Boutique hotels
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Luxx
- Style
- Small is beautiful; less is more
- Setting
- Shopping-central Silom
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Ma Du Zi Hotel
- Style
- Exclusive city sanctuary
- Setting
- Shops and saloons of Sukhumvit
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Tenface
- Style
- Urban fable
- Setting
- Leafy soi, left of centre
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The Metropolitan Bangkok
- Style
- Manicured minimalism
- Setting
- Sparkling South Sathorn streets
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The Sukhothai
- Style
- Stately sanctum
- Setting
- Bustling embassy enclave
Bangkok Eating, drinking and dancing
Restaurants
(+66 (0)2 260 2962)
Bo.lan
This intimate, stylish eatery is owned by couple Duangporn Songvisava (known as Bo) and Dylan Jones who sharpened their chef skills at David Thompson’s London restaurant Nahm. An intriguing menu of traditional Thai food served in a contemporary manner has been wowing local and visiting gourmets alike. Try one of the seasonal tasting menus for superior palate stimulation.
42 Soi Pichai Ronnarong, Songkram Sukhumvit 26, Klong Toey, Bangkok, Thailand 10110
No phone
Chote Chitr
One notch above a street stall, Chote Chitr may have made its way into the city’s guide books, but the food is as authentic and delicious as ever – its mee krob (crispy noodles) and wing bean salad are perhaps the best in town. Take a map because this family-run spot with only a few tables can be hard to find. Perfect if you’re ravenous mid-afternoon, because lunch and dinner times can be hectic.
146 Phraeng Phutorn, off Tanao Road, Bangkok, Thailand
(+66 (0)2 259 7898)
Extra Virgin
This stylish former abode, owned by Rika Dila, has whitewashed walls, comfy sofas and retro furniture. There’s a reasonable menu of Thai and international food, but it’s best for watching Bangkok’s most beautiful chill out.
63 Sukhumvit Soi 53, Bangkok, Thailand
(+66 (0)2 625 3388)
Nahm
Some say it’s like selling ice to Eskimos, but David Thompson is taking on the Thais at their own game at this elegant, warmly designed space. The food on the menu is designed to be as authentic as it can possibly be, considering it’s filtered through the eyes and tastebuds of an expat Aussie. Signature dishes from his award-winning London restaurant, including ma hor (minced pork, prawn and chicken on a thin slice of pineapple), make an appearance, but new additions will keep long-time fans equally content.
Metropolitan Bangkok, 27 South Sathorn Road, Tungmahamek, Sathorn, Bangkok, Thailand 10120
(+66 (0)2 253 5582)
Nasir Al-Masri
Bangkok is brimming with culinary surprises and none more so than this family-run Egyptian restaurant in the small Arab quarter, just off Sukhumvit Road. Find the shisha pipes outside and you’ll also discover an OTT interior and awesome lamb shish, hummus and flatbread.
4/6 Sukhumvit Soi 3/1 North Nana, Bangkok, Thailand
(+66 (0)2 392 2757)
Spring and Summer
A stunning setting in a glass-fronted modernist home, Spring, a Thai restaurant, serves gorgeous food to a crowd of hip Thais and fashionable young expats. Next door, Summer, built in an equally stylish space, is a chocolate café. At night, bean-bags and tables litter the manicured lawns that front the two buildings and Bangkok’s beautiful people lounge about in gastro-bliss.
199 Soi Promsi 2, Thanon Sukhumvit, Bangkok, Thailand 10110
(+66 (0)2 636 0002)
Zanotti
Probably Bangkok’s most popular Italian restaurant, Zanotti is tucked away on the ground floor of a residential complex. The food here is mostly Piedmontese and Tuscan. Try the pasta and the selection of 28 types of salami. If Zanotti’s starched white linens and silverware feel a tad formal, pop over the road for antipasti and pizza at the more casual Vinos.
21/1 1st Floor, Saladaeng Colonnade, Silom Road, Silom Bangrak, Bangkok, Thailand 10500
Bars
No phone
808
Located on the exuberant Royal College Avenue (RCA) – a strip of bars and clubs to the east of the city centre – 808 is now one of Bangkok’s flagship nightclubs. Top international DJs attract urban youth and funked-up fashionistas.
29/53-64 Soi Soonvijai, Rama 9 Road, Bang-Kapi, Huaykwang, Bangkok, Thailand 10310
(+66 (0)2 651 3537)
Bed Supperclub
Like A Clockwork Orange reimagined by Eero Saarinen, the white pod interiors and soft blue neon lights of this iconic Bangkok nightspot offer a choice of beds or low-slung chairs to lounge on. Top international DJs often play sets here, and the bartenders are considered the best in Bangkok.
26 Sukhumvit Soi 11, Klongtoey-nua, Wattana, Bangkok, Thailand 10110
(+66 (0)2 392 1769)
Blue Velvet
Taking its design cues from Baz Luhrmann’s Romeo and Juliet, Blue Velvet serves an interesting fusion of Japanese, Thai and Western food up until 10pm, but it’s the cocktails and dance music that attracts a well-heeled fashion crowd late into the night.
105/2 Thonglor Soi 5, Sukhumvit Soi 55, Bangkok, Thailand 10700
(+66 (0)84 520 2301)
Iron Fairies
This teeny-tiny bar on Thonglor won’t fail to bewitch. Made almost entirely from soldered iron it’s decorated with hundreds of miniature fairies – you can buy one from the bar with its own amulet of fairy dust. It’s an imaginative and highly popular spot for drinks and be prepared for impromptu live music, performance and even magic shows.
394 Thonglor, Sukhumvit soi 55, Wattana, North Klongton, Bangkok, Thailand
(+66 (0)2 302 2557)
Long Table
Skip the inside table (and the food for that matter) and head straight to the sprawling terrace for sensational sunset views over Queen Sirikit Park. Killer cocktails and ambient house music make a perfect warm-up for a night out.
Level 25, 48 Column Building, Sukhumvit Soi 16, Klong Toey, Bangkok, Thailand 10110
(+66 (0)2 624 9555)
Sky Bar
Located 250m above the busy city streets and a stone’s throw from the river, Sky Bar offers some of the most amazing views in town. Definitely one of the most romantic spots to sling a martini.
Lebua State Tower, 1055 Silom Road, Bangrak, Bangkok, Thailand 10500
Cafés
(+66 (0)2 662 5857)
Agalico
This beautiful all-white café will make you forget you’re in Bangkok. Frequented by the high-society crowd, it’s a quiet, cool hideaway serving a wonderful selection of freshly baked cakes and savoury snacks along with a tasty slice of people watching.
20 Sukhumvit Soi 51, Wattana, Bangkok, Thailand 10110
(+66 (0)2 259 1954)
Kuppa
This popular cafe in Sukhumvit serves simple Western and Thai fare. They’re especially well known for their fantastic coffee, roasted on the premises.
39 Sukhumvit Soi 16, Klong Toey, Bangkok, Thailand 10110
