Top Eats In Bangkok

Top Eats In Bangkok.  Bangkok evokes countless images and emotions. Whether you are a visitor or a native of Bangkok, you will be captivated with the food scene in this city. Food ranges the entire spectrum, from the freshest and spiciest street food to five star restaurants perched on towering roof decks. I reached out to several travel bloggers who reside in Bangkok or travel here frequently to share with you some of their favorite spots.

Shangarila Restaurant

Located on Silom Road, just west of the intersection of Naradhiwas Rajanagarindra, or as I refer to it as “the road I can’t pronounce,” check out Shangarila (that is not a typo). It is the perfect place for good quality dim sum, at a really good price. We stumbled upon this place accidentally on a Saturday morning when I saw the photos of dim sum. I’m a dim sum addict and needed a fix. Most dim sum items were around 65-100 THB, meaning only about $2-3 USD a plate.

Their BBQ pork buns were perfectly sweet, and the deep fried pork sticky buns were perfectly sticky and glutinous. For a splurge at 300THB, they served their combination BBQ pork and duck platter without a lot of fat getting in the way, and a salt and pepper pork rib came with a large Thai orchid on the plate. My only complaint was that during one visit they looked at me strange when I wanted chopsticks, and when I offered them back the fork and spoon they provided me, the server looked very, very confused. I don’t think they get a lot of westerners in there, but I think that is why I like it so much. They have a few locations around Bangkok, with a branch in Chinatown as well.

Amber Siobhaun Hoffman recovering attorney, blogs at With Husband In Tow

Lek & Rut Seafood

A few years ago when I asked noted traveler and travel writer Rolf Potts for a restaurant recommendation in Bangkok he was quick to mention Lek and Rut Seafood in the heart of Bangkok’s Chinatown district. The description fit the type of experience I was looking for – seafood, a street side restaurant and the chaos of crowds that are often a part of a dining experience here. We ate here amidst Chinese New Year activities and the crowds that normally frequent this part of Bangkok on the weekend nights seemed to have reached new levels. There is nothing fancy about this restaurant; you eat outside on the street on metal tables while sitting on plastic chairs – small garbage cans are located under each table to hold all the entrails you will invariably produce from all the seafood that you will order! Beggars wheel themselves by looking for food or money, vendors drop by on occasion to try and sell their wares and you are mere feet from motorcycles and cars inching down the street at a snail’s pace.

Dessert hawkers seem to be the most aggressive – pushing their menus in your face while you are still eating. The seafood is certainly the attraction here – plate after plate of large grilled prawns, scallops and crabs are heaped onto the flimsy tables. You don’t just eat the tail of the prawns – the rest of the body delivers a tasty experience especially when you dip these into the accompanying nam phrik (a chili based hot sauce). The food is diverse and extremely flavorful. Prices are reasonable. And beer is the drink of choice.

Dave Levart, long term traveler, blogs at Dave’s Travel Corner .

Wang Lang Market

Located across the Chao Phraya River from the Grand Palace and across the street from Siriraj Hospital, Wang Lang Market remains a haven of local street food and shopping in Bangkok. The market is packed full of the latest Thai fashion and accessories, with both street food stalls and restaurants slotted into every open space.

Along the main road, on the south side of Thanon Wang Lang, there are an abundance of food carts, providing almost every Thai snack you can imagine, from roti gluay (banana roti) to khao kluk kapi (shrimp paste rice with toppings). Also, don’t miss the kanom tungtag, Thai style waffles topped with cream and a choice of fresh grated coconut or egg yolk topping, or the delicious moo tod, deep fried pork. Parallel to Thanon Wang Lang, within the walking street of the market, you’ll find a number of local sit down restaurants, like the famous Nam Tok Sida serving delicious Isaan cuisine, and Suwana Chuansawuy that specializes in roast duck.

Wang Lang market is a daytime market, open from about 8 am – 6 pm daily. The easiest way to get there is to take the Chao Phraya river boat, get off at Wang Lang pier, and you’ll immediately be in the midst of the market. Don’t make too many plans, just start eating.

Mark Wiens, food lover, blogs at Migrationology .

Or Tor Kor Market

Fresh giant fruits and veggies of the highest quality in the country, steamy chili, readymade traditional Thai meals dripping with the smell of lemon grass and ginger, rice with savory or sweet flavors, and a variety of curries that stimulate both your olfactory and taste buds. You’ll also see neatly organized sachets of red, green, brown, black, yellow spices and herbs, fresh seafood and meat.

You’ll find all of this under one roof at the Or Tor Kor Market in Bangkok. It’s one of the four best fresh markets in the world. Once you enter this fresh food realm, you won’t leave without sampling a chunk of fresh durian Thai fruits, coconut crusty cakes, or a bowl of Thai soup.

Or Tor Kor Market is huge, it’s clean and a bit pricey compared to other food markets in the city, but the quality of the products sold here is unbeatable. This is the right place to commence your Thai food experience!

Or Tor Kor Market is near the Kamphaeng Phet MRT stop on the metro. Follow the exit marked “Marketing Association of Farmers” (the opposite side of the weekend Chatuchak market). The market is open daily from 6am – 8pm.

Gianni Bianchini and Ivana Greslikova, on the road for over 700 days, blog at  Nomad is Beautiful.   

Pala Pizza Romana

Would you like a semi-fine dining restaurant in the metro? Maybe you are in a hurry to dine but wanting a great Italian taste? Well, Bangkok has something to satisfy both by Pala Pizza Romana . It is smartly located just between BTS Asok and Sukhumvit MRT Intersection (part of the metro system).

Not only that the restaurant is strategically located at the busy hub of the metro, it also has a quick pizza station in front to accommodate people on the go. The take-out counter has a quick turn over of different varieties of Pizza Romana, freshly made right before your eyes. The glass wall at the counter gives everyone the pleasure of how the pizzas are made. Some regional specialties are also offered such as Arancini Siciliana and the deli section that has selections of your favorite cheeses and cold cuts.

Talking about the deli, I love the Prosciutto and Brie on the antipasto plate and Pasta Arrabbiata. Their price range is from 80THB to 500THB without service charge but a 7% VAT applies on sit in clients which is reasonable, which is why it is not surprising that this place is always packed especially during rush hour.

Lyndsay Anne blogs at Discount Travel Blogger .

White Flower Bakery and Restaurant

The White Flower Bakery and Restaurant (Khrua Dokmai Khao) is a cozy Thai restaurant at the outskirts of Bangkok’s Chinatown. They offer excellent Thai food and some international dishes, mostly Pasta. Most dishes cost a little less than 200 Baht. You should also have a piece of cake there. They make them themselves and they’re yummy and definitely worth trying.

Every time I visited I was the only foreigner. The restaurant is mostly visited by middle class Thais and has style. So – please – if you go there, dress decently.

The White Flower has the following signature dishes. Both are spicy, if you’re not so experienced with Thai food, but hardly spicy from the Thai point of view. And both are delicious! Some of my favorite dishes are grilled duck curry (geng phet pet yang) and pork cake (laab muu thod).

To dine at White Flower Bakery and Restaurant take the skytrain (BTS) to National Stadium and from there continue with a taxi for the remaining two kilometers.

The White Flower now has a second branch in the Siam Square One shopping center opposite Siam Paragon with a slightly different concept.

Charles Rahm, a Bangkok resident, blogs at Don’t Worry Just Travel .

Charley Brown’s Mexican Cantina

When you come to Bangkok, your first thoughts are probably not where can I find some Mexican food. But if you do have the desire, you can check out Charley Brown’s Mexican Cantina . It was founded in 1992 and has both great food and service.

I was more than pleasantly surprised by the proactive and friendly staff. Drinks were offered within moments of sitting down. Food was brought out speedily. And the staff repeatedly checked back in.

Make sure you check out their specials. I was lucky enough to go on a Sunday night (70 Baht beers) to match the prices of Cheap Charlie’s Bar located next store, which is closed on Sunday. Even better are the half-off margaritas on Tuesday.   These are fresh margaritas, no powder or mix, made from fresh limes. I had mine on the rocks.

This is authentic Mexican food (authentic from the slanted perspective of eating Mexican food in the U.S.).   I have eaten at several other Mexican restaurants in Sukhumvit area and have not been impressed. Hot tortilla chips with a light and fruity salsa were placed on the table upon arriving. I ordered Chili con Queso, Chipotle Chicken Quesadillas, and Mini Tuna Nachos. The Chili con Queso came out piping hot with real authentic cheese and was perfect for dipping with tortilla chips. The quesadillas were filling; created from toasted flour tortillas with tangy chicken.

This restaurant is obviously not street food cheap, but still represents a great value. Four margaritas, a daiquiri, and 3 hearty appetizers worked out to 1100 Baht with a tip. Take the BTS to Nana. Charley Brown’s is tucked behind Soi 11 in Sukhumvit. Simply turn left at Cheap Charlie’s Bar and you will run into the restaurant in two minutes. Feel free to sit outside or enjoy the a/c inside the restaurant.

Ric Gazarian, blogs right here at GlobalGaz.

Make sure you check out Bangkok at night.

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