We all know that great Thai food can be found in the most humble shophouse or even by the roadside. But if you’ve travelled a long way and wish to treat yourself to something more sophisticated, here are great Thai restaurants in Bangkok for a special treat.

Some of these restaurants come with a hefty price but remember: this is a whole dining experience, with the service, ambience and other small touches that separate the great from the good. Most of all, these restaurants offer the chance to discover the true tastes of Thailand, all created by the most renowned Thai chefs. It's not just about food; it's about cuisine.

  • 1

    Issaya Siamese Club

    Issaya Siamese Club
    • Couples
    • Food
    • Luxury

    Issaya is a 100-year-old house that stands proudly in the middle of a luscious green garden. With its wooden verandah and old-fashioned staircase, it instantly sets a romantic mood, making it a perfect place for duo dining.

    This is not another pretty tourist place: Thais, expats and the few travellers who make the effort to discover it are unanimous – the combined charm of a heritage house, exceptional service and the renowned culinary flair of Chef Ian Kittichai makes Issaya Siamese Club an outstanding restaurant.

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

    Open: Daily from 11.30 am to 2.30 pm and from 6 pm to 10.30 pm

    Phone: +66 (0)2 672 9040

    Map
  • 2

    Bo.Lan Restaurant

    Bo.Lan Restaurant
    • Food

    Recognised for many years as one of the best Thai restaurants in Bangkok, Bo.Lan is not your everyday local eatery. This is the kind of place to invite your discerning friends or for when you want to impress visitors who think they've ‘tried it all before’.

    The name 'Bo.Lan' comes from the 2 chefs – 'Bo' (Duangporn Songvisava) and 'Dylan Jones' – who were both inspired by and worked under the supervision of Michelin-starred chef David Thompson at Nahm London.

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

    Open: lunch: Thursday–Sunday from midday to 2.30 pm, dinner: Wednesday – Saturday from 6 pm to 10.30 pm (closed on Mondays and Tuesdays)

    Phone: +66 (0)2 260 2962

    Map
  • 3

    Sala Rim Naam at the Mandarin Oriental

    Sala Rim Naam at the Mandarin Oriental
    • 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. Sala Rim Naam succeeds thanks to its amazing location by the riverside – not 2 metres from the water, but right next to your table! Another element is the legendary Mandarin Oriental service and, of course, all these would be meaningless without the key ingredient of a truly great place: the food.

    Location: Mandarin Oriental Bangkok, 48 Oriental Ave, Khlong Ton Sai, Bang Rak, Bangkok 10500, Thailand

    Open: Daily from 11.30 am to 2.30 pm and from 7 pm to 10 pm

    Phone: +66 (0)2 659 9000

    Map
  • 4

    Nahm Restaurant

    Nahm Restaurant
    • Couples
    • Families
    • Food

    Nahm serves Thai cuisine prepared according to ancient recipes with a focus on how the flavours and textures of premium quality ingredients interact together. It’s consistently ranked among the finest restaurants in the world, and with a Michelin-star chef at the helm.

    Whether you are a longstanding visitor to Bangkok or it's your first time eating traditional Thai food, Nahm will both surprise and delight you with fantastic dishes.

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

    Open: Monday–Friday from midday to 2 pm and from 6.30 pm to 11 pm, Saturday–Sunday from 6.30 pm to 11 pm

    Phone: +66 (0)2 625 3388

    Map
  • 5

    Saffron at Banyan Tree

    Saffron at Banyan Tree
    • Food
    • Luxury

    Fantastic views, delicious food, a warm atmosphere and friendly service come together at Saffron Thai restaurant, ensuring that every visitor gets an authentic taste of Thailand. All are served with Banyan Tree’s special brand of hospitality. 

    The restaurant is split over 2 levels, high above the city on the 52nd floor of the Banyan Tree Hotel on Sathorn Road. The closest station is Lumphini MRT, but we recommend taking a taxi; the hotel is well known to taxi drivers. There's a smart casual dress code at Saffron restaurant, so no flip-flops, shorts, sportswear or open shoes for men.

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

    Open: Daily from 11.30 am to 2.30 pm and from 6 pm to 10.30 pm

    Phone: +66 (0)2 679 1200

    Map
  • 6

    Thanying Royal Cuisine

    Thanying Royal Cuisine
    • Food
    • Luxury

    Thanying is a delightful restaurant owned by M.R. Sorut Visuddhi, son of Princess Sulabh. Royal cuisine doesn't mean overly complicated dishes but requires using only the best fresh ingredients, an elegant presentation and everything cut so that a guest never has to use a knife. The fish should be absolutely boneless and there are many other details that help to make the distinction between food and cuisine.

    Thanying is set in a charming classic house with a small, shaded terrace on the side. The interior is elegant without being too sophisticated, with a lot of vintage wood furniture and chandeliers.

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

    Open: Daily from 11.30 am to 10 pm

    Phone: +66 (0)2 236 4361

    Map
  • 7

    Steve Café and Cuisine

    Steve Café and Cuisine
    • Food

    Steve Café combines several successful key ingredients: 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 passing by almost silently.

    The second most important thing is, of course, the food – very Thai, using quality ingredients and cooked with passion. The menu even says that no dishes are cooked in advance, so some dishes can take time to prepare and, when the restaurant is full (which is every night), it can be a bit slow.

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

    Open: Daily from 11 am to 10.30 pm

    Phone: +66 (0)2 281 0915

    Map
  • 8

    Supanniga Eating Room

    Supanniga Eating Room
    • Food

    Owner Eh opened Supanniga Eating Room, inspired by his grandmother’s recipes. It serves an appetising range of traditional Thai dishes from both her hometown in Trat (by the east coast) and Khon Kaen (northeast Thailand), where the family is now based.

    With comfortable but chic decor, an outside terrace and some strong martinis, this restaurant in Thong Lor is worth a trip along the road to Soi 8. It’s very easy to find, in an old shophouse just a few metres before the Ei8ht lifestyle mall on the right-hand side, if you are coming from the BTS (Thong Lor).

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

    Open: Daily from 11.30 am to 2.30 pm and from 5.30 pm to 11 pm

    Phone: +66 (0)2 714 7508

    Map
  • 9

    The House Of Smooth Curry at Plaza Athenee

    The House Of Smooth Curry at Plaza Athenee
    • Food

    The House Of Smooth Curry is a Thai restaurant in Bangkok that serves traditional Thai 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 Plaza Athénée Bangkok on Wireless Road. Getting there is simple: it’s only a 5-minute walk from the Skytrain at Ploen Chit and taxis will be familiar with the hotel name.

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

    Open: Daily from midday to 2.30 pm and from 6 pm to 10.30 pm

    Phone: +66 (0)2 650 8800

    Map
  • 10

    Baan Home Cuisine

    • 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 cosy 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

    Map
Willy Thuan | Compulsive Traveller