Region: Bangkok And Surrounds> Province: Bangkok> Location: Bangkok/Siam Square and surrounds

Pratunam and beyond

This region encompasses the areas immediately surrounding the BTS stations Rachatewi, Phayathai, Victory Monument, and Ari, as well as along the roads leading away from them. Most of these areas are not particularly popular with tourists with the exception of Phayathai Road, which is a commonly visited shopping district. Nonetheless, Bangkok is a city replete with "secret" spots, and as an ever growing and evolving city, there are always interesting venues to discover throughout the metropolis.

The Ari station neighbourhood has become increasingly popular over recent years, with a number of musicians and artists migrating to the neighbourhood and a compensating development of shops, bars, and restaurants to cater to these new residents. Not surprisingly, Reflections Bar and Restaurant fits perfectly into this environment. Its pink deco buildings, multicoloured seating, and kitsch inspired decor bring a funky feel-good vibe to patrons who drink and dine beside the pool, upon the deck, or by the bar. Food is primarily Thai, Japanese, and Seafood.

Moving back towards the BTS station there are a vast number of smaller Thai restaurants located here and there along the main soi -- Phaholyothin 7, aka Soi Ari -- as well as down the smaller Ari sois 1, 2, and 3. These Thai restaurants are well known among locals for both their diversity and quality, serving everything from fresh fruits to innumerable noodle dishes. There are also a number of newer establishments such as Arancini Italian restaurant, which serves pizza from a wood fired oven as well as a respectable choice of imported wines, and Coffee Talk, a small, but popular cafe which is particularly popular with local residents. On the opposite side of the sky-train is the most obvious impact of Ari's popularity: Phaholyothin Plaza. The complex houses a number of chain restaurants that are found in just about every busy district of Bangkok, including Greyhound Cafe, Fuji Japanese Restaurant and IBerry.

Near the Victory Monument, hidden back behind a maze of small sois is The Pickle Factory, well known for its extremely good pizzas, laid-back atmosphere and appalling service. The restaurant was built in a residential neighbourhood; in fact, the dining room consists of the bottom half of the owner's house and there is additional seating outdoors beside the pool. Consequently, the atmosphere is very homey, the music is great, and the food all homemade. One strange twist is that the only person who makes the pizzas is also the only person who delivers take-out. So, you may end up waiting for hours for a pizza if the chef is out on a delivery. It's a good idea to ask if the pizza guy is there, and if not, order a Greek salad or some Thai appetizers and enjoy a leisurely dinner.

Immediately beside the Victory Monument BTS there are a number of food stalls which sit within a small plaza where there are occasional live bands on the weekends. The central courtyard within the stalls has plenty of seating, a variety of foods to select from, and large fans to keep you cool in the steamier months. However, the real action is just behind the food stalls, on the small soi leading away from the BTS station. Saxophone Pub a wood and brick building adorned with old brass instruments, album covers, and a rotating display of art, has been the epicentre of the Bangkok jazz and blues scene for 20 years. Although nightly music ranges from Big Band to salsa, reggae, ska, and jazz, the primary attraction is the weekend blues bands. Friday and Saturday nights feature three different acts. Seating includes a semicircle directly around the stage, tables in various nooks around the first floor, overlooking the band along the railing and upon floor cushions on the 2nd floor. Comprehensive food and cocktail menu is a little pricy, but for the music and good time atmosphere it's a bargain.

Back towards Siam, at the southeast exit of BTS Rachatewi is another 20 year veteran of the Bangkok music scene, The Rock Pub. The owner, a rock musician himself, has dedicated himself to creating a home for rock and metal in Bangkok and has established an ear-splitting venue that is a must visit for fans of the genre. Thai and international bands play nightly, blasting out original tunes or covers of Nirvana, Black Sabbath and the like, and as is often the case with this oft-misunderstood musical style, the musicians are down to earth, friendly guys who are, perhaps unsurprisingly, ready to party with friendly Farang.

From virtually anywhere in the city you can spot Baiyoke Tower, the tallest building in Thailand. What you may not realise, is that there are people in a bar up there looking out over you! Although during daylight and early evening you must pay 200 Baht cover just to ride up to the Roof Top Bar on the 83rd floor, the price includes one drink, although if you go after 10pm the admission is free. The bar itself is pretty tacky; its space theme is undeveloped, the concrete floor chipped, and the house band unimpressive, but it's the panoramic view of the city that you're here for. Visit after 5pm and you can walk up to the 84th floor, where a revolving sidewalk allows you to see the entire city without risk of spilling your drink. There is even a glass elevator from the outside of the building that will take you to the 77th floor, which is far more fun than going directly up from the lobby.

There are a couple of decent restaurants in the area around Pratunam shopping district. Down on the corner of Phetburi and Ratchadamri is the open-air Seafood Market, squashed between the khlong and Phetburi and Ratchadamri Roads, creating a rather unhygienic and unatmospheric location for a seafood meal. Prices are inflated due to the high tourist traffic in the area, but the food isn't too bad. Do be sure to agree on a price before ordering. Opposite Panthip Plaza is Once Upon a Time, a charming Thai restaurant set a way down soi 17 on the right in a pleasant garden, with seating indoors or outside. The classic Thai cuisine is excellent and the service friendly. Some may find the light by oil lamps a little too low, but the atmosphere is fairly romantic.

Coffee Talk: 34 Baan Yoswadi Building, Phahonyothin Soi 7, Bangkok. T: (02) 619 6420. Daily 10:00 – 23:00.
Fuji Japanese Restaurant: Lavi La Phahonyothin Soi 6, 2nd floor, Bangkok. T: (02) 613 0555. Daily 11:00 – 22:00.
Greyhound Cafe: Phahonyothin Plaza 1st floor, Bangkok. T: (02) 613 0547. Daily 11:00 – 22:00.
Once Upon a Time: 32 Soi 17 Phetburi Rd, Bangkok. T: (02) 252-8629. Daily 11:00 -23:00.
Pickle Factory: 55 Soi Ratchawithi 2, Ratchawithi Road, Bangkok. T: (02) 246 3036.
Roof Top Bar: 222 Rajprarop Road, 83rd floor Baiyoke Tower, Bangkok. T: (02) 656 3000. Daily 10:00 – 01:00.
Saxophone Pub: 3/8 Victory Monument, Bangkok. T: (02)246 5472: Daily 17:00 – 01:00.
Seafood market: corner of Phetburi and Ratchadamri, Bangkok.
The Rock Pub: 93/26-28 Hollywood Street, opposite Asia Hotel, Bangkok. T: (02) 208 9228. Daily 19:00 – 02:00. http://therockpub-bangkok.com

Siam Square and surrounds

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

Predictably, however, there are a number of good Thai restaurants that cater to the large number of students and Thais working in the area. Ban Khun Mae Thai Cuisine is a two-storey Thai restaurant hugely popular with Thais and tourists alike. Famous for its very good home-style food, be sure to ask for it spicy if you like it that way. Upstairs can get pretty raucous and the live music can be a bit so-so, but it's a fun spot -- fans of Thai cowboys will feel right at home. Inter Restaurant's large Thai food menu and cheap prices bring in the crowds, many of whom are students from next-door Chulalongkorn University. It's a great place to grab a quick, casual bite after wandering through the shopper's paradise around Siam Square.

If you're burned out on Thai food, but still on a budget, try Hong Kong Noodles, which serves dim sum and a variety of noodle dishes that are a bit small, but can be mix and matched with dim sum; all dishes are priced low for the Thai-university student clientele. A little pricier is Holy Pizza, which serves thin-crust pies with a vaguely Roman Catholic theme; for example the Vatican's Choice pizza with Parma ham and rocket lettuce. Modern art by locals on white walls, a staff in black, and a resident DJ lends more hip-ness than the big black life-sized cross by the door might suggest.

If you're really in the mood to splurge, head over to Outback Steakhouse in Siam Discovery Centre. This is the first Thai franchise of the US-based Australian Outback chain. The food is hearty steakhouse fare and should be avidly avoided by both vegetarians and dieters. Massive steaks, mushrooms drowned in butter and super-size sundaes are the typical dishes here. It's a hit among Thais and not a bad choice to satisfy a western food craving.

Finally, there are dozens of restaurants in Siam Paragon shopping mall, including two food courts; one serving inexpensive Thai food for mall employees and budget conscious shoppers, and a second upscale food court that features cuisine from some of the finer restaurant in the city. Thai, Vietnamese, Italian, and Japanese foods are all represented. Surrounding the food court is a number of chain restaurants from McDonalds to Fuji Japanese restaurant and gradually further away are more upscale eateries such as Vanilla Brasserie, the perfect spot for a sophisticated cup of coffee and a slice of cake to re-energise during a round of serious shopping. It's a trendy take on Oriental Hotel-style, and manages to pull it off quite well.

The nightlife around Siam is limited when compared to other regions of Bangkok. Several restaurants in the area double as bars, as Thai people generally enjoy eating and drinking simultaneously throughout the night. To Sit is a hugely popular student bar and restaurant that is an excellent choice for a lively night out with a bunch of friends. The first floor has a band, so you may want to continue to the second floor if conversation is on your to-do list. The Thai standards are great and very well-priced. The Hard Rock Cafe has decent bands and is often crowded, but the layout of the bar makes it impossible to move around, let alone dance, and there are usually a number of bar-girls there looking to hook up. Prices are comparable to Hard Rock Cafes throughout the world, but the food is decent and the bar can be fun. Lastly, CM2, in the basement of the Novotel hotel has live music nightly and is a happening dance club and pick-up joint, again with a number of ladies of the night looking to hook up with a visiting businessman, but there is also a fair mixture of expats and people who just love to dance.

If things are getting really late, sort of behind and beyond the National Stadium, you'll find Club Spicy, a popular after-hours disco, where hundreds of partiers congregate nightly to dance the night away.

Ban Khun Mae Thai Cuisine: 458/7-9 Siam Square Soi 8, Bangkok. T: (02) 658 4112-3. Open daily 11:00 – 23:00.
Club Spicy: Lang Muang Soi 1, Bangkok. Open late.
CM2: Siam Square Soi 6, Bangkok. T: (02) 255 6888. Open daily 21:00 – 02:00.
Paragon Food Courts: Siam Paragon, Rama 1 Rd, Bangkok. Open daily 10:00 – 22:00.
Hard Rock Cafe: 424/3-6 Siam Square soi 11, Bangkok. T: (02) 251 0792 Open daily: 11:00 – 01:00. www.hardrockcafe.co.th
Holy Pizza: 442 Siam Square Soi 7, Bangkok. T: (02) 654-6373. Open daily 09:30-23:00.
Hong Kong Noodle: Siam Square Soi 10, Bangkok. Open daily 10:00 – 22:00.
Inter Restaurant: 432/1-2 Siam Square Soi 9, Bangkok. T: (02) 251 4689. Open daily 10:00 – 22:00.
Outback Steakhouse: 2nd Floor Siam Discovery Centre, Rama 1 Rd, Bangkok. T: (02) 658 0202. Open daily 11:30 – 22:00.
To Sit: Siam Square Soi 3, Bangkok. T: (02) 658 4001
Vanilla Brasserie: Ground Floor, Siam Paragon, Rama 1 Rd, Bangkok. T: (02) 610 9383. Open daily 10:00 – 22:00.

Ratchadamri and Phloenchit Roads
Walking along the skybridge between Siam BTS and Chit Lom BTS you will pass Ratchadamri Road and then continue above Phloenchit Road, which joins Sukhumvit to Rama 1 Road. The Ratchadamri hotel strip boasts the Regent and Grand Hyatt Erawan, both of which have some very good eateries. Across the road are the mega-malls of Central World Plaza and Gaysorn Plaza, which marks the beginning of Phloenchit Road. There's a small cluster of Thai street stalls and noodle shops at the top of Wireless Road along with a couple of other restaurants dotting the area and there are many restaurants and a food court in Central Chit Lom department store. Nightlife in this area is limited to a few hotel bars and the seasonal beer gardens.

While there are many options for dining available in the Grand Erawan and Regent hotels, Biscotti, in the Four Seasons Hotel, is one of Bangkok's best Italian restaurants. Bustling and lively, the service is if anything a little too fast, but that isn't too big a deal -- just tell the waiters to go away. The food is innovative and reasonably priced given the top-notch setting, while the wine list is extensive, but on the expensive side. The restaurant is consistently busy, so a reservation is a good idea. Equally pricy, but just as impressively delicious is Shintaro, a Japanese/sushi restaurant also situated in the Four Seasons Hotel. If you're in the area and must have some sushi, this authentic eatery can't be beat.

A little ways down the road on the opposite side of Phloen Chit Road is Fogo Vivo, a Brazilian churrascaria restaurant in President Tower Arcade, beside the Intercontinental Hotel. Fogo Vivo servers stroll throughout the dining room with skewers of barbeque meat, fish, lamb, and chicken while sexy Brazilian dancers shake their stuff. If you really enjoy Latin music, Fogo Vivo has a weekly entertainment schedule that includes Salsa and Tango classes. Otherwise, just sip on Caiparinhas in the stylish bar, while watching novices learn some new moves.

For a variety of cuisine you can try one of the upscale and trendy Food Lofts located in Central Chit Lom and Central World Plaza. Both feature food from a large and diverse mix of Bangkok's finest restaurants at very reasonable prices and within, well, an upscale and trendy environment (their words, not ours). The tom yam goong at Central Chit Lom is arguably the best you can find in Thailand.

Finally, towards the end of Phloen Chit, near the Wireless Road intersection is another long time Italian favourite, Gianni, a fine dining restaurant with over 200 wines, a great set lunch menu, and a comfortable atmosphere.

In the cooler, winter months (approximately Nov-Feb), the grounds in front of Central World Plaza are converted into a series of Beer Gardens, where each of the major brewers in Thailand –- Chang, Singha, Heinekin, and Asahi -– erect their own outdoor stage for live music, towers of draft beer, and a number of Thai food stalls. Immensely popular with Thai's and foreigners alike, the tables fill up quickly after sunset and are busy seven nights a week.

Biscotti: Four Seasons Hotel Bangkok, 155 Ratchadamri Rd, Bangkok. T: (02) 255 5443. Open daily 12:00 - 14:30/18:00 – 22:30.
Central Food Lofts: Central Chit Lom and Central World Plaza, Rama 1 Rd, Bangkok. Open daily 10:00 – 22:00.
Fogo Vivo Churrascaria Grill Bar: President Tower Arcade, 973 Phloenchit Rd, Bangkok. T: (02) 656 0384. Open daily 11:30 – 14:30 & 18:00 – 23:30. www.fogovivo.com
Gianni Ristorante: 34/1 Soi Tonson, Bangkok. T: (02) 252 1619. Open daily 11:00 – 14:30 & 18:00 – 22:30.
Shintaro: Four Seasons Hotel Bangkok, 155 Ratchadamri Rd, Bangkok. (02) 255 5443. Open daily 11:30 - 14:30 & 17:00 – 22:30.

Soi Kasem San 1 & 2
This mini-backpacker's area has a handful of small eateries that are convenient if staying in the area.

Pisces Bar and Restaurant has a standard backpacker-style menu and their breakfasts in particular are generously proportioned and reasonably priced. Service can be very slow though. A new wood-fired oven pizzeria is going in on the old Soras Restaurant location and could be the most interesting venue on the soi.

Thompson Bar and Restaurant at the Jim Thompson House on Soi Kasem San 2 has seating beside a fishpond in the shadow of the former silk magnate's house and within an elegant indoor dining room where diners sit upon silk covered cushions and throw pillows. The food is western and Thai, perhaps slightly overpriced, but fine for lunch or a tasty smoothie before or after visiting the residence.

Pisces Bar and Restaurant: Soi Kasem San 1, Rama 1 Rd, Bangkok. Open daily 08:00 – 13:00 & 17:00 – 22:30.
Thompson Bar and Restaurant: 6 soi Kasem San 2, Bangkok. T: (02) 612 3369. Open daily 10:30 – 18:00.

Soi Lang Suan and Soi Sarasin
Lang Suan – literally behind the park -- forms the heart of one of Bangkok's best eating and socialising areas, with stacks of very good restaurants and bars. Perpendicular Soi Sarasin marks another boundary of Lumphini Park and features a short strip of restaurant/bars popular with Thai's and expats. Sadly, there are rumours that this area will soon be demolished to make way for condominiums, so call ahead if you are planning to visit the area late in 2007 or early 2008.

Of particular note on Lang Suan is Calderazzo, created by joining two adjacent houses, where solid Italian food in an intimate yet bustling atmosphere is available. Downstairs is popular with Thai hi-so types while upstairs is more intimate and features a pleasant cocktail lounge.

Some francophones reckon Le Moulin De Sommai, a comfortable, unpretentious place offers some of the best hearty French food in town. Staff is friendly and the service is great. It's easy to miss on Lang Suan as it's tucked back a little off the footpath. Café Le Notre serves deservedly pricey deserts and coffees if you are looking for an alternative venue to Starbucks for an afternoon or evening pick-me-up.

Ad Makers is a popular music restaurant whose house band consists of some of Bangkok's best musicians. They seamlessly transition from a seemingly random music play list like Queen to Brittney Spears, while uninhibited (possibly drunk) locals get frisky on the dance floor. Another venue for occasional live music is Café Trio, hidden down a small sub-soi just past and opposite Starbucks. A cosy, comfortable jazz lounge, Cafe Trio is decorated with the paintings of proprietress Patty and is popular with diplomats and international journalists, as well as hip expats in-the-know. Finally, The Tunnel is one of Bangkok's most popular after-hour clubs, where for a few hundred baht cover charge, late night clubbers drink and dance until 3am.

On Soi Sarasin, bars and clubs seem to come and go over the years, the exception being Brown Sugar, a live jazz and blues institution that has served food and drinks to music lovers since 1985. They've moderately priced Thai food and somewhat expensive drinks, but feature some great live acts. Two doors down is 70's bar, a straight and gay friendly dance club that predictably plays 70's music, but with an emphasis on Thai 70's music. Another live music bar is Pub 2hi, which is popular with both Thai's and expats. Also found on the soi is Kleun Sak (the sign is in Thai language), a stylish club that showcases a wall of Johnny Walker whisky bottles that patrons can purchase, imbibe, and then leave behind unfinished bottles in the case for return visits. Several of the other bars along the soi cater to mostly gay patrons and are equally busy throughout the week.

70's Bar: Sarasin Rd, Bangkok. T: (02) 253 4433. Open daily 18:00 – 01:00.
Ad Makers: 51-51/1 Soi Lang Suan, Bangkok. T: (02) 652 0168-9.
Brown Sugar: 231/20 Sarasin Rd, Bangkok. T: (02) 250 1826. Open daily 17:00 – 01:00.
Cafe Le Notre: 61 Lang Suan Rd, Bangkok. T: (02) 250 7050-1.
Calderazzo: 59 Soi Lang Suan, Bangkok. T: (02) 252 8108-9. Open daily 11:00 – 14:30 & 18:00 – 22:30.
Kleun Sak: 297 Sarasin Rd, Bangkok. T: (02) 254 2962. Open daily 17:00 – 01:00.
Le Moulin De Sommai: 93/3A Langsuan Rd, Bangkok. T: (02) 652 2513. Open daily 18:00 – 24:00.
Pub 2hi: 231/18 Soi Sarasin, Bangkok. T: – (02) 650 5006. Open Mon – Sat 17:00 – 01:00.
The Tunnel: Lang Suan Soi 5, Bangkok. Open daily late.

Wireless Road and Ruam Rudee
Wireless Road is a tree-lined embassy strip, home to some top hotels and reasonable eateries and bars. Soi Ruam Rudee, which runs parallel to Wireless Road has a number of good restaurants and bars, particularly clustered within Ruam Rudee Village, about halfway down the soi.

The upscale nature of Wireless Road's dining and nightlife options is indicative of the preponderance of embassies and five star hotels that line the street. On the corner of Ruam Rudee and Wireless sits Neil's Tavern, a long-established steakhouse and bakery named after astronaut Neil Armstrong. The atmosphere is upscale yet comfortable, and the service and food are top-notch. All Seasons Place has a number of decent restaurants and cafes, which vary in price in quality, but for nightlife you should visit the adjoining Conrad Hotel, which contains two very different venues: The Diplomat Bar, a sophisticated lounge with rotating international jazz singers and some of the best cocktails in town, and 87 Plus, a slick dance club with international DJ's and bands that play to a mixture of business people and attractive Thai women, many of whom may have questionable motives for patronising the disco.

Located behind Wireless road on Soi Ruam Rudee is, Ruam Rudee Village, a small complex of upscale restaurants popular with Bangkok's upper crust and well-to-do expats. Witches Oyster Bar, which received a 2007 facelift, has one of the best happy hours in town, serving buy one get one free drinks nightly from five until eight pm. Consequently, Witches pours the cheapest pints of Guinness in Bangkok and, as the name implies, the only oyster shooters, as well as imported and local oysters prepared in a variety of ways. Bacchus has a fine dining menu in addition to an extensive wine list. Coffee Beans by Dao is a spin-off from the immensely popular original restaurant of the same name near Thong Lor. Renowned for their desserts as well as their creative Thai food, Coffee Bean is crowded nearly every day of the week. Finally, Ruam Rudee Village has traditional and fusion American cuisine at Circle Restaurant and Vietnamese food at a soon to be opened, yet to be named restaurant on the northern end of the complex.

Also located on Ruam Rudee is Papparazzi. Located inside the exclusive Chateau de Bangkok, Papparazzi is known for its pizzas and pasta, although the decor is a bit glitzy. The crab with squid ink linguini is a favourite. In addition to the a la carte menu of Thai and Italian dishes, there is a Thai buffet for lunch and an Italian buffet for dinner available Monday through Friday.

87 Plus: All Seasons Place, 87 Wireless Rd, Bangkok. T: (02) 690 9999. Open daily: 9:30 pm - 02:00.
Bacchus Wine Bar and Restaurant Lounge: 20/6-7 Ruam Rudee Rd, Bangkok. T: (02) 650 8986. Open daily 17:00 – 01:00.
Circle Restaurant: 200/27-29 Ruam Rudee Village Rd, Bangkok. T: (02) 650 8047. Open Mon – Sat 11:30-23:30.
Coffee Beans by Dao: 20/12-15 Soi Ruam Rudee. Ploenchit Rd, Bangkok. T: (02) 254 7117
Diplomat Bar: Conrad Hotel, 87 Wireless Rd, Bangkok. T: (02) 690 9999. Open daily 10:00 – 01:00.
Neil's Tavern: 58/4 Soi Ruam Rudee Rd, Bangkok. T: (02) 256 6874-6. Open Mon-Sat 11:30 - 13:45 and 17:30 - 22:30.
Papparazzi: Chateau de Bangkok, 29 Soi Ruam Rudee, Bangkok. T: (02) 651 4400
Witches Oyster Bar and Restaurant: 20/20-21 Ruam Rudee Village Rd, Bangkok. T: (02) 2555 5354. Open daily 16:00 – 01:00. www.witch-tavern.com.