When you think of Bangkok, you think of street food. The Thai capital is one of the best places to eat on earth, full stop. But its culinary star shines brightest at shophouse restaurants and street stalls.
Make the most of the Big Mango with our two-day itinerary, introducing you to MICHELIN Guide restaurants and hotels that make it easy to venture out – and stumble back satisfied, sometimes without breaking a sweat.
Why not visit Yaowarat, Bangkok's Chinatown? (© Shutterstock)
Day 1
Rattanakosin, Bangkok’s Old Town, is beloved by locals and tourists for good reason. It’s not only home to the city’s most enduring heritage sites, from the Grand Palace to Wat Pho, with its striking reclining Buddha statue. It’s also home to some of its most authentic, exciting and flavourful street food.Base yourself nearby for one night – ideally more to move your way slowly through the back alleys and street markets and find your own hidden gems. If you don’t have budget constraints, The Siam is an obvious choice. It’s one of Thailand’s top boutique luxury hotels, filled with vintage furniture and antique décor personally selected by the family that owns it.
If you want a more classic stay, look to Lebua at State Tower. Its 357 suites are a far cry from the 39 at The Siam, but each is well-appointed, clean and modern, and the location in Bang Rak – near the river, Charoenkrung, Chinatown and Rattanakosin – can’t be beat.
Sae Phun, Por. Pochaya and the mango sticky rice at K. Panich. (© Sae Phun, Michelin)
Morning
After getting a kafe bolan (“ancient” Thai-style black coffee) from your nearest street vendor old-school coffee shop, start your day with dishes you’ve likely never tried at Por. Pochaya. This MICHELIN Guide 2024 Bib Gourmand restaurant has been open for more than 50 years and is now run by the third generation of the founding family.While crab omelettes and Thai-Chinese specialities like beef stir-fried with cumin leaves might not scream “breakfast” to everyone, rest assured that every dish can be breakfast in Thailand, whether it’s sweet custard buns or a curry with rice.
Lunch
The best part about a street food crawl in Bangkok is that there are plenty of opportunities to work up an appetite between meals. Once you’ve visited a few historical sites or schlepped through the late morning sun to visit lesser-known neighbourhoods and shrines, head to Sae Phun.Though it relocated, the Bib Gourmand noodle shop has been in operation since 1926. Traditional recipes like the chicken stew with deep-fried egg noodles – a must – have been passed down through the family for generations. If you’re feeling peckish, be sure to order the prawn wontons, too.
A short walk away, K. Panich offers a welcome pick-me-up: mango sticky rice. The signature sweet features Chiang Rai sticky rice, hand-pressed coconut milk and fresh nam dok mai mangoes. If you were a fan of the dessert before, wait until you try it here.
Chef Supinya Junsuta, famously known as "Jay Fai". (© Jay Fai)
Dinner
There’s just one choice for foodies at dinnertime in Rattanakosin: Jay Fai. Getting a table is no easy feat, but watching Thailand’s doyen of street food work a flaming-hot wok is an iconic experience.You know the drill. Order the crab omelette and stir-fried noodles with seafood and gravy, and let them be the start of an epic meal at Bangkok’s most famous shophouse.
Address book:
- The Grand Palace: Phra Borom Maha Ratchawang, Phra Nakhon, Bangkok
- Wat Pho: 2 Sanam Chai Rd, Phra Borom Maha Ratchawang, Phra Nakhon, Bangkok
- The Siam: 3/2 Thanon Khao, Vachirapayabal, Dusit, Bangkok
- Lebua at State Tower: 1055/111 State Tower, Silom Road, Bangrak, Bangkok
- Por. Pochaya: 654-656 Wisut Kasat Road, Ban Phan Thom, Phra Nakhon, Bangkok
- Sae Phun: 112 Mahannop Road, Sao Chingcha, Phra Nakhon, Bangkok
- K. Panich: 431-433 Tanao Road, Sao Chingcha, Phra Nakhon, Bangkok
- Jay Fai: 327 Maha Chai Road, Samran Rat, Phra Nakhon, Bangkok
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High quality seafood sent directly from Surat Thani to Here Hai and a bowl of pork noodles at Rung Rueang Pork Noodle. (© Here Hai, Michelin)
Day 2
After eating your way across the Old Town, you’ll want to experience another side of the city. Basing yourself near the BTS or MRT lines puts you within striking distance of practically everything.Overlooking Lumphini Park, the So Sofitel Bangkok is sleek, modern and conveniently located near both the MRT and BTS. That means you can venture into Sukhumvit, Silom or the Old Town within 20 minutes.
The InterContinental Bangkok is a great choice if you plan to spend more time around Sukhumvit. The recently renovated hotel sits right beside BTS Chit Lom, a short walk from the city’s shopping district, right in the heart of the action. Getting around from here is a breeze.
Morning
Within the shadows of Phrom Phong’s luxury malls, you’ll find Rung Rueang Pork Noodle. This humble institution, also a Bib Gourmand recipient, serves subtly seasoned soup with bouncy homemade fish balls and pork. The queues are outrageous at lunchtime, so beat the crowds – and the heat – by visiting when it opens at 9 am.
Lunch
After a warm-up of Rung Rueang’s spicy tom yam, move eastward to Ekkamai for yet another Bib Gourmand establishment. This residential district is full of fantastic places to eat and drink. Among the best is Here Hai. Queues form early for the crab-fried rice. The waits are justified. While prices may be high for street food, the portions are large and the ingredients – including seafood brought in fresh from Surat Thani – make up for it. You get loads of wok hei (smoky wok flavour) in every bite.
Banthat Thong Road is known as a food destination for young locals, Tang Sui Heng's duck delicacy, and the egg noodle at Lim Lao Ngow (China Town) (© Shutterstock, Tang Sui Heng (Banthat Thong Road), Michelin)
Afternoon and dinner
Once you’ve had your fill, make your way across town to Banthat Thong. One of the city’s hottest streets is lined with shophouses serving succulent noodle dishes, Thai-Chinese cuisine and more.While you won’t lack options, go to the 2024 MICHELIN-listed Tang Sui Heng. The family-run shop serves decidedly old-school dishes, including the signature clay pot stewed duck with intestines, blood jelly and feet (innards and feet optional, of course). You can also have hearty dishes like duck on rice or stewed goose with noodles. Be sure to arrive at a reasonable hour – as the night wears on, products run low.
Evening
After dinner, take a final bow at Yaowarat, Bangkok's Chinatown. This district is rightly renowned for its street food. Again, it’s hard to go wrong here. For a surefire pick, however, try Lim Lao Ngow.The shop today has several branches across the city, but the original is on Songwat Road, an up-and-coming riverside neighbourhood less than five minutes away from Yaowarat by foot. Order the speciality: the fish ball noodle soup. The affordable shop never uses flour in its fish balls, ensuring the proper bouncy texture and the chewy noodles and wontons floating in the light broth promise the perfect bite. There’s no better way to cap a street food adventure than with a surefire hit.
Address book:
- So Sofitel Bangkok: 2 North Sathorn Road, Bangrak, Bangkok
- InterContinental Bangkok: 973 Phloen Chit Road, Bangkok
- Rung Rueang Pork Noodle: 10/3 Soi Sukhumvit 26, Khlong Tan, Khlong Toei, Bangkok
- Here Hai: 112/1 Soi Sukhumvit 63, Khlong Tan Nuea, Vadhana, Bangkok
- Banthat Thong: Khwaeng Wang Mai, Pathum Wan, Bangkok
- Tang Sui Heng (Banthat Thong Road): 649 Banthat Thong Road, Wang Mai, Pathum Wan, Bangkok
- Lim Lao Ngow (China Town): In front of the building no. 299-301, Song Sawat Road, Samphanthawong, Bangkok
CONTINUE READING: These Are the MICHELIN-Recognised Restaurants Along the BTS Sukhumvit Line
Illustration image: © Shutterstock
Illustration image: © Shutterstock
