Bangkok’s 12 Best Thai restaurants, by region

We’re not sure why Northern food is so hard to come by in Bangkok – it’s pretty much universally loved, and the flavours are friendly enough for a foreigner, but made for a Thai. These are three stops to check out instead of booking that plane ticket to Chiang Mai.

What is it?: A blink-and-you’ll-miss-it little spot on Sukhumvit Soi 33 with a comforting, living room atmosphere and Lanna design touches that transport you far away from the neighbouring hostess bars and into the kitchen of an indulgent Northern grandmother.

Why we love it: In our brief and extremely informal (possibly while drunk) survey, we found that Thais who go to the North are more likely to crave khanom jin nam ngiao (rice noodles in a thick, pork broth flavoured with tomato and red kapok flowers), while foreigners go for the khao soi (wheat noodles in a spicy coconut curry). Gedhawa does masterful renditions of both, better than most places in Chiang Mai. Expect all your favourites – spicy sai ua sausage, Northern-style pomelo salad, fresh and green nam phrik num (green chili dip), and one of the best hang le (Burmese-influenced curry with pork and tamarind) we’ve ever had.

Time Out tip: Every magazine seems to mention that this is one of Harry Styles’ favourite restaurants. For some of us that counts as points against the place, but regardless of how you feel about One Direction, this makes us think the man is onto something.

What is it?: In an old house near the base of Sukhumvit Soi 33, North’s dinner tasting menu might be eye-wateringly expensive, but their lunch is thankfully reasonably priced, and absolutely worth a visit to experience their refined and subtle approach to Northern cuisine.

Why we love it: Industrialisation brings growth and prosperity, but it also brings a standardisation. In many ways, that’s a good thing (we’d rather not die of trichinosis), but local delights that – for whatever reason – aren’t scalable tend to get sidelined. The team at North is part of a new wave of Thai chefs who deeply investigate the history and geography of Thai foodways. North’s cuisine showcases the many migratory waves that came through Lanna, with Yunnan-influenced khao soi that has a camphor quality owing to the heavy use of black cardamom, and Burmese-influenced ‘pea pillows’ that will show you a whole new side of split peas.

Time Out tip: There’s nothing more Northern than a khan toke, a collection of little local dishes on a tray that symbolises classic Lanna hospitality. North’s khan toke set for two is a great crash course on the flavours of the region, elevated with wagyu hang le curry and heirloom rice.

What is it?: For Bangkokians, Ongtong needs no introduction. Starting as a humble shophouse restaurant in Aree, they now have locations all over the city (this writer might be slurping on a wee bowl at the Commons as he writes), and have become the khao soi we all think of.

Why we love it: What has propelled Ongtong to success? In our mind, it’s two things. One is the early recognition from Michelin, who gave it the Bib Gourmand (a distinction they no longer hold, sadly), and the other was the proliferation of delivery services. For many of us, an inexpensive bowl of Ongtong’s classic khao soi delivered by a bold motorcycle courier helped take the edge off the pandemic. While khao soi is very much the order of the day, don’t shy away from their interpretations of other Northern staples – their sai ua is damn fine as well, whether ordered as a side dish or made into a simple fried rice.

Time Out tip: Especially given Ongtong’s appeal with both international visitors and health-conscious urbanites, they are one of the few places outside the vegan paradise of Chiang Mai that offer a plant-based version of khao soi, with some pretty awesome tofu to boot.

As kindly as Northern food is, Southern food holds a gun to your head and tells you to like it. We do so, wholeheartedly.

What is it?: With four locations around town, from Bang Na to Aree, chances are high you’ve been, but that doesn’t stop Khua Kling Pak Sod from being the benchmark for quality Southern food in Bangkok, particularly at their primary location in Thong Lo.

Why we love it: Tracing their roots to family recipes from Chumphon Province, Khua Kling Pak Sod refuses to compromise to our city’s comparatively lower spice tolerance. Seafood dishes and curries pack that earthy, peppery, herbaceous punch that only the South can provide, making the most of chilis, fresh black pepper, and fresh turmeric that will leave you breathing fire. The milder dishes provide the necessary balance, with some of our favourites being moo hong (sweet braised pork) and yam dok kajon kung (a stir-fried local flower, accompanied by fresh prawns).

 Time Out tip: The best thing to order? The name is right there: the khua kling (spicy dry curry) with phak sot (an assortment of fresh vegetables, including rarities like fresh butterfly pea flower). It’s one of the fiercest dishes on the menu, so get your rice ready and order a second beer.

What is it?: Before Supaksorn ‘Ice’ Jongsiri became a culinary superstar, he was a young chef continuing his Southern grandmother’s restaurant business, moving it from the backwaters of Nonthaburi to Thong Lo (now with six other locations as well).

Why we love it: We’re not able to get a table at Sorn, and you aren’t either. We accept this about life, just like we accept that our soi will flood this year. But thankfully Chef Ice’s entry-level restaurant is no slouch. Indeed, this is where he refined the skills and recipes that would later earn him three Michelin stars. Traditional dishes, largely from his ancestral province of Nakhon Si Thammarat. Two of the most outstanding dishes are named for his grandparents. His grandmother gets the khanom jeen khun ya, in which light fluffy noodles get the dunk-tank treatment in a classic nam ya curry, and his grandfather gets the khao yam khun pu, a classic Southern-style rice salad served with a funky budu dressing.

Time Out tip: A number of the best dishes are only periodically available – feel free to call ahead to check if standouts like beef shank massaman and graduk khluk khlik phrik sator (pork ribs with sator beans) are available.

What is it?: A long-running Southern restaurant with five locations in unexpected spots – Central Westgate, Fortune Town, Paradise Park, The Nine and a standalone venue out in remote Phuttamonthon.

Why we love it: Discovering Mae Lui was one of those great happy accidents – we were doing our electronics shopping at Fortune Town, and in the ill-lit basement, we struck gold. Is this one for the spice-heads? No, not really, but flavours remain authentic nonetheless. Gaeng pu bai chaphlu is a Southern classic served with khanom jeen and all the accoutrements, the phat sator has just the right amount of stank, and please, please order one of the dishes with phak koot (fiddlehead ferns), quite possibly the world’s most underrated vegetable.

Time Out tip: Vegetarian-friendly food can be tough at mid-range Thai restaurants in general, where a heavy dose of fish sauce is the order of the day, but Reuan Mae Lui has an impressively large selection of veggie-friendly dishes. A number of chili pastes are made without the usual seafood bases, and the variety and selection of fresh vegetable and mushroom dishes is impressively large (hint hint about the yummy ferns, again).

This might be the toughest region for us to make recommendations for, given the sheer abundance of quality Isan restaurants and food stalls in Bangkok. But these three manage to do that rare thing, and actually eclipse your (presumably excellent) neighbourhood som tam joint.

What is it?: In the Isan food hotspot of Rangnam Road near the Victory Monument, the choices are many, but in our mind, Isan Rot Det is perhaps the best.

Why we love it: Damn, there are so many wonderful open-air Isan eateries we could have chosen (and we fully expect to hear your hate in the comments, and we regret not having space to include Sabai Jai, Polo Gai Yang, Som Tam Convent and all our other faves), and the experience is quintessential to life in Bangkok. After a few weeks abroad, what could be better than sitting down in the open air humidity, writing your order on a slip of paper and ordering a few dishes with your favourite people? The som tam in its infinite variations (the tam khao pot with corn in particular) hits just right, the kho mu yang (grilled pork neck) is tender and well-marinated, and we’re particularly taken with the larb pla duk (catfish salad), which shows a whole new side of that much-maligned fish.

 Time Out tip: For our visitors from overseas, once you hit Rangnam Road, don’t expect an English sign. It’s the one with the green and white interior, and most likely a buzzing crowd.

What is it?: A veritable Isan empire with eight locations that makes a deliberate point to elevate the Isan restaurant and place it in a comforting setting. We love the Ari neighbourhood original, but way out in the boondocks, the Ratchaphruek branch has earned Michelin’s Bib Gourmand.

Why we love it: While we think the heat and the diesel exhaust quite convivial when we’re sitting down to an Isan feast, we realise not everyone else does, and Phed Phed has been a pioneer in the wave of casual, design-minded Isan eateries. But this isn’t just a place to take pretty pictures – the food delivers, with an encyclopaedic selection of som tam variations, catering to any imaginable taste. The signature house style, tam phed phed, has that good funk, or order the fruit-based variations – the tam mangkhut with mangosteen, in particular, rules. They even have meat-based som tams (?!), like a salmon sashimi variant that seems like a natural progression rather than forced fusion.

Time Out tip: Each location has a different name (Phed Phed Bistro, Phet Phet Lhay, etc.), and each has a wildly different interior. And we think that if you’re in the neighbourhood, you gotta catch ‘em all (Nintendo, don’t sue us).

What is it?: Originally from Ubon Ratchathani, Zao has rapidly become one of Bangkok’s hippest restaurants, with a space in Ekkamai that draws food nerds from around the world interested in the complexity of Isan cuisine.

Why we love it: Sometimes the menu at the Isan food stalls feels a bit repetitive. These are the standards, and while they are played well, they remain standards. Zao distinguishes itself with seasonal and unusual ingredients. Fermented roe and pork uterus? Yes, please! But the classics are done right too, for those of you who don’t want ant eggs (more for us!), with a serious emphasis on traditional technique. The grill game is strong, with exceptionally well-sourced proteins, and the som tam varieties include both classics and clever riffs. If you think you know something about Isan food, Zao will show you just how much you have left to learn, and how delicious that process will be.

Time Out tip: Still a pla ra skeptic? Zao’s version is some of the best in town, and it graces their finest som tam, but watermelon and pla ra is the perennial favourite here. We wouldn’t have thought of that combo either.