Real ThaiThe Guide to Bangkok Regional Cuisine (No Pad Thai)

100 Mahaseth Si Phraya / Charoen Krung

This is where the cool kids eat. Chefs Chalee Kader and Randy Noprapa focus on "Root to Fruit" and "Nose to Tail" dining, using ingredients from the North and Northeast (Isan). The vibe is rustic-industrial, with wood piles and jars of fermenting vegetables on display.

It’s funky, smoky, and unapologetic. If you think Thai food is just sweet and sour, this place will reset your palate with bitterness, spice, and smoke.

Best For: Adventurous eaters who love organ meats and charcoal.

Order This: Roasted Bone Marrow with Perilla seeds and the Grilled Ox Tongue.

Where: Si Phraya Road

Sri Trat Sukhumvit 33

Sri Trat puts Eastern Thai cuisine (from the Trat province near Cambodia) on the map. The restaurant looks like a moody, stylish living room with deep blue walls and vintage posters. It’s undeniably cool.

The food is famous for its herbal punch and use of uncommon ingredients like chamuang leaves and unripe durian. The bar is excellent, making it a complete night out.

Best For: A dinner date where you want great cocktails and serious spice.

Order This: Massaman Curry with Unripe Durian (it tastes like potato, but better).

Where: Sukhumvit Soi 33

Thong Smith Various Locations (Central Embassy / Thong Lor)

Thong Smith (pronounced "Thong Smeet") started the "Hi-So Boat Noodle" revolution. They took a dish that is usually sold for 50 THB in a sweaty alley and upgraded it with premium Australian Wagyu, Kurobuta pork, and air-conditioning.

Purists will say it's overpriced. They are wrong. The broth is thicker, richer, and deeper than almost anywhere else.

Best For: The best lunch you can buy in a mall.

Order This: D5 (Sliced Australian Wagyu Ribeye) - Spicy Level 2.

Where: Central Embassy, EmQuartier, Thong Lor

Khua Kling Pak Sod Thong Lor / Surawong

This is the home of Southern Thai fire. The recipes come from the owner’s grandmother in Chumphon, and they do not hold back on the chilies. The signature dish, Khua Kling, is a dry meat curry that will make you sweat, cry, and ask for more.

It’s family-style dining in a polite setting, but the food is aggressive in the best possible way.

Best For: Testing your spice tolerance with friends.

Order This: Khua Kling Moo (Dry pork curry) and Stink Beans with Shrimp.

Where: Thong Lor Soi 5

Supanniga Eating Room Thong Lor / Tha Tien (River)

Supanniga serves food based on the owner's grandmother's recipes from Trat and Khon Kaen. It’s comfort food, but elevated. The "Ka-lum Tod Nam Pla" (Cabbage fried in fish sauce) sounds boring but is arguably one of the most delicious dishes in the city.

If you go to the Tha Tien branch, you get a direct view of Wat Arun across the river. It’s magical.

Best For: Taking visitors. The river view branch is a guaranteed crowd-pleaser.

Order This: Cabbage Fried with Fish Sauce (Trust us).

Where: Tha Tien (Riverside)

Baan Ice Thong Lor (Somerset)

Another Southern heavyweight, but slightly more accessible than Khua Kling. Baan Ice feels like a cozy home kitchen. The flavours are bold—lots of turmeric, cumin, and shrimp paste—but balanced perfectly.

Best For: A reliable, high-quality Thai dinner that isn't a "tourist trap."

Order This: Moo Khem Tom Kati (Salted pork in coconut soup).

Where: Somerset Sukhumvit 55