8 Great Places to Eat in Bangkok, Whatever Your Budget

Bangkok is home to an impressive array of restaurants, cafes and stalls and the sprawling Thai capital is a fantastic place to treat your taste buds to the bold flavours that characterise Thai food.

Whilst it’s unquestionably delicious, Thai food is often quite light so you’ll have no problem saving room to try some exotic new delicacies. From the marketplaces of Banglamphu and Suan Luan to some of the many internationally-renowned restaurants, Globehunters have tracked down some of Bangkok’s tastiest eateries, whatever your budget may be.

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Bangkok’s streets are home to some great-tasting and great-value food stalls. Prices are amazingly low by European standards; just 20 Baht for a bowl of noodles anyone?

Banglamphu is just a short stroll from the backpacker magnet that is Khao San Road and is certainly one of the best places to eat street food in Bangkok. Sausages aren’t usually associated with Thai food but the tasty sai krok Isaan – made of fermented rice and pork – will change that misconception. You won’t be able to miss the eye catching array of colourful Thai desserts including scented rice flour and sweet noodles. Be sure to leave room for the Thai-Chinese green pandan rice dumplings known as khanom tuay bai toey.

In Chinatown (aka Yaowarat) you’ll find street stalls serving all manner of delicious Chinese food including omelettes, dumplings and noodles. Suan Luang Market behind Chulalongkorn University is home to all sorts of interesting food stalls. For some traditional desserts try some colourful Nam kaeng sai. For a more savoury dish, try Jok – a comforting bowl of rice porridge often served with minced pork balls and a raw egg – from Jok Samyan.

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Reasonably priced restaurants serving sumptuous food are in plentiful supply in Bangkok and still fall within a backpacker budget.

The 24 hour Banrie Coffee House in Ekamai is recommended for its delicious and affordable food. There is an outdoor garden and live music throughout the week. The fact that it has multiple iMacs with internet access is a nice bonus, particularly for backpackers.

Mai Kaidee’s serves finest fresh vegetarian and vegan food. Originally located just behind Burger King in Khao San Road, Bangkok’s two Mai Kaidee’s are now  in Samsen Road and Tanao Road in the Banglamphu district. The food is reasonably priced - they even offer cooking classes and sell their own  cook books.

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Bangkok’s not just a popular destination for backpackers and there are lots of options if you want to splash some cash and dine out in style.

Bo.lan in Sukhumvit has vast selection of imaginative Thai cuisine including mouth-watering curries and stir fries. It's been recognised as one of the best places to eat in Bangkok for many years. Dishes start a decidedly pricey 450 baht but for a restaurant that has attracted favourable press from the likes of CNN and The New York Times, this is should come as no surprise.

Nahm, found on the ground floor of the Metropolitan Hotel on Sathorn Road, is regarded as one of the finest restaurants in the world. Diners are treated to creative amuse bouches and canapés before enjoying some of the finest Thai cuisine available. Nahm’s main courses involve ingredients as diverse as frogs’ legs and blue crab.

The Whale’s Belly at Sukhumvit Soi 39 is another interesting option if you’ve got some baht burning a hole in your pocket. The  food is influenced by molecular gastronomy-influenced and is unmistakably refined, but the atmosphere is more laid back than you often find at a restaurant of this standard. The food is largely European but with a tangible Asian influence.

Are there any places to eat in Bangkok you’d recommend? Let us know in the comments section below!

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