Top Rated Restaurants & Cafes in Bangkok

Set in a 1910 colonial building, Namsaah Bottling Trust catches your eye with its vibrant pink exterior. The meaning of its name is soda water or sparking water as it was the office of a soda company’s bottling unit at one point. Spread across two levels, its sumptuous decor accentuated by Asian artifacts, intricate wallpapers, antique mirrors, elegant regional furnishing, Chinese parchments, dim lighting and old brass fans will surely wow you. Each space is done up in varying jewel tones and looks distinct from the other with its decoration. For a fantastic cocktail experience, their ground floor cocktail bar is one of the finest in the town. Created by their expert mixologists, their delightful concoctions not only feature classics but specialty drinks like the Kaffir Lime Watermelon Smash and Sangsom Salted Caramel Whisky Sour. Upstairs is a more refined dining venue where you can savor contemporary Thai cuisine with influences of various cooking styles. You can be sure of an interesting epicurean trip at Namsaah Bottling Trust. Reservations are highly recommended.

Having gained fame for his Michelin-starred Thai restaurant in London, chef David Thompson takes things a notch higher at Nahm's Bangkok outpost. Located within the plush confines of the Metropolitan Bangkok, Nahm sits adjacent to the outdoor pool and is a stunning affair. The interiors are a mix of traditional and modern with sleek contemporary accents complementing the ancient, temple-inspired columns. Warm lighting adds a comfortable vibe to the space. The menu offerings are high on tradition and authenticity with such delights as the salted duck eggs with crab, peanut relish with grilled river prawns and smoked fish curry. The traditional dessert offerings are not to be missed. There's a set menu as well offering a bit of everything. Featuring in the list of the world's top 50 restaurants, Nahm is the place to go for some of the best Thai food in the city.

Located in Banglampu, Thip Samai is popular for its wide range of Pad Thai, a special kind of Thai rice noodles. Diners often queue up to get a taste of this delicious dish, that is also reasonably priced. As good as the Street Vendor's Pad Thai, the restaurant is most famous for its Shrimp Pad Thai wrapped by a thin egg layer and its fresh and pulpy orange juice. For those who enjoy authentic Thai food, street-food style, must visit Thip Samai.

Street food lovers are in for a treat along the Sukhumvit Soi 38 in Bangkok. While the Sukhumvit area is actually lined by some of the best restaurants in town, this particular road is even more popular for the stalls along the road which serve some of the most delicious local cuisine at pocket-friendly prices. From pad thai and seafood noodles to grilled pork and soi-dogs, which are a vegetarian version of hot dogs, the variety here will suit even the most picky eater.

Wang Lang Market is one of the most bustling and lively markets in Bangkok. Famous for the exhaustive variety of street food stalls located here, a trip to this market more often than not takes up half the day! Wander around the crowded maze of alleys and browse through the local products being hawked at every turn. This flea market is a popular shopping spot not just for tourists but also primarily for locals, who you can see going about their daily tasks and stopping to enjoy a delicious meal before rushing off again. Even if shopping is not for you, make sure you visit Wang Lang to get a glimpse into the lives of the locals and enjoy some seriously good and cheap food. Look out for stalls selling muu daeng yang (roasted pork) and phad sataw muu tawt (stink beans with crispy pork belly) and finally end your food expedition with desserts like kanom krok (Thai cupcakes) and kanom buang maprow (wafers stuffed with meringue and sweet coconut or sometimes dried shrimp).

Situated within Bangkok Art and Culture Centre, Gallery Drip Coffee attracts authors, painters, photographers and other artistic types. Here, coffee making is an art; the owners procure the finest Arabica beans from different parts of Northern Thailand. This café is involved in every stage of coffee making: the coffee beans are ground by hand and roasted in-house. Owner Piyachat Trithaworn began his career as a photographer but was inspired to take up coffee brewing after photographing an Arabica coffee plantation. Thus, it is fitting that the café is located within a cultural center and has quirky illustrations and designs lining the walls and coffee mugs, some of them rendered by diners and the owners' friends. Even the brewing equipment has a unique design and is used to produce rich single origin and blended coffees. Innovative blends like Drip Coffee Jelly with foamed milk have patrons coming back for more.