Best fine dining restaurants in Bangkok
Bangkok abounds with diverse fine dining options, and these exquisite venues are its standouts.
Bangkok holds the power to wow with its culinary scene. With 28 Michelin-starred restaurants across the city, and a further six with two stars, the city is a heavyweight when it comes to fine dining. But not all restaurants were created equal - even the finest - and these are four that demand attention above all.
Suhring
Foodies may frown at a German restaurant being first on the list of great places to eat in Bangkok. In fact, they may question German food being on any “best of” list. In this case, they would be wrong to doubt. Suhring’s fresh and modern take on German cuisine is surprisingly appropriate for this humid climate. Run by identical twins Mathias and Thomas Suhring, the eatery presents fine dining without being stuffy, and the food is lovely and fun. Think lots of tiny courses, many of them causing a smile with the creative presentation. We start with tuna and eisbein suelze, the lobster and scallop and kasefondue. The currywurst comes in a little cardboard box, as it might be served at a football match. The smoked eel is delicate and the wagyu tenderloin delivers in spades. Spatzle comes with black truffle and crispy onions and is a far cry from the kasespatzle you find at the ski resorts of St Anton.
Baan Phraya
Mandarin Oriental Bangkok is home to two Michelin-awarded restaurants, the two-starred Le Normandie by Alain Roux and home-style Thai restaurant Baan Phraya. The Thai venue opened in July and scored a Michelin Guide Service Award a few months later. A meal here starts with a scenic ride across the Chao Phraya River from the Mandarin Oriental’s main wharf to a heritage riverfront house. It was built in the early 20th century to house a confidant of King Rama IX and now houses Baan Phraya. Guests are ushered from the ferry to a balcony to enjoy a drink and absorb the buzz of the river as it moves people and produce through Bangkok. From here, diners step inside for traditional Thai cooking from chef Pom Phatchara. The curries are excellent, the soups light and fragrant and Baan Phraya surely likely to be a contender for a full Michelin star when it’s been open for a year.
Mezzaluna
Another of Bangkok’s two-starred Michelin restaurants, Mezzaluna takes a silver-service approach to dining. The menu is Japanese with a Thai twist served over five or seven courses. Enjoy bite-sized morsels of scallop and lobster, then savour the signature dish of Niigata Murakami Wagyu beef cooked over charcoal. The highlight for me is an 80 per cent chocolate tart served with mango and spices. This restaurant is among the most awarded in Thailand, and where the Suhring twins and Saritwat Wanivichitkun from Sawaan trained. The spectacular views threaten to overshadow the food. We start our night outdoors at the SkyBar on the 65th floor of the State Tower, sipping Champagne, listening to live music, and taking in the 180-degree vistas. From here it’s a short walk upstairs to the restaurant.
Saawaan
Saawaan’s unabashedly modern take on Thai food derives from traditional techniques and is more in line with the usual expectations of a Bangkok fine dining establishment. Saawaan serves an 11-course tasting menu, with many of the ingredients brought out for show and tell before cooking. Some of it sounds a little unappealing – I’m looking at you hairy eggplant, river prawn with fermented mackerel guts, and catfish served any way at all – but the flavours are wonderful. Saawaan has one Michelin star and chefs Saritwat “Earth” Wanvichitkun and Arisara “Paper” Chongphanitkul proudly come out to explain each course. Decor-wise, the restaurant is minimalist – a little stark, to be honest. However, as the room fills and the sounds of cooking and conversation increase, so does the convivial vibe.
To join the conversation, please log in. Don't have an account? Register
Join the conversation, you are commenting as Logout