The sidewalks hum with smoky woks and sizzling skewers, where every bite feels like a jackpot win. Then there’s the middle ground, sleek, smart restaurants serving Thai and global dishes at prices that won’t send you running to the ATM. But the real fireworks? Bangkok’s fine dining game. It’s stealing big chunks of the global spotlight, with four spots on the prestigious World’s 50 Best list. Take Sühring, for example, it’s the kind of place that’s reshaping what Bangkok dining means, something tourists may not even know exists.
Luxury Meets Liquid Gold
What you need to know about Chateau d’Yquem aside from the price tag that costs more than my first car, is that it’s not your typical dessert wine. Sure, it’s golden hued sweetness, rich and opulent, like sipping nectar spun by fairies on overtime shifts. But to dismiss it as ‘just for dessert’ is like casting Meryl Streep in a soap opera, grossly underutilized. So here it is, staring me down during the lobster course. And honestly, I don’t mind being outmatched.
I’m in Bangkok, not exactly the capital of fine German food, but here sits Sühring, a restaurant shaking every culinary expectation. Run by twin brothers Thomas Sühring and Mathias Sühring, this isn’t beer and brat territory. Set in a dazzlingly restored 1970s villa, their restaurant redefines expectations, serving 15 course tasting menus inspired by their grandmother’s home cooked recipes, but elevated to Michelin star (Read Three) heights. Think corned beef toast with caviar. Pickled herring tucked into tiny tarts. Spaetzle with snowy white Alba truffles. Kagoshima wagyu paired with grilled persimmon and vanilla. Every bite feels like a deep dive into Germany, recalibrated for the Bangkok elite replete with white linens, and floors that gleam as much as the wine glasses. Chateau d’Yquem alongside perfectly grilled lobster? The racy sweetness and zingy acidity of the wine turns the dish into pure alchemy.
Bangkok Bites All Day
Bangkok is a city that eats from dawn till dusk, and if you know what’s good for you, you’ll do the same. Breakfast here doesn’t whisper; it roars to life with crackling woks, glistening broths, and spice levels that could make a grown man cry. Forget toast and eggs. In Sukhumvit, at Rung Rueang, a no frills noodle haven with stainless steel tables and the hum of motorbikes outside, you’ll be met with a bowl of perfection, pork noodles, dry or soupy (always dry for me), with just the right chew, topped with fresh cilantro and begging to be customized. A dash of sugar? Sure. A fistful of chili flakes? Only for the brave. But don’t stop there. Tucked in Bangkok’s buzzing Sukhumvit, Sri Trat is like stepping into eastern Thailand on a plate. Opened in 2017 by Wongwich Sripinyo and his wife Nontawan Chitwattanagorn, it’s a love letter to Sripinyo’s hometown of Trat. His mother, a former Trat beauty queen, no less, looms large, literally, her mural crowned on a brick wall. The menu? A flavour packed dive into Trat’s coastal soul, stir fried chicken with fragrant Siam cardamom, juicy pork patties with salted king mackerel, and silky glass noodles tangled up with pork and cha-om. The secret sauce? Ingredients straight from small farmers and fishermen in Trat and Rayong, the kind that rarely leave their provinces. One bite, and you’ll feel like you’ve been invited into someone’s (very stylish) family kitchen.
Skyline, Savour, Sparkle
Le Du Kaan isn’t just perched in Bangkok’s Empire Tower in Sathorn, it feels like it’s flirting with the clouds. A short stroll from Chong Nonsi BTS, this culinary gem rises above the chaos, offering breath taking views of the Chao Phraya River and Bangkok’s glittering skyline, best admired as the sun dips low. But the real magic begins when you step inside. Warm woods, soft lighting, and understated Thai accents create an intimate elegance, while floor to ceiling windows frame the city like a living postcard. The 56th-floor open-air Sky Bar sprawls grandly, yet feels approachable, perfect for toasting under starlit skies. DJs spin sultry beats from dusk till midnight, setting the tone for romance or celebration. Even the private dining rooms, seating six to eight, feel like starlit cocoons. Le Du Kaan redefines ‘sky high elegance.’
Bangkok’s Bold Flavour Revolution
Bangkok’s dining scene is a kaleidoscope of sensory delights, from street side smoke curling up from fiery woks to sumptuous dishes plated as if they belong in a gallery. But then there’s Le Du, meaning ‘season,’ where the city’s culinary heartbeat elevates itself to fine dining. This is Chef Tonn Tassanakajohn’s playground, a space where Thai traditions are romanced by modern elegance and served up with precision that could make Michelangelo jealous. Chef Tonn, with that boyish charm and hair that’s more charismatic than a rockstar’s, blends his CIA training with time honoured Thai recipes he grew up with, and frankly, he’s rewriting the rulebook on what Thai food can be. Aged duck meets creamy pumpkin and Jo-Rang curry; squid teams up with fermented tofu and aloe vera in a pairing so inventive you’ll wonder why it wasn’t in existence sooner. The meal unravels like a story, with an illustrated ‘map’ to guide you through Tonn’s seasonal vision. And the Thai River Prawn? Let’s just say it’s worth every baht and then some, taking a seat somewhere between memory and masterpiece. In short, dining here feels personal, like Chef Tonn invited you into his kitchen, whispering life’s secrets as he plates a dish.
Nusara, Tonn’s other restaurant, takes the familiar warmth of Thai home cooking, casually dressed up for a night out. Expect shareable plates that are greater than the sum of their parts, salads as artful symphonies, relishes with culturally rich undertones, and stir fries that understand the soul of Bangkok. Over at Potong, chef Pichaya Soontornyanakij conjures magic with her roast duck, the kind of crackling, lacquered skin and luscious meat that makes you reconsider every duck dish you’ve ever ordered. It’s not just food, it’s a story, a nod to her family’s Chinese pharmacy days, etched into every corner of the beautifully restored shophouse. Somehow, nostalgia and visionary Thai Chinese innovation share the same plate, and they’re getting along just fine. Can’t wait to go back again!
(Awarded the “Best food writer in the country” by the Indian culinary forum, WACS and the Ministry of Tourism, Rupali Dean writes on food and travel.)
