Thailand’s best bars and restaurants for drinking and dining in style

Spicy, sour, sweet, salty and bitter: Thai cuisine celebrates harmony and transforms meals into experiences that engage the senses. Better still, a trip to this sunny nation gives visitors the opportunity to try its regional specialities. When in the north, sample authentic khao soi (noodle soup); in the centre, seek out sticky jasmine rice and refined royal cuisine; and in the south, enjoy ample seafood and bold, fiery curries. You needn’t fear going hungry at any hour – the readily available street food is unrivalled.

We cover all this and more in our latest travel guide, Thailand: The Monocle Handbook, available to order now. Below, we select a few drinking-and-dining highlights from the book, from multicourse seafood feasts and reinterpretations of traditional fare to contemporary cafés and buzzy cocktail bars run by bright entrepreneurs.

1.
Charmkrung
Bangkok

This Thai tapas bar on Charoen Krung Road is the sister restaurant of Charmgang and Charmkok, both of which are nearby. “Our menu is an eclectic mix of takes on Thai drinking snacks, old-school recipes that don’t often make it onto menus and dishes that we have fun with, such as the Thai porchetta and pani puri with a crab salad,” says Kiki Sontiyart, co-founder of Charmkrung. As it closes at 23.00, it’s the perfect spot for late-night dining.
6th floor, 839 Charoen Krung Rd

2.
Blackitch Artisan Kitchen
Chiang Mai

Chiang Mai has one of the most exciting culinary scenes in the country. Its street food and professional kitchens blend modern creativity with many ethnic heritages, including Lan Na and hill-tribe traditions. Here, Phanuphol Bulsuwan, known as chef Black, serves a 10-course menu adapted every three months according to the season. “Our jungle curry kaeng paa uses jackfruit in three forms wrapped in a taco shell in a reinterpretation of a central-style dish,” says Bulsuwan. “The recipe uses traditional flavours and produce sourced nearby, interpreted through global techniques.”
blackitch.com 

3.
Kaen 
Khon Kaen

After a decade of working in the food industry together, Paisarn Cheewinsiriwat and Kanyarat “Jib” Thanomsaeng saw the opportunity to create their own place, putting emphasis on sourcing ingredients as close to the restaurant as possible. Their menu explores an array of Thai classics such as beef cooked with chestnuts and jackfruit seeds in a vibrant massaman sauce, and sea bass baked in parchment with a herb broth.
140/64 Soi Adulyaram 3 Nai Mueang

4.
Samut 
Phuket

Samut puts seafood at the heart of its multicourse tasting menu. Fresh catches are enhanced by local spices and prepared to southern taste. Banana shrimp and lobster can be found alongside tiger prawns and razor clams. Don’t miss the traditional Phuket dessert tu bo, which features root vegetables and coconut cream. 
samutphuket.com

5.
Easterly 
Chanthaburi

Motion-graphics designer Khanapong Pumarin established this local winner with the aim of channeling the community feel of a social club into a café that also moonlights as a bar. The concept and the smart interior – a timeless mix of bare brick, wood and exquisite lighting – has proved a success among young locals. There are even rooms for overnight stays. On the opposite side of the street is Cap, a café run by Pumarin’s sister.
182 Sukhaphiban Rd

6.
The Norm 
Bangkok

On big nights here, the decks will be spinning in two venues: The Main Hall and The Terrace, The Norm’s outdoor spritz bar. The Whispering Room – a speakeasy that serves Japanese whisky and plays jazz on vinyl – provides a more intimate atmosphere. Everything about The Norm, from the music to the dress code, has been designed to make it feel inviting. “We are in an expensive building but I don’t want this to feel too exclusive,” says founder Sitthan “Turk” Sa-Nguankun.
thenormbangkok.com 

7.
House of Suzy 
Koh Samui

UK-born New Zealander William Norbert-Munns relocated to Koh Samui in 2021, as the strain of running more than 20 business ventures in Cambodia encouraged him to seek out a slower pace of life. Unable to sit idle for long, the entrepreneur opened House of Suzy, a cocktail bar that caters for the creative residents of Lamai. It features deep burgundy tones and soft lighting in a sultry interior that nods to mid-century Shanghai. The menu includes handmade dim sum alongside reinvented classic cocktails.
houseofsuzylamai.com 

8.
Mok
Ubon Ratchathani

Named after the traditional Thai technique of steaming food, Mok is a converted two-storey home in Ubon Ratchathani. Chef Sirorat Thowtho – known as chef Fai or Auntie Chef – sources ingredients with “the same care that a mother would take when cooking for her children”, with generous dishes that feel both nurturing and elevated. The herb-studded sea-bass mok is a nod to the restaurant’s name, while mok pla ra pairs fermented fish with pineapple relish and fresh vegetables. A Bib Gourmand nod affirms that this restaurant represents a heartfelt taste of Ubon Ratchathani’s growing food scene.

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Meet the expert: Q&A
Siradej “Champ” Donavanik, vice-president of global development, Dusit International

Donavanik’s grandmother was a Thai hospitality pioneer who opened the original Dusit Thani hotel in Bangkok.

What’s your role at Dusit International?
I am heading our development efforts globally, basically growing our properties and brands throughout the world. Hospitality is in my blood.

What did your grandmother teach you?
That people are the most important aspect of hospitality. That’s true whether you’re talking about the legacy of the past or the AI of the future.

How has the hotel landscape changed during your lifetime?
It has become far more competitive. Every single brand under the sun is here and there are a lot more coming in, both international and independent. Younger generations are starting to put their own mark on the industry and Bangkok now has quite a nice balance.

How does Bangkok compare with every other city you visit?
I call it organised chaos in Bangkok. Everything just works but it’s very raw and rough around the edges. I’ve been to some crazy bars on Sukhumvit 24 where they serve wine on tap and people are dancing on the tables. Bangkok is a mecca for consumers.

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