In Bangkok, we didn’t want to put together yet another list of places to visit cobbled together from the internet.

Below, you’ll find only the restaurants, bistros, cafés and bars that we’ve visited ourselves – ranging from cheap street food and the famous mango sticky rice, through modern Thai cuisine, to top-class cocktail bars.

For each venue, we provide our experience, actual prices, opening hours, booking information and a link to the map. If you’re looking for a quick answer, start with the selection below.

💬 I’d also really appreciate your personal tips on anything to do with food and drink in Bangkok. Please leave a comment below the article – thanks a lot!

Where to go, depending on your taste and budget?

What are you looking for	Where would I go?	Area	Our price
Modern Thai cuisine	Aunglo by Yangrak	Sathorn	950 thb for two
Mango sticky rice	Kor Panich	Old Bangkok	130 thb
Cheap street food	Sala Daeng	Silom	from 50 thb
The most original cocktails	Bar Us	Sukhumvit	from 480 thb
Luxurious setting	BKK Social Club	Chao Phraya	around 550 thb
Coffee with a view	% Arabica	Silom	around 135 thb
Cheap local coffee	Go Café	around Chinatown	nearby 30 thb

If you’re planning a trip, start with our comprehensive city guide:

• 👉 Bangkok – what to see
• 👉 Our tips on where to stay in Bangkok

And here’s a map of our favourite places, which we’ll update every time we visit Bangkok.

⭐ Michelin-starred bistros we enjoyed

We knew in advance that we wanted to try at least some of the bistros featured in the world-famous Michelin Guide.

We chose purely on the basis of taste and location, and our wanderings took us to two bistros labelled ‘Bib Gourmand’ – that is, without an actual Michelin star.

Kor Panich Sticky Rice

Probably the most famous stall selling Mango Sticky Rice in Bangkok has featured in the Michelin Guide for many years running.

To be honest, I often have high expectations of such well-known places, only to end up disappointed.

We ate mango sticky rice loads of times in Thailand. And this was simply the best!

The bistro has a window facing the street and a small seating area. It was full at the time, so we ate our mango sticky rice and traditional Thai pudding on the pavement next door.

• 💸 130 thb per portion of mango sticky rice (cash only)
• 🕒Daily 7am–5pm, closed on Sundays
• 📍 Old Bangkok –map
• 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Queuesare usually around 10 minutes
• 👉 Nearby attractions: Grand Palace, Wat Pho, Khao San Road

Aunglo by Yangrak

A modern take on Thai cuisine that remains true to its authentic roots. Excellent value for money, especially given its Michelin mention.

The restaurant is small and intimate, with an open kitchen from which you can watch all the dishes being prepared.

I’d recommend booking in advance. We were lucky and went there without a booking, but it was early on a Sunday evening and there happened to be two free seats.

However, by the time we left, there was already a queue outside – I’d estimate a wait of about 20 minutes.

• 💸 950 thb for two main courses, two desserts, one starter and water (payment by card or cash)
• 🕒Daily 11.30 am–2.30 pm, 5 pm–10 pm
• 📍 Sathorn –map
• 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Bookhere:tablecheck.com/en/aunglo-by-yangrak-bangkok
• 👉 Nearby attractions: King Power Mahanakhon, Silom

🍜 Street food – the cheapest food in Bangkok

Thailand is famous for its cheap street food, which is usually of good quality and safe to eat.

There are hundreds of places in the city where you can eat well, but so far we’ve only managed to explore one properly.

What are your favourite street food spots in Bangkok? Share them with us in the comments below the article.

Chatuchak Weekend Market

This is where we sampled the most street food. Chatuchak is a huge weekend market where you can easily spend half a day – and still not manage to see everything.

And the whole southern section is one huge food market. You’ll also find various cafés and local bistros dotted throughout the market.

I had some typical fried chicken, coconut ice cream and even some sweetcorn here.

• 💸 from 50 thb for fried chicken pieces
• 🕒Saturdays and Sundays 10–21
• 📍North Bangkok –map
• 👉 Places of interest nearby: Chatuchak

Sala Daeng

The wide area around the streets of Sala Daeng is literally teeming with food stalls and truly authentic local eateries.

Typically, they’re just set up on the street under a tarpaulin.

It’s here that you’ll find just about every kind of Thai street food, from satay to various types of fish and roti.

There really is something for everyone here, and on my first visit to Bangkok in 2022, I practically always came here for my meals.

• 💸 from 55 thb for a small hot meal
• 🕒Daily (usually from 8.00 am to midnight)
• 📍Silom –map
• 👉 Places of interest nearby:Silom, Lumphini Park

View the cheapest hotels in Bangkok

🍴 Cheap local restaurants

Bangkok is full of small bistros, restaurants and eateries where locals and tourists alike gather.

We haven’t visited that many of these places yet, but next time I’d like to focus on them in particular.

I’d especially welcome your tips on where to go for a meal – thanks!

On Lok Yun

I came across this breakfast restaurant on Instagram, where it looked brilliant and very local.

To be honest, I think I was perhaps a bit taken in and misled by someone who either hadn’t actually been there at all, or simply has a different idea of what counts as local and cheap.

At first glance, the place looks really stylish, but in reality I didn’t see a single local there. Just tourists.

The bistro specialises in breakfast; they serve eggs, various omelettes, sausages and toast.

I had a ham and cheese toastie for 70 thb, which isn’t much, but I’d hardly have paid half that for something so completely tasteless.

I also had an iced Milo drink and was given a cup of tea for free.

Perhaps I just made a bad choice – if you’ve been here and enjoyed the food, I’d love to read about your experience.

• 💸 35 thb for food (payment by card or cash)
• 🕒Daily 6.00 am–2.30 pm
• 📍 Old Bangkok –map
• 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Bookingsnot accepted
• 👉 Nearby attractions: Grand Palace, Wat Pho

🍸 Our top picks for the best bars in Bangkok

Bangkok takes on a completely different character after dark. The city, which seems chaotic during the day, transforms in the evening into one of the most exciting cocktail scenes in Asia.

We’re picking out bars from the ‘World’s 50 Best’ list, and so far we’ve managed to visit three of them.

Bar Us

Bar Us It was ranked 15th in the “World’s 50 Best Bars” list for 2025, making it the best bar in Bangkok.

It struck me more as a fine-dining cocktail bar than a traditional bar.

The Starter / Main / After tasting concept gives the evening a clear structure, and the staff actually explain the drinks, rather than just serving them. In my view, it’s a brilliant and very entertaining concept that kept me constantly discovering new flavours.

I particularly enjoyed the drinks inspired by Thai dishes – the most interesting cocktail for me was definitely the Pad Thai, in which I could actually taste the flavours of the real dish!

• 💸 from 480 thb per drink (cash and card payments accepted)
• 🕒Daily 6 pm–midnight (Fridays and Saturdays until 1 am)
• 📍 Sukhumvit –map
• 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦We definitely recommend booking:us-bar.com/reservations
  • Without a booking, the wait can be over 45 minutes
  • Without a booking, you may be directed to our sister restaurant, LIME by us, which has a slightly different atmosphere but the same menu
• 👉 Places of interest nearby: Sukhumvit

Would you like to stay right in the heart of the action with Bar Us close to your hotel? Take a look at all the hotels on offer:

Book a hotel in Sukhumvit on booking.com

Opium

Although Opium ‘only’ came 92nd in the 50Best world rankings, to be honest, it’s probably the one that’s caught my attention the most so far.

It’s situated in Chinatown in one of the old buildings, and the atmosphere here is really cosy and stylish.

The main part of the bar is on the third floor, which you reach via a very small lift. You can sit on a few classic armchairs at a table, at the bar or on the balcony.

I definitely recommend booking, as there are very few seats and walk-in guests often have to wait for over an hour.

The drinks here are truly original and are based on a ‘fusion’ concept that brings the whole world together.

• 💸 From 420 thb for 1 drink (cash and card accepted)
• 🕒Daily except Wednesdays, 4pm–1am (closed on Wednesdays)
• 📍 Chinatown –map
• 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦We definitely recommendbooking:opiumbarbangkok.com
• 👉 Places of interest nearby: Chinatown
• 🏨 Tip for a budget hotel nearby: Tian Tian Hostel ***

Dry Wave Cocktail Studio

A stylish cocktail bar in Bangkok’s Thonglor district, which regularly features in the Asia’s 50 Best Bars list. It ranked 88th in the 2025 global list.

The interior is dark, minimalist and very intimate – ideal for an evening drink away from the tourist hustle and bustle of the city centre.

The menu is based on the concept of ‘Super Classic’ cocktails, i.e. original combinations of two well-known drinks to create a new one.

Both the interior and the menu are inspired by waves and natural elements, and it was the design of the drinks list that caught my eye more than anything else.

• 💸 from 440 thb for 1 drink (payment by cash or card)
• 🕒Daily 19–1
• 📍 Thonglor –map
• 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦We definitely recommend booking:nightify.co/dry-wave-cocktail-studio
  • Without a booking, the waiting time can be over 45 minutes
• 👉 Places of interest nearby: Sukhumvit

BKK Social Club

This luxury bar at the Four Seasons Hotel Bangkok, situated on the banks of the Chao Phraya River, particularly impressed us with its beautiful surroundings and atmosphere.

The service was also top-notch – in my opinion, probably the best of all the bars we visited.

The drinks selection is extensive, but of these three bars, the menu is the least original; in fact, I found the cocktails at Bar Us or Dry Wave much more appealing in terms of flavour.

In the ‘World’s 50 Best Bars’ ranking for 2025, BKK Social Club came 49th.

If you’re planning a special evening, you might as well consider staying here 👉 Four Seasons Bangkok – prices and availability.

• 💸 approx. 550 thbper drink (cash and card payments accepted)
• 🕒Daily 17:00–24:00
• 📍 Four Seasons Bangkok –map
• 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦We particularly recommend bookingin advance on Fridays and Saturdays:fourseasons.com/bkk-social-club
  • We turned up on a Sunday without a booking and didn’t have to wait a single minute
• 👉 Places of interest nearby: Asiatique The Riverfront

☕ Cafés – modern design and even a café in a garage

We’re quite keen on coffee, cakes and croissants, so we simply had to explore this side of Bangkok’s food scene to some extent.

Go Café

Plastic chairs in the grubby passageway of a former car repair workshop, an elderly owner, and a classic coffee generously sweetened with condensed milk.

The contrast with modern cafés like Arabica or La Cabra couldn’t be greater!

And that’s exactly what we love about Bangkok.

Cheap coffee, no frills. If you want to experience the city outside the design bubbles, this is the perfect place.

• 💸 approx. 30 thbfora ‘café latte’ (cash only)
• 🕒Daily 8am–5pm (closed on Sundays)
• 📍Old Bangkok –map
• 👉 Nearby attractions: The Golden Buddha, Chinatown

% Arabica – a café with the best views

This is my favourite coffee shop chain in the world. I fell in love with it during our visit to New York and since then I haven’t missed a single opportunity to visit an Arabica.

The minimalist interior, clean white lines and premium coffee never disappoint.

There are several branches in Bangkok, and we visited the best one in Empire Tower – with a magnificent view of the King Power Mahanakhon skyscraper.

• 💸 approx. 135 thbfora café latte (cash and card accepted)
• 🕒Daily 7am–9pm
• 📍 Empire Tower near Chong Nonsi BTS station –map
• 👉 Nearby attractions: King Power Mahanakhon,Silom

La Cabra Bakery

A Scandinavian vibe in the middle of the tropics. The cardamom latte was one of the best I’ve ever had.

And they even have cardamom rolls here! Absolutely brilliant.

I almost regretted that breakfast was included in the price of our stay, as I didn’t have any room left in my stomach to try any more pastries.

• 💸 approx. 160 thb fora café latte (cash and card accepted)
• 🕒Daily 7.30 am–5.30 pm (Saturdays and Sundays from 8.00 am)
• 📍Silom –map
• 👉 Places of interest nearby: King Power Mahanakhon,Silom

Some practical tips to finish with

• Book in advance at the better bars and restaurants – waiting times can be more than 45 minutes
• Expect higher prices in tourist areas
• Mix local spots with ‘wow’ places – Bangkok is all about contrasts.

If you’re still sorting out your accommodation, have a look at our section 👉 Where to stay in Bangkokor compare current hotel prices straight away 👉 Hotels in Bangkok – Booking.com.

If you want to search for places quickly, book a Grab or use maps, it’s worth getting a local Thai eSIM – for example, via airalo.com.