Bangkok offers thousands of restaurants, street food stalls, Michelin-starred bistros and world-class cocktail bars.

We did not have the ambition to go around the "best of the internet".

Rather, we wanted to sample our own Bangkok - from the choice coffee overlooking the skyscrapers, to the local business in an old garage, to the cocktails in bars that are among the best in Asia.

If you're planning a trip, start with our complete city guide

• 👉 Bangkok - what to see
• 👉 O ur tips on where to stay in Bangkok

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

⭐ Michelin bistros we enjoyed

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

Our choice was purely based on taste and location, and our steps took us to two bistros marked "Bib Gourmand", i.e. without the Michelin star itself.

Kor Panich Sticky Rice

Probably the most famous Mango Sticky Rice stall in Bangkok, it has appeared in the Michelin Guide for many years in a row.

Honestly, I often have high expectations for similarly famous places and end up disappointed.

We've eaten Mango Sticky Rice a lot in Thailand. And here it was simply the best!

The bistro has a window facing the street and a small room to sit in. It was just busy there, so we ate our mango sticky rice and traditional Thai pudding on the sidewalk next door.

• 💸 130 thb for one package of mango sticky rice (cash only)
• 🕒 Daily 7am-5pm, closed Sundays
• 📍 Old Bangkok - map
• 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Queues usually for about 10 minutes
• Grand Palace, Wat Pho, Khao San Road

Aunglo by Yangrak

A modern interpretation of Thai cuisine that maintains authenticity. Great value for money considering the Michelin mention.

The restaurant is small and intimate with an open kitchen from which you can see the preparation of all dishes.

I recommend making reservations in advance. We got lucky and went here without a reservation, but it was a Sunday early evening and there were two seats available.

When we left though, there was already a line outside, I'd estimate about 20 minutes.

• 💸 950 thb for two main courses, two desserts, one starter and water (payment by card and cash)
• 🕒 Daily 11:30-14:30, 17-22
• 📍 Sathorn - map
• 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Reservations here: tablecheck.com/en/aunglo-by-yangrak-bangkok
• 👉 Nearby attractions: King Power Mahanakhon, Silom

🍸 The best bars in Bangkok according to us

Bangkok completely changes its face after dark. A city that looks chaotic during the day transforms into one of Asia's most exciting cocktail scenes in the evening.

We've been picking bars from the "World's 50 Best" list and so far we've managed to visit 3 establishments.

Bar Us

Bar Us is ranked 15th on the "World's 50 Best Bars" list for 2025 and therefore the best in Bangkok.

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

The Starter / Main / After tasting concept gives the evening a clear structure and the staff really explain the drinks, not just serve them. For me, a great and very fun concept that kept me constantly discovering new flavors.

For example, I enjoyed the Thai-inspired drinks - the most interesting cocktail for me was definitely the Pad Thai, in which I could actually taste the flavours of real food!

• 💸 from 480 thb for 1 drink (cash and card payment)
• 🕒 Daily 18-24 (Friday and Saturday until 1:00)
• 📍 Sukhumvit - map
• 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Reservations definitely recommended: us-bar.com/reservations
  • without reservation waiting time even more than 45 minutes
  • without a reservation, you can be ushered into our sister LIME by us with a slightly different environment but the same menu
• 👉 Nearby attractions.

Want to stay right in the heart of the action and have Bar Us close to your hotel? Check out all the hotels on offer:

Book a hotel in Sukhumnvit on booking.com

Dry Wave Cocktail Studio

A stylish cocktail bar in Bangkok's Thonglor district that regularly appears in Asia's 50 Best Bars. It is ranked 88th in the world ranking for 2025.

The interior is dark, minimalist and very intimate - perfect for an evening drink away from the touristy chaos of downtown.

The menu is based on the concept of "Super Classic" cocktails, original combinations of two familiar drinks into one new one.

The interior and menu are inspired by waves and natural elements, and it was the design of the drink list that perhaps impressed me the most.

• 💸 from 440 thb for 1 drink (cash and card payment)
• 🕒 Daily 19-1
• 📍 Thonglor - map
• 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Reservations definitely recommended: nightify.co/dry-wave-cocktail-studio
  • without a reservation waiting time even more than 45 minutes
• 👉 Nearby attractions: Sukhumvit

BKK Social Club

The luxury bar at the Four Seasons Hotel Bangkok on the banks of the Chao Phraya River particularly impressed us with its beautiful setting and atmosphere.

The service was also top notch, probably the best of all the bars we visited.

The drinks menu is extensive, but the menu is the least original of the 3 bars and I was actually much more impressed by the cocktails at Bar Us or Dry Wave.

In the "World's 50 Best Bars" list for 2025, BKK Social Club was ranked 49th.

If you're planning a special night out, you might as well consider staying here 👉 Four Seasons Bangkok - prices and availability.

• 💸 approx. 550 thb for 1 drink (cash and card payment)
• 🕒 Daily 17-24
• 📍 Four Seasons Bangkok - map
• 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Reservations recommended especially on Fridays and Saturdays: fourseasons.com/bkk-social-club
  • we arrived on Sunday without a reservation and didn't wait a minute
• 👉 Nearby attractions: Asiatique The Riverfront

☕ Cafes - design modern and coffee in the garage

We can do coffee, cake or croissant, so we had to at least subtly explore this layer of Bangkok's gastronomy too.

% Arabica - the cafe with the best view

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

The minimalist interior, white lines, and choice coffee never disappoint.

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

• 💸 approx. 135 thb for café latte (cash and card payment)
• 🕒 Daily 7-21
• 📍 Empire Tower by BTS Chong Nonsi station - map
• 👉 Nearby attractions: King Power Mahanakhon, Silom

La Cabra Bakery

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

And they have caradam snails! Fancy.

I almost regretted that breakfast was included in our stay so I didn't have room in my stomach to sample more pastries.

• 💸 approx 160 thb for café latte (cash and card payment)
• 🕒 Daily 7:30-17:30 (Saturday and Sunday from 8:00)
• 📍Silom- map
• 👉 Nearby attractions: King Power Mahanakhon, Silom

Go Café

Plastic chairs in the dingy passageway of a former auto workshop, one elderly owner, classic coffee richly sweetened with condensed milk.

The contrast to modern cafes like Arabica or La Cabra could not be greater!

And this is exactly what we love about Bangkok.

Cheap coffee, no glitz. If you want to experience the city outside the design bubble, a place like this is ideal.

• 💸 approx. 30 thb for a "café latte" (cash only)
• 🕒 Daily 8-17 (closed on Sundays)
• 📍OldBangkok - map
• 👉 Nearby attractions: Golden Buddha, Chinatown

Street food - the cheapest food in Bangkok

Thailand is famous for its cheap yet mostly good quality and harmless street food.

There are hundreds of places to eat well in the city, but we've only managed to explore one so far.

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

Chatuchak Weekend Market

This is where we sampled the most street food. Chatuchak is a giant weekend market where you can spend half a day - and still not catch everything.

And the whole southern part is a huge food market. Plus, you'll find various cafes and local bistros scattered throughout the market.

I had a typical fried chicken, coconut ice cream or maybe some corn.

• 💸 from 50 thb for chicken fried bits
• 🕒 Saturday and Sunday 10-21
• 📍NorthBangkok - map
• 👉 Nearby attractions: Chatuchak

Practical tips at the end

• For better bars and restaurants, book in advance - wait times can be over 45 minutes
• expect higher prices in tourist areas
• combine local businesses with "wow" places - Bangkok is all about contrasts.

If you're still figuring out accommodation, check out our section 👉 Where to stay in Bangkok or directly compare current hotel prices 👉 Hotels in Bangkok - Booking.com.

If you want to quickly search for businesses, book Grab or maps, a local Thai eSIM pays off - like through airalo.com.