An introduction to fine dining in Bangkok

If you’re planning on experiencing fine dining in Bangkok, you'll soon discover there's more to Thailand than its delicious street food. With everything from local eateries to Michelin starred dining, set within a beautiful city with a fascinating history.

Bangkok is one of the food capitals of the world and has a strong history of bold cuisine choices delivered at incredible standards. Crammed full of bustling food markets, street vendors from all over the country and thousands of restaurants, you can find it all in Bangkok.

Among a number of Bangkok food and drink experiences sits a high standard of fine dining. Not only is this available in Bangkok, but we encourage you to try it. It’s a chance to experience the luxury and sophistication that doesn’t come with other dining experiences.

Fine Dining in Bangkok, Thailand

tabl. hosts a number of fine dining experiences in Bangkok and has put this guide together to explain what we mean by fine dining, what fine foods you don’t want to miss in Bangkok, and the best places to visit for fine dining in the city.

Famous Bangkok foods you must try

Bangkok is notorious for its diverse and unique food. It is one of the cheapest countries for dining in the world and offers some food selections that you will never forget. Here’s a list of our favourites and ones you should keep an eye out for during your fine dining:

• Pineapple fried rice – soft Thai jasmine rice infused with pineapple and often served inside a hollowed pineapple!

• Thai sticky dessert rice – this glutinous rice served in bamboo baskets is chewy and works great with mango.

• Pad Thai (stir-fried rice noodles) – stir-fried with fish sauce, egg, and meat, this dish is topped with white sugar and peanut shavings.

• Tom Yum Goong (hot and sour soup) – not for the faint of heart, this soup lives up to its name!

• Yellow curry – served deconstructed as a plate of fresh vegetables with yellow curry and rice noodles.

• Yum Sum O (pomelo salad) – combining juicy pomelo, betel leaves, and chilli padi pieces, this is a salad you will never find in the West.

Fine dining and why every foodie should try it!

Fine dining is often also called white-tablecloth dining. It is a restaurant experience that leans much further on the side of elegance, sophistication, and expense. Found at full-service restaurants with specific dedicated meal courses, you will find higher-quality features and even dining rules and a dress code.

This is all part of the fun and the unique experience of getting dressed up for a world-class gourmet meal. That’s why all foodie travellers need to try it out at least once and Bangkok is the ideal choice.

What is fine dining like in Bangkok?

Historically, it has been a bit of a gamble when it comes to fine dining in Bangkok. This has been because, as the demand for fine dining grew from both the local and tourist sectors, restaurants started watering down food and prettifying it – delivering food far below the Thai standard.

However, there is a growing number of high-end Thai restaurants offering fine dining experiences in Bangkok that can and do serve incredible food. The restaurants we have included below use high-quality ingredients to perfect authentic local dishes, create a new spin on traditional meals, or invent entirely new menus.

The best places to visit for fine dining in Bangkok

We have put together a list of some of the foodie-traveller favourites among the fine-dining restaurants available in Bangkok so you can experience the luxury of fine dining alongside exciting and delicious Thai dishes.

Blue Elephant, for elegance and luxury (Yan Nawa Sathon, Surasak)

A stunningly lit colonial-style mansion that seems to glow, the Blue Elephant is one of the city’s most highly praised cookery schools. The menu may not be daring but it excels at cooking classic dishes to perfection.

Baan Thai Family Recipes, for all the flavours of a Thai home (Lumpini, Pathumwan)

The best thing about the exquisite fine dining in the Baan Thai is that all the food tastes exactly like the food you would eat in a real Thai home. Cooked with high-quality, sustainable local ingredients, each dish may lack the gauzy extravagance in appearance of other fine dining restaurants but it makes up for this in spice and flavour.

Paste, for modern progressive cuisine (Gayson Plaza, Ratchaprasong)

Currently the pioneer for modern progressive food in Bangkok, Paste is famous among food travellers for the acute attention their chefs pay to each meal. Each flavour is carefully balanced and local traditional foods are honoured as base recipes for new and inventive adventures. There are also plenty of vegetarian options available from Paste.

The Local, for intimate dining (Klong Toey Nue, Wattana)

In a huge venue featuring an eclectic combination of Thai decorations and interior design, The Local is revered for both its impeccable setting and its fantastic food, cooked with freshly picked herbs. We recommend booking an evening table so you can fully enjoy the warm lighting and the outdoor seating area in all its intimacy.

tabl. are experts in all things food and drink. We offer unique and exciting packages in food and drink tours, wine tours, cooking classes, vegan and vegetarian tours, brewery and distillery tours, and even once-in-a-lifetime experience opportunities with celebrity chefs.

All around the world, travellers are beginning to make destination and excursion choices for their holiday based on experiencing food and drink across the world in new locations. There has been a global surge in food tours and drink focused events that foodie travellers are flocking to.

Food and Drink Experiences in Bangkok

Not only does tabl. provide in-depth and current advice opportunities to experience but we can offer insight into authentic local cuisine and take you off the tourist track to see exactly what goes on behind the scenes in these food capitals.

For more information on our food and drink experiences or fine dining in Bangkok, browse the tabl. website today and find your next culinary adventure.

Top 5 FAQs About Bangkok Food and Drink

if it's your first time visiting Bangkok, this article the Top 5 FAQs About Bangkok Food and Drink will take a look at the most frequently asked questions ahead of your trip.