Siam Square And Surrounds

Eat and meet

Siam Square

The centre of the universe for Thai students, Siam Square also has some very good eating options but somewhat lacking in the nightlife department.

Som Tam Nua

Highly recommended

392/14 Siam Square Soi 5, Siam Square
T: (02) 251 4880

Som Tam Nua might be wearing the flashy clothes of a Bangkok hipster, but underneath beats the heart of an Isaan grandma. This place keeps the seats packed with classic som tam, available in multiple different iterations (including with freshwater crab, with salted shrimp, or with fermented fish), ... read more
La Monita Taqueria

Best Mexican in Bangkok

888/26 Mahatun Plaza, Ploenchit
T: (02) 650 9581

While there are a few other Mexican places in Bangkok, none of them come close to La Monita Taqueria's tacos. Their tacos al pastor hit all the right notes for your correspondent, who, it must be said, works much better when Mexican food is close at hand. La Monita uses good ingredients and ... read more
BKK Bagel Bakery

The real deal

518/3 Maneeya Centre North, Ploenchit Rd
T: (02) 254 8157

BKK Bagel Bakery opened to much fanfare from the expat community in Bangkok in March of 2011. This place actually has good bagels: not round bread with a whole punched in it, not doughnuts, not muffins in ring shape. Real bagels, in five flavours, ready to be toasted and schmeared. For those ... read more
Koko Restaurant

Great vegetarian options

262/2 Siam Square Soi 3, Siam Square
T: (02) 658 4094

Koko is best known for its wide selection of vegetarian options on the menu, something not always easy to find in Thailand. Try their mushrooms fried with holy basil (kaprao het); it's a mix of tender mushrooms pan-seared and tossed with a tart dressing and Thai herbs. Fried shiitake mushroom stems ... read more
Sra Bua

An exciting and novel exploration

1/F, Siam Kempinski, 991/9 Rama 1 Rd
T: (02) 162 9000

Before it opened in 2010, Sra Bua was pitted against Nahm, Chef David Patterson's creation across town at the Metropolitan Hotel. Sra Bua, like Nahm, has a sister restaurant with a Michelin star half way around the world in Europe. Unlike Nahm, which takes painstaking authenticity to a new level, ... read more
Vanilla Industry

Design sense to kill

Siam Square Soi 11, Siam Square
T: (02) 658 4720

This café has a design sense to kill — focused yet arty, it combines the dark wood of a European bistro with the pop-chic of west coast American design. The second floor dining room offers French-inspired fare, with crepes and salads dominating the menu. Their desserts are excellent, as well, ... read more
Baan Khun Mae

Solid Central Thai dishes

458/6-9 Siam Square Soi 8, Siam Square
T: (02) 250 1952

Baan Khun Mae (Respected Mother's House) is an air-conditioned respite in the middle of the busy Siam Square area. Just like an old auntie's house might be, the furnishings are a bit faded and the service is warm but lackadaisical. The food is solid Central Thai dishes, including prawns in red ... read more
Food Plus Hawker Centre

Best cheap option in Siam Square

Siam Square Soi 6, 50m south of Sukhumvit Road, Siam Square

This hawker centre, tucked away in a covered arcade off of Soi 6, is one of the best cheap eats options for the Siam Square area. Long tables run down the centre of the arcade which stretches from Soi 6 to Soi 5 (it's easier to find from Soi 6 as there is no sign from the Soi 5 side). Flanking ... read more
Bookends Cafe

Student cafe with free WiFi

Soi Chulalongkorn 62, Siam Square

Bookends Cafe is a popular hangout for nearby Chulalongkorn University students. Set at the rear of Siam Square, it's all outdoors, with a wide, shady veranda, comfortable seating and antique fans, all amid a canopy of leafy vines. The relative leafy quiet (compared with the banging ... read more
See Fah

Good value for money

47/21 Soi Bangkok Bazar, Siam Square
T: (02) 655 0251

See Fah started out as an ice cream shop run by Chinese immigrants in the early 1950s. It's steadily added to its menu as management has passed from grandfather to father to son and now has a good selection of Thai-Chinese dishes, and several locations in Bangkok. The Siam Square branch has a ... read more
Hong Kong Noodle

Popular with students

Siam Square Soi 10, Siam Square
T: (02) 658 4154

Hong Kong Noodle is a Bangkok chain with a few locations around the city. A popular spot with students and young Thais, Hong Kong Noodle has a good selection of decently prepared dim sum, roasted duck and chicken dishes, and noodles. You might not bring your Chinese grandma here, but it's a ... read more