Bangkok Food Guide: 25 Must-Visit Restaurants in Bangkok, Thailand

When you think of countries with the best food, Thailand is one of the first places that comes to mind. Street food in Bangkok is legendary, so much so that CNN named it the very best city in the world for street food.

Finding great Thai food in Bangkok isn’t difficult. Just walk to one of its many food enclaves and markets and you’re sure to find street vendors cooking up tantalizing Thai dishes like pad thai, tom yum goong, pad kra pao, and som tum.

But if you want to find the best restaurants in Bangkok, then this food guide will lead you to 25 of the top restaurants in Thailand’s capital city. Finding authentic food is important to us so we consulted with locals, Airbnb hosts, and Bangkok food bloggers to find the best examples of everyone’s favorite Thai dishes.

If you’re like me and love street food, then you may want to check out our article on Bangkok’s best street food stalls as well.

THE BEST RESTAURANTS IN BANGKOK

1. Rongros (Our Favorite Restaurant for Traditional Thai Food)

Rongros is proof that Michelin-recommended meals don’t have to cost you an arm and a leg in Bangkok. We ordered three dishes and two beers and our bill came out to just THB 1,213 (March 2023), which at today’s exchange rate translates to a little over USD 35. That’s an absolute bargain, especially when you see the view from this restaurant. More on that later.

We went with two of the chef-recommended dishes, starting with this tasty tod mun pla or Thai spiced fishcakes. Made with clown featherback fish, it’s topped with crispy fried basil and served with a peanut-based dipping sauce.

We love tod mun pla and had it several times on our most recent trip to Bangkok. This was one of our favorites.

This bowl of sai krok isan is another chef-recommended dish at Rongros. Sai krok isan literally means “Isan sausage” and refers to a tangy fermented sausage popular in northeastern Thailand. Made with a mixture of pork, sticky rice, garlic, and salt, it’s a tasty street food snack that’s commonly served with raw cabbage and bird’s eye chilis.

Like sai oua, sai krok isan is one of our favorite snacks in Chiang Mai or Chiang Rai. At Rongros, they serve it with fresh dill, cucumber slices, roasted peanuts, and loads of fried garlic.

For our main course, we shared this pot of Thai green curry which you can get with either chicken (pictured below) or New Zealand ribeye. What makes the version at Rongros different is that it’s served with ultra-flaky roti that you can dip into the curry sauce, much like Indian curries.

This classic Thai dish is one of my favorites. It’s delicious with the roti but be sure to order some jasmine rice to go with it.

Located on the banks of the Chao Phraya River, Rongros serves delicious food but there’s something else that they’re known for. Keep scrolling to see what I mean.

Located almost directly across the river from Wat Arun, Rongros boasts one of the best views of this famous Bangkok landmark. This picture was taken from the first-floor dining area but at night, they open a rooftop bar that offers even more spectacular nighttime views of Wat Arun. Great food with a killer view, what more can you ask for?

Rooftop tables are typically booked weeks in advance. In our experience, it wasn’t hard to reserve a table inside but if you want to sit on the rooftop, then I suggest booking a table well before your trip to Bangkok.

Here’s a look at Rongros’ intimate dining room. It’s a small restaurant with just five or six tables so reservations are a must.

Rongros

Address: 392 16 Maha Rat Rd, Phra Borom Maha Ratchawang, Phra Nakhon, Bangkok 10200, Thailand
Operating Hours: 11AM-3PM, 5-10PM, daily
What to Order: Tod mun pla, sai krok isan, green curry

2. Somtum Der

This Michelin-recommended restaurant specializes in Isan dishes like som tum (or som tam), sai krok isan, and larb. As you can probably surmise from its name, they’re known for their many different preparations of som tum but their other dishes are definitely worth trying as well.

What you’re looking at below is an Isan favorite known as kor moo yang. Translating to “grilled pork neck”, we’ve tried this dish many times in Thailand – including Chiang Mai – but this was the best we’ve had so far. Smokey, juicy, and meltingly tender, it was delicious.

Som tam refers to one of the most popular dishes in Thai Isan cuisine. Originally from Laos, it’s a supremely flavor salad made with shredded green papaya mixed with different ingredients like dried shrimp, fish sauce, palm sugar, chili peppers, fermented fish, and brined rice paddy crabs.

You can get som tam prepared in many different ways. Some are sweet and sour while others are spicier and considerably more pungent in flavor. Pictured below is a version called som tum thai. It’s a central Thai version of som tum that has a sweet, sour, and salty flavor profile.

If it’s your first time tying som tum, then you may want to start with one of these central Thai versions. Somtum Der offers around ten different variations for you to choose from.

If you’re a curious eater and want something a little more complex in flavor, then you should go for one of their Isan-style som tums. They’re made with fermented fish which adds another dimension of flavor to the dish.

What you’re looking at below is a version called som tum suo khao poon kraeng na. It’s made with rice vermicelli, fermented fish sauce, cockles, and Isan snails, among other things.

Isan-style som tum may not be for everyone but if you get used to the flavor, then it’s something your taste buds will look for on every return trip to Bangkok and Thailand.

Somtum Der is located in Si Lom, one of my favorite neighborhoods in Bangkok. According to the awards pasted on their door, their som tum earns them a spot on the Bangkok Michelin Guide every year.

Like Rongros, Somtum Der is one of the more affordable Michelin-recommended restaurants in Bangkok. Our meal with drinks came out to just THB 613 (March 2023), or roughly USD 18.

You can enjoy a meal at Somtum Der using TAGTHAi’s Bangkok Foodie Pass. It’s one of eight Michelin-recommended restaurants featured in the pass.

Somtum Der

Address: 5, 5 Sala Daeng Rd, Khwaeng Silom, Khet Bang Rak, Krung Thep Maha Nakhon 10500, Thailand
Operating Hours: 11AM-11PM, daily
What to Order: Kor moo yang, som tum

3. Madam Somtum

Madam Somtum is another recommended som tam restaurant, this time in the Lumphini area. Like Somtum Der, they serve many different types of som tum and other Isan dishes like gai yang and pork larb.

Can you guess the star ingredient in this version of som tum?

It’s made with small rice paddy crabs. This som tum was tasty but it was also one of the more pungent-tasting versions I’ve had in Bangkok. It was also head-sweatingly spicy!

Madam Somtum is considerably cheaper than Somtum Der. It’s a great place to try som tum if you’re visiting Bangkok on a budget.

Madam Somtum

Address: 888/19 Phloen Chit Rd, Lumphini, Pathum Wan, Bangkok 10330, Thailand
Operating Hours: 10AM-10PM, Mon-Sat (closed Sundays)
What to Order: Som tum

4. Baan Kuay Tiew Ruathong

If you were to come up with a list of must-try Thai food in Bangkok, then boat noodles should definitely be on that list. It refers to an intensely flavorful Thai noodle dish made with pork or beef and other ingredients like fish balls, crushed peanuts, herbs, garlic, and dark soy sauce. What makes it distinctive and especially flavorful is the pig or cow’s blood that’s used to season its dark broth.

Boat noodles can be prepared in several ways. At Baan Kuay Tiew Ruathong, you can try around six different versions made with or without soup. Pictured below is the classic boat noodle soup with pork. This was supremely tasty and for me, one of the most delicious noodle soups you can have in Bangkok.

This tasty Thai dish was originally sold from boats traversing Bangkok’s canals in the early 1940s, hence the name. They were prepared in small portions to make it easier for the vendor to pass them to customers without spilling the broth. They’re still prepared in small bowls today so customers typically eat several bowls in one sitting.

This version of boat noodle soup was made with beef. At the time of our visit in March 2023, each bowl sold for just THB 16 (around USD 0.50). You can finish one in three or four bites.

If I remember correctly, this one was the spicy version made with pork.

Fish balls are popular in Thailand. We enjoyed them many times at different restaurants in Bangkok, but these fish balls served with spicy sauce stood out because of their especially soft texture. Note the thumb indentations in each fish ball.

Baan Kuay Tiew Ruathong was one of the busiest restaurants we went to on our most recent trip to Bangkok. It’s a good-sized restaurant but a wait is inevitable at peak meal times.

When we first arrived, there were around ten people ahead of us in line. By the time we finished our meal, there were over twenty people waiting to get their hands (and mouths) on Baan Kuay Tiew Ruathong’s tasty boat noodles. If you’d rather not wait, then I suggest going at off-peak hours.

Baan Kuay Tiew Ruathong

Address: 1/7 Ratchawithi Rd, Samsen Nai, PhaSya Thai, Bangkok 10400, Thailand
Operating Hours: 9AM-8PM, Tue-Sun (closed Mondays)
What to Order: Boat noodles

5. Pad Thai Fai Ta Lu

I’ll come right out and say it – these were the most expensive plates of pad thai we’ve ever eaten in Bangkok, and it isn’t even close. But they’re also by far the most delicious.

Pad Thai Fai Ta Lu is owned by Chef Andy Yang, the first Thai chef to be awarded a Michelin Star. He received that distinction in 2010 for his Thai restaurant Rhong-Tiam in New York City. Upon his return to Bangkok, he would open this pad thai restaurant along Dinso Road, which has been a fixture on the Bangkok Michelin street food guide.

A plate of pad thai at Chef Yang’s restaurant is at least double the price of an average pad thai in Bangkok. I was put off by the price and smaller portion at first but one bite was enough to make me a believer. Made with sticky, gooey rice noodles and big succulent prawns, this was easily the best pad thai I’ve ever had in my life. It was unbelievably delicious.

We also tried this version of pad thai served with crispy Berkshire pork. According to the description on their menu, the pork is first boiled in herbal soup before being air-chilled, smoked, and then fried in its own oil.

The end result is a chunk of supremely crispy pork belly that serves as the perfect foil for the soft and sticky rice noodles. If you’re a fan of pork belly, then you need to try this.

Pad Thai Fai Ta Lu has two outlets in Bangkok – one in Siam Square and the original branch along Dinso Road. Like Somtum Der (#2), this original branch along Dinso Road is one of eight Michelin-recommended restaurants you can visit using TAGTHAi’s Bangkok Foodie Pass.

Pad Thai Fai Ta Lu (Dinso Road)

Address: 115/5 Dinso Rd, Baworniwet, Phranakorn, Bangkok 10200, Thailand
Operating Hours: 10AM-8PM, daily
What to Order: Pad thai

6. Original Pad Kra Pao 1993

As much I like pad thai, it isn’t something I could eat all the time. That isn’t the case with pad kra pao which is my favorite Thai comfort food. This simple but delicious dish made with seasoned ground meat or seafood stir-fried with Thai basil and garlic is something I could seriously eat everyday.

Restaurants and street food stalls selling pad kra pao are a dime a dozen in Bangkok, but some people said that the Original Pad Kra Pao 1993 Restaurant is one of the best. They’re not wrong.

Original Pad Kra Pao 1993 serves pad kra pao made with different types of meat and seafood like ground pork, ground beef, chicken, and shrimp. Pictured below is the classic ground pork pad kra pao topped with a fried egg. It was delicious.

This pad kra pao served with squid was topped with an omelette. Like the ground pork, it was excellent.

Like any restaurant, you can get your pad kra pao at Original Pad Kra Pao 1993 with varying levels of spiciness. I love spicy food but I always go for the medium level because I actually want to taste and enjoy my pad kra pao.

The Original Pad Kra Pao 193 restaurant is located on the less touristy western side of the Chao Phraya River, just a short walk from Wongwian Yai BTS station.

Original Pad Kra Pao 1993

Address: 231 Soi Charoen Rat 4, Khlong Ton Sai, Khlong San, Bangkok 10600, Thailand
Operating Hours: 11AM-9PM, daily
What to Order: Pad kra pao

7. Krob Kun

If you’d rather not travel too far to get your pad kra pao fix, then Krob Kun is an excellent option. Located on the second level of the Bangkok Arts & Cultural Center (BACC), they specialize in pad kra pao served with the crispiest pieces of pork belly.

If you enjoy food with lots of crunch and texture like I do, then you need to try this. It’s so frikking good and something I will definitely look for again on future trips to Bangkok.

My better half isn’t as big a fan of pad kra pao as I am so she went with this tom yum fried rice topped with crispy pork. She enjoyed it too. It’s all about that crispy pork belly!

Krob Kun is on the second level of BACC, just a stone’s throw away from centrally located National Stadium BTS Station. Do visit this restaurant if you want the crispiest pork belly with your pad kra pao.

Krob Kun

Address: Level 2, BACC, 939 Rama I Rd, Wang Mai, Pathum Wan, Bangkok, Thailand
Operating Hours: 11AM-6PM, Tue-Sun (closed Mondays)
What to Order: Pad kra pao

8. This is Basil

This is Basil is another great pad kra pao restaurant in Bangkok. Located near Icon Siam, they offer five types of meat to go with your pad kra pao – ground pork, sai krok isan, duck, fish cake, and beef. You can get it a few add-ons as well.

What you’re looking at below is the classic ground pork pad kra pao topped with a fried egg and a side of crispy chicken skin. I got mine with the medium level of spiciness – which was hot enough – but fire eaters can get it with ghost peppers as well.

Fried chicken skin isn’t the healthiest food but it’s delicious and adds another layer of texture to your pad kra pao.

This is Basil isn’t an actual restaurant. I don’t know what to call it but it’s part of the Save Our Souls craft beer and burger restaurant near Icon Siam. They offer mostly Western comfort food but you’ll find the pad kra pao dishes from This is Basil on the last page of their menu.

This is Basil (Save Our Souls)

Address: 250 Charoen Nakhon Rd, Klongtonsai, Khlong San, Bangkok 10600, Thailand
Operating Hours: 11AM-8PM, Tue-Sun (closed Mondays)
What to Order: Pad kra pao

9. Aunt Paad Phad Kaphrao

I went to many pad kra pao restaurants in Bangkok, but this one was my hands down favorite. Located in Wang Lang Market, Aunt Paad is a humble restaurant that serves a few Thai dishes but their specialty is pad kra pao.

Their menu is entirely in Thai but it does have pictures so it shouldn’t be difficult to order. I pointed at the classic chicken pad kra pao topped with a fried egg. I haven’t met a pad kra pao that I didn’t like in Bangkok, but for me, this one was the best.

The Aunt Paad restaurant can be hard to spot in the frenzy of shoppers and goods for sale at Wang Lang Market. The entrance is partly obscured by clothing so I suggest using Google Maps to help you navigate to the restaurant. You can also refer to our map for its exact location.

Aunt Paad Phad Kaphrao

Address: 380 Arun Amarin Rd, Siri Rat, Bangkok Noi, Bangkok 10700, Thailand
Operating Hours: 8AM-5PM, Mon-Sat (closed Sundays)
What to Order: Pad kra pao

10. Pe Aor Tom Yum Goong

Like pad thai, tom yum is one of Thailand’s national dishes so you can’t visit Bangkok without trying this dish. It’s a complex-tasting but well-balanced hot and sour soup that made it to CNN’s list of the world’s 50 best dishes.

What you’re looking at below is Pe Aor’s kuay teow tom yum goong nam khon. According to popular Bangkok-based food blogger Mark Wiens of eatingthaifood.com, it’s rare to find the creamy version of tom yum goong served with noodles in Bangkok. Not only does Pe Aor specialize in this type of tom yum, but they make it even tastier by infusing the broth with fat from shrimp heads. Oh my!

Pe Aor was also featured in the Bangkok episode of Street Food Asia. The cook explained to the host – Chef Luke Nguyen – that they use non-fat milk in the broth instead of coconut milk, making it somewhat of a cross between a Singaporean laksa and Thai tom yum.

We ordered this dish based on Mark’s recommendation and it was fantastic too. Called khao goong rad sauce man boo, it’s a rice dish topped with a jumbo prawn sliced in half and a ladleful of man boo or crab fat. It isn’t the healthiest dish but my god was it delicious!

We went to Pe Aor Tom Yum Goong (also spelled P’Aor or Pee Aor) a few years ago but based on its recent reviews, the restaurant is still going strong.

Pe Aor Tom Yum Goong

Address: 68, 51 Phetchaburi Rd, Thung Phaya Thai, Ratchathewi, Bangkok 10400, Thailand
Operating Hours: 10AM-9PM, Tues-Sun (closed Mondays)
What to Order: Tom yum goong

11. Mit Ko Yuan

Mark Wiens is an authority on where to eat in Bangkok. When I read that Mit Ko Yuan serves one of the best bowls of tom yum goong he’s ever had in Bangkok and Thailand, it was a no-brainer to add it to our list.

The tom yum goong at Mit Ko Yuan is different from the version at Pe Aor in that it isn’t made with evaporated milk to give it a creamier broth. The broth gets much of its flavor from freshwater prawn heads and lightly cooked herbs like culantro and cilantro. This leads to a less creamy broth that tastes more sour and just a little bit sweet.

Personally, I prefer creamier tom yums but Mrs. Traveleater enjoyed this one more. She noted that the broth’s lack of creaminess made it closer to Filipino sinigang, which is absolutely right.

This plate of deep-fried dried pork was a pleasant surprise. Dusted with a light batter (maybe cornstarch), they were crunchy and fun to eat, especially with cold beer.

We only had two dishes but Mit Ko Yuan offers an extensive menu of mostly central Thai food. Their tom yum is one of their specialties so you may want to start with that.

According to Mark, Mit Ko Yuan offers a few Western-Thai dishes (not modern Western dishes) that date back to mid-19th century Thailand. When you see that, that’s typically a good indicator of a restaurant’s history and roots.

Mit Ko Yuan

Address: 186 Dinso Rd, Sao Chingcha, Phra Nakhon, Bangkok 10200, Thailand
Operating Hours: 11AM-1:30PM, 4-9:30PM, daily
What to Order: Tom yum

12. Sanguan Sri

Sanguan Sri is another Bangkok restaurant I learned about through Mark Wiens. Like Mit Ko Yuan, it’s an old-school Thai restaurant that’s achieved legendary status in Bangkok. I went there without realizing that they’re featured in the 2023 Bangkok Michelin Guide (Bib Gourmand).

According to Mark’s Thai wife, Sanguan Sri serves the best green curry she’s ever had in Bangkok. They offer an extensive menu of Thai food but most people order the specials which differ by the day. The beef green curry that Mark’s wife loved is one of those daily specials.

Unfortunately, it’s only available on Thursdays so I went with one of the Tuesday specials – this beautiful bowl of red curry with roast duck. Green curry is my personal favorite but I didn’t miss it at all today. This duck red curry rice was absolutely delicious.

You could easily walk by Sanguan Sri without even realizing it was there. This restaurant has been open since 1970 and is extremely popular with locals who work in the area.

Check out the restaurant’s packed dining room. It was filled mostly with local office workers who looked like they were on their lunch break. I loved this restaurant and will probably visit on every return trip to Bangkok. I need to try that beef green curry!

Sanguan Sri

Address: 59, 1 Witthayu Rd, Lumphini, Pathum Wan, Bangkok 10330, Thailand
Operating Hours: 10AM-3PM, Mon-Sat (closed Sundays)
What to Order: Thai curry

13. Krua Aroy Aroy

Speaking of Thai green curry, I couldn’t get it at Sanguan Sri so I went to Krua Aroy Aroy the very next day. It’s another highly recommended curry restaurant in Bangkok located near the Sri Maha Mariamman Temple in Bang Rak.

They offer massaman curry and khao soi – both of which I love – but I couldn’t NOT get my favorite Thai green chicken curry. It was tasty and very affordable, just THB 80 (USD 2.35) with rice at the time of my visit in March 2023.

Krua Aroy Aroy is located directly across the street from Sri Maha Mariamman Temple. It’s an interesting Hindu temple that I discovered thanks to this restaurant.

Krua Aroy Aroy

Address: 3, 1 Pan Rd, Yan Nawa, Bang Rak, Bangkok 10500, Thailand
Operating Hours: 9AM-6PM, Thurs-Tue (closed Wednesdays)
What to Order: Thai curry

14. Mr. Joe

Mr. Joe is another restaurant I first learned about from Mark Wiens many years ago. I’ve been meaning to go ever since so I was happy to finally get the chance in 2023. They offer different types of dim sum but their two signature dishes are their kway chap (or kuay jab, guay jub) and crispy pork belly.

I’ve had crispy pork belly at different restaurants in Bangkok but this was the best. Bite into it and you can practically hear that crunch from a block away. It’s so good.

Here’s a look at Mr. Joe’s kway chap. It refers to a Teochew soup featuring soft and silky rice noodle rolls served in a broth seasoned with dark soy sauce. You can get it as is or filled with your choice of pork innards like heart, kidney, tongue, and stomach.

Like the pork belly, I’ve had kway chap at different places in Bangkok and this was one of my favorites.

Mr. Joe is located in Bang Kho Laem District, about a 20-minute walk from Asiatique The Riverfront. It’s featured in the 2023 Bangkok Michelin Street Food Guide.

Mr. Joe

Address: 313 7 Chan Rd, เเขวง วัดพระยาไกร Bang Kho Laem, Bangkok 10120, Thailand
Operating Hours: 8AM-4:30PM, daily
What to Order: Kway chap, crispy pork belly

15. Wattana Panich

You’ve heard of legendary restaurants that have existed for decades or longer. What if I told you there’s a restaurant in Bangkok that offers Thai beef noodle soup that’s been simmering for almost half a century?

Wattana Panich is famous for its beef that’s slowly braised with coriander root and over a dozen herbs and spices. Aside from its taste, what makes it remarkable is the fact that it’s been simmering in the giant cauldron pictured below for over forty years!

Every night, the restaurant uses the previous day’s soup as the base for the next day’s offering. They’d keep the reduced soup simmering in a pot then use it as stock the following day. They’ve been doing this ever since the restaurant first opened over forty years ago.

We went on a street food tour led by a Thai chef who has a restaurant in Hua Hin, and he told me that Wattana Panich is his absolute favorite restaurant in Bangkok. And it’s all because of this magical cauldron of beef.

Wattana Panich is famous for its beef which you can get in a bowl with noodles or served on its own with a side of rice. We tried the version called kuay teow neau buai served with kuay teow noodles and beef meatballs. It was absolutely delicious.

Stewed for eight hours daily, the broth was sweet and aromatic and the beef ridiculously tender. If you’re visiting Bangkok and enjoy beef noodle soup, then you have to try this.

Aside from the beef, Wattana Panich is also famous for its goat. We didn’t have it but if you’re a fan of goat, then you may want to try their kuay teow pae as well. It’s described as being incredibly tender, perhaps even more so than the beef.

This picture was taken in 2023 but we ate at Wattana Panich several years ago. It’s one of those restaurants where you never have to worry about the quality of their food declining. After all, the same pot of beef broth has been bubbling for over forty years!

Needless to say, Wattana Panich is a true legend and a must-visit in Bangkok.

Wattana Panich

Address: 336 338 Ekkamai Rd, Khlong Tan Nuea, Watthana, Bangkok 10110, Thailand
Operating Hours: 9AM-7:30PM, daily
What to Order: Thai beef noodles, Chinese-style braised goat

16. Raan Jay Fai

Practically every traveler who visits Bangkok has heard of Jay Fai by now. She gained worldwide fame when she was awarded a Michelin star in the guide’s inaugural Bangkok edition, the only street food vendor at that time to be given that distinction.

In an instant, her once humble stall quietly serving some of the best street food in Bangkok was now being mobbed by tourists, pushing wait times to up to four or five hours. Crazy right?

We didn’t dare brave the wait time in 2023, especially since Jay Fai no longer accepts reservations, so these pictures were from our last visit in 2018. Pictured below is one of Jay Fai’s signature dishes – the crab omelette. It’s about the size of a burrito and practically bursting with huge chunks of sweet and succulent crab meat.

For our second dish, we got this equally delicious plate of pad see ew or drunken noodles. It consists of rice noodles stir-fried in a hot and spicy sauce with basil leaves, fresh chili, and the most succulent pieces of seafood.

Sweet, spicy, smokey, and savory, Jay Fai’s pad see ew is deeply flavorful and redolent with wok hei.

Here’s the badass herself, behind her woks and wearing her signature black aviator goggles. Jay Fai literally means “sister mole” in Thai and is in reference to the beauty mark on her face. Nearing 80 years old, this woman whom Martha Stewart once called “the best cook in Thailand” is still at the top of her game.

Jay Fai is open just four days a week, from Wednesday till Saturday. They used to take advanced reservations but I’ve read they don’t do that anymore. People who want to taste her food have no choice but to brave that wait. Good luck!

Raan Jay Fai

Address: 327 Maha Chai Rd, Samran Rat, Phra Nakhon, Bangkok 10200, Thailand
Operating Hours: 9AM-9PM, Wed-Sat (closed Sun-Tue)
What to Order: Crab omelette, pad see ew, tom yum

17. Tui Mu Kratha-Mu Chum

I enjoy things like Taiwanese hot pot or Japanese jingisukan because you aren’t just eating food, you’re also having an experience. Mu kratha is one of those experiences. It refers to the Thai method of cooking meat and vegetables on a device that basically combines hot pot with Korean barbecue.

This is the cooking device used for mu kratha. Heated by charcoal, the meats and seafood are barbecued on the domed grill while the vegetables are boiled in a Thai suki broth that circles the grill like a moat.

Before anything, my apologies for the overly orange color of this photo. The Tui Mu Kratha-Mu Chum restaurant had an orange awning that wasn’t retracted until midway through our meal.

At Tui Mu Kratha-Mu Chum, you can order different types of raw meat, seafood, fish/meatballs, and vegetables separately. To keep things simple, we went with one of their set meals which comes with a predetermined mix of proteins and vegetables.

The restaurant offers them in three sizes. This was the biggest size and came with different cuts of pork, chicken, squid, shrimp, fish, enoki mushrooms, egg, rice noodles, vegetables, and two one-liter bottles of Pepsi. Can you guess how much this set costs?

At the time of our visit in March 2023, the set we ordered set us back just THB 500, which at today’s exchange rate converts to less than USD 15. We couldn’t believe it at first so we thought it may have been THB 500 each but no, the entire set really is just THB 500! There was enough meat here to feed three people. What an incredible bargain.

Each set comes with a hunk of pork fat that you use to grease the grill and keep the meats from sticking. Everything else cooks in the broth. Isn’t this beautiful?

When the meats and seafood are done cooking, you dip them into this flavorful chili-based sauce before eating. It’s an awesome experience that’s every bit as fun as it is delicious.

There are many mu kratha places in Bangkok but what drew us to Tui Mu Kratha-Mu Chum are its prices and location. They have more than one outlet but the Pho Nimit branch is located at the bottom of the stairs leading out of Pho Nimit BTS station.

This branch is immensely popular with Thai locals so I highly recommend going at off-peak hours.

Tui Mu Kratha-Mu Chum (Pho Nimit)

Address: 4 Somdet Phra Chao Tak Sin Rd, Bukkhalo, Thon Buri, Bangkok 10600, Thailand
Operating Hours: 12NN-10PM, daily
What to Order: Mu kratha

18. Ann Guay Tiew Kua Gai

Like Pad Thai Fai Ta Lu (#5) and Mr. Joe (#14), Ann Guay Tiew Kua Gai is featured in the 2023 edition of the Bangkok Michelin Street Food Guide. They specialize in kuay teaw or fried noodles cooked with egg and different types of meat and seafood.

What you’re looking at below is one of their most loaded bowls of fried noodles mixed with egg, chicken, ham, shrimp, and squid. This one had the egg cooked with the fried noodles but you can also get a runnier version with the egg cracked on top.

Fried noodles at Ann Guay are delicious enough on their own but they’re even better when paired with a side of fried chicken skin. Ooh la la!

Located near Bangkok’s Chinatown, Ann Guay Tiew Kua Gai is just around the corner from a legendary street food stall in Bangkok called Suan Mali Chicken Noodles. Both are featured in the Michelin Street Food Guide and offer the same thing. I suggest trying both to see which you prefer.

Ann Guay Tiew Kua Gai

Address: 419 Luang Rd, Wat Thepsirin, Pom Prap Sattru Phai, Bangkok 10100, Thailand
Operating Hours: 2-11PM, daily
What to Order: Fried noodles

19. Nhong Rim Klong

I enjoyed one of the best meals I’ve had in Bangkok at this restaurant. We ate at Nhong Rim Klong in 2018 and back then, it was just a street food stall set up by the side of a canal. Fast forward to 2023 and that humble stall has grown into an actual restaurant.

This is the dish that wowed me in 2018. Called pad kee mao crab, it’s a tasty stir-fry dish made with big chunks of crab cooked with different vegetables and aromatics like eggplant, onion, garlic, chili, ginger, and sweet basil.

Do you see the white nuggets below mixed in with all the vegetables? Those are hunks of the most delicious, most succulent crab meat. I love crab so this is the kind of dish I could see myself eating everyday. It’s so good, especially when eaten with steamed white rice.

How beautiful does this look? This dish is called goong tod gratiem, or jumbo shrimp fried in garlic. The perfectly cooked shrimp is succulent, meaty, moist, and very garlicky. Like the pad kee mao crab, it’s absolutely delicious.

This is what Nhong Rim Klong looks like today. Featured in the 2023 Bangkok Michelin Street Food Guide, the restaurant is located about a 10-15 minute walk from Wattana Panich (#15).

This is what Nhong Rim Klong looked like in 2018. What a difference five years make!

Nhong Rim Klong

Address: 51 Ekkamai 23 Alley, Khlong Tan Nuea, Watthana, Bangkok 10110, Thailand
Operating Hours: 8:30AM-3:30PM, Mon-Sat (closed Sundays)
What to Order: Pad kee mao crab, goong tod gratiem

20. Soei Restaurant

This was another restaurant I learned about from Mark Wiens. He called it one of his favorite restaurants in Bangkok and it wasn’t hard to see why.

I followed Mark’s recommendation and started with this appetizer of fried Indian mackerel cheeks called kaem pla too tod. According to Mark, it’s a dish he hasn’t seen anywhere else in Bangkok except Soei.

The dish consists of just the outer layer of the mackerel head deep-fried with garlic and served with a side of chili sauce. Because it consists only of the outer layer of the head, it’s extremely light and crisp, like you’re eating a fish head potato chip. It’s so damn good and a must-order at Soei.

We had been eating at different places all day so we were here primarily for the kaem pla too tod. But we couldn’t order just one dish so we asked our server for recommendations. He suggested this plate of chu chee pla too, which fittingly, is a dish of mackerel cooked in a coconut milk curry. We had already eaten the heads so why not the bodies too!

Slathered with a rich and creamy curry, the fish is deep-fried so you don’t have to worry about any bones. You can eat the entire fish whole, tail included. It’s really delicious and made for a wonderful mackerel meal.

On the wall outside the restaurant is a banner with Mark, his friend Dwight, and P’Soei the chef/owner. The words are in Thai so I have no idea what it says, but right next to it is a second banner with another of my favorite food personalities – Andrew Zimmern.

He’s posing with P’Soei and on the banner it says “The best Thai chef you’ve never heard of”. I did some digging and it looks like Mark was the one who brought Andrew to Soei.

Clearly, Andrew loved the food as evidenced by what he said:

“We’ve eaten six dishes, five of which have been the best dishes of their types that I’ve ever eaten. And the sixth one is the first time I’ve eaten anything like it, and the quality of the cooking here, and the skill, and precision, a lot of great technique… this is an amazing, amazing place.”

That pretty much sums up what you can expect from Soei Restaurant.

Soei Restaurant

Address: Phibun Watthana 6 Alley, Samsen Nai, Phaya Thai, Bangkok 10400, Thailand
Operating Hours: 10:30AM-9:30PM, Sun-Fri (closed Saturdays)
What to Order: Kaem pla too tod, chu chee pla too

21. Sabaijai

We love Isan Thai cuisine. We had already enjoyed som tam, kor moo yang, and sai krok isan several times in Bangkok but we still hadn’t eaten our favorite gai yang. We wanted to find the best and our research led us to Sabaijai, a long-standing restaurant in Ekkamai that serves some of the best gai yang in Bangkok.

For starters, we ordered this plate of som tum thai. Gai yang, som tum thai, and sticky rice make for the perfect trio so it’s a combination we often get at Isan restaurants.

Pictured below is a half-order of our beloved gai yang (or kai yang). Originally from Laos, it refers to a delicious grilled chicken dish that’s made by pounding a whole chicken flat before marinating and grilling it over a charcoal flame. It’s typically served with sweet chili sauce, a tamarind-based sauce, or both.

Gai yang is popular in the Isan and northern regions of the country but today, it’s available pretty much everywhere in Thailand. Sabaijai’s version didn’t disappoint.

We couldn’t help but get a side order of kor moo yang. As you can probably tell from this picture, it was drier and not as tender as the version served at Somtum Der (#2).

What better way to end your Thai meal than with mango sticky rice? Together with tub tim grob, it’s our favorite Thai dessert and something we always look forward to on every trip to Thailand.

Thai fruits are amazing in general but their mangoes, like Filipino mangoes, are extraordinary.

From what I understand, Sabaijai started off as a small family-run eatery that’s since grown into the successful restaurant that it is today. It still feels quite humble though which is exactly my type of restaurant.

Sabaijai

Address: 87 Ekkamai 3 Alley, Khlong Tan Nuea, Watthana, Bangkok 10110, Thailand
Operating Hours: 10:30AM-10PM, daily
What to Order: Gai yang, som tum

22. Tang Jai Yang

Tang Jai Yang is another place that made it to the 2023 Bangkok Michelin Street Food Guide, though it’s more of a proper restaurant than a street food eatery. Their specialty is barbecued pork which you can enjoy with rice or noodles.

Pictured below is their famous barbecued pork served over rice with a fried agg and bok choy. Going through a Chinese restaurant’s menu, I would never pick char siu but this one was delicious. It was soft, smokey, and juicy with just the right amount of sweetness.

In this dish, the barbecued pork was served over egg noodles with a side of bok choy.

Tang Jai Yang offers a few dishes from Thai Chinese cuisine but their char siu is a no-brainer. It’s what put them on the Bangkok Michelin map.

Tang Jai Yang

Address: 171 Chan Rd, Wat Phraya Krai, Bang Kho Laem, Bangkok 10120, Thailand
Operating Hours: 11AM-8PM, daily
What to Order: Barbecued pork over rice

23. Pu Tie Shrimp Wonton Noodles

Speaking of Thai Chinese cuisine, if you’re a fan of shrimp wonton noodles, then you may want to visit the Pu Tie restaurant at BACC. They make these comforting bowls of soup or dry egg noodles served with shrimp wontons, char siu, or both.

As you can tell from the picture, this was the dry version topped with barbecued pork and shrimp wontons. Being Asian, I’ve had countless shrimp wontons in my life but these were some of the best. Soft, well-seasoned, and perfectly cooked, they’re absolutely delicious.

This was basically the same dish as the previous picture but with soup. It was so comforting and delicious.

Pu Tie is located right next to Krob Kun (#7) so you can easily eat at both restaurants on the same visit to BACC. Isn’t the space cute? It feels like you’re dining at a street food stall but indoors, and more chic, with cute postcards and other things to buy.

Pu Tie Shrimp Wonton Noodles

Address: 933/1-7 Rama I Rd, Wang Mai, Pathum Wan, Bangkok 10330, Thailand
Operating Hours: 11AM-6:40PM, daily
What to Order: Shrimp wonton noodles

24. Sum Rub Yen

Sum Rub Yen was one of the more interesting restaurants we visited on our most recent trip to Bangkok. Not necessarily because of the food, but the venue.

Sum Rub Yen offers an extensive menu of traditional dishes from Thai cuisine. You can find the usual offerings here like Thai curry, som tam, tom yum, and different preparations of whole fish.

What you’re looking at below is one of our favorite Thai appetizers – tod mun pla or Thai fishcakes. We ordered several dishes and this was our favorite from today’s meal.

Pictured below is Sum Rub Yen’s version of seafood tom yum. If I remember correctly, it contained a generous amount of shrimp, squid, and fish cooked in a coconut milk tom yum broth. It wasn’t as creamy as I would have liked, but it was still pretty good.

Sum Rub Yen offers a few Thai curries on their menu. I wanted the green curry but my better half is fearful of spice so we went with this roasted duck red curry instead. Like the tom yum, it wasn’t as creamy and flavorful as I would have hoped, but it was still pretty good. My wife enjoyed it.

Last but not least was this som tum thai. It was sour and sweet and served with a good amount of perfectly cooked shrimp, which was nice.

We had a good meal but as described, what I enjoyed most about Sum Rub Yen was the space itself. Located in a more residential part of Bangkok – in Khlong San District – the place looks to be in an old traditional Thai house that’s been converted into a restaurant. It wouldn’t surprise me if the family that owns Sum Rub Yen still lives here.

This is what the restaurant’s dining room looks like. When you eat here, it feels like you’re enjoying a meal as a guest in someone’s home. I love restaurants like this.

Sum Rub Yen

Address: 10 soi Charoennakorn 40 Banglumphulang Khlong San, Bangkok 10600, Thailand
Operating Hours: 11AM-8PM, daily
What to Order: Tod mun pla, som tum, tom yum, Thai curry

25. Rot Rue Dee

Have you tried khao khluk kapi? It isn’t one of the more recognizable dishes in Thai cuisine but it’s definitely interesting and worth a try.

Khao khluk kapi refers to a flavorful Thai fried rice dish flavored with shrimp paste (kapi). It’s typically served with multiple side dishes like cucumbers slices, bird’s eye chilis, Chinese sausage, onions, sliced green mangoes, and omelette strips.

Many Westerners have heard of Thai pineapple fried rice but in my opinion, khao khluk kapi is much more interesting and delicious. It’s the shrimp paste that really makes this dish.

My wife had the khao khluk kapi while I went with one of my favorite dishes in Thai cuisine – chicken green curry. Served with butterfly pea flower rice, it was supremely flavorful and one of the better green curries I had on this trip to Bangkok.

Rot Rue Dee is located near the western bank of the Chao Phraya River, about a 10-minute walk from Krung Thon Buri BTS station. Like Sum Rub Yen, they offer an extensive menu of tasty and well-plated favorites from Thai cuisine.

Here’s a look at Rot Rue Dee’s lovely dining room. If they’re available, then you may want to grab one of those tables by the window.

Rot Rue Dee

Address: 606 Charoen Nakhon Rd, Bang Lamphu Lang, Khlong San, Bangkok 10600, Thailand
Operating Hours: 10AM-9PM, daily
What to Order: Khao khluk kapi, Thai green curry

LOCATION MAP

To help you find the restaurants recommended in this guide, I’ve pinned them all on this map. Click on the link for a live version of the map.

FINAL THOUGHTS ON THAI CUISINE AND THE FOOD IN BANGKOK

Like Mark Wiens, I’m partial to street food and humbler restaurants but people who enjoy fine dining will have plenty to look forward to in Bangkok. Gaggan Anand is an obvious choice. We had the tasting menu at his now closed Bangkok restaurant (Gaggan) but we didn’t know he had opened another one shortly after.

Other fine dining restaurants I came across in my research were Le Du by Chef Ton, Nusara, Scarlett Wine Bar, and the Authors’ Lounge at Mandarin Oriental Bangkok, just to name a few.

Whatever you’re into – whether it be Michelin-recommended restaurants, night markets, or street food – one thing is clear. There’s no shortage of great food in Bangkok so you won’t have any trouble finding amazing places to eat in this city.

Anyway, this Bangkok restaurant guide has gone on long enough so I’ll end it here. Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed our picks for the best restaurants in Bangkok!

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