisine over to refined home-cooking. Whilst it is very traditional, it’s a great spot especially for first-timers and newcomers to sample delights like miang khum, pomelo salad, Thai curry, Pad Thai, and mango sticky rice.
Price range for two: THB 800-1,500
You can find more information at Ruen Urai. 118 Surawong Road, Suriya Wong, Bang Rak, Bangkok.
Sri Trat
Open daily, 11am-10pm
For those who are already more familiar with Thai cuisine, Sri Trat is a must-try for something new, hot, and spicy. At Sri Trat, the cuisine of the coastal province of Trat is the star, and is brought to life and plate through family recipes. In a beautiful setting that plays on history, geography, and cheeky contemporary, enjoy eastern Thai dishes like stir fried tiger with garlic, chili, and fish sauce, or spicy sea bass soup with salacca and shrimp paste. Be sure to try some of the Thai-inspired cocktails by the bar, too.
Price range for two: THB 700-1,200
You can find more information at Sri Trat. 90 Sukhumvit 33 Alley, Khlong Tan Nuea, Watthana, Bangkok.
Burapa Eastern Thai Cuisine & Bar by Sri Trat
Open daily, 12-3pm; 5-11.30pm
A little more upscale, Burapa Eastern Thai Cuisine & Bar is also helmed by the team behind Sri Trat. It is located on Sukhumvit Soi 11, and is inspired by the trains of the 1940s. Decked out in a luxe interior with a nostalgic and romantic ambience to suit, diners get to enjoy eastern Thai flavours in a sophisticated and downright dreamy setting here. Portions are also generous, meaning you don’t have to keep ordering to feel satisfied.
Price range for two: THB 1,200-2,000
You can find more information at Burapa Eastern Thai Cuisine & Bar by Sri Trat. 26 Soi Sukhumvit 11, Khlong Toei Nuea, Watthana, Bangkok.
Charmgang
Open daily, 6-10.30pm on weekdays, 12-2pm; 6-10.30pm on weekends
Thailand is famed for its curries, and if you’ve got a curry aficionado amongst your friends or family, definitely take them to Charmgang Curry Shop. The “cosy curry shop” serves up a variety of mouthwatering curries in a fun and colourful setting, with favourites including Green Curry with Beef, Shrimp Curry, and Grilled Oyster with Curry. Helmed by the kitchen team formerly of the renowned Nahm restaurant, the restaurant is one with great heart and great artsy design.
Price range for two: THB 2,000-3,000
You can find more information at Charmgang or book at Chope. 14, 35 Charoen Krung Road, Talat Noi, Samphanthawong, Bangkok.
100 Mahaseth
Open daily, 11.30am-midnight
Carnivores, this one’s for you. 100 Mahaseth is a haven for meat lovers, and those with an adventurous palate. Placing emphasis on a “root to fruit and nose to tail” dining experience, the food at 100 Mahaseth is locally sourced with a big eye on sustainability and zero waste. You’ll get to try every part of the animal here, whether it’s the Dry Aged Beef Tongue with Peppercorn, Perilla Seeds, Sweet Chili Vinegar, and Chamuang Leaf, or the Grilled Fermented Pork Ribs with Ginger Sauce. Expect unique flavours in a laidback setting, for a meal that you’ll remember for a long time thereafter. Pro tip? Head to Mahaniyom after dinner, the Thai-inspired bar hidden just upstairs.
Price range for two: THB 2,000-3,500
You can find more information at 100 Mahaseth or book on Chope. 100 Maha Set Rd, Si Phraya, Bang Rak, Bangkok.
Baan Nual
Wed-Sun, 12-2pm; 5-8pm
For your friends who are more street, head to Baan Nual if you can get a table. The super casual Thai restaurant is made up of just a few tables in an unsuspecting old house in the Old Town, but it is worth every effort to get there. Serving up a simple yet deeply satisfying Thai menu that changes seasonally, expect items like pork neck with shrimp paste, massive grilled river prawns, and various curries. A true insider spot, if your friends from abroad wanting a Thai restaurant experience in Bangkok bragging rights, this is the place to go.
Price range for two: 1,600-2,400
You can find more information at Baan Nual. 37 Fueang Nakhon Rd, Wat Ratchabophit, Phra Nakhon, Bangkok.
Supanniga Eating Room (Tha Thien branch)
Open daily, 11am-10pm on weekdays, 10am-10pm on weekends
We said we wouldn’t include any chain restaurants on this list, but we had to make an exception for this particular branch of this particular chain. Supanniga Eating Room has various branches across town, and the Tha Thien branch is inarguably its most scenic. Overlooking Wat Arun, the temple of dawn, take your guests here for dinner for a breathtaking experience. Highlight dishes here include Pu Jab Crab and Pork, Massaman Beef Curry, Crab Bai Cha Blu Curry, and Trat-style fried Chinese cabbage. And whatever you do, order their extremely fluffy crab omelette.
Price range for two: THB 800-1,500
You can find more information at Supanniga Eating Room, or book at Chope. 2 Maha Rat Rd, Phra Borom Maha Ratchawang, Phra Nakhon, Bangkok.
Samlor
Wed-Mon, 6-10.30pm on weekdays, 11am-1.30pm; 6-10.30pm on weekends
Opened by Thai culinary power couple Napol “Joe” Jantraget and Saki Hoshino, Samlor set out to reinvent the cuisine. The menu at first glance reads as a local street food joint, but each element is upgraded. Their prawn ceviche (or goong chae nam phla) comes minced, bite-sized, and extremely refreshing. Their famed omelette is fluffy, feather-light, and oozes creamy yolk once cut open. They get that the wheel still works, they just gave those wheels a huge boost.
Price range for two: THB 1,800-2,500
You can find more information at Samlor. 1076 Charoen Krung Road, Bangrak, Bang Rak, Bangkok.
E_ga Bangkok
Thurs-Tues, 10am-10pm
E_ga is Thai comfort food at its finest, with traditional recipes cooked to perfection and made with love. Their seafood dishes hit just the right spot, with highlights including the spicy red curry with Asian red tail, mi krop with prawns; even their Thai prawns ceviche is amazing to the tastebuds. The Sathorn branch is very accessible and perfect for a power lunch, but travel to their OG branch in Songwat for the relaxing atmosphere.
Price range for two: THB 700-1400
You can find more information at E_ga Bangkok. 829 Song Wat Rd, Chakkrawat, Samphanthawong, Bangkok.
The Siam Tea Room
Open daily, 12-10.30pm
The Siam Tea Room is not famed for tea. Okay, they have teas available, but many rush to them for hearty Thai cuisine. Massamun beef cheek curry, tom yum kung, grilled pork neck, and more — they have picked here and there from every local cuisine in Thailand, and done well. The Southern-style grouper yellow curry is always a hit with the table. The original branch is at Bangkok Marriott Marquis Queen’s Park, but we also recommend the new one at Asiatique the Riverfront because the riverside vibes are simply insane.
Price range for two: THB 800-1,500
You can find more information at The Siam Tea Room or book at SevenRooms. 2194 Charoen Krung Road, Wat Phraya Krai, Bang Kho Laem, Bangkok.
ERR Urban Rustic Thai
Open daily, 11am-11pm
Bo and Dylan from Bo.lan set out to do something more laidback, more casual compared to their usual venture, and the result is ERR, a Thai restaurant in Bangkok that serves up simple yet no-nonsense dishes. They pride themselves on utilising in-house preserved food made from quality ingredients, available through their close relationships with local farmers and artisans. The menu is full of comfort food, dishes we know and love, flavours we’re familiar with — farm-to-table style.
Price range for two: THB 600-1,200
You can find more information at ERR Urban Rustic Thai. 56 10 Thong Lo, Khlong Tan Nuea, Watthana, Bangkok.
Naam 1608
Tues-Sun, 11am-10pm
Naam 1608 is a serene, intimate restaurant located right next to Chao Phraya river. Dine on authentic Thai dishes as you watch boats break the waves and the glimmering lights on the other side of the river bank. Pop by during the weekends for their famous grilled river prawns, and any other day for some riverside delicacies. Highlights you cannot miss include the spicy sour steamed bass with coconut milk, and the stir-fried lotus stems with prawn.
Price range for two: THB 1,000-1,500
You can find more information at Naam 1608. 1608 Song Wat Rd, Samphanthawong, Bangkok.
Gedhawa
Mon-Sat, 11am-2pm; 5-9.30pm
When it comes to Northern Thai cuisine, your mind might go straight to khao soi. While we support that fully as khao soi is amazing, Gedhawa shines a spotlight on many dishes not commonly found in Bangkok, including ones that you just may fall in love with. Order a gaeng het thawp, a yellow curry with puffball-like mushrooms that grow during the summer season, or the gaeng hang le, a slow-simmered, slightly sweet and tangy curry with pork belly. If you’re looking for a homey Thai restaurant in Bangkok, this is the one. Even Harry Styles agrees.
Price range for two: THB 500-800
You can find more infomration at Gedhawa. Taweewan Place, Sukhumvit 33 Alley, Khlong Tan Nuea, Watthana, Bangkok.
Khao Jaan-Prod
Open daily, 11am-9pm
Khao Jaan-Prod is all about the flavours Thai people were acquainted with when they were kids, so you’ll see a lot of old recipes our grandmas used to make, as well as some familiar snacks we would get at the end of our days at middle school. You’ll see old Thai dishes such as massaman curry and fried seabass, as well as chicken wings and grilled sausages. Be sure to order the stir-fried lettuce to start—it can make any kids who dislike vegetables to open their hearts again.
Price range for two: THB 800-1,500
You can find more information at Khao Jaan-Prod. 999/9 Rama I Rd, Pathum Wan, Bangkok 10330.
Vanida Bangkok
Open daily, 8am-9pm
Dining at Vanida is like travelling back in time. They feature homey Thai dishes, authentic recipes from olden days, along with some modern interpretations that you get to enjoy as you sit in an old mansion that has been around for over 100 years. The menu offers a variety of classics you know and love, but elevated in taste and presentation. Our advice is to order a Thai-style scrambled eggs for yourself, and some krapow and tom yum to share.
Price range for two: 1,200-2,000
You can find more information at Vanida Bangkok or book at HungryHub. 136 Chan Rd, Khwaeng Wat Phraya Krai, Khet Bang Kho Laem, Bangkok.
Vichayuth Chantan
Digital Writer, Drinks and Dining
Writer by day and skinny legend by night, Vichayuth focuses on the hospitality industry of Thailand. You'll often find him at a bar finding new friends, discovering new drinks, and silently judging you from across the room.
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