Whether you hate it or love it Instagram has definitely secured its place in the modern dining world.
Sühring (Two MICHELIN Stars)
Should we start with the mini beer steins? Maybe the bite-sized egg-topped leberkase? No, no, it’s the floor-to-ceiling windows that look onto the house’s verdant garden that make the best picture. Really, everything from the refined-yet-cosy space of the restaurant to the bites of German fare here are decidedly photogenic. Pro tip: come for lunch and sit in the sun-drenched Winter Garden room for natural lighting that your camera will love
Le Du (One MICHELIN Star)
Two words: river prawn. And not just any river prawn—river prawn with pork belly jam (yes, that’s a thing), shrimp paste, and a side of perfectly fluffy organic rice. It’s just as pretty as it is delicious, which is saying a lot. Just head to Instagram for all the proof you need: every other photo in the restaurant’s location tag is of the dish. However, the delicately engineered wreath of ant larvae, wild mushrooms, tamarind flowers, and bits of crispy fish, rightfully does pretty well, too.
With soft lighting, deep purple accents, and an iconic wall mural, the interiors of Gaa are Instagram gold—but we can’t help but think that the chocolate-dipped betel leaf and the colourfully-topped pork belly was created with the camera in mind. Each carefully plated dish is made with a hyper precision that shouldn’t go unnoticed. So, go ahead, get the shot.
We’re going to be frank: some of the dishes at Sorn are less than photogenic (we’re looking at you, stinky beans), but does it matter? No, because you have one of the most highly coveted seats in Bangkok, just a tag of your location is enough. But that doesn’t mean there aren't some seriously pretty dishes for you to fawn over. Like the kaleidoscopic khao yum (zesty rice salad that is ubiquitous in the South of Thailand), which is served on a museum-worthy plate handcrafted by a local artist—or the iconic deep-fried, garlic-and-chilli-powdered Phuket sand crab.
The refined hinoki wood-drenched setting of this omakase-style spot means it’s all eyes—or lens— on glistening bites of uber-fresh tuna and chef Narisawa at work. Do your Instagram followers a favour and capture the mound of uni with pearl-sized ikura. It’s one of those dishes you’ll find yourself scrolling back on in a gastronomic reverie.
If you went to Jay Fai and didn’t post about it, did you really go? In fact, showing off that you got your hands on one of her hulking crab omelettes means you endured one of Bangkok’s longest food queues, and that calls for a little boasting. And aside from the fact that getting a photo with Jay Fai is equivalent to posting a selfie with a celebrity (thanks, Netflix!), her dishes feature some impressively sized seafood that is worth documenting on its own.
From the restaurant’s sleek arched façade to its glorious open kitchen to its many picture-perfect dishes, Canvas is an Instagrammer’s dreamland. Here, the photo ops are endless here—especially if you are dining at the counter where you can sneak shots of chef Riley at work. There’s a good chance he will be zeroed in on dishes like the sturgeon or the pig’s head (which, for the record, comes stuffed in a banana pepper), making them look insanely refined and camera-ready.
Keep your phones at the ready, the creative, unabashedly Thai dishes at Saawaan are mostly served (or even made at the table) by the chef herself. The nine-course menu is a hearty trip through Thailand with new takes on traditional flavours, meaning your khua kling (Southern dry curry) may include an entire mud crab and blue swimmer crab roe. Plus, the dark interiors make for a decidedly good setting for photos—especially when capturing the yolky-orange of the Hokkaido uni amuse-bouche.
Photos should capture a story, and PRU—with its honest, farm-to-table fare—tells a pretty compelling one. The colourful herbs, flowers, plants, and roots decorating your dishes are grown wild in their onsite garden, while seafood is brought in daily from surrounding communities. The Andaman Sea view is just an added bonus.
We’re big fans of the refined interiors of Paste. The hanging spiral sculpture made from hundreds of silk cocoons begs to be photographed and the massive floor-to-ceiling windows offer perfect natural lighting to get the shot. You’ll be forgiven for getting snap-happy over the droolworthy dishes (we’re looking at you, chive root salad with lobster), fanciful cocktails, and innovative takes on traditional Thai desserts.
