Spring is here, the clocks are about to go forward and the warmer weather offers the perfect excuse to take a long, hard look at what’s lurking in your wardrobe. If you’re anything like us, the colder months have left behind a trail of impulse buys, barely worn layers and items that no longer fit your life or your style. Perhaps you’ve been meaning to sort it all out for a while now, but somehow a new season has crept up without you getting round to it.
The good news? A seasonal reset doesn’t have to mean a complete overhaul. Instead, it’s a chance to strip things back, focus on what you actually wear and build something more intentional. We’re talking fewer pieces, smarter choices, and saying no to fast fashion to build a wardrobe that works harder so you don’t have to. Here are our 7 essential tips on how to build the IDEAL minimalist wardrobe.
Define Your Style
A minimalist wardrobe isn’t necessarily about Scandi tones of white, beige and black (unless that’s your thing, of course). Nope, defining yourself as ‘minimalist’ and being all about crazy colours and pretty patterns certainly aren’t mutually exclusive positions. Rather, your minimalist wardrobe should simply include these items.
When creating a minimalist wardrobe, it’s first important to define your style. That said, it’s not obligatory to box yourself into conventional style typologies like ‘boho’ or ‘grungy’ – both women’s and men’s fashion trends come and go, and trying to move with the times will only see your wardrobe get larger and more complicated to pin down.
Take stock of your clothes, identify which colours you wear the most, and hone in on what fabrics you prefer. Also ask which cuts and silhouettes make you feel particularly confident? Let these decisions guide you and do away with anything which doesn’t tick these boxes.
Clear Out & Be Selective
After you’ve taken stock of everything you currently own, it’s time to clear out your closet. Don’t just throw things out – recent research suggests that more than 8 million Brits throw perfectly wearable clothes into the bin – but instead, start by dividing your clothes into three distinct piles; Charity, Sell Online and Keep. Give your other garments a new lease of life by selling them online or giving them to a charity store. If an item you love simply needs to be repaired, then get stitching.
Redefine what it means to declutter because it certainly isn’t about throwing everything into a black bin bag and sending it to landfill. Oh no.
Think About Your Lifestyle
Whilst curating your minimalist wardrobe, you also need to think about your lifestyle needs. Indeed, a minimalist wardrobe is nothing if not practical. Do you wear smart clothes to work but prefer joggers on the weekend? Are you lucky to work from home and therefore don’t need much in the way of office wear? Or, do you work outside in colder climes, and winter in particular calls for a bomber, puffer or shearling jacket?
It’s all very well having a small number of high-quality pieces that you can mix and match, but if you’re constantly in the laundry room, it’s not very practical or environmentally friendly to do so. Strike the right balance.
The Right Amount Of Items
While there is no ‘set number of items’ which define a wardrobe, let alone a minimalist one, common wisdom suggests that a minimalist wardrobe should include three pairs of shoes, a couple of jackets suitable for both formal and more dressed down occasions, three apiece of shorts/skirts, sweaters and trousers (again, with varying levels of formality), and a handful of t-shirts and dress shirts. If the colours are mixed and protocol appropriately varied, then you should be able to mix and match an outfit for every occasion from this short, simple list.
Embrace Timeless Fashion
Trends come and go, but some kinds of fashion endure. When curating your minimalist wardrobe, focus on classic pieces that never go out of style. Think of timeless men’s fashion pieces like a tailored blazer, a vintage polo shirt, or a pair of well-made leather shoes. These pieces not only provide a foundation for your wardrobe but also ensure that you always have something stylish to wear, regardless of current fashion trends. By embracing timeless fashion, you create a wardrobe that is both sustainable and enduring.
Invest in Versatile Pieces
When building a minimalist wardrobe, versatility is key. Look for pieces that can be dressed up or down depending on the occasion. For example, a classic white shirt can be paired with jeans for a casual look or with a blazer and trousers for a more formal setting.
Similarly, a well-fitted pair of black trousers can be worn with a t-shirt for a relaxed vibe or with a blouse for a professional appearance. By investing in versatile pieces, you ensure that each item in your wardrobe can serve multiple purposes, reducing the need for excess clothing.
Quality Not Quantity
It’s important to remember here that a minimalist wardrobe isn’t the same as a capsule wardrobe. While both translate to small, carefully curated wardrobes of items that you can mix and match to create a number of outfits, a capsule wardrobe is usually just for a single season, while a minimal wardrobe is more flexible and can serve a full year. Indeed, above all else, a minimalist wardrobe is about quality rather than quantity.
Building a minimalist wardrobe isn’t about deprivation or conforming to a particular aesthetic. It’s about making more considered choices, buying fewer but better items, and finding real confidence in a smaller selection of clothes that suit your body, your lifestyle and your taste.
The process takes time and a fair bit of honesty with yourself about what you actually reach for each morning, but the payoff is considerable: less clutter, less decision fatigue, less waste and a wardrobe that feels like it belongs to you rather than the other way around. You might be surprised, too, by how much calmer your mornings become when every option in front of you is one you genuinely like. Start small, be ruthless in your editing and trust that less really can be more.
Here at IDEAL we love a pie – whether it comes underneath a lid of mash, puff or good old fashioned suet. Pies just have a seductive, inbuilt comfort that we all need right now. When it’s wash-out weather, there’s nothing better to do than hunker down in a cosy spot with a proper pie, a mountain of mash, and gravy that pools invitingly around the edges.
From East End pie and mash shops serving the same liquor-drenched classics since Victorian times, to Michelin-rated gastropubs doing seasonal numbers with game and bone marrow, London’s pie scene has serious range.
The capital’s got you sorted, and here’s where you should be eating pies in London right now.
M Manze, Tower Bridge
Ideal for classic East London pie and liquor…
We had to start here, at a bonafide London institution. Once, this famous pie and mash shop had 12 locations in London but as of 2025, are down another one. Sadly, the Deptford location closed in January of last year when owner George Mascall announced his retirement. However, two London branches of M. Manze remain open – Peckham and Tower Bridge Road – as well as an outpost in Sutton.
The Tower Bridge location was the first, and has been serving this dish up since 1891, securing its place as the nation’s oldest pie and mash shop. The pie itself is beautifully straightforward: minced beef filling, once made thrifty use of meat scraps and vegetables, now made with quality beef wrapped in shortcrust pastry.
It lands on your table with a mound of mashed potato and that famous thin green parsley sauce they call ‘liquor’ – don’t worry/shame, there’s no booze involved. The presentation is an art form in itself: spread spoonfuls of mash and pie creating neat boundaries while the bright green sauce pools in the centre. Watch them work behind the counter and you’ll find yourself oddly hypnotised.
There’s lots of debate on how to eat your pie and mash. Our ritual involves dousing everything in malt vinegar, then finishing with a hit of chilli vinegar to wake everything up towards the end. Then there’s the great pie-flipping controversy. Purists insist on turning their pie upside down and making a slit in the pie, pouring a little vinegar into the crevice and seasoning with salt and white pepper, letting all those meaty juices soak into the pastry lid. Others guard that top crust like treasure as they love the crisp contrast. Settle the debate by ordering a ‘double double’ – two pies means you can try both ways and pick your side.
One final tip: eat like the locals do, with a spoon and fork. That spoon becomes essential for gathering up every last bit of sauce with your pie and mash. Whatever your technique, wash it all down with a glass of sarsaparilla and make sure you don’t skip the eels.
As the debate over London’s best traditional pie and mash rages on, with some claiming that Maureen’s takes the crown, but for us, M. Manze has the upper crust.
Beyond the requisite pints, a pub’s reputation hinges on its pies. While pies aren’t always on Wigmore’s menu, when they are, this is where you should head for a fix in Central – specifically for the smoked ham hock and cheese version, which is genuinely exceptional.
This isn’t your usual pub grub pie; this is Michel Roux Jr.’s take. We all know the chef has a fondness for pastry – he did start as a pastry chef, as he won’t stop telling the camera when given half the chance. He’s brought that experience here, just minutes from Oxford Circus, to reimagine this classic with his signature touch.
The pastry is of course perfect – you’d think he’d written a book on it. Inside, generous chunks of smoky ham meld with cheese in a creamy béchamel that’s indulgent without being overwhelming. It’s rich, molten, and utterly satisfying. Is that a hint of nutmeg, too? It brings something to the table.
Let’s talk about that mash, you know, the one that looks like a weird eye above. It comes with as much butter as potato, using the ol’ Robuchon ratios applied – widely considered the best, most decadent method across the world. Paired with a pool of silky garlic butter (yes, butter on butter), this is a clever riff on classic pie and mash, swapping out the traditional parsley liquor for something far more luxurious. It’s glorious.
A picky restaurant review of The Wigmore a while back complained about putting a small pie on a large plate here, saying it emphasises how tiny the pie is. We’re not sure we agree with that. The pie’s size is perfectly judged. Given the richness of the filling, any larger would be overwhelming and we would have left reeling.
Be sure to check what this restaurant offers during British Pie Week, which is happening right now. Last time, they created an XL braised beef cheek, ale, bone marrow, and pearl onion sharing pie. This year, they’ve gone a step further with a full Pie Month throughout March 2026, centred around a minted lamb shank sharing pie with caramelised baby pearl onions and Chantenay carrots, served with mash, Bloody Mary salt triple-cooked chips and charred hispi cabbage for tables of four.
Some people measure inflation by the price of Freddo chocolate bars. We measure it by the cost of Quo Vadis’s pie. In 2022, the pie cost £19.50; by 2023, it had risen to £21.50; today, at the time of writing, it’s £32.50.
Before you choke on your pastry crumbs at that 67% increase, remember: restaurants aren’t printing money in their basements. They’re just trying to keep the lights on and the ovens hot. When energy bills soar, cooking oil doubles in price, and staff need living wages, even the humble pie isn’t immune. At least Quo Vadis has the decency to make it consistently delicious. Regardless of whether it’s filled with chicken, mutton, or guinea fowl – the price stays the same. Class. But we digress.
Come autumn, game season is our favourite time for a pie here. Think guinea fowl, chicken and bacon encased in a crunchy suet crust. They also offer a more formal ‘QV chicken pie’ as part of their set-menu feasts, to be taken in the private dining room if you’re feeling fancy. Past iterations have included Swaledale mutton, celeriac and turnip with salsa verde, cosily tucked beneath a suet lid, an indulgent guinea fowl and porcini creation, or a classic ham hock, chicken and leek combination. It’s pleasingly seasonal and reliably delicious.
2026 marks a huge milestone for Quo Vadis: the restaurant’s centenary. To celebrate, Jeremy Lee has launched a year-long programme of guest chef suppers in collaboration with some of the biggest names in British cooking. The line-up includes Margot and Fergus Henderson, Jackson Boxer, Angela Hartnett and Neil Borthwick, Ravinder Bhogal, Anna Tobias and more. Tickets are released monthly via the Quo Vadis newsletter, The Rocket, with club members given a 48-hour head start. Expect them to sell fast.
Many food sites cooler than us who offer London’s best pie roundups tend to overlook Bob Bob Ricard – perhaps because it feels a bit crass to include somewhere so openly luxurious. However, other older publications (perhaps with less swagger) hail this spot’s chicken and champagne number as the best pie in London. With such a discrepancy in ideas about what makes a good pie, you may wonder where we stand? Well, in the name of flavour, BBR’s certainly deserves to be here.
Indeed, this theatrical Soho establishment famous for its ‘press for champagne’ button stationed at each table serves its undeniably bougie signature pies with the BBR logo singed onto the crust. But they’re also undeniably delicious.
Bob Bob Ricard’s famous pies have achieved something close to celebrity status, attracting high-profile collaborations along the way. The last partnership with Idris Elba to celebrate his drinks brand saw an exclusive Glorious Twelfth dish: roasted Scottish grouse with a rich Porte Noire VSOP cognac sauce. Whilst we’re not sure Elba was actually at the stoves flambéeing his signature spirit, it brought a certain vivacity to an already fine pie nonetheless.
Ideal for a classically creamy yet carefully balanced celebration of seafood…
Back to an old stalwart. J Sheekey is one of our favourite places to eat oysters in London, and it’s also a favourite spot for a classic fish pie done right. Originally opened as an oyster bar in 1896, today the pie ranks amongst their most celebrated dishes.
For us, a proper fish pie needs savoury depth to balance the white sauce, and at J Sheekey, a generous dose of English mustard, Worcestershire sauce, anchovy essence and lemon juice achieves exactly that. Whilst some establishments load their pies with prawns and lobster, this version is refreshingly simple – and all the better for it.
A sharing pie at St John come the colder months is a glorious thing. The restaurant is famous for its nose-to-tail philosophy and seasonal British cooking, ensuring their pie offerings celebrate whatever game, meat, fish or vegetable is at its peak. St John’s pies are a true celebration of seasonal British bounty, with magnificent fillings that change as the seasons turn.
Recently, they’ve been serving a spiced hare pie to share for £58, alongside options like guinea fowl, bacon and trotter. As pheasants and hares make their way to the ovens, this is the perfect time for a fine game pie – slow braised to melting tenderness, infused with marrow-bone richness, and encased in golden suet pastry.
A word of warning: St John updates their menus daily, with menus not going online until 11am for lunch and 5pm for supper. So if it’s a pie you’re after, be sure to check ahead as they won’t always be on the menu.
Bistro Freddie celebrates the best of British produce with a distinctive French flair. Step inside and you’re greeted by low lighting, flickering candles, and handwritten menus and a room that buzzes with infectious energy. You’re also greeted by the aroma of shallots sautéing and stock simmering in the kitchen beyond which triggers a visceral reaction – you instinctively know you’re about to eat very well indeed.
While Bistro Freddie excels across the board, their chicken pot pie stands as the undisputed star of the menu. We recently shared their confit chicken and tarragon, and it’s a stunner. The chicken legs get three hours in the confit bath, then a gentle cook-down with shallots, white wine, vinegar and stock until they’re falling-apart tender. A heap of tarragon goes in at the end, then the whole lot gets topped with pastry and baked until it’s golden.
We love the beautiful simplicity of this pie. It’s the kind of dish that wins you over with its restraint – a clear anti-cream mandate keeps everything light. No unnecessary flourishes ensures ultimate satisfaction. Pair it with a mountain of frites or their butter mash made with equal weights of potato and butter (the Robuchon method strikes again) and wash it all down with a glass of French fizz which cuts through all that fatty richness perfectly, and you’ll be one happy camper.
Do note, as with many on this list, the pies here evolve with the seasons. One month might bring chicken with earthy girolles and rich liver, while another offers rabbit and bacon elevated by a luxurious, viscous jus made from pig trotters and chicken wings. Classic combinations like beef and Guinness also make regular appearances, ensuring there’s always something new to discover.
If there was an award for the prettiest pie in London, Donia’s would win. Why? Just look at it; the perfect, burnished dome. The attractive lattice work. The intricate artwork etched into the sauce that surrounds it… It’s gorgeous.
You’ve fallen in love before you’ve even had a bite. While London’s pie scene generally debates most heatedly over who owns the perfect pastry-to-filling ratio, Donia has revolutionised the entire conversation. Their lamb shoulder caldereta pie doesn’t just blur cultural boundaries, it erases them entirely, creating something that feels both familiar and unexpected – this is London-Filipino cooking and we’re here for it.
Indeed, their lamb shoulder caldereta pie is Filipino soul food 2.0, where a traditional cauldron stew is reimagined, finding new life encased in buttery puff pastry.
The lamb shoulder undergoes careful preparation that transforms it into something extraordinary, slowly developing the deep, complex flavours that make caldereta so beloved. The added chicken liver pâté brings a rich, earthy depth that most pie fillings simply can’t match, and the tomato base cuts through with just enough acidity to keep things bright and balanced. Inside it’s thickened with a potato pavé, just for extra lusciousness. And surprisingly rare in London restaurants, the puff pastry is made in house.
Beneath it, the caldereta sauce (gently spiced and thrumming with the richness and depth of offal) is punctuated with swirls of chive oil; when all that puff pastry soaks up the sauce, it’s heaven. The skill and technical process of this pie is up there with the very best in London. Despite its handsome size, it’s quite difficult not to order a second.
Ideal for dedicated pastry chefs making London’s top pies…
Pies are big business for London restaurants. They’re on the tick list for most tourists visiting the capital, and having one that takes off online is going to draw in the punters, no doubt about it. The Holborn Dining Room understands the gravitas of a perfectly formed pie, and has a whole job dedicated to it as a result. Here, the ‘Head Pie Maker’ is an illustrious role, first given to Callum Franklin (a man sometimes referred to as the ‘pie king’), and then to his protege Nokx Majozi, who has just hung up her hat after 11 years on the pies.
Huge Birkenstocks to fill, but Laszlo Kiss has stepped into them with confidence – his British Pie Week 2026 line-up includes beer-braised beef ribs, lamb and chargrilled aubergine, and a returning fan-favourite rhubarb pie from Executive Pastry Chef Mark Perkins.
Getting your hands on one of these pies is half the experience. There’s the Pie Hole which sells pies directly from a handy street-side kitchen hatch – Tuesday to Thursday between 11am and 3pm. That same kitchen then transforms into the Pie Room, a private dining space for up to 10 guests Wednesday to Saturday from 5pm onwards, where the marble pastry-rolling table becomes an intimate dining table. Don’t want to eat standing up or lack enough friends for a private booking? The main Holborn Dining Room serves pies too – just allow thirty minutes for cooking.
This is an excellent choice if you’re dining with vegetarians, as there’s usually more than one veggie option. Lincolnshire poacher cheese and potato pie or beluga lentil and wild mushroom cottage pie anyone? Their most photographed offering is the dauphinoise and comté cheese pie, which is layered with creamy potato and served with caramelised onion and parsley sauce. The salmon, octopus and saffron fish pie with stunning bisque sauce is also magnificent. Yep, the range here is truly impressive.
But the absolute star of the show is the Gloucester Old Spots pork pie – pork shoulder, smoked ham hock, fennel seed, and sage in hot water crust pastry. Now, traditionalists will tell you pork pies should be served cold with jelly. The Holborn Dining Room breaks both rules: theirs arrives hot from the oven with gravy, and there’s no jelly in sight. Initially we were skeptical, but like many pork pie purists before us, we’ve been completely won over.
Ideal for a timeless tribute to British steak and beef pies…
Open since 1952, The Guinea Grill is housed within one of London’s most storied pub sites – there’s been an inn here since 1423. The restaurant proper began in the post-war years when hungry American diplomats stationed nearby were desperate for decent steaks. A clever landlord saw an opportunity, and what started as covert back-room dining for homesick Yanks eventually became one of the capital’s most celebrated steakhouses.
The clientele is, shall we say, a particular sort – think salmon-trousered chaps who believe they run the city and tourists clutching guidebooks. But none of that actually matters once you’re settled in, because you’ll find yourself utterly absorbed in what’s on your plate rather than who’s at the next table. The wood-panelled walls, white linen, and claret paint create a cocoon of old-school comfort that somehow makes the whole experience work.
Pies have been on the menu since the 1940s, constructed with proper suet lids using cuts from their dry-aged beef. The star turn is the beef shin, Guinness and oyster pie. At £35, it’s a gloriously over-the-top creation that arrives crowned with a cheese-wrapped deep-fried oyster sitting proudly atop the golden pastry. Beneath lies slow-braised beef shin that collapses at the merest prod, swimming in rich, stout-darkened gravy with the briny sweetness of oysters throughout. It’s unashamedly luxurious.
For something more classic, there’s a steak and kidney pie with mushrooms, or the straightforward steak and mushroom version at the same price. Vegetarians get a look-in with a potato and Wensleydale pie that hits all the right notes. If you’re lucky, your pie might arrive adorned with a traditional paper frill or white doily – touches that somehow feel charming rather than affected in this particular setting.
Can’t get a table in the restaurant? It happens. But the bar area operates on a walk-in basis and has its own menu featuring slightly smaller, more affordable pies that are every bit as good. The atmosphere’s livelier too, with proper pub energy and some of London’s better pints of Guinness on tap.
Struggling to get into the Guinea Grill? Worry not. Just four minutes away down a stretch of Regent Street you’ll find its sister pub The Windmill, run by the same folk. You’ll find that pitch-perfect blueprint of a traditional London pub here, too, and the pies here are all about rich fillings and classic British flavours served all day, everyday, throughout the year.
These guys are a touch cheaper than those in the Guinea Grill’s main restaurant, but the same as the bar offering. What’s the difference? The truth is you’re paying for different experiences – the Guinea’s restaurant offers white tablecloth refinement and exceptional silver service, whilst the Windmill gives you a proper pub setting with pies that are a rounder, more rustic affair. But that’s not a criticism – they’re bloody good pub pies in a brilliant pub atmosphere.
The Windmill’s been winning British Pie Awards for years – their Hampshire venison, smoked bacon and wild mushroom pie grabbed gold, whilst the steak and mushroom version snagged silver. Downstairs in the pub, there are at least three pies on at any time, whilst the upstairs dining room offers the same pies alongside a more refined British menu. You can even get the Guinea’s award-winning steak and kidney pie here.
Beyond pies, there’s a full British pub menu, an excellent pint of Guinness, and access to the full 300-bin wine list from the Guinea if you fancy going grand. One final treat: there’s a hidden rooftop terrace at the back – an absolute gem on a sunny afternoon when you can escape the Regent Street chaos with a pie and a pint.
Ideal for a British-Indian mash-up that totally makes sense…
Sometimes the best innovations come from taking two beloved classics and letting them collide. Vivek Singh’s rogan josh shepherd’s pie at Cinnamon Bazaar does exactly that – merging the humble British shepherd’s pie with the aromatic complexity of a Kashmiri rogan josh to joyous effect.
This clever marriage of British and Indian flavours creates a genuinely stunning piece of cookery with subtle background notes from the spice mix of star anise, fennel seeds, cinnamon stick and green cardamom pods.
What makes this work so brilliantly is the restraint. The spices aren’t shouting for attention; they’re having a quiet, civilised conversation with the lamb. Topped with the traditional mash and a golden crust, it’s familiar enough to feel comforting yet exciting enough to keep you coming back.
And yes, we realise there’s no pastry here and the whole definition of a ‘pie’ thing might sidetrack the pedants, but we simply don’t care enough to discuss it further.
Ideal for a spectacular sharing pie and south London hospitality…
Beef, ale and bone marrow pie… Need we say more? This one is a pie built for sharing – a signature dish that’s become legendary among south London’s food lovers.
This Victorian pub got a gorgeous makeover back in 2014, transforming it into one of the capital’s most respected gastropubs. It’s part of the same stable as the Anchor and Hope in Waterloo – that original south London gastropub pioneer – along with the Canton Arms and Great Queen Street. You know you’re in safe hands, then, and the dining room oozes a certain familiar character with distressed wooden floorboards, mismatched vintage chandeliers, and an open kitchen where you can watch the chefs work.
The beef, ale and bone marrow pie is a magnificent beast, served in a pie dish with a dramatic end of marrow bone protruding from its golden suet crust. Inside, tender chunks of Hereford beef have been slowly braised in dark ale until they’re melt-in-the-mouth soft, whilst the bone marrow enriches the gravy with an incredible savoury depth. Those caramelised crusty bits that cling to the edges of the dish? Absolute gold.
It typically comes with seasonal accompaniments – think buttery cavolo nero or January King cabbage, plus chips. At around £45, it’s designed for two to share, though three wouldn’t go hungry. The richness demands a robust red wine and ideally a lazy afternoon with no pressing engagements afterwards. Oh, you twisted our arm…
Ideal for a workers’ lunch with serious credentials…
Fancy a pie from the first London pub to win Michelin Pub of the Year? Of course you do; that’s why you’re here. Well, the pies at The Marksman were exceptional even before that accolade dropped, and they’ve remained consistently brilliant since.
This handsome Hackney Road boozer is under the direction of two talented chefs who’d previously worked at St. John. They’ve struck that rare balance of keeping the downstairs pubby – handsome wood panelling, lush leather banquettes and the cheerful buzz of locals propping up the bar – whilst the upstairs dining room is light and bright with perhaps the best acoustics in London. While the decor is impressive, the genius is of course in the cooking.
Now back to pies. Pies, pies, pies. The pies evolve with the seasons, once again, a consistent marker or thoughtfulness and rigour. One visit might bring chicken studded with earthy girolles, another could feature duck enriched with prunes and bacon. They occasionally offer larger sharing pies too – we’ve seen a magnificent chicken and wild garlic number that looked (and smelt!) darn good on a neighbouring table.
Our top tip though is to look out for their workers’ lunch offering: substantial pies paired with a pint for around £15, available at the end of the week. Recent highlights include a fish pie with buttered greens, and a stunning lamb and wild garlic version that showcases British ingredients at their seasonal best. These aren’t dainty affairs – they’re generous, soul-warming plates that’ll fuel you through an afternoon’s graft. Or, indeed, one spent on the sofa groaning.
Not always on the menu, they often announce their pie specials on social media ahead of time, so it’s worth following along and booking as and when something takes you fancy.
Ideal for accessible, quality pies across London (and beyond)…
We’re ending our list with a pie that’s quietly taken over London, one hand-pressed pastry case at a time. Here’s the proposition: from just £5.50, you get a proper shortcrust pie, made with quality ingredients and expertise. While being miles apart from a sad service station Ginsters, it’s the kind of pie that works equally well as a quick lunch or the star turn at a dinner party.
It’s the brainchild of chefs and flatmates Will Lewis and Josh Hill, who launched Willie’s during Covid. Lewis cut his teeth at St John and Rochelle Canteen, so the pedigree is there – as is the backing from Arsenal and England legend Ian Wright, who invested early on.
Our current top pick is the beef cheek and scotch bonnet, created in collaboration with Ben Lippett for his recently released cookbook. It’s a beauty; beef cheeks braised low and slow in Guinness and rich beef stock, spiked with punchy scotch bonnets, fragrant allspice and fresh thyme. The heat builds gradually rather than smacking you in the face, and that long braise means the meat practically melts into the pastry.
The range shifts with what’s good – you might find rabbit with Breton cider tarragon or roast chicken with celeriac. All handmade in Hackney, where there’s a permanent spot under the arches in London Fields with the scribe ‘since lockdown, 2020’ emboldened proudly on the front door.
Willie’s has spread across London – north to south, east to west, you’ll find them stocked somewhere nearby. Ocado carries them, there’s nationwide delivery, or you can pick them up in store. The pies also pop up every now and again in a pub with a residency, too; currently they are at The Wooden Cross in Crouch End and The Builders Arms in Chelsea.
Proper pies, properly accessible. What’s not to love?
All that said, the finest pie we’ve had all year wasn’t actually in London. It was just outside of Bruton, at Margot Henderson’s The Three Horseshoes. It’s part of our roundup of where to eat in Bruton, Somerset. Do check it out sometime!
Bangkok has always had great food in its shopping malls. It’s just that ‘great’ used to mean 30-baht bowls of boat noodles from the basement food court, bought using a convoluted token system, the logic of which has defeated visitors for decades. Now, shopping mall dining means something else entirely.
The recent era of mega-mall openings has lured internationally renowned chefs to the top floors of these developments, not tucked away on a lower ground floor but given prominent billing on high, their sweeping views of an ever-growing cityscape often standing in for a genuine sense of place or, indeed, actual walls.
ICONSIAM led the charge with Alain Ducasse’s Blue. Emsphere followed. Even the comparatively modest Gaysorn Amarin got in on the act with Gaggan at Louis Vuitton, an intimate 30-seat restaurant inside an LV flagship.
And now Dusit Central Park, which opened in September 2025 on the corner of Silom and Rama IV, has entered the conversation. Each new opening seems to make the last generation of malls feel instantly dated. MBK Centre, which felt like the cutting edge of Bangkok retail not so long ago, now has the air of a relic. The pace of reinvention here is relentless.
Dusit Central Park is a 130,000 square metre, eight-floor development, part of a 46 billion baht mixed-use project built on the site of the original Dusit Thani, one of the city’s most venerable hotels. The complex includes a seven rai rooftop sky garden that positions itself as an extension of Lumpini Park across the road, and it drew 70,000 visitors on its opening day alone. This is big-ticket Bangkok development at its most ambitious.
What’s notable about Dusit Central Park’s choice of headlining restaurant, Noi Samrub Bar and Eatery, is that they went local, handing the top floor not to an internationally imported name but to one of Bangkok’s most storied, freewheeling chefs, a decision that says something about how the country’s own culinary talent is now being valued.
Noi Samrub is the latest venture from chef Prin Polsuk and his wife Thanyaporn ‘Mint’ Jarukittikun, the couple behind the Michelin-starred Samrub Samrub Thai. It sits at the top of the mall, wrapping around its upper floor with windows behind the diners and views over Lumpini Park’s green canopy and the city skyline beyond.
Despite its address, you don’t feel like you’re eating in a shopping centre at all. The interior has a wry, knowing quality: chequered tables frequently found in public spaces for playing Makruk (Thai chess), foam replicas of classic terrazzo-style concrete table and bench sets that you see dotted around every public space in Bangkok.
The sprawling, sleek curved counter offers the best seats in the house. It looks over a shelf of fizzing ferments and murky house-brewed spirits (plum Isaan rum, banana skin-infused rice wine, that kind of thing) that openly defy the sanitised logic of the floors below. There’s a youthful irreverence to the whole set-up; a Thai izakaya that feels like it belongs to a different postcode entirely, and it invites you to drink.
Chef Prin cut his teeth as a protégé of David Thompson at Nahm, both in London (where the restaurant became the first Thai establishment in the world to win a Michelin star) and later in Bangkok, before founding Samrub Samrub Thai with Mint in 2017. What began as a post-work gathering of chefs evolved into one of the most important Thai restaurants in the world, now holding a Michelin star of its own and ranked 47th on Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants. Prin’s thing is preservation: he digs through ancient recipe books, works with rural farming communities, and serves dishes that haven’t appeared on a Bangkok menu in decades, sometimes centuries, perhaps never.
At Noi Samrub, though, there’s no dogma to the cooking. Prin is famous for his forensic faithfulness to historical Thai recipes at Samrub – a restaurant that’s reverent but still a lot of fun – but the mood here is looser, more instinctive, more playful.
This is food designed to be eaten with a drink in hand, and the drinks are seriously good. The cocktail programme, built around those spirits visible from the bar, could hold its own on any best bar in Asia list, and it’s pretty much obligatory to work your way through a few before, during and after eating. The pandan campari is particularly special, and the on-tap Sato (the increasingly popular, sake-adjacent, Thai fermented sticky rice wine) goes with everything.
There’s a photobook-style menu to leaf through alongside the main one, great for pointing at when words start blurring and vibrating. The menu moves from snacks (pickled bilimbi with chilli salt, shrimp with garuda crumb and red curry powder) through grilled shellfish and skewers, and into more serious territory, topping out with a grilled phu phan beef rib for 2,700 baht.
What’s particularly lovely is that some dishes which previously appeared on Samrub Samrub Thai’s rotating tasting menus seem to have found a second life here on Noi’s à la carte. Given how transient each Samrub menu is, with a new regional focus every couple of months and dishes that may never return, there’s something generous about giving them a more permanent home at Noi, Prin’s meticulous research allowed to breathe beyond a single menu cycle.
Grilled bamboo clams with Southern golae sauce
From our visit, the grilled bamboo clams with Southern golae sauce were a highlight: sweet, smoky and slicked with a tart coconut marinade that had caught on the grill and caramelised into something that tasted vaguely obscene. Trang venison skewers with toasted spices were terrific too, the dry spice rub assertively bitter, the meat blushing, its companion relish fruity, glossy, and really fucking spicy.
The crab miang, served with crisp folds of lettuce rather than the more traditional betel leaf, had a build-your-own quality that was in keeping with the get-stuck-in spirit of the place. Miang caramel was replaced with nahm jim seafood to bruising effect. The NFC were the funkiest, most fragrant chicken wings I’ve had in years, the intimidating half dozen dispatched even faster than the frosty Regency highball that had appeared on the counter without me even asking.
Trang venison skewersCrab miangNFC
To close, grilled aubergine with coconut cream and shrimp paste blurred the line between savoury and sweet so convincingly that the actual dessert, a roasted Japanese sweet potato with coconut cream, felt almost restrained – and somehow earthier – by comparison. Mix them up – this isn’t a place to be fussing about within the confines of mains and puddings. It’s in the blurred liminal spaces where the real fun happens.
Grilled aubergine with coconut cream and shrimp paste Japanese sweet potato with coconut cream
A tip: dine late. After your meal, head up to explore Dusit Central Park’s rooftop sky garden. By that hour the crowds will have gone, the pathways roped off until tomorrow, and you’ll have the gardens and their panoramic views over the city to yourself. Then exit back down through the mall after hours, when the shops are closed and staff are changing the displays around you, shuffling and sweeping, and the whole building takes on a different surreal energy. It’s one of those evenings that could only happen in Bangkok.
Sitting between Warwick and Kenilworth, Royal Leamington Spa has long held its own among Warwickshire’s destinations. With a population of around 55,000, it is comfortably the county’s largest town, and its reputation as an elegant place to visit predates the tourism boards by a couple of centuries.
Warwickshire is not short of famous names. Stratford-upon-Avon and its Shakespeare connections sit twenty minutes to the south. Warwick Castle draws visitors from across the world. Kenilworth Castle, managed by English Heritage, is one of the finest medieval ruins in the country. Leamington sits right in the middle of all of them, with Regency architecture that ranks among the finest in England, a food and drink scene that continues to grow, and a compact centre that rewards aimless wandering.
Queen Victoria first visited in 1830 as an eleven-year-old princess. Eight years later, now on the throne, she granted the town its ‘Royal’ prefix. The spa industry has long since faded, but the elegance it left behind has not. Two days here, with castles, Shakespeare country, and rolling countryside all within a short drive, makes for a weekend that balances culture, good eating, and the kind of unhurried pace that a proper break demands.
Day One: The Parade, Jephson Gardens & The Old Town
Morning
Start your two day break on the Parade, the main thoroughfare that runs through the heart of town. Built in stages from 1808 onwards, it’s lined with creamy stucco frontages and columned facades that would look at home in Bath or Cheltenham, and gives an immediate sense of why Leamington attracted Regency-era wealth.
At the southern end, the Royal Pump Rooms occupy a handsome building dating from 1814, originally constructed to serve the booming spa trade. Saline water can still be sampled from a fountain inside, though the building now houses an art gallery, museum, and the town’s library. The collection covers local history from the spa’s Georgian heyday through to the present, and the entrance is free. Allow an hour.
From the Pump Rooms, cross into Jephson Gardens, named after Dr Henry Jephson, the physician who made Leamington’s waters famous in the 1820s by prescribing them to a parade of wealthy patients. The gardens are immaculate: formal flower beds, mature trees, and a glasshouse filled with tropical plants.
There is also a memorial to the Czechoslovak paratroopers who were based in the Leamington area before their mission to assassinate Reinhard Heydrich, the Nazi Reich Protector of Bohemia and Moravia, in 1942. It’s a striking piece of history in an otherwise serene setting. On a fine morning, the gardens reward a slow lap. Pick up a coffee from one of the cafes along the Parade and bring it in with you.
Afternoon
Lunch on the Parade or in the surrounding streets. Rustiq on Warwick Street is open daily from noon and serves Mediterranean-influenced tapas and sharing plates alongside larger dishes. It’s a reliable midweek option with an outdoor terrace that earns its keep in warmer months.
Or, if you’re visiting at the weekend, Grace & Vine on Guy Street does low-intervention wines with pintxos-style small plates that change regularly. It opens for lunch Friday to Sunday.
After lunch, walk south into the Old Town, the original settlement on the southern bank of the River Leam. The character shifts from Georgian grandeur to something older and more piecemeal; it’s a visually arresting spectacle.
This is where you’ll find the Warwickshire Gin Company, a small-batch distillery tucked under the railway arches, producing gins, rums, and vodkas inspired by local historical figures. Their tasting experience runs for 90 minutes and includes seven samples plus three full drinks, and it’s popular, so book ahead. If gin isn’t your thing, the Old Town is also home to independent shops and a handful of antique dealers worth browsing.
Evening
For dinner, Baserri on Park Street is the strongest table in town, doing Basque-influenced cooking using produce sourced directly from Spain alongside local ingredients. The cheesecake draws favourable comparisons with San Sebastián, and with only 30 covers, booking ahead is essential.
For something more relaxed, The Star & Garter on Warwick Street serves seasonal British cooking with locally sourced ingredients in a gastropub setting, with a private dining room opening onto a terrace for groups.
For a post-dinner drink, The Royal Pug on Regent Street has a beer garden that comes into its own on warmer evenings. It’s a solid local with a good range of ales.
Day Two: Warwick, Kenilworth & The Countryside
Morning
Warwick sits just two and a half miles west of Leamington, close enough that the two towns have effectively merged, though they retain distinct identities. The castle is the obvious draw, and with good reason: a thousand years of history stacked on a bend in the River Avon, with Norman foundations, medieval towers, and enough interactive exhibitions to fill a full morning. Arrive early to beat the school groups.
The town beyond the castle rewards a wander too. Lord Leycester Hospital, a cluster of medieval timber-framed buildings on the High Street, is one of the best-preserved examples of its kind in England. St Mary’s Church, with its Beauchamp Chapel, is worth the detour for its perpendicular gothic architecture alone.
Afternoon
Head north to Kenilworth, six miles from Leamington and reachable by a seven-minute train ride or a short drive. Kenilworth Castle, managed by English Heritage, spans nine centuries of construction, from a Norman keep dating to the 1120s through to the Elizabethan palace that Robert Dudley created in a sustained effort to woo Queen Elizabeth I.
The restored Elizabethan Garden, complete with a Renaissance aviary and a marble fountain carved with classical figures, is the highlight. The castle endured the longest siege in medieval English history in 1266, lasting six months, and the sense of scale and age is palpable even in ruin. Budget a couple of hours.
On the drive back toward Leamington, a short detour off the Fosse Way brings you to Chesterton Windmill, a Grade I listed tower mill built around 1632 for Sir Edward Peyto of Chesterton Manor. It stands on an open hilltop on six stone arches – a design so unusual that early observers assumed it must have been an observatory – and is now confirmed as the earliest tower mill in England to retain any of its working machinery. The interior opens only on Heritage Open Weekends, but the exterior is accessible year-round, reached by a short walk from roadside parking on Windmill Hill Lane. On a clear afternoon the views across south Warwickshire are considerable, and the structure itself is striking enough to justify the stop.
If the weather holds and you’d rather be outdoors, Draycote Water, a reservoir and country park a short drive east of town, offers a five-mile circular walk with birdwatching opportunities, sailing, and fishing. It’s a peaceful counterpoint to the morning’s castle-hopping.
Evening
Return to Leamington for a final dinner. Tavola is a well-regarded Italian on Clarendon Street, where a Tuscan-born chef makes fresh pasta daily and the carbonara is done the Roman way with guanciale rather than bacon.
For something more adventurous, Leru on Regent Street pairs Mediterranean-influenced seafood (chargrilled prawn skewers, seared scallops, crispy whitebait) with cocktails in a setting that leans more bar than restaurant.
A nightcap at the Fizzy Moon Brewhouse & Grill on Regent Street rounds things off nicely. A large Victorian pub with its own house ale, over 120 gins, and the kind of convivial atmosphere that draws a mixed crowd without getting rowdy.
Where To Stay
For a weekend base that puts you within easy reach of Leamington, Warwick, and the surrounding countryside, Draycote Hotel is a strong option. Set within 150 acres of Warwickshire countryside near the village of Thurlaston, the hotel sits just off the A45 with straightforward access to Leamington, Warwick, and the motorway network beyond.
The 49 rooms are modern and spacious, and the on-site Three Cooks restaurant draws on the kitchen team’s English, European, and Asian heritage for menus that go well beyond the usual hotel dining formula.
Whitefields Golf Course, an 18-hole championship layout adjacent to the hotel, is a bonus for golfers. The natural drainage keeps it playable year-round, and a TopTracer driving range adds a modern touch. Draycote Water reservoir is practically on the doorstep, making the hotel a natural base for walkers and wildlife enthusiasts as well as culture seekers.
Getting There & Around
Leamington Spa station is well connected. Chiltern Railways runs frequent services from London Marylebone taking around 75 minutes for the fastest trains, continuing to Birmingham. CrossCountry links Leamington to Coventry, Manchester, and Bournemouth. West Midlands Trains provides local connections to Kenilworth (seven minutes), Coventry, and Nuneaton.
By car, the town is three miles from the M40, with the M1 and M45 accessible via the A45, the same road that passes Draycote Hotel. Leamington’s centre is compact and walkable, though a car opens up the wider county. Warwick is a five-minute drive or a quick bus ride; Stratford-upon-Avon is 20 minutes south by car or reachable by Stagecoach bus.
The Bottom Line
Royal Leamington Spa is substantial enough to fill a weekend in its own right, but positioned so centrally within Warwickshire that two of England’s great castles, Shakespeare country, and rolling countryside are all within a short drive.
The Regency architecture gives it a visual identity that most English market towns lack, and a dining scene anchored by independents rather than chains means you eat well without trying too hard. It’s an easy weekend from London or Birmingham, and a strong base from which to explore the wider county.
There’s a particular kind of disappointment that comes with getting a piece of art framed and realising, once it’s on the wall, that the high impact you were hoping for simply isn’t there. Maybe the colours look muted behind the glass, or the frame is fighting the image for attention. More often than not, the problem comes down to the framing itself.
A good frame should feel almost invisible, doing its job without pulling focus from the piece it protects. Yet framing remains one of the most commonly botched elements of home interiors, largely because most of us treat it as a functional afterthought rather than a decision that deserves real thought. From limited edition prints to original paintings you’ve saved up for, these are the mistakes worth avoiding.
Defaulting To Black Every Time
Black frames have become the safe option for good reason: they’re neutral and they complement most things. But that neutrality becomes a problem when it starts flattening the work inside it, which happens more often than you’d think. A warm-toned oil painting, for instance, can lose much of its richness behind a stark black surround, while a delicate pencil drawing risks being overwhelmed entirely.
Switching to natural oak, walnut, or ash immediately brings a warmth that responds to the art rather than sitting in opposition to it, particularly with landscapes, botanical prints, and anything with an earthy palette. Lighter, more contemporary work tends to benefit from white or off-white frames instead, which have the added advantage of opening up a smaller room. The point is that the frame should be a response to what’s inside it and what’s around it, rather than a reflex.
Skimping On The Mount
The mount is one of the most underrated elements of a correctly hung framed piece, and getting it wrong throws the whole thing off balance. Too narrow and the artwork feels cramped, as though it’s been squeezed into a space it doesn’t fit; too wide and the work shrinks into insignificance. As a general rule, the mount should be proportional to both the frame and the piece itself, with most works benefiting from a border of at least 5cm.
Colour is equally important here. A bright white mount can create harsh contrast against vintage prints or warmer-toned photography, so an off-white or cream option will often sit far more comfortably, softening the transition between image and frame. It’s a small detail, but one that makes a surprisingly large difference to how a piece reads on the wall.
Ignoring The Glass
Standard picture glass does the basics, but it comes with trade-offs that most people don’t consider until the damage is done. Glare is the most immediately obvious issue, making artwork hard to see depending on where it’s hung and how the light falls throughout the day.
The less visible problem is UV exposure: over time, direct or indirect sunlight will fade pigments, yellow paper, and degrade photographic prints, often so gradually that you don’t notice until the damage is irreversible. Museum-grade glass with UV filtering and anti-reflective coating costs more upfront, but for pieces hung opposite windows or in south-facing rooms it’s an investment that pays for itself in preservation alone.
Matching Every Frame In The Room
There’s a persistent idea that all frames in a room should match, and while the intention is understandable, the result is almost always a set of walls that feel flat and lifeless. Uniformity strips away the individuality of each piece, turning a collection into something closer to a hotel corridor.
A more considered approach is to find a loose thread that ties your frames together without making them identical, whether that’s a shared material like wood in varying tones, or a consistent width of frame across different finishes. The goal is cohesion rather than repetition, so that the eye moves between pieces with interest rather than glazing over.
Off-the-shelf frames have their place, and for casual prints and posters they do the job perfectly well. The problems start when you try to force more demanding work into standard sizes, which usually means cropping the mount awkwardly to fit, leaving uneven borders, or worse, trimming the artwork itself to suit the frame. All of these compromises show, and they undermine work that deserves better.
For pieces you genuinely care about, bespoke framing is worth the outlay. As the specialistts at Lorimer Art Gallery and Bespoke Framing in Rugby tell us, tailored solutions can account for the specific dimensions, weight, and character of each piece, using conservation-grade materials where longevity matters. It’s the kind of detail that separates a wall that looks thrown together from one that looks genuinely considered.
Hanging Art Too High
This isn’t strictly a framing mistake, but it’s so closely tied to how a framed piece lands in a room that it belongs here. The gallery standard is to position the centre of the artwork at roughly 145cm from the floor, which places it at average eye level, and yet most people hang significantly higher than this, particularly above furniture.
The result is a disconnect between the piece and the space beneath it: art that sits too high stops feeling like part of the room and starts feeling like it’s been pushed upward to fill a gap. Bringing it down to eye level is one of the simplest changes you can make, and it’s often the most transformative.
Neglecting The Back Of The Frame
What’s happening behind the glass matters more than most people think. Cheap backing boards can off-gas acids that gradually discolour mounts and damage the artwork itself, while a frame that isn’t properly sealed will allow dust and insects to work their way in over time. Neither of these problems is immediately visible, which is precisely why they’re so easy to ignore.
For anything with real value, whether financial or sentimental, acid-free backing boards and sealed dust covers are basic precautions that cost relatively little but make a significant difference over the years.
Overlooking The Relationship Between Art & Wall Colour
A frame that looked perfect in the shop can read completely differently once it’s up against your actual wall colour at home. Dark frames on dark walls tend to disappear, losing their definition, while light frames on white walls can wash out so completely that the piece feels like it’s floating without an edge. The mount colour plays into this dynamic too, acting as the intermediary between image and wall.
Before committing, it’s worth holding the framed piece against the wall in the room where it will actually hang, at different times of day if possible, because natural and artificial light will change the relationship between frame, mount, and wall considerably.
Going Too Ornate
Heavy, gilded frames have their place, particularly with classical portraiture and oil paintings of a certain vintage. But applying that same treatment to a modern photograph or a simple line drawing creates a mismatch that draws all the attention to the frame itself.
The framing should reflect the character of the art rather than impose a style onto it, and when in doubt, simpler tends to age better. A restrained frame also gives you more flexibility when a room eventually changes around it, which it will.
Treating Framing As A One-Off Decision
Art collections evolve, rooms get repainted, furniture changes, and light shifts with the seasons, so a frame that worked perfectly five years ago might not be serving the piece as well now. There’s nothing wrong with reframing work as your taste and your interiors develop.
In fact, it’s one of the more affordable ways to refresh a room without buying new art, and it gives you the chance to upgrade materials, swap out a mount that has started to yellow, or simply try a different look. Thinking of framing as a living part of your interior rather than a sealed-and-done job keeps your collection feeling current and intentional.
The Bottom Line
The art on your walls only works as hard as the framing around it. Getting the fundamentals right, from mount proportions and glass quality to the relationship between frame and wall colour, is what separates a collection that feels considered from one that looks like it was hung in a hurry. Most of these mistakes are easy enough to fix, and the ones that need professional help are rarely as expensive as people assume.
This just (relatively speaking, in the history of all time) in; Lisbon has recently (relatively speaking, in the…hmmm, we’ve already said that) been revealed as 2024’s ‘cheapest place in Europe to eat and drink’, with the study citing the city’s sandwiches, sweet treats and kiosk culture as just a few of the reasons that the Portuguese capital is so affordable for food lovers.
But it’s not just affordability that’s lead to Lisbon’s food scene being the toast of the culinary cognoscenti the world over; the quality of ingredients, particularly the seafood, is second to none almost anywhere on the planet, with the city’s affinity with the deep fat fryer also something to sing about from the top of São Roque.
The city also straddles tradition and innovation in a really pleasing way, with time-honoured classics and innovative contemporary takes on cherished Alfacinha dishes rubbing along harmoniously. Cervejarias share streets with trendy new wine bars, kiosks share squares with TikTok baiting bakeries, and everything seems to work in harmony. It’s a collision of the old and new, and it’s all better for it.
If you’re travelling to the city in search of the very best food it has to offer – whether you’re looking to splurge on Michelin-starred multicourse extravaganzas or a floury bun for a couple of Euros – we (and Lisbon) have got you covered. Here is our IDEAL 22; the best restaurants in Lisbon. Or, at least our favourite 22 of them…
Cervejaria Ramiro
Ideal for possibly, very nearly definitely, the best seafood on the planet…
You’ve probably heard of this place by now, whether through Bourdain, Stein, or just about any other celebrity chef with a TV show. Rather than being overcome by the hype machine, Ramiro couldn’t care less who’s dining there; this legendary restaurant first opened its doors in 1956 and has set the standard for seafood restaurants in Lisbon ever since.
It is always full. This is where locals and tourists alike head in their droves to eat the finest seafood of the region in the organised chaos of the city’s most famous cervejaria.
Though it’s a seafood restaurant first and foremost, many people bookend their meal with meat, starting with a plate of pata negra ham and ending, for dessert, with a steak sandwich. The latter has been documented so thoroughly that we’re not going to explain it away any further – it just works.
Back to the reason we’re all here; the shellfish. The enormous tiger prawns are 100% worth ordering, as well as the deservedly popular clams in garlic butter, but the absolute standout is the scarlet prawns, each with enough head juice to fill a coffee mug. Drink passionately, and then fill that mug with the house Vinho Verde, which pairs with everything on the menu brilliantly.
More a cafe than a restaurant, but no trip to Lisbon is complete without eating at Pasteis de Belem. This iconic bakery has been serving its world-famous custard tarts since 1837, and they’re just as good now as they were back then (hmmm; can’t actually vouch for that one). The flaky, buttery crust and creamy filling are the stuff of legends, and rightly so; they churn out around 20,000 of these a day and, during weekends, this number may double.
While they are of course most famous for their tarts, Pasteis de Belem have a whole savoury menu too, offering classic salgados – salty, savoury bites that make up the fried, fatty side of the Portuguese diet
In a country where cod is a cult, the pasteis de bacalhau (salt cod fritters) are not to be missed. The rissol de camarão (prawn turnover) is good, too, but we’re particularly fond of the coxas de galinha (minced chicken fritter) and the empada de pato e espinafres (duck and spinach pie). Far too many brackets and far too much fried food, but fuck it…
…Whichever way you play it, wash it all down with a glass of espinheira cherry liqueur and then a coffee to steady the ship – that’s a whole lot of pastry you’ve just eaten.
Ideal tip: If you’re craving the best custard tarts in the centre of Lisbon, then Manteigaria is your go-to spot. With two spots in the city – the mothership in Chiado and one in the ever popular Time Out Market – their pastéis de nata are legendary, often hailed as the finest in town, even giving the iconic Pasteis de Belem a run for their money. It’s a custard tart experience you won’t want to miss. Speaking of the Time Out Market….
Ideal for the best seafood in Lisbon’s Time Out Market…
It’s impossible to walk past Marisqueira Azul in Lisbon’s Time Out Market without stopping to marvel at the marvellous, mouthwatering selection of fresh seafood on ice and crustaceans in tanks. It’s also impossible to stop yourself from setting up shop at one of the twenty countertop stools, ordering a cold glass of beer, and settling in.
While the Time Out Market itself is, to be honest, a bit of a tourist trap, this place is anything but. Portuguese seafood takes centre stage on the peripheries of the market here, with oysters from Setubal, barnacles from Berlengas, and lingueirao from the Algarve particular highlights. You can’t come here and not order the latter – razor clams done simply with ubiquitous, irresistible garlic butter. Just smackingly delicious. We’re addicted to the puntillitas do manel too – crisp, salty little squid that’s one of the restaurant’s specialities.
Sure, given its location, Marisqueria Azul is on the more expensive side (you might want to weigh your seafood before ordering) but with al fresco seating available in the warmer months, there’s no place we’d rather be on a fine Lisbon day.
Ideal for an old-school, no frills seafood experience…
Another gem for seafood enthusiasts, and less touristy than some of the more heaving joints on our list, Do Lis does the important stuff right and worries about little else in terms of frippery or fuss.
Shellfish is displayed enticingly just behind the front window. The space is cavernous, the room bare and the table cloths paper, but the seafood arrives whole, with all the dirty, delicious head juices and brains intact ready for sucking, and is as fresh as you’ll find. The spider crab and barnacles are particularly good here, both bathing in enough runoff for the best part; mopping up those juices with plenty of crusty, heavily buttered bread.
It’s also just a three minute walk north of Ramiro, so if you find the queues too much there, it’s an awesome reserve option to have up your sleeve. Once seated, roll them up, you’re going to be down, dirty and elbows deep in all the good bits.
Ideal for hearty dishes at affordable prices from Michelin-starred chef Jose Avillez…
Celebrity chef Jose Avillez has made this little corner of Chiado very much his own with the Bairro do Avillez concept; a clutch of excellent, dependable restaurants all under one roof and banner.
We say roof, but the pick of the bunch is Pateo, a large, open semi alfresco space and a fine purveyor of all things oceanic. Ordering off the grill is reliably excellent; a particularly fine tuna steak served with Algarve salad was fantastic. If it’s something of a celebration, don’t miss the blue lobster over coals from the specials; top notch and a real treat. Best of all, though, is the chargrilled squid with black rice, which is creamy and comforting, but also a moody little number; charcoal black and throbbing with umami.
The adjacent Taberna is also excellent, with an extensive selection of Portuguese charcuterie alongside inventive riffs on the country’s snack culture. The atmosphere here is more intimate and the small plates are ideal for sharing. Highlights include the crispy pork belly and the octopus salad, both of which showcase Avillez’s knack for approaching traditional Portuguese ingredients with a modern twist.
Ideal for a quirky, tinned fish eating experience on Lisbon’s Pink Street…
You could be forgiven for turning your nose up at a restaurant serving tinned fish. But to do so in Lisbon would be to miss out on a Portuguese staple, a countrywide tradition, and a worthwhile meal indeed. The contents of these cans aren’t bland supermarket versions, instead they’re artisan tins of sardines bathing in premium olive oil. Or, octopus just boiled and preserved at its most tender. You got the picture…
Sol E Pesca, on the lively, perennially popular Pink Street is our favourite place to head for a tinned fish eating experience in Lisbon. Here you can enjoy your meal while buskers perform and the world goes by – it’s got to be the best people watching spot in the city.
A must-order is, of course, tinned sardines in spicy tomato sauce – when in Lisbon, and all that. Slivers of smoked eel from the coastal village of Murtosa make a handsome plate, too, while monkfish liver (the ol’ foie gras of the sea) and sea urchin roe (the ol’ caviar of the sea) are totally redolent of the ocean, which is perhaps the ultimate compliment when coming out of a tin.
Ideal tip: They have a gorgeous cookbook, which makes a great souvenir alongside some of those tins.
Ideal for a more local take on the traditional cervejaria experience…
If you’re after yet more seafood (this time fresh rather than canned), O Palacio is another eminently viable alternative to the previous few on our list. True to the soul of any self respecting cervejaria, it stays open late and gets increasingly raucous as the evening wears on. Come dinner time, as soon as you step foot into the door, you’re greeted with a loud and convivial din – a good sign that this place is a favourite among locals.
O Palacio is a little out of Lisbon’s historic centre, in the pretty residential neighbourhood of Alcantara, and, accordingly, it’s cheaper than the more tourist-heavy places. This certainly doesn’t affect the quality, we’re pleased to report.
A must-order is the remarkable signature seafood platter, which is replete with all manner of shelled things and superb value, too. If whole fish is more your thing, then come here in June; on the grill they will have sardines aplenty to celebrate Lisbon’s Feast of St. Antony, which sees sardines eaten in their thousands across the city.
Ideal for perhaps Lisbon’s most legendary pork sandwich…
We’re using the word ‘restaurant’ a little loose and easy here, since you can’t even sit down in Bifanas do Afonso, let alone relax into a three course meal or whatever.
But that’s irrelevant, as this is one of the most popular places to eat in all of Lisbon, their immaculately conceived sandwiches a rare case of the hype being richly deserved.
The two juggernauts are the bifana and prego, both beautiful in their simplicity. The former sees pork loin sauteed in garlic and white wine, plonked in a crusty roll (did we mention how good the bread is in Lisbon?). And that’s it. Who can argue with that, hey? The prego is the beef version, usually pepped up with a bit of mustard.
Embrace the clarity and restraint of it all at As Bifanas do Afonso, where you order from a hatch, pay with a few coins, and perhaps even have a cheeky little plastic pint as you lean up against a wall in the adjacent square.
Thanks to a certain chain restaurant, most people think that they know piri piri chicken pretty intimately. But this enduringly popular dish, with roots in Africa – the name is derived from the Swahili word for pepper; ‘pili pili’ – is something of a different beast here in Portugal.
You’ll find chicken houses all over Lisbon, most of them neighbourhood take-out spots with someone working a grill, brushing piri piri onto spatchcocked birds who have seen a little exercise in their lives, with darker, more delicious flesh as a result.
A Valenciana, on Rue Marques de Fronteira in the city’s northwest, is one of the very best piri piri peddlers in Lisbon. It’s the place where Alfacinhas come to pick up dinner, the unfailingly juicy chicken to be picked over back at home by the family.
You don’t have to take away, of course. There’s plenty of terrace seating if the weather’s good, and a dining room too, with TVs blasting and plenty of lively atmosphere to soak up. Either way, tables are stocked with gorgeous piri piri oil with which to douse your bird. Red and translucent, this is what real piri piri should look like. Go easy; it’s blow-your-head-off spicy, and the chickens have already been lovingly brushed with the stuff.
This dish is about smoke, spice and succulent chicken, making it the ideal no fuss meal. Chips alongside make perfect sense, but many prefer crisps as an accompaniment. We certainly do.
While you’re here, you may as well order the bacalhau a bras; the version here is exceptionally good. If you have space, a slice of dia de bolacha is the perfect way to finish your meal.
While they are quick to accommodate walk-ins, it’s a good idea to book ahead. And if you can’t get a seat, take out.
Ideal for all day-dining at one of Lisbon’s most iconic restaurants…
When you’re on holiday, you don’t always want a meal at a ‘normal time’, with many preferring to simply go with the flow and eat when they’re hungry.
When that hunger hits, it’s often hard to find a place that will feed you if you decide you want your meal at 4pm in the afternoon or at 11pm in the evening, let’s be honest. Enter Pap’Acorda.
Open from 12am to midnight most days and until 2 am on Fridays and Saturdays, the restaurant’s kitchen works round the clock to produce confident renditions of classic Portuguese plates. Fancy some veal croquettes served with tomato rice at 4pm? No problem. Or, a restorative bowl of açorda (bread soup) after one too many cocktails, late in the evening? Sem problemas.
How about a quick snack of peixinhos da horta washed down with some beer, just because? Sure thing, because Pap’Acorda is all things to all people, and all the better for it. It also has lots of traditional vegetarian Portuguese dishes, which, in a city dominated by meat and seafood, can be hard to come by.
Founded in 1981 in the heart of Bairro Alto with a view to serve gently modern takes on Portuguese classics, in 2016 Pap’Acorda moved to a sprawling space on the first floor of the Time Out Market. It’s a move that’s certainly paid off, as the iconic restaurant is as busy as ever.
Synonymous with Lisbon nightlife since its inception, it’s the ideal place to come before a night out in the surrounding bars. There’s nearly always space for walk-ins, though you should come with the mindset that you may have to wait for your order to be taken, owing to the 150 seats and 25 more at the counter.
Let’s end on something sweet; Pap’Acorda’s chocolate mousse has something of a reputation as one of the best desserts in town. When you need a change from all those custard tarts, this is the one.
Ideal for inducing a food coma via an exemplary francesinha…
The ultimate Portuguese comfort food, sure, but it’s surprisingly hard to find a good francesinha in Lisbon. In Porto, the sandwich’s home, it lurks on nearly every restaurant menu, ready to take you down with its one-two-three punch of cured meat, melted cheese and a thick beer sauce. But in Lisbon, you have to go looking for it…
…Look no further, as the city’s best version is found at Restaurante Marco, close to Santos train station, where they specialise in this hulking sarnie.
If you’re not familiar with francesinha, let us enlighten you. Porto’s signature sandwich, the name translates to “little French” or “Frenchie”, its inception attributed to a French-Belgian chef who relocated to Portugal in the 1960s and decided to put a Portuguese spin on the classic croque monsieur sandwich.
Calling the francesinha a ‘sandwich’ does it an injustice, let’s be honest. Not for the faint hearted, it makes the croque monsieur looks meagre in comparison. Layers of different meats – ham, sausage, steak, mortadella – are sandwiched between bread and covered in melted cheese and grilled, all before being drowned in a murky tomato and beer sauce. For the insatiably hungry, a fried egg can be added.
At Restaurante Marco, an exemplary version is served alongside a mountain of French fries. The cheesecake has something of a cult following here, too. Order one if – implausibly – you have room. Wash it down with all the local beers; this one’s the ideal restaurant if you’re hungover after a night on the azulejos. Then, tackle several of Lisbon’s famously steep, slippery hills in recompense.
Ideal for going the whole hog – trotters, tails, testicles and all…
Pigmeu, a haven for bacon lovers, offers a variety of pork dishes that celebrate nose-to-tail eating, focusing on often underappreciated parts like offal, snouts, pig’s ears, trotters, and tails.
The restaurant’s mission, encapsulated by the hashtag #detudoumporco (meaning nose-to-tail eating), is to make these parts delicious. Miguel Azevedo Peres, the mastermind behind Pigmeu, hails from Lisbon but brings the suckling pig traditions of his family’s Bairrada region to the capital.
Start your meal with the pig heart empanadas and finish with the pudim abade de prisco – a tradition dessert made with port and caramel that gets its savoury notes from – you guessed it – pork. The chocolate mousse whether it comes with crispy bacon shards or pork crackling on top is a sexy ol’ thing, too. Vegetarians need not apply.
Gambrinus is an old-school fine dining institution in Lisbon, open for nearly a century, and known for its seafood, white tablecloths, and silver service. Named after King Gambrinus, the patron saint of beer, the restaurant’s decor remains unchanged since a 1964 remodel, featuring dark wooden paneling, red carpets, and immaculate linen tablecloths. Visual highlights include a tapestry of the four seasons in the main dining room and a stained glass of King Gambrinus in the smaller dining room. Yep, it’s that kind of place.
While many think of this place as a seafood restaurant, we don’t. We’re here for a perch at the restaurant’s iconic wooden counter to dine off the bar menu instead.
Gambrinus’ counter is, hands down, one of our favourite spots to dine solo in Lisbon. You’ll find us here, swigging a Gambrinus tulip beer (a blend of ‘white’ and dark beer) while snacking on toasted almonds and slices of butter-slathered rye bread, all in between courses of beef croquettes with Colman’s mustard.
As the name suggests, A Casa do Bacalhau specialises in the Portugal’s favourite ingredient, bacalhau.
Portuguese salt cod (though Bacalhau just means ‘cod’, in context it usually refers to the salted kind) is a joy, and many view it as the national dish. As such, you’ll find it everywhere in Lisbon, rarely messed with too much, and remaining refreshingly, resolutely unpretentious in its serving, the flavours allowed to speak for themself.
At A Casa do Bacalhau (the ‘House of Cod’), the fish appears in nearly 30 dishes. You’ll want to order the bacalhau a bras – shredded salt cod with eggs and olives – here, as it’s an gold-standard version of a much-loved classic, as well as the bacalhau com natas, an indulgent affair not miles away from a British fish pie.
The dining room at A Casa do Bacalhau is a treat, too; all gorgeous alcoves, hanging foliage and walls lined with wine bottles. It’s the perfect place to settle into for a feast of fish.
Ideal for regional Alentejo dishes and one of Lisbon’s best winelists…
There’s something about sitting at a counter that creates an intimate and personable experience with your dining companion (or even a stranger), and that’s what you get at O Frade. Indeed, one of the best seats in all of Lisbon is at their U-shaped counter, bringing a side order of spectacle to your dinnertime. Here it’s all about an ocean-to-table menu and traditional Alentejo recipes with just the right amount of contemporary flair.
This is a family-run affair, with the cousins coming from an Alentejo clan of cooks, a region known for its hearty cooking. The thing we like most about this place is that the chefs serve food they like to eat. Their enthusiasm translates to the plates here, with the generous, umami-rich seafood rice (the duck rice is also excellent) a must order. That bracketed boi, the the pato à frade, has something of a cult following in the city, and regularly sells out.
Should you not be able to score a seat at the counter on your visit, O Frade also have a place in the Time Out Market where you can eat duck rice until your heart’s content.
Back in the room and it’s one that’s decorated beautifully, with intricate tiling and several prints that pull focus on vinho da talha (an acclaimed wine produced in the Alentejo region). The winelist is suitably stacked with affordable bottles of the stuff. Well, it would be rude not to have a glass, then…
Ideal for meticulous, Michelin-starred riffs on classic Portuguese dishes…
A Michelin-starred restaurant by the chef José Avillez from earlier in this very list, Belcanto offers an unparalleled contemporary dining experience. The tasting menu – currently priced at a pretty breathtaking €265 – is a journey through contemporary Portuguese cuisine, with each dish designed to tell its own story whilst also contributing to a cohesive whole.
We wouldn’t want to spoil the surprise of this highly inventive experience, but let us just say this; the suckling pig pork trotters with coriander and orange peel puree is genuinely up there with the nicest things we’ve ever eaten.
Equally good, and as documented on a recent UK season of Masterchef The Professionals, ‘The garden of the goose that laid the golden eggs’ is the signature dish, a carefully balanced, texturally intoxicating thing, rich in truffle and with a wonderful mouthfeel from oozing goose egg yolk. It’s no surprise that Belcanto boasts two Michelin stars and a 42nd ranking of the World’s 50 Best Restaurants, and for a special occasion kind of place, it’s unsurpassed anywhere in Portugal.
Ideal for a traditional, typically convivial tasca experience…
A charming, compact little spot that offers traditional Portuguese dishes without refinement or deconstruction, O Velho Eurico is a convivial place; one where young folk spill out onto the randomly assigned outdoor tables just in front of the restaurant and Portuguese music blasts until late.
Housed in the historic centre of town on the way up to Sao Jorge Castle, chef Zé Paulo Rocha is at the stoves here, his cod with crisps a particularly good version of a popular Lisbon classic. Other standout dishes include the iscas de cebolada (pork liver) and the rancho a minhota, a thicky, murky stew comprising various meats, pasta and chickpeas. These dishes are unveiled each day on a main blackboard menu, echoing the tradition of Lisbon’s tascas and adding a touch of theatre to the place.
Due to the tight confines of the dining room, you’ll want to book this one. If not, expect to queue. O Velho Eurico comes highly recommended by Lisbon local and now London treasure, chef Nuno Mendes. We have to say, we agree with him!
Ideal for a farm-to-table celebration of Portuguese producers…
Uniquely situated in a repurposed fish factory near the iconic Sé Cathedral in the city’s old town, Prado is instantly recognisable by its lofty ceilings and vibrant greenery, offering a succinct backdrop for a dining experience that’s grounded in sustainability. Under the creative leadership of talented young chef António Galapito (who trained with aforementioned Nuno Mendes at London’s Lisboeta), Prado has garnered acclaim for its innovative approach to culinary artistry.
The name ‘Prado’, meaning ‘meadow’, reflects the restaurant’s philosophy of sourcing ingredients locally and seasonally, ensuring that the freshest produce features prominently in all its dishes. The culinary experience at Prado focuses on highlighting the natural flavours of its ingredients, in line with its commitment to sustainable practices and respecting the environment. Indeed, as the team themselves put it straightforwardly; “if it’s not in season, it’s not on the menu”.
A simple but assertive dish of smoked eel, almond, cucumber and melon was a recent, ultra-summery highlight. Enjoy with the house kombucha, which is excellent. They also have a shop up the street which is worth a visit. stocked with all sorts of artisan bits.
Ideal for forgotten Portuguese flavours rediscovered…
This charming restaurant is renowned for reviving traditional tasca fare with contemporary flair. Established in 2011, the menu, scrawled on a single blackboard, showcases a rotating selection of dishes that celebrate local producers in a narrow, vintage-style setting.
It’s an exclusive feeling kind of place, with only ten marble-topped tables, bringing an intimate interpretation of the tasca experience to the fore.
The head chef here is André Magalhães, who has dedicated himself to the art of preserving and modernising Lisbon’s forgotten flavours. Magalhães’s approach is meticulously researched; he has spent years exploring the old tascas of Lisbon, conversing with innkeepers, and collecting traditional recipes and techniques.
This ethnographic endeavour has culminated in the recreation of several near-forgotten dishes. Notable examples include iscas com elas — marinated slices of cow liver served with boiled potatoes and cow spleen sauce — and picadinho de carapau, a tartar of Atlantic horse mackerel marinated with an aromatic mix of ginger, celery, green apple, red onions, and lemon. It really is superb stuff.
The emphasis on local sourcing extends beyond the plate; the restaurant also sells artisanal products like olive oil made by Magalhães’s father in the northern region of Tras-os-Montes.
Ideal for a quick refuel while exploring the city…
You can enjoy it all in the restaurant, sure, but perhaps even more enjoyable is to eat the same dishes in the adjacent São Paulo square, located close to the waterfront in the Cais do Sodré neighbourhood.
Here, Taberna da Rua das Flores have taken over one of the kiosks (Quiosque São Paulo), and you can order some of the signature dishes direct from there, all to be enjoyed with several glasses of beer.
The punheta de bacalhau, a delicious salt cod salad, is an ode the country’s infatuation with the stuff. The miomba, a long lost sandwich that Magalhães recovered from the archives that’s something of a precursor to the bifana, is served here and is also excellent. So too are the issóis de camarão, a kind of prawn turnover. Delicious, and what a setting to enjoy it all in.
Ideal for a standing-room-only shot of Lisbon’s most iconic drink…
We’re using the word ‘restaurant’ even more loosely here than we did with Bifanas do Afonso, because A Ginjinha is essentially a hatch, a counter, and some sticky floors. But no list of the best places to eat and drink in Lisbon would be complete without it.
Open since 1840 on Largo de Sao Domingos, just off Rossio Square, A Ginjinha is the original home of ginjinha, the sour cherry liqueur that’s as much a part of Lisbon as the azulejos and the trams. A Galician immigrant named Francisco Espinheira, on the advice of a friar from the nearby church, started infusing morello cherries with aguardente, sugar and cinnamon, and the city has been drinking the stuff ever since.
The ritual is simple. You queue, you order (com elas for cherries in the glass, sem elas for without), you pay your couple of euros, and you step out into the square to sip with the assembled crowd of locals and visitors. It is not, despite what many tourists do, a shot to be knocked back; sip it, and savour the warming, sweet-tart hit of cherry and cinnamon. If you opted for com elas, suck the boozy cherry at the end and spit the pit, as tradition dictates.
Just across the road, Ginjinha Sem Rival has been doing its own version since 1890. Try both if you’re feeling competitive about it.
Ideal for Portuguese beer food in the most historic of settings…
We end, just as we started, in one of Lisbon’s best cervejarias. Housed within the walls of a former monastery, Trindade is not only one of Lisbon’s most venerable breweries; it’s also a brilliant restaurant to boot.
This cavernous space offers a unique blend of history and gastronomy and is recognised as a cultural heritage site. Housed in a 13th-century convent adorned with magnificent tile panels, Cervejaria Trindade is a landmark that truly needs no introduction. This historic brewery first opened its doors 184 years ago, and is a beautiful place to spend an evening, its intricate tiles, long central table, and enveloping acoustics a total pleasure to be amongst.
The rich history of Trindade is vividly depicted on its walls, with tiles featuring Masonic symbols that hint at its storied past. From its origins as a brewery to its evolution into a craft beer haven, Trindade is somewhere we keep returning to.
Though the temptation is always to order the size-of-your-forearm red prawns when in Lisbon, at Trindade the most exquisite, downright delicious plate we’ve had was actually the fairly lowkey-looking coast prawns – small, pink guys that are served cold with aioli. Nothing has ever tasted more like a fresh ocean breeze than these. They were quite simply superb. The tomato rice, starchy and unctuous, should also grace your table.
On that table, fresh, frothy beer will also sit – you are dining in a brewery, after all. You know what? We might just order another glass and usher you off; we fancy some alone time with these prawns…
…phew, we came over a little hot, sweaty and distracted there. Back in the room now, and weirdly in the midst of post-climatic clarity, we fancy going cycling. Fortunately, Portugal looks pretty damn good on two wheels. Care to join us? We’ll give you a backie!
‘Gastropubs’. It’s not a term we’re particularly fond of deploying, so overused now that your local Spoons could quite rightly be referred to as one. But ‘pubs with food’ sounds weird too, so we’re sticking with it.
The term is useful, certainly, for calling to mind a certain type of place, one which serves great, protein-led food. It doesn’t lean too heavily on ‘small plates’, and is a place you’d feel as comfortable dropping in for a pint as you would a full blown meal. The ubiquity of gochujang and nahm jim for no discernible reason hopefully doesn’t trouble the menus at these places, either…
With that definition dispensed with and the pedants subdued, at least for now, let’s get into it. We’re hungry, thirsty and in need of refreshment in the capital city, and only the frothiest flagons and most precise cuisson will do. With that in mind, here are 10 of London’s very best gastropubs.
The Parakeet, Kentish Town
Ideal for superb fish dishes cooked over live fire…
Kentish Town finally has something approaching a destination restaurant, in the eyes of London’s hype machine, at least. Sure, that restaurant may be in the back of a pub, but that’s exactly why you’re here, right?
Just a second’s stroll from the overground station, you could wander in off Kentish Town road and be wowed by the mahogany panelling and gently glowing stained glass windows behind the bar while you wait for your pint to be poured, all without knowing about the heaving, kinetic dining room out back. Except, that is, for the unmistakable smell of smoke and fat that’s wafting over the pub.
Follow your nose and head inwards, into a tightly knit dining room that’s always rammed. The semi-open kitchen, dominated by its live-fire grill, remains the focal point of the room. And the menu, as it turns out.
It shouldn’t be a surprise the cooking is so elemental here; the kitchen is headed up by two chefs previously of Brat; head chef Ben Allen and sous Ed Jennings. Owing to that Brat connection, a whole fish is pretty much obligatory here, and the sea bream (£58 for two, to share), blistered and burnished from the grill and served head, fins and all, is the absolute highlight from a menu that reads as well as it eats.
Just as it is at Brat, Elkano et al, a dexterous waiter (here, the immitable, number one asset Federico) is on hand to dissect the bream with a spoon and sense of theatre and flourish, instructing us on which cuts should be especially savoured and in what order. Top tip; the skirts have that gorgeous gelatinous quality of a chicken wing and its cartilage. It’s served with a piperade of finely sliced red peppers. Viscous and sweet, it’s the ideal foil for the charred edges of that bream. It’s magic.
There’s also a stuffed whole poussin. Under flickering candlelight, it comes out looking almost as psychedelic as the restaurant’s artwork, the work of the talented Theophilus Tetteh (the art, not the poussin). Jimi Hendrix – with parakeet perched on shoulder – looked down with an expression approaching envy as we tore at the bird (the poussin, not the parakeet), its intoxicating stuffing of rice, ginger, confit garlic and all those intermingling meat juices somehow even better than the caramelised skin and tender flesh. It’s dotted with more confit garlic – take the back of your fork and squish it into the sauce, of course. Another winner of a dish, and suspicion grows that these guys know exactly what they’re doing.
There’s also a Sunday lunch menu featuring big hunks of premium meat cooked over fire, too, though the Parakeet does certainly feel like an evening kind of place. The intimacy of the dining room when the sun’s gone down, with the wood fire oven flickering like a nostalgic pub fireplace, is one of its big draws. Running from midday to 7pm, this one sounds so appealing in the late afternoon, in the depths of winter.
Regardless, pair it all with a pint or two of Hammerton N7, a perky IPA which is brewed just a mile down the road, and luxuriate in one of London’s finest gastropub experiences. Sure, you’ll leave thoroughly seasoned by smoke inside and out, that’s what you signed up for.
Here’s something both surprising and not in the least bit; London’s most decorated gastropub isn’t found in the heart of Westminster or on the peripheries Borough Market, but rather, in the back streets of Fulham.
Indeed, the Harwood Arms, the only Michelin-starred pub in London, has been doing its own thing in this sleepy West London residential area since 2008 (receiving its star a year later), its proud focus on animal husbandry, game cookery and insanely good scotch eggs drawing in the punters even if the journey goes over the acceptable hour mark on the ol’ CityMapper.
The culinary leadership at The Harwood Arms has seen some notable figures over its illustrious history, such as former head chef Sally Abé and, of course, Brett Graham, the Australian chef-owner of the three-Michelin-starred The Ledbury, who has been a director since the pub’s inception, his unique, instantly recognisable aesthetic all present and correct here, from the deer heads on the walls and the coat of arms on the menu, all the way to the weighty serrated knives delicately laid on the recently sanded blonde wood dining tables.
The current head chef is Josh Cutress, who has previously worked in top, top London restaurants The Square (now sadly closed) and the aforementioned Ledbury. He’s carrying the baton with the proper technique and precise touch that’s required here, and there’s no greater compliment than that.
The pub’s dedication to provenance is what truly sets the place apart, ensuring a consistently sky high quality, with much of the meat supplied by Graham himself. The rooftop garden provides fresh, home-grown produce like heritage tomatoes, radishes, and strawberries during the summer months, underscoring the pub’s commitment to sourcing and a sustainability that, for once in this damn city, isn’t just performative.
Unsurprisingly, at the height of game season the Harwood Arms becomes a tour de force of wild meat cookery. Recently, Graham has been raising his own British Iberian pigs, and a recent starter of Iberian pork pâté en croûte, studded with just in-season apricots and hazelnuts, was an absolute tour-de-force of classical technique and premium sourcing.
It’s a descriptor that could also be applied to a main of – you guessed it – Graham’s own fallow deer, here paired with a pale ale cream and grilled hen of the woods mushrooms, again just entering their prime. There’s a precise simplicity to the cooking in both dishes that allows these ingredients to sing, and it’s all just so satisfying. The weight of these knives certainly doesn’t harm that perception.
A short rib of red ruby beef with spinach and bone marrow is less successful, the meat not quite giving enough and, whilst not a burden to eat, certainly sidelined in the face of that deer dish.
Not to worry, you can end with the now-signature custard flan, which sat alongside a smooth, pleasingly bitter blood orange sorbet when we visited. Boasting the caramel notes of The Ledbury’s iconic brown sugar tart, it was a masterpiece, and reassuring that the pastry section here are as skilled as the sauciers.
If all of this sounds right up your residential street but you don’t fancy sitting down for a full three-courser, then simply drop in for a pint at the Harwood and order the famous venison scotch egg as a bar snack. You won’t regret it.
It should be said that the beer selection is a little uninspiring, after all that – just the usual Camden Hells and Beavertown in the lager department. The two cask ales are more interesting; the increasingly omnipresent but no less enjoyable Sandbrooks Wandle the pick of the two. There’s also a 15 page wine list with some serious bottles in its nether reaches. A handful of the more premium drops are also available by the half bottle, which is a nice touch, and there’s a page of wines by the glass with several under a tenner, meaning things needn’t get too expensive here.
Menus here are priced at £79 for a three-course meal and £64 for two courses, with a traditional roast available all day on Sundays.
Ideal for fun and finessed pub classics in retro-inspired surrounds…
What…more scotch eggs?!
Just a short hop from the retail whirlwind of Oxford Circus, The Wigmore offers a real sense of sanctuary for those done with shopping for the day. Or, for life. Whether dropping in for a carefully poured pint or settling in for a proper meal, visitors here will happily discover that quality drinking and serious eating needn’t be separate pursuits in this establishment.
Self-described as a modern British tavern “full of surprises,” The Wigmore has reimagined pub classics under the guidance of Michel Roux Jr. This French influence brings subtle flair to a kind of ‘global British’ menu, all to rather frivolous and decidedly enjoyable effect.
Housed in a historic banking hall as part of the luxury Langham hotel, this gastropub maintains a sense of calm prestige without forgetting its ‘pub’ billing. High-gloss hunter green walls, an ornate globe light chandelier, and leather-and-wood clad dining room creates a vibe that balances refinement with comfort. Sure, you won’t find sticky carpets or the lingering smell of stale beer here – but there’s still pub culture here. Despite the upmarket setting, there’s outdoor seating available and a pub quiz every Monday evening to maintain a veneer of authenticity. However many folk actually participate in that quiz, we’ve yet to find the answer to…
Anyway, let’s start with some bar snacks. The masala-spiced scotch egg (£8) exemplifies the kitchen’s creative take on classics. Rather than traditional breadcrumbs, the exterior features crispy vermicelli strands that stand proudly to attention, resembling, basically, the love child of a deep-fried baby hedgehog a sea urchin. That may sound rank, but it’s not. Spiced sausage meat encases a perfectly runny quail egg, all basking a punchy masala dahl relish that adds warmth and depth. It’s quite theatrical, bordering on high camp, and bloody delicious.
The masala-spiced scotch egg
Whitebait with homemade ‘XO’ sauce (£6.00) arrives crisp and glistening, the tiny fish retaining their structural integrity within their golden coating. The accompanying sauce delivers a potent punch of complexity – salty, sweet and deeply savoury all at once. Something dawns on us; these global flourishes aren’t just here to channel an on-trend menu idiosyncrasy that’s everywhere right now. Instead, they’re well-judged; the work of a nuanced hand in the kitchen, even if that hand doesn’t actually belong to Michel Roux Jr.
For mains, the cheeseburger with grilled ox tongue and crispy shallots has become something of a signature, and for good reason. A generously seasoned beef patty finds perfect company in a slice of grilled ox tongue that brings distinctive richness, while crispy shallots introduce a welcome textural element. Fat chips dusted with Bloody Mary salt (£7) are no mere afterthought – they’re worthy contenders for top billing themselves, and a nice callback to the whole ‘pub’ thing.
Aside from pints, a pub lives and dies by its pie, and the smoked ham hock and cheese number here is a triumph. The pastry achieves that perfect balance of golden, buttery and flaky, while inside generous chunks of smoky ham mingle with cheese that walks the fine line between indulgent and excessive. It’s rich, gooey and oozy. Served with silky garlic butter mash, it’s a thoughtful take on classic pie and mash, replacing the traditional parsley liquor with something far more luxurious. Both those mains sit around the £20 mark.
We’ve got to give a shoutout to the impressively manicured side salad – someone in the kitchen went to as much trouble of arranging it as a florist would with their prize roses. It left us wondering if lettuce wedding bouquets are a thing?
Unsurprisingly for an operation overseen by a Roux, desserts maintain the same high standards. A warm lemon meringue sponge with citrus cream (£9.50) delivers brightness and comfort in equal measure – a fitting conclusion to a meal that treads the line between nostalgic and novel.
Drinks-wise, this establishment offers its own signature house Saison, alongside an impressive selection of cask ales, craft beers, wines and creative cocktails, including some excellent non-alcoholic options. What’s not to love?
Ideal for austere but delicious plates of British comfort food…
From west to east, we’re heading to Hackney next, and the borough’s most storied, hyped gastropub, The Marksman.
With a history dating back to the mid 19th century, it’s in 2015 that the Marksman entered its current phase of refinement, which introduced an upstairs dining room designed by the acclaimed London-based Italian designer Martino Gamper. Confit potatoes elbowed out the Walker’s, smoked Tamworth the scratchings, and here we are. Whether that’s a ominous sign of increasing gentrification or a welcome addition to the neighbourhood is up to you…
Still, The Marksman proudly identifies as a ‘proper London boozer’, offering a traditional pub experience with a hint (well, more than a hint actually) of refinement. The downstairs area remains a lively sanctuary for locals and stragglers from further afield, while the upstairs dining room offers a more subdued atmosphere where patrons can enjoy dishes that pay homage to London’s rich culinary history.
The quirky, brown-tiled façade of the pub stands out as a local landmark, still, and the wood-panelled bar retains the feel of a traditional venue, the local’s battered stools all lined up and ready to receive them. Green leather banquette seating and a rather higgedly-piggeldy selection of Bentwoods, as well as a smattering of lanterns emitting a comforting orange hue, make this a warming place to settle into.
The pub is now owned by chefs Tom Harris and Jon Rotheram, who previously honed their culinary skills at Fergus Henderson’s iconic London restaurant St. John, and those austere sensibilities are very much present and correct in the cooking here. Cruise in from midday at the weekend, and the gorgeous lunch dish (you can call it ‘brunch’ if you wish) of bacon chop, hash brown and fried egg is an absolute winner. Yours for £28, but you’d happily pay significantly more than that to dust off your Oslo-hangover, surely. A pint of Disco Pils (hmmm) from Dalston brewery 40FT will help with that.
The pies are, unsurprisingly, excellent too, with the chicken and girolle (£60 for a sharing size) a menu mainstay for good reason. On a recent(ish) visit their duck, bacon and prune pie was rich, deep and divine.
Even better, a pleasingly moody cottage pie, its edges caught just right and, beneath the bronze mash hood, a brooding, umami-rich braise of beef. This one was recently available as part of the pub’s Worker’s Lunch deal, which offers a main, like the aforementioned pie, and a pint (other drinks are available) for £15. Bargain.
On Sundays, those pies enter the mix alongside a selection of roasts, with two courses priced at £40 and 3 at £45. Whatever day of the week it is, end with the signature brown butter and honey tart, arguably The Marksman’s most well known dish, and a beautiful thing at that.
The Marksman was named Michelin Pub of the Year in 2017, a significant accolade as it marked the first time this award was given to a pub in the capital, where it’s praised for its simply cooked, seasonal British dishes that are well-balanced and flavourful. We couldn’t agree more, though Michelin might want to work on broadening their adjectives.
Interestingly, the team behind the Marksman also run Lasdun in the National Theatre, and it’s another knockout. We’ve featured the restaurant in our rundown of the best restaurants near London Waterloo. Do check it out sometime.
Heading south of the river next, and to a single drag that is arguably London’s most stacked in terms of food options; Camberwell Church Street.
Hear us out. It’s got Silk Road. It’s got Nandine. FM Mangal is here. Huong Vi Viet does its thing on this strip. There’s Theo’s Pizzeria. A new Forza Win has pitched up. And with all the thirsty chefs such a proliferation of great restaurants brings, so the street needs a boozer to serve them. The Camberwell Arms is that boozer and then some.
Originally a traditional public house situated around the corner on Kimpton Road with its roots traceable back to the early 20th century, the present-day Camberwell Arms has evolved somewhat, setting a benchmark in London’s gastropub scene. Always imitated, never bettered you could say…
Established in its current form in 2014, The Camberwell Arms has been helmed by a leadership trifecta of chef director Mike Davies, Frank Boxer, known in this neck of the woods for Frank’s Cafe in Peckham, and James Dye, who has most recently opened Bambi on the former Bright site in London Fields. That’s some serious hospitality pedigree, and as the Camberwell Arms enters its second decade, there’s a sense it’s never been stronger.
On the ground floor, guests are welcomed into an open-plan bar and dining room, with an aesthetic characterised by real wooden floorboards, deep Burgundy walls, and ornate gilded mirrors and chandeliers. The layout transitions smoothly from a traditional pub setting at the front – ideal for casual pints and light snacks – to a more formal (though thankfully not all that formal) dining area towards the back, adjacent to an open kitchen. Upstairs, an additional bar area deals with the inevitable overspill of such a perennially popular place. Enjoy a white tonic and port while you wait – the connoisseur’s choice for a summer aperitivo, surely?
Let’s sashay through the crowds and into the dining room, as we’ve got our eye on the sharing mangalitsa sausage, which is made inhouse and is something of a signature (yes, we’ve used that term several times, but it’s the best word for the job) here. Sure, the £36 billing for a sausage might at first have you baulking, but this is an obscenely sized piece of work, with just the right amount of bounce. When you slice through it with a serrated, it is the most satisfying texture, its high fat content glistening. Winking at you, even…
We’ve had it as a single plate, too, with comically large (a theme) butter beans and grape mustard, but right now the sharing size is on with aioli. Talk about a brat(wurst) summer.
Another carnivorous number, Farmer Tom’s grilled lamb with piattone beans, anchovy and crumbs is a knockout too, its meat juices rich and full of flavour.
The pub can do light, bright plates with just as much enthusiasm. A recent summertime zinger of raw bream, rosemary, chilli and lemon was a vital tasting thing, picking up the palate and dispensing with any brain fog before the sausage fest main event.
Though it’s a central(ish) London pub on a busy, choking thoroughfare, the Camberwell Arms have a wicked way with seafood, generally, it should be said. A recent hype dish of a buttered mussel and wild garlic crumpet was as good as it sounds.
That pleasing lightness of touch and careful seasonality is present in the simple but satisfying desserts. A lemon verbena panna cotta with marinated raspberries passed the old flick-it-to-check-the-wobble test, its grassy character a really interesting note to end a meal on, though not, perhaps, for everyone.
Speaking of interesting notes, the cocktails here are excellent, hardly a surprise when you consider the background of the owners. The New York sour, featuring bourbon, bitters, lemon and chilled red wine is particularly good. You know what? We might stick around for another…
…Phew, bit pissed and very full now, but we’re heading onwards to Finsbury Park, and into our fifth entry on our rundown of the very best gastropubs in London; The Plimsoll.
Built on the foundations of an older pub known as The Auld Triangle – a popular spot among locals and Arsenal fans, known for its quintessential Irish pub vibe and pints of Guinness poured under great scrutiny – the transformation into The Plimsoll began with a successful Kickstarter campaign led by chefs Jamie Allan and Ed McIlroy, who previously ran the beloved semi-permanent pop-up Four Legs at the Compton Arms a mile and a half down the road in Islington.
Back up here in Finsbury Park, and the duo are also heading up Tollington’s, their Spanish-style fish bar in Finsbury Park that’s been so fawned over we never want to go there, the disappointment already tee’d up and ready to be delivered.
We’ll stay here instead, just around the corner in the curated chaos of The Plimsoll, enjoying a sometimes ragtag collection of dishes (both the food and the crockery) whose influence stretches far and wide. On your nan’s favourite willow patterned plate, a recent duo of grilled langoustines, splayed open and drenched in garlic butter, was just the ticket. On your favourite curry house’s gaudiest plate, the piri piri whole quail – again, splayed out – with rouille was even better.
Shout out, too, to the scallops with chilli butter and peas. There’s a tendency these days to value the ‘crust’ on a scallop above all else, with the pursuit for that golden layer sometimes taking precedence over actual flavour or a precise mi cuit. At The Plimsoll, the scallop is served so gently poached in its shell that it could pass for raw, its inherent sweetness coming to the fore, untroubled by the usual bruising, butter basted caramelisation. It’s such a good move, and indicative of a kitchen with a singular, idiosyncratic vision to do things their way.
Another visit saw comically large whelks with a pokey, dry chilli heavy dipping sauce. There are few more fun things than picking those whelks from their shells with a toothpick and dragging them through the sauce.
Pleasingly, ‘their way’ also translates to the dining room, or lack thereof. Unlike the other places on our list of the best gastropubs in London, there’s not a dedicated, more formal dining room as such here; more, a collection of circular tables with their orbiting stools, a couple of flickering candles and the clatter of the open kitchen bringing the ambience. And it’s Boddington’s and Estrella Galicia on the taps; perfect.
Anyway, onwards and into the main event. The Dexter Cheeseburger is everyone’s favourite dish here, kinda smashed, charred and gnarly, but also kinda rare and sloppy. It’s a burger that Evening Standard restaurant critic Jimi Fameawuara called one of the best he’d ever had when it was on at the Comptom Arms. It’s still as good here. Have it for dessert, like ordering a prego at the end of a Ramiro.
Ideal for grilled goodies and a damn fine Guinness…
If you’re looking for a gastropub in Soho, then The Devonshire is the place. Sure, you’ll need to have scored a reservation before you even know if you’ll be in the country for it (the pub opens booking slots every Thursday at 10:30am, three weeks in advance to deal with the substantial demand.) And yes, you’ll have to swerve braying toffs ‘splitting the G’ outside – the place sells around 15,000 pints of the stuff weekly. At £6.90, it’s not bad value, to be fair.
Anyway, this absurdly hyped pub is worth those considerable hurdles to your patronage, with a dream team of consummate host Oisin Rogers, Flat Iron founder Charlie Carroll and decorated chef Ashley Palmer Watts all bringing their unique expertise to this supremely confident place.
Once you’ve secured a table in the Grill Room section of the restaurant, you’ll want to order from the grill section of the menu, which makes up almost half of everything that leaves the kitchen here, sourced from a string of bespoke suppliers via the Devonshire’s dedicated butchery room, which boasts space for 4000 steaks. And sure, those steaks are as good as they should be, but even better is the beef cheek and Guinness suet pudding (£26) which is riotously delicious, eliciting a shudder of pleasure as you plunge that spoon in. Also from the grill, the now famous ‘pile of langoustines’ is gorgeous. Pair it with half a lobster for a myopic but elegant, casual meal.
Despite its seemingly unstoppable wave of popularity, things are kept humble with a reassuringly priced set menu that will set you back £29 for three generous courses. Right now, a prawn and langoustine cocktail, skirt steak, chips and Béarnaise, and an indulgent sticky toffee pudding to end on. And it’s ended us, too; we’re stuffed…
We’ve written more about the Devonshire’s Sunday roast, alongside some of the other best roasts in Soho, in our roundup here, by the way.
Ideal for Southern European cooking in Southern London…
Though we spoke of the Camberwell Arms as being in the exalted position of London gastropub benchmark setter, the Canton Arms is, arguably, even more influential.
Stockwell’s finest, part of the esteemed group that also runs the Anchor and Hope, the Clarence Tavern and the Magdalen Arms in Oxford, the Canton Arms is our favourite of the quartet, a genuinely ‘old school’ feeling boozer with a dimly lit, dark wood panelled dining room out back serving a sprawling menu of, it seems, whatever they fancy cooking.
There’s no ‘pub grub’ vibes here, but there is a certain sensibility to the cooking, with Provençal and Southern European influences running through the menu. So, that’s Imam Bayildi with a simple green salad, mutton chops with coco beans and anchoïade, and a beautifully golden tranche of skate wing, served with steamed potatoes and a sauce vierge. All three are excellent.
Dishes with a more pronounced Italian accent are a strong suit here, too. On a recent Sunday sharing menu, a roast monkfish done in the saltimbocca style (as in, wrapped in sage and Parma ham) was gloriously salty and tender. Sitting on long braised puy lentils that were close to collapse and wonderfully homogenous as a result, the whole thing was lifted up by dollops of a coarse, pungent salsa verde. This dish was the one.
The pub is also known for its unique selection of house-made liqueurs. From damson gin to vin d’orange, these drinks are a signature feature, with seasonal variations lining the shelves above the bar.
Sunday lunch here isn’t actually massively different to any other lunch or dinner of the week, which is quite refreshing when you don’t want a reheated roast dinner for £30. Instead, if you’re looking for a pub lunch with real zest and intrigue, the Canton Arms is certainly one of London’s best.
Ideal for porky pub grub taken to dizzy new heights…
Sitting pretty – real pretty – on the banks of the Thames, The Waterman’s Arms in Barnes is a more recent addition to London’s gastropub scene, but it’s already making big waves along the river.
Originally built in 1853 as part of the Cubitt Town development and formerly known as the Newcastle Arms, this historical venue has seen a new lease of life since its relaunch in September 2023 by Joe Grossmann, the founder of Patty & Bun. It’s not just burgers and fries here, though; under the culinary leadership of Sam Andrews, previously head chef at the aforementioned Camberwell Arms and Soho’s Ducksoup, the gastropub offers a thoughtful blend of traditional pub-aligned dishes and the obligatory, ubiquitous sprinkling of Italian influences.
Not that we’re complaining about the ubiquity, when dishes like pork belly and pickled nectarine or pork collar and pig skin ragu hit the table.
Yep, they love all things porcine here, but that’s not all that’s available and on song. Since we’re by the water, why not start with oysters, here served with a piquant, invigorating fermented chilli dressing. Follow those briny boys with more, erm, briny boys; a simple, summery dish of mussels and tomato hitting all the right notes for riverside dining. Even if you are inside, in a pub.
Before you turn into a bivalve, move onto the larger meat dishes, built (and priced) for sharing. The Hereford steak with smoked garlic butter is a highlight, with a pronounced crust and wall-to-wall blushing centre. It goes without saying that the pool of smokey, buttery meat juices beneath it needs a round of bread dragged through it. Scarpetta your heart out; the crusty sourdough here is built for such behaviour.
On the holy day, rather than a Sunday Roast with all the trimmings, it’s big sharing plates of meat at the Waterman’s. Friends wax lyrical about the spit roast chicken with onion broth (£44 for two). And like a curly pig’s tail that’s been pulled and has sprung back, we’re going full circle here and ending with the incredible porchetta, that’s been a Sunday lunch staple since day dot. Crisp crackling and a pleasingly pink centre take this one into the stratosphere.
Even if you’re not stuffing your face, the Waterman’s Arms is a lovely place for a pint. Spread over two floors with an outdoor dining space boasting waterfront views, the space downstairs serves a simple bar menu, while upstairs, an a la carte menu featuring seasonal dishes is available. Draught beers come from the award winning Forest Road Brewing Company in Lewisham. There’s also Estrella Galicia, increasingly becoming the tap of choice for London’s best gastropubs.
The restaurant’s wine list offers a diverse selection from around the world, featuring crisp whites like Vinho Verde from Portugal and complex reds such as Barolo ‘Albe’ from Piemonte. With options ranging from affordable to prestigious, there’s a perfect pairing for any dish and palate. A couple of bottles clock in at under £30 – it’s crazy we feel this is noteworthy, but that’s where we are.
We end, appropriately, at the Bull and Last over on Highgate Road, perched at the southeast corner of Hampstead Heath.
Established as a coaching inn in the 18th century, this cherished gastropub derives its unique name from being the last stop for northbound coaches out of London, where drivers would call out “The Bull – and last” as they approached. The gastropub’s historic charm is ever-present, underscored by a significant two-year refurbishment completed in 2020, which added six beautiful boutique bedrooms, perfect for collapsing into after a feast of North Essex Shorthorn prime rib, gremolata, béarnaise, green salad and properly good chips.
Yes indeed, the food here is of the crowd pleasing variety, both in scope and size, with 8 snacks, 8 starters and 8 mains to choose from, plus sides and the sweet stuff. It’s certainly the kind of place where even the most fickle members of the squad will be satisfied. On Sundays, things are no less interesting, with a broad, generous menu of crowdpleasers – roast lamb, fish and chips, an aubergine parmigiana wellington (?!) for those trying to forget the incoming scaries.
And if you’re dropping in midweek, then the Bull and Last’s ‘mid service’ menu is one of this affluent area of London’s most indulgent and best kept secrets. Available Monday to Friday between 3pm and 5:45pm, the pigs and prunes in blankets are the stuff of legend, sure, but the absurdly stacked roast beef sandwich with truffle mayo (£20) is the true move. Served with pickles, fries and aioli, it’s just the kind of thing you want to wrap your hands around after a walk on the heath. A house Margarita washes things down lustily. A second has you enquiring if they’ve got any space for dinner…
The Bull and Last is regularly featured in the Estrella Damm Top 50 Gastropubs list (currently placed 39th in the country), and is also recognised in the Michelin Guide for good measure. There’s even recently been a beautifully presented cookbook, featuring 70 recipes and local stories, offering a sense of time and place and plenty of context to this historic place.
If ever a city existed in a liminal space between meals, it’s Chiang Mai. The ancient capital of the Lanna Kingdom feels like it’s perpetually gearing up for its next feast, with never ending plumes of smoke rising from charcoal grills, steam billowing from bubbling curry pots, and the rhythmic pounding of clay pestle and mortars providing the city’s distinctive soundtrack. A soundtrack that’s only punctuated by a busy chorus of discussion about what’s for dinner, we might add…
Indeed, whilst the region’s proud, ornate temples, mountain vistas, walls and moats might initially draw visitors to Northern Thailand’s spiritual centre, it’s the food that keeps them coming back.
A distinct cuisine influenced by neighbouring Burma, Laos and the Yunnan Province of China, but with its own inimitable character, Lanna food – as the food of the north is known – is generally milder than that of central and southern Thailand, with an earthy, herbal profile taking precedence over the familiar sweet, spicy and sour vibes that folk usually associate with the Kingdom. Pork fat brings a sauve richness where cracked coconut cream might sizzle down south. Sticky rice reigns supreme.
Not that Chiang Mai has a myopic vision, food wise. A large expat population and status as Thailand’s digital nomad capital means you’ll find excellent international restaurants too, as well as cafes and bars that wouldn’t look out of place in London or New York. Still, we write that without including a single one on our list, such is the quality of the local food here.
So, once again, we find ourselves in the privileged position of eating our way around one of the world’s great food cities, all in the name of research. An arduous task, make no mistake, but one we accepted with open arms, and soon after, open mouths. Here are the very best places to eat in Chiang Mai; our IDEAL 22.
SP Chicken, Si Phum (Old City)
Ideal for some of the finest grilled chicken you’ll ever eat…
Let’s start with something simple but sublime. SP Chicken has been doing one thing exceptionally well for decades now; Issan-style grilled chicken cooked over charcoal. And boy, do they do it well.
The chickens here are brined, marinated, stuffed with lemongrass and garlic, and cooked on vertical spits with the heat source coming from the side rather than below. This unique method prevents any oil from dripping onto the coals and causing flare-ups that might burn the birds. The result? Impossibly juicy meat and perfectly, consistently crisp skin, every single time.
You have the option of a half or a whole bird. Though the idea of a half seems plenty, you’ll find yourself licking the plate and your fingers and considering ordering a second half.
You might as well commit to the whole thing first time around. Order yours with som tam (papaya salad) and sticky rice – the holy trinity of Isaan cooking, add a couple of Singha beers, position yourself near the grill where the cook is happy to swap stories and cooking tips, and stay the afternoon there. Heaven.
Prices remain steadfastly local here too, with a full spread for two rarely exceeding 400 baht (around £9). The whole chicken is 190 baht (£4.30), if you want to behave like a beast, tearing at drumsticks with your teeth.
Ideal for northern Thai food that’s worth seeking out…
It’s a pig’s ear to find and a pig’s ear to find open. Funnily enough, you can find pig’s ear on the menu here. That’s if you’re lucky enough to catch one of the sweet spots where their doors are flung wide and the sisters in-charge are at the stove. But man, it’s worth the effort (and occasional disappointment at being turned away).
Author’s own
Because this bare bones, humble eatery serves up some of the finest northern Thai specialties in the city. Their gaeng hung lay (a Burmese-influenced curry of braised pork belly) is sensational, their laab toasty, rasping and redolent of a complex dried spice mix, and bitter as it should be. The northern Thai sausage, sai ua, is fragrant with lemongrass and makrut lime leaf, with a pleasingly caramelised casing – a nice point of a difference in a city with so much sai ua that the sausage fest gags write themself.
Ideal for what might just be the finest bowl of curry noodles in the world…
About half an hour’s drive north of the city centre lies what many consider to be the best khao soi in Chiang Mai and by default, then, the world. This iconic northern Thai dish combines egg noodles in a rich coconut curry broth, crowned with crispy fried noodles and served with pickled greens, shallots, and chilli oil – a cherished creation born from the intersection of Chinese Muslim, Burmese and Thai culinary traditions. The journey might seem excessive for a bowl of noodles, but trust us; this one’s worth it.
Here, the third (and reportedly last) generation owner still makes the egg noodles by hand daily, preserving a family recipe that spans more than four decades. The beef version is the move here; the meat tender and giving, the coconut curry broth deep and complex with properly developed spicing, and those noodles – both soft and crispy – providing the perfect vehicle for it all.
If you’re feeling curious, try their pad sen khao soi, where those same hand-made noodles are stir-fried rather than swimming in broth. It’s a unique twist on the city’s signature dish that you won’t find in many other places. Rent a motorbike and make a day of it; San Sai is a gorgeous retreat from Chiang Mai proper.
Ideal for innovative cooking that respects its roots…
Hidden above a gelato shop in Chiang Mai’s hip Nimmanhaemin neighbourhood, this 16-seat restaurant serves some of the most exciting food in Chiang Mai. Chef Phanuphol Bulsuwan, who learned his craft at his grandmother’s side rather than culinary school, creates ambitious 10-course tasting menus that change constantly based on what’s available from local farmers and foragers.
The chef’s innovative approach to fermentation – he makes his own fish sauce, soy sauce and pickles, and brews beer and sake for the restaurant, too – and his deep knowledge of local ingredients results in food that pushes boundaries while remaining distinctly Thai.
The dining room might be minimalist, but the flavours on the 2700 baht (£60 ish) tasting menu are anything but. Highlights include a refined take on the pork and tomato relish nahm prik ong (the ol’ Thai bolognese), which here is served ‘two ways’ and topped with crisp shards of chicken skin, and chef Bulsuwan’s buffalo salad, a riff on the sun-dried buffalo dishes of the Tai Khuen people.
The menu changes regularly and is Thai-seasonal in its approach, observing the rainy and dry seasons, the former celebrating the abundance that the wetter weather brings; the latter embracing ingredients that are refreshing and light. There’s a keen sense of time and place here – of tradition and modernity that reflects the wider city as an entity.
Many think that Blackitch will be the restaurant that wins Chiang Mai its first Michelin star – we have to say, we agree with them. It’s the best ‘fine dining’ restaurant in Thailand’s second city by some margin.
Ideal for northern Thai classics in lively surrounds…
Set in a charming wooden house on Nimmanhaemin Soi 13, Tong Tem Toh is perpetually packed with a mix of Thai university students, Chinese tourists and in-the-know farang. They’re all here for the same thing – agreeable northern Thai food in a convivial courtyard, all big wooden tables and noisy din that makes the whole sharing thing all the more enjoyable.
It is a massive menu, so let the restaurant dictate things a little. Their northern Thai appetiser platter is the perfect introduction to the cuisine, loaded with sai ua, nahm prik ong, nahm prik noom (roasted green chilli relish), pork crackling and steamed vegetables. Lovely stuff. The grilled meats coming off the barbecue set up outside are excellent too, particularly the fatty, charred pork neck. It’s impossible to resist the smoke wafting about as you queue for, genuinely, hours for a table.
That said, the highlight at Tong Tem Toh is the jin som. Here, pork mince, skin and fat are mixed together with a cracked egg, pounded garlic and salt, wrapped in a banana leaf and left to ferment in the sun for a few days. The parcel is then chucked on the grill to order, and served with roasted peanuts, thumbs of ginger and Thai bird’s eye chillis. It’s lip smackingly good, and a damn fine version at triple T; rich, sour and just a little bit funky. Chase it down with a few Singha over ice – you’ve earned it after all that waiting around.
A meal here rarely costs more than 300 baht per person, which makes the queue out front a bit more bearable. Our advice? Get there early, get your name down and your number memorised, and go for a beer or two opposite.
Ideal for a bowl of curry noodles from the OG (original grandma)…
Just off Sri Phum Road, near the North Gate of the old city, you’ll find this beloved institution known simply as Grandma’s Khao Soi. Opening at 10am and closing when they run out (usually around 2pm), this modest open-air eatery serves what many consider the best bowl of khao soi within the old city walls.
The coconut curry broth here is perfectly balanced – not too rich, not too sweet – with a deep rouge colour that speaks to its proper blooming of spices. While the chicken version is excellent, we’re particularly fond of the lesser-sighted pork version (owing to the dish’s potential Muslim origins, pork is rarely used in khao soi), which comes with tender chunks of belly that have been stewing in that incredible curry all morning. For those not confident with their chopsticks and fearful of ruining their T-shirt with a splashback of turmeric-tainted broth, the chicken slices version is your order.
Whichever way you play it, those ubiquitous condiments – pickled mustard greens, shallots, lime – are an essential counterpoint to the rich broth/soup/curry…whatever you want to call it. At just 60 baht a bowl, this is one of the city’s greatest bargains.
Ideal for authentic northern Thai food in a traditional Lanna setting…
Since 2011, this restaurant – whose name means ‘happy home’ – has been living up to its moniker by serving some of the most jolly satisfying northern Thai food in the city. Set in a traditional Lanna house with a leafy garden, it’s a tranquil spot to sample hard-to-find traditional dishes. Of a genre that’s fairly widespread in the city, Huen Muan Jai is our favourite rendition.
Former TV chef Charan Thipeung’s menu includes all the northern classics: sai ua, nahm prik ong, and an excellent gaeng hang lay, alongside some lesser known dishes (outside the north, at least) like tam khanoon (pounded jackfruit salad) and gaeng pla chon (a hot and sour soup with snakehead fish). We’re really sorry about all those brackets, by the way.
For newcomers and old timers, too, the northern Thai appetiser sampler is the perfect introduction to the region’s flavours. A word of warning; with the semi alfresco vibe to the dining room at Huen Muan Jai and the various water features scattered about the place, the mozzies can be pretty insistent here. Come doused in repellent accordingly.
Ideal for seriously good seafood in a landlocked city…
You might not expect to find excellent seafood in a landlocked mountain city, but Maadae proves that distance from the coast is no barrier to quality. The kitchen here sources their catch directly from small-scale fishermen in Chumphon province, ensuring the freshest possible produce makes its way up north and onto the grills of this cracking restaurant.
The menu changes daily depending on what’s been caught, but you can expect Thai seafood classics like thick rounds of braised squid in a moody black pepper and garlic sauce, or chunks of white fish mixed with a fragrant, coarse curry paste before being wrapped in banana leaf and grilled. The main event, though, is the selection of whole fish and huge river prawns, sold by weight and grilled over coals. Usually, they’re served with jungle herbs and an assertive nahm jim seafood, the ideal foil by the bitter notes of charred skin and gorgeous, giving flesh within.
The dining room, with its blend of industrial chic and traditional Thai elements, provides the perfect backdrop for such considered, respectful cooking. There’s even a short selection of natural wine, with a bottle of Wabi Sabi Orange Moon from the Niederösterreich region of Austria clocking in at 1400 baht (£32) and offering a restrained funk and plenty of acidity.
Whilst Maadae isn’t a blowout meal (certainly not by Bangkok standards), it’s one of the more premium places on our list of the best places to eat in Chiang Mai. Expect to pay 2000 baht (£45) for two, before drinks. It’s very much worth it for the kind of spread or spanking fresh seafood you won’t find too often in Thailand’s second city.
Ideal for experiencing the best raw laab in Northern Thailand…
A tiny shack a twenty minute drive out of Chiang Mai Old City, tucked away in the San Sai district, might not be the first place you’d think of for a culinary pilgrimage…
…Scrap that; it’s exactly the kind of place you’d think of. It’s worth the journey, the language barrier and the rest, as Laab Ton Koi serves what many locals consider to be the best laab in Chiang Mai. Opening at 11am sharp, this humble eatery typically sells out within three hours, the meat minced fresh each day and only going so far, so arriving early is essential.
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The star dish here is their laab kwai dip (raw buffalo) – a perfectly minced creation that’s generously but not excessively seasoned with a blend of spices including makwen peppercorns and cumin, then mixed with fresh green cow bile for an authentic northern Thai flavour profile. The result is a wonderfully complex dish that combines herbs both astringent and floral, bitter bile, and beautifully textured meat.
Since you’ve made the effort to get here, you shouldn’t dine on laab (and sticky rice) alone. Don’t miss their gaeng om moo (pork intestine soup) – a herb-rich broth that serves as the perfect accompaniment to the laab. The restaurant also offers sa sa-doong, a barely-blanched meat dish whose name literally translates to ‘jolted raw slices’.
At just 40 baht per dish, this is one of the best value-for-money experiences you’ll find in Chiang Mai. Just remember – this isn’t tourist-oriented dining, so expect a local experience with minimal English spoken. Time to brush up on your Thai.
Ideal for contemporary Chinese dining in a traditional Lanna setting…
We’re back in Nimmanhaemin, somewhat in awe of Yangzi Jiang’s regal, refined take on Chinese-Catonese cuisine, helmed by a chef with Hong Kong roots. When you’re just a little tired of another bowl of khao soi, Yangzi Jiang is just the ticket, its stellar dim sum selection during lunch hours a welcome diversion from the city’s usual charms. The signature steamed scallop dumplings with black truffles are a standout, and one of Chiang Mai’s most decadent dishes.
Set in a contemporary Lanna house (there’s a theme developing here), the restaurant has an elegant, hushed atmosphere that perfectly complements its refined cuisine. While the dim sum is the main draw, their Peking duck has earned a reputation as one of the most memorable versions in the city, arriving with breasts delicately portioned and bordered with a clock’s worth of numeral bronzed, glass-like skin. This is supreme cooking, with age-old techniques precisely delivered.
Their lunch menu is particularly popular among Chinese tourists and well-heeled locals, so reservations are recommended, especially during peak hours. This is one of the pricier options in the Nimman area, but the quality of ingredients and execution justifies the cost; an excellent choice for those looking to diversify their Chiang Mai dining experience beyond Thai cuisine.
Ideal for atmospheric northern Thai dining in the heart of the old city…
Set in an atmospheric old teak house near the centre of the old city, Huen Phen feels frozen in time in the best possible way. The dining room is adorned with antiques and vintage photos, while chunky wooden tables and the occasional touch of opulence nod to the city’s royal heritage.
The food is just as traditional as the setting, and Huen Phen – though not the gold-standard purveyors of the good stuff – is a great place to try savoury, herbal Northern Thai classics like gaeng hang lay, various preparations of Northern-style laab, and nahm prik noom served with fresh and steamed vegetables and pork crackling.
The brick-a-brack, organised chaos of the dining room(s) adds to the charm here – your dining companions on any given visit might include several golden, looming phaya naga, a deer with comically large antlers, or a wooden fertility statue, tumescent and distracting. Yep, this is a vibes-first kind of place, and it’s all the better for it.
Prices are keen too, with most main dishes coming in under 100 baht. Just be prepared to wait for a table during peak lunch hours. Once you nab one, settle in, order a few cold beers (or even a little Sang Som with soda) and luxuriate in the generosity of Lanna cuisine and culture.
Ideal for possibly the best beef noodle soup in northern Thailand…
For over three decades, this humble shophouse has been serving what many consider to be the finest Chinese-style beef noodles in Chiang Mai. We’re certainly inclined to agree with the many here; this is a light but luxurious bowl of the good stuff that manages to be satisfying but not too sweet, and not overly reliant on MSG for backbone. It’s a rare find in a bowl of noodles in Thailand these days…
The broth is the star – deeply flavoured with Chinese herbs and pristine in its clarity. Tiny globules of beef fat pool at the edges of the bowl, indicating just the right level of skimming has happened here.
The beef bits – balls with good factory bounce, offal, slices – have just the right amount of chew. As in, a fair bit of chew. There’s an obligatory lettuce leaf bobbing about, as there should be.
And if you’re not in the mood for noodles (bit of a weird choice to pitch up here if you’re not), they also do an excellent beef yellow curry served over rice. Don’t leave without trying their homemade coconut ice cream for dessert – the perfect way to reset after that steaming bowl of soup.
Ideal for an authentic local market experience away from the tourist trail…
About a kilometre north of the old city, Siri Wattana (also known as Thanin Market) offers one of Chiang Mai’s most genuine market experiences. This is where locals come to do their daily shopping and grab a quick, delicious meal, and it’s somewhere you should do the same.
The market is divided into distinct sections – fresh produce, meats, prepared foods – but it’s the khao gaeng (rice and curry) section that draws us back time and time again. Here, dozens of silver trays hold different curries, stir-fries and soups, all priced at local-friendly rates (expect to pay no more than 40-50 baht per dish).
The best strategy here is to point at whatever looks good (you could, of course, learn some Thai). Don’t miss the hor mok pla, a fish curry steamed in banana leaves and topped with coconut cream. There are also excellent takeaway options of sai ua, served with smoked green chilli relish, and deep fried fermented pork ribs. The som tam pla raa here is great, too, found at the right of the prepared foods section of the market.
If your appetite still isn’t satiated, there’s also excellent one-bowl wonders prepared to order in the canteen-like space as you enter – the pad grapao that’s served to the left of the market as you enter is an excellent version of a classic. If you can’t find it, just listen out for the clatter of the one-woman-wok operation.
Ideal for conscientious eating that doesn’t compromise on flavour…
This socially conscious cafe in the Nimman (we’re shortening now) area isn’t just about serving great food – though it certainly does that. Run by Thai Freedom House, a non-profit organisation supporting Shan refugees, Free Bird Cafe puts its profits towards educational projects and community support.
The menu features traditional Shan recipes, many plant-based by design, alongside a broader selection of international dishes.
Stick with the Shan stuff; it’s superb. Their lahpet thoke (Burmese tea leaf salad) is a standout – crunchy, tangy and utterly addictive – whilst the red lentil soup could cure the very worst whiskey soda hangover. For breakfast, try the Burmese tofu scramble with pennywort and turmeric, alongside a roasted barley and chicory drink, which boasts coffee-adjacent notes but none of the caffeine.
Ideal for refined Thai dining in characterful surrounds…
Hidden down a quiet soi in the old city, Baan Landai serves up creative, Kingdom-spanning cuisine in a setting that manages to be both chic and homely. Chef Landai weaves together regional flavours without things ever becoming jarring, creating dishes that respect heritage while adding enough contemporary touches to keep things interesting in a city arguably more in thrall to traditional recipes than innovation.
Don’t worry; there’s no green curry foams or exploding spheres of coconut milk here. Rather, artfully presented (there are a lot of circular banana leaves), precisely seasoned plates from across the Thai culinary canon reign supreme. The crab fried rice is perhaps the signature here, featuring those massive, inviting chunks that only Thailand seems to truly indulge in. A fiesty af nahm jim seafood is obligatory as accoutrement.
Whatever you order, save room for dessert – their modern take on mango sticky rice is worth loosening your belt for.
Something of an old town institution, The House by Ginger has been in operation for over two decades, and remains one of Chiang Mai’s most consistently excellent fine dining-leaning restaurants. The quirky, stylish dining room – full of colour and energy – sets the scene for a menu that skilfully blends northern Thai classics with a few more contemporary flourishes (Thai tacos, Thai calamari…you get the picture).
It’s an approach that has earned the restaurant Michelin recognition for the past six years (since the guide came to Thailand’s second city). Premium ingredients are a focus here – think New Zealand beef in their massaman curry, or organic vegetables and herbs picked daily from their own Ginger Farm and put to good use in stir fries and salads. The Khantoke platter, keenly priced at 690 baht offers the ideal introduction to northern flavours, while their creative cocktail and kombucha list provides plenty of reasons to linger. Ours is a Ginger Sling, if you’re heading to the bar.
Set in a beautifully restored 1880s teak mansion that served as the city’s first ever general store, Kiti Panit offers a glimpse into Chiang Mai’s glamorous past while serving some of its finest contemporary Thai cuisine. The original woodwork, flooring and furniture have all been lovingly preserved, creating an atmosphere of understated grandeur that’s impossible to resist.
The kitchen gently reimagines traditional Lanna cuisine with a few opulent twists – their khao soi comes with stewed beef shank that’s been cooked to melting tenderness, while the yam pakchi gai yang sees a bronzed, burnished chicken bread bedding down with a tangle of coriander varieties tossed into a salad that is replete with a shards of crispy chicken skin. Words that any hungry diner wants to read, let’s be honest.
Whilst we don’t think mango sticky rice’s original form can be improved upon, the grilled caramelised mango with pandan flavored sticky rice is certainly an interesting take on a classic, the mango itself bar-marked invitingly and kissed with smoke. You know what? We think there’s room in the world for both tradition and innovation, when it comes to dessert.
Ideal for late-night feasting after a few Chang beers…
Made famous by Anthony Bourdain’s visit but beloved by locals long before that, Midnight Sticky Rice is the perfect spot for post-revelry sustenance. It’s an order-by-pointing affair, but rest assured that everything will be spicy, fried and utterly delicious.
midnight sticky rice
The menu changes nightly depending on what’s fresh and available, but you can usually count on finding excellent som tam, grilled meats, and of course, plenty of sticky rice to soak it all up. Just follow the crowds and the aroma of grilling meat, and prepare for plenty of toasting with your increasingly jolly neighbours.
No visit to Chiang Mai would be complete without a pilgrimage to the famous ‘Cowboy Hat Lady’ at Chang Phueak Gate. Her khao kha moo (braised pork leg over rice) has achieved legendary status, and rightly so – the meat is so tender you could practically shake it off the bone.
From 5pm onwards, you’ll find her distinctive cowboy hat bobbing behind mountains of perfectly braised pork, served over rice with a medium-boiled egg, pickled mustard greens, raw garlic and a searingly hot chilli sauce. At around 50-60 baht a plate, this is one of the city’s greatest culinary bargains.
Despite her celebrity status (she’s been featured on countless food shows), there’s no hint of tourist pricing here, and the quality remains as high as ever. The queue can be long, but it moves quickly – just look for the stall with the cowboy hat-wearing vendor and join the throng.
This beloved Isaan institution might just serve the best som tam in Chiang Mai. The restaurant’s (the country’s) signature salad comes in countless variations – you can customise everything down to the specific ingredients and spice level – but whatever you choose, expect fresh, fiery flavours that don’t hold back.
The grilled meats here are equally excellent. Order the gai yang (grilled chicken) or kor moo yang (grilled pork neck) to accompany your som tam, and don’t forget to get sticky rice to help temper the heat. Head up to the huge communal dipping sauce station and help yourself to complete the deal.
Though prices are slightly higher than a street stall, a feast for two still won’t set you back more than 250 baht, in a huge, expansive space that’s just crying out for a big party and plenty of beers poured over ice.
Ideal for northern Thai food in tranquil surrounds…
Set in a converted home with a distinctive triangular roof in the university district, Han Teung offers a peaceful retreat from Chiang Mai’s bustle. The small portions here are actually a blessing in disguise – they allow you to sample a wider range of northern Thai specialities than you might otherwise be able to manage.
Don’t miss the sai ua, fragrant with lemongrass and kaffir lime, or their excellent chilli soups. The pork dishes are particularly good (as is always the way up north), and everything comes with an assertive kick of spice.
If it’s the season (beginning in earnest in mid-February and ending when things cool down in late June-ish), round things off with an order of so-called ‘Northern caviar’; weaver ant larvae, served pleasingly unadorned and boasting an agreeable sour tang owing to their diet of mango leaves.
With dishes rarely exceeding 100 baht, Han Teung is excellent value too.
We end at Ton Payom, a bustling morning market northwest of the old city where locals head for their morning fix of khanom jeen nahm ngiaw (spicy noodle soup) for a pleasingly mellow, refreshing breakfast bowl. The atmosphere is kinetic, especially around 7am when office workers and students stop by for breakfast.
By simon_photos from Getty Images via Canva
Look out for the stall selling sai oua that’s still sizzling from the grill, and don’t miss the khao ram fuen – a jellied rice noodle dish served with tamarind sauce that’s particularly refreshing on a hot morning. You know what? We think we might just stay here a while…
Whether you’re seeking fiery northern curries, perfectly grilled meats, or innovative takes on traditional dishes, Chiang Mai’s food scene has something for everyone. Just remember to pack loose-fitting clothes – you’re going to need them.
If 2025 was the year everyone finally admitted that their grey accent wall wasn’t doing them any favours, then 2026 is shaping up to be the year we actually do something about it. The direction of travel in interiors has been clear for a while now; away from the sterile, the overly curated, the performatively minimal, and towards something warmer, more personal, more lived-in.
But what does that look like in practice, beyond the Pinterest boards and the Instagram saves you’ll never revisit? Here’s our guide to the home decor shifts gaining real momentum this year, and how to fold them into your space without ripping up the floorboards.
The Slow Living Room
The single biggest shift in how we think about our living spaces right now can be summed up in one word: patience. The era of the one-click room transformation, where an entire aesthetic arrives in flat-pack boxes on the same Tuesday afternoon, is losing its grip. In its place is something designers are calling slow decor, and it’s less a trend than an attitude.
Rather than assembling a room in a single burst of spending, you build it over time. The sofa might be new, but the coffee table came from an antique market in Frome. The art on the wall was picked up on a holiday three years ago. The blanket draped over the armchair was your grandmother’s, or at least looks like it could have been. Nothing matches perfectly, but everything feels considered. The result is a space that tells a story rather than stages one, and that distinction is starting to matter more than it has in years.
Caramel, Terracotta & The Death Of Grey
Pantone named Cloud Dancer, a shade of white, as its 2026 Colour of the Year. Which is interesting, because the actual rooms people are decorating tell a very different story. Caramel and toffee tones are appearing on walls that would have been Farrow & Ball Cornforth White two years ago.
Terracotta, which spent a long time confined to plant pots and Tuscan holiday rentals, is turning up on kitchen splashbacks and bedroom accent walls. Deep chocolate brown, a colour most people haven’t touched since the early 2000s, is back on upholstery and looking genuinely good.
Farrow & Ball’s newest additions tell the story well; shades like Naperon (a peachy terracotta) and Marmelo (a deep, muddy green) sit right in this territory. The trick is in the layering. A room might move from a pale oat wall through to deep walnut furniture and a rust-coloured throw without any single element dominating. Brass hardware ties it together. Linen softens it. It’s the interiors equivalent of cooking with umami; there’s no one dramatic ingredient, but the overall effect has real depth.
Texture Over Pattern
This follows naturally from the colour shift. When your palette is restrained, you need texture to create interest. Right now, that means bouclé on armchairs, raw plaster wall finishes, jute rugs layered over floorboards, hand-thrown ceramics on open shelving and furniture where you can actually see and feel the wood grain. Smooth, factory-perfect surfaces are losing appeal; people want to run their hand across something and feel it push back.
This is also a pointed rejection of fast furniture. Solid oak ages beautifully where veneer chips and peels. A hand-woven Welsh wool throw develops character over time while its polyester equivalent pills after six months. Choosing materials that wear well is becoming as much a practical calculation as an aesthetic one; spend more now, replace less later.
Objects That Earn Their Place
Perhaps the most interesting development in home decor right now is the move away from purely decorative objects and towards things that actually do something. Cottagecore got us partway there; all those sourdough starters and hand-thrown mugs at least gestured towards function. But the coffee table book that nobody opens, the ceramic vase that never holds flowers, the candle that must never be lit; these props of curated living are losing ground to items with a bit more substance.
Bedroom furniture is catching up with the same thinking. Double beds with pull-out drawers are a case in point; they look no different from any other well-designed bed frame, but they eliminate the need for a separate storage unit that eats into your floor space. In a country where the average new-build bedroom barely fits a wardrobe, that’s not a minor selling point.
Board games left out on display are a perfect example. A beautifully crafted backgammon board or a handsome chess set on a side table looks striking when untouched and gives people something to actually engage with when they’re in the room. If you’re in the market, some of the best chess sets available now combine serious craftsmanship with the kind of clean design that earns permanent shelf space.
The same principle applies to well-bound books you’ve actually read, musical instruments you genuinely play, and ceramics you eat from rather than just admire. The most stylish object in a room right now is one that shows signs of use.
Curves & Soft Geometry
Straight lines haven’t disappeared, but they’re sharing the stage with softer, more organic shapes. Bean-shaped coffee tables, arched mirrors, rounded-back armchairs and oval dining tables are appearing everywhere from high-end showrooms to John Lewis. And the effect on a room is immediately noticeable; curves make a space feel more inviting almost regardless of what else is going on.
This isn’t about going full 1970s. The best implementations keep the softness subtle; a gently rounded sofa edge here, an arched floor lamp there. The goal is to take the rigidity out of a room without losing its structure, and when done well, it makes even the most compact flat feel more relaxed and generous than its square footage suggests.
Layered Lighting
If you still rely on a single, stressful overhead light to illuminate your living room, now is the time to rethink that. Layered lighting has been a design-world talking point for years, but it’s finally crossing into mainstream adoption, and the difference it makes to how a room feels is hard to overstate.
The principle is straightforward: instead of one bright source, use several softer ones at different heights and intensities. A floor lamp in one corner, a table lamp on a sideboard, perhaps a pair of wall sconces flanking a mirror. Warm white bulbs throughout, and dimmers wherever possible.
The effect is a room that can shift from bright and functional during the day to something much more atmospheric in the evening, all without the overhead glare that makes every room look like a dentist’s waiting room.
Collected Art Over Catalogue Art
The mass-produced abstract print, framed in slim black aluminium and ordered from the same website as everyone else on your street, is on its way out. What’s replacing it is harder to pin down, precisely because the whole point is that it varies from home to home. A painting picked up from a degree show. A photograph from a trip that actually meant something to you. A print inherited from a parent. The common thread is provenance; where did this come from, and why is it on your wall?
Framing matters here too. Thicker, vintage-style frames are replacing the thin, gallery-style options that dominated the last half-decade. The effect is warmer and more substantial, and it makes a piece of art feel like something you’ve lived with for years rather than something you ordered on a Tuesday and hung on a Wednesday. If you need a starting point, the Royal Academy and regional galleries like the Ikon in Birmingham sell limited-edition prints that won’t turn up in every other living room on your road.
The Bottom Line
The thread connecting all of these shifts is a growing impatience with interiors that look good in a photograph but feel hollow to actually live in. The best rooms in 2026 won’t be the most expensive or the most on-trend. They’ll be the ones that look like somebody actually lives in them, uses them, and has built them up piece by piece rather than all at once.
Biophilic design seems to fit into this theme nicely, so let’s take a look at its practical applications next.
Islington, it’s safe to say, is a place you can expect to eat and drink well. The home of the champagne socialist and champagne football, of allotment enthusiasts, Little Italy and apparently more restaurants than days of the year; if you can’t find some good grub here, well, you’re just not looking hard enough.
But with such choice comes a paradox; sifting through the standard and sub par to find something truly exceptional can be time consuming. Don’t worry, we’re here to help; here’s our guide on where to eat in Highbury & Islington, and the best restaurants in this part of North London.
Xi’an Impression
Ideal for thick handpulled noodles seconds from the Emirates Stadium…
Pre-match sloppy frankfurter, this ain’t. Just seconds from the Arsenal ground, Xi’an Impression brings dishes from the Shan Xi province to the heart of Highbury with aplomb.
At the woks is chef Wei Guirong, who honed her skills in Soho’s Hunanese restaurant Ba Shan before setting up shop here, with a view of The Emirates stadium and a view to bringing the flavours of her birthplace to this little corner of North London.
Man, it’s good; the signature biang biang noodles, known for their belt-like shape, are the obvious highlight. Thick and slippery, these are masterful; starchy enough that they double back on themselves in the bowl appealingly, bringing even more tension. Top them with a tangle of stir-fried Xinjiang chicken that sings with Sichuan peppercorns, fermented soy beans and chilli, and slurp the rust-coloured juices that pool below the noodles. Ruin your shirt in the process.
By Irene Cheng
It’s not just the noodles that deliver here. The Rou Jia Mo, often referred to as a Chinese hamburger, here features succulent, savoury shredded pork and a fluffy bun. It’s excellent, as are the pig’s ears in chilli oil; gnarly and gelatinous in the best possible way.
With a BYOB policy and all of the above clocking in at under thirty quid, Xi’an Impression still represents great value, despite its ever rising popularity and, accordingly, prices. It’s walk-in only here and the dining room is compact,so be prepared to wait.
Ideal for a thoughtfully rendered desi pub experience in the heart of Islington…
A beautifully conceived riff on the Great British-Indian tradition of the desi pub, The Tamil Prince on Islington’s Hemingford Road presides over the former site of the Cuckoo, and much of the pub’s layout and features remain faithfully present.
The food and vibe, however, has very much changed, with Prince Durairaj, a chef with roots in Tamil cuisine and time spent at Gopal’s Corner and Roti King, presiding over the kitchen here, whilst Glen Leeson, former general manager at Bao, works the floor.
The two originally joined forces in 2021, working on a Tamila street food concept in Hackney Wick that quickly gained traction, and a bricks and mortar place followed swiftly, just a year later.
We’re so glad it did, as the Tamil Prince is one of the most enjoyable places to settle into for a meal just about anywhere in London, with a fine selection of craft beers from local breweries and innovative cocktails (like the off-menu The Prince – a heady, intoxicating blend of cardamom rum, lime, and rosewater marked with the Tamil Prince logo) really hitting the spot.
Yep, we’d come here for a pint regardless of the kitchen’s nimble, talented hands, but when you throw okra fries, a balloon-like channa bhatura, the signature sea bream, here coated in a thick spice rub and grilled whole until caramelised, and a side of flakey, buttery roti into the mix, there’s no stopping us here.
Such has been the success of the Hemingford Road original that the team have since expanded at pace, opening The Tamil Crown in a former pub near Angel in late 2023, then launching Tamila, a more casual curry house concept, on Northcote Road in Clapham in October 2024 and on Poland Street in Soho in February 2026. That the group is now four venues deep tells you everything about the quality of Durairaj’s cooking; get yourself to the source before a booking becomes even harder to come by.
London suddenly feels very much alive with the flavours of Malaysia, with the city increasingly conversant in the intricacies of nasi lemak and mee goreng, and well versed in their laksa preferences.
Sambal Shiok is one of a ever-growing number of excellent Malaysian options in the city that pays little lip service to diluting the essential flavours of the country’s cuisine, and we’re very much here for it.
Fronted by Mandy Yin, the food here is influenced by the chef’s Peranakan Chinese heritage, though she freely admits that the ‘authenticity’ of her food isn’t her number one priority. Instead, the dishes at Sambal Shiok bring to the foreground her own take on the cooking traditions and street food of both Kuala Lumpur and Penang, as well as drawing inspiration from her upbringing in the UK.
The restaurant is particularly famed for its laksas, with the country’s two most distinctive styles both available here. Our go-to is always the Penang assam laksa, a thick, sour number that’s anchored by mackerel and shrimp paste, its rich, puckering acidity the result of plenty of tamarind. It’s a bowl that pulls off the impressive balancing act of being both soothing and invigorating, fiery and funky, and is just incredible. Thick, sticky rice noodles cling on to the broth ‘till the last bite. Heaven.
Though we’ll remain faithful to the assam version forever more, Sambol Shiok also does an excellent bowl of coconut curry laksa, in the campur style – thin and soupy, and sweet from coconut milk, but also with the funkiness of the Penang style throbbing freely away in the background. Hey, you could order both!
Just a 5 minute walk around the corner from Highbury and Islington Overground, Sambal Shiok is a popular spot, and booking in advance is highly recommended.
Ideal for soul nourishing Afghan stews at reassuringly reasonable prices…
Something of a North London institution and in a pleasant spot overlooking Islington Green, Afghan Kitchen is reassuring in its simplicity, flawless in its execution. Just eight mains are available here, four meat and four vegetarian, all intricately spiced, soul-warming stews, plus a handful of sides – rice, pickles, bread and chutney. Nothing costs more than a tenner, the sides a couple of quid each at most.
These are profoundly flavourful dishes. Our go-to here is the ghormeh subzi gosht, a fragrant lamb and spinach stew that’s savoury and warming, but also a heady affair, redolent in fenugreek leaves and nutmeg, and with a pleasing astringency from dried limes. The whole affair is thickened with braised, murky-coloured spinach and given freshness with fresh herbs – coriander and parsley are added right at the close. Have it over rice, or with a side of excellent glazed flatbread (only served in the evenings), and a tea that’s only 80p, and luxuriate in one of the city’s best value spreads.
Ideal for one of London’s most reliable gastropubs and a celebration of British beef…
The Draper’s Arms is a gastropub beloved of Londoners, known for its charming ambiance and comforting, broadly British food. Owned by Nick Gibson, this pub emphasises a seasonal menu that showcases the best of local produce, with beef dishes a clear standout.
In fact, half of the mains focus on beef. We’re particularly enamoured with the restaurant’s sticky, gelatinous braised shortrib, which arrives glossy and spoonable on a feather light celeriac purée. Gorgeous.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, if you’re after one of the best roast dinners in Islington, it’s here you should come. The 54 day aged t-bone steak that comes with all the trimmings is a treat, the flamboyantly risen yorkies blessed with plenty of beef fat flavour.
The Draper’s Arms also boasts an impressive selection of local ales and a curated wine list that is more keenly priced than most in this neck of the woods. The building, dating back to the 1830s and has been a cornerstone of the Islington community for nearly two centuries, its Georgian architecture offering a cosy retreat with fireplaces and a picturesque garden for those warmer London days.
The pub is also something of a hub for hospitality gatherings, too, with charity events aimed at supporting the industry often held here (and £1 from every sale of the pub’s iconic suet crust beef bourguignon pie going to Action Against Hunger). On a more anecdotal note, it’s one of London’s most popular places for chefs to hang out on their days off. That should tell you all you need to know.
F.K.A.B.A.M *As of January 2026, now sadly closed*
Ideal for fire, flatbreads and throwing out some hand horns…
Would you like some glitter with your foie gras doughnut, sir? Actually, we doubt they’d call you ‘sir’ here, and Black Axe Mangal (now called F.K.A.B.A.N) is all the better for it. The food matches the provocative art and riff-heavy soundtrack, with big, bold flavours, vital visual appeal, and a fitting taste of the flame provided by their wood fired oven. Flatbreads are the order of the day; the squid ink rendition with smoked, whipped cod’s roe and egg yolk a particular favourite.
It’s a compact place, and only open for dinner during the week, so getting a table is tough, to say the least. The good news is, they do a Saturday and Sunday brunch which starts the ball rolling on a rollicking weekend or adeptly cures the previous night’s ills. Or both. It’s usually both.
Originally opened in 2015 by chef Lee Tiernan, who previously honed his skills for a decade at St John Bread and Wine, and his wife Kate, this establishment quickly became renowned for its rock’n’roll, tattoo’d, trailblazing vibes.
Despite a temporary closure due to the pandemic in March 2020, Black Axe Mangal has made a triumphant return as F.K.A.B.A.M, continuing to serve much of its beloved menu while introducing new elements. After flirting with a set menu format, priced at £58 for five courses shared between two people, the team at BAM recently announced they were returning to a la carte. Regardless of how the menu is structure, some items, like the lamb offal flatbread and charred hispi, are thankfully ever present.
These dishes are complemented by a selection of innovative drinks, including the quirky borscht back, which has earned itself something of a cult following in the city. Here, a combination of a vodka shot, a borscht shot, horseradish, and a frankfurter on a stick is available as a bolt on, for £6.66. Oh, go on then.
*Sadly, at the end of 2025, FKABAM closed its doors. Fortunately, there are rumours of a reinvention, rather than this being permanent. We’ll keep you posted!*
Ideal for perhaps the best Italian food in the city…
Now well into its second decade, Trullo feels like it goes from strength to strength, and is arguably Highbury and Islington’s most cherished neighourhood restaurant, a place where you can take your parents or go on a first date equally, and one where the welcome will always be warm-hearted and the food just downright darn delicious.
Sure, its younger sibling Padella may now be the favourite child, but Trullo is the ultra-knowledgeable, trend-setting older brother who, deep down, everyone knows is still the cooler kid. And it’s not just about the pasta here. This is nourishing, homely, expertly sourced, expertly cooked food that any borough would be proud to call their ‘neighbourhood’ joint.
They have a way with pulses and beans at Trullo, make no mistake. You’re guaranteed to get a gorgeously cooked piece of meat or fish sitting atop a bed of beans, usually with a piquant salsa to help things along. Think Black Hampshire pork chop with borlotti beans and salsa verde or Whole Brixham mackerel with roast yellow peppers, coco blanc and salsa rossa. Think both.
Indeed, any in-season, whole fish cooked on the grill is a guaranteed winner here, as is the legendary beef shin ragu with pappardelle. Right now, the former is a whole Brixham sea bass with charred leeks and a sauce of St Austell mussels and their cooking liquor. It’s a stunning piece of work, the fish arriving longer than its plate and with gently blistered skin, it lifts off the bone neatly, making it a glorious centrepiece for sharing. Pair it with a Gulfi Carjcanti 2020, its its crisp acidity and notes of citrus and white flowers standing up well to the the smokey flavours of the grill.
Originally a fishmongers, the operation at Prawn On The Lawn quickly expanded to fully fledged restaurant to satisfy the fish lovers of Islington, of which, it turns out, there are many. With a daily changing menu owing to what’s fresh scrawled on chalkboard (small plates, platters and whole fish) this is as close to the beach as you’re going to get in inner-city London.
It’s testament to the chef’s skills and freshness of the produce that the dishes produced within the tiny open kitchen are of such sterling quality; a mackerel and ‘nduja dish, in particular, induced rapture. Their taramasalata with seeded crackers has a well-deserved cult following, too.
While you’ll find dishes inspired from all over the world on the menu, it’s often the simple plates that are the best here. Recently, a prosaically titled, prosaically adorned red mullet, olive oil and lemon dish was spectacular in its simplicity.
Situated just a stone’s throw from the Highbury & Islington station, the interior is reminiscent of a seaside eatery, and features an open kitchen and a casual yet chic dining area, where diners can enjoy their meals accompanied by expertly mixed cocktails like classic negronis or cucumber-and-chilli margaritas.
Ideal for punchy, uplifting Thai food in a kinda chaotic dining room…
Thai food in the capital is now so popular that the usual explanatory diatribe seems unnecessary; you probably know farang means foreigner, dishes are designed to be shared, everything revolves around rice, the food of the country is hugely different from region to region……
But just because we’re all now so well versed in the vernacular, it shouldn’t overshadow just how splendid the cooking is at Farang. The larger, sharing curries, cooked low and slow, consistently pack a huge punch of depth and verve, and their gai prik – deep fried chicken wings with a sweet fish sauce glaze – are simply divine.
Sure, the dining room may be acoustically challenging and the service sometimes erratic, but it’s worth looking past these minor obstacles for Farang’s uplifting food.
Ideal for light, airy food in an even breezier space…
We finish up at Westerns Laundry in Drayton Park, in their beautiful, bright dining room (a repurposed 1950s industrial building that once served as North London’s largest commercial laundry), perched at the bar, sipping natural wine and watching the chefs work. ‘Modern European small plates’ are listed on a blackboard to the right of our stools, and the menu leans heavily on the sea’s bounty.
The brainchild of Jeremie Cometto-Lingenheim and David Gingell, who previously captivated the London food scene with their venture Primeur, Westerns Laundry opened its doors in late April 2017. The space now features a 60-cover dining room that opens onto a charming 20-cover cobbled courtyard adorned with olive trees, ideal for the warmer months ahead. During winter, the restaurant’s private dining room is a gorgeously intimate space for a Christmas meal with friends, by the way.
The vibe of the food, just like the room, is light and free from frippery; a thick fillet of blistered hake over lentils and mussels was a recent highlight.
Be warned; Western’s Laundry is a little bit of a walk from Highbury & Islington station, but those who traverse the ten minutes will be richly rewarded.
From salt-weathered warehouses turned tasting menu destinations to craft beer bars serving day-boat catches, Falmouth is cultivating Cornwall’s most intriguing food scene.
This maritime town has long charmed visitors with its deep-water harbour and Georgian townhouses, but it’s the wave of ambitious young chefs and restaurateurs who have transformed those historic spaces into something unexpected: a dining destination that feels both deeply Cornish and distinctly contemporary. Here, you’re as likely to find ancient grain sourdough and natural wines as you are traditional fish and chips, though you’ll find those too, seasoned by the sea breeze and a decent back story.
While Rick Stein’s Padstow and Nathan Outlaw’s Port Isaac (footnote: they don’t actually own these towns, just exert something of an influence) might grab the headlines, Falmouth is more than keeping pace. The town now holds a Michelin Green Star, two entries in the Michelin Guide, and a growing reputation that sees national critics making the journey west. The recent closure of Michelin-listed Hevva! in March 2026, with chef Finn Johnson heading to London, is a loss, but it speaks to the calibre of talent this small Cornish town is now producing.
From harbourside fine dining to hidden neighbourhood gems, here’s our pick of the best restaurants in Falmouth.
Culture, Custom House Quay
Ideal for nature-inspired tasting menus that tell Cornwall’s story through food…
In a transformed quayside warehouse, Culture is rewriting the rules of sustainable fine dining in Cornwall. Cape Town-born chef Hylton Espey and wife Petronella earned Falmouth’s first Michelin Green Star in 2023, and the restaurant has held on to it since, reinforcing its position as one of Cornwall’s most important dining rooms.
The evening’s Journey Menu is a seven-course story told through the landscapes, farms and waters around Falmouth. Each course is named after its inspiration, whether that’s a local farm, a stretch of coastline or a nearby woodland, and Espey’s zero-waste approach runs through every element. Current courses include Dexter beef from Chynoweth Farm, dry-aged in-house for over 70 days, and fish sourced through Giles at Pysk on Events Square, prioritising day boats and fishermen the team know by name. The bread course, milled from ancient grains grown by a local farmer called William, serves as a gentle provocation about modern farming and soil health. When this kind of cooking lands, the entire dining room fills with the scent of a thoughtful kitchen working at the top of its game.
The cooking style defies easy categorisation. Espey’s South African heritage occasionally surfaces, but it’s Cornwall’s seasonal rhythms that truly drive the menu. At £90 per person for the Journey Menu, it’s an investment in an evening of genuine culinary theatre. Those seeking a gentler introduction should try the five-course Discovery Menu at lunch, priced at £62, which represents something of a steal for cooking at this level.
The commitment to sustainability here goes beyond buzzwords. Vegetables arrive caked in soil without plastic packaging, the furthest farm is just 90 minutes away, and even the beautiful plates are crafted less than a block away by local potter Sam Marks. The kitchen runs solely on electric and induction, while local charcoal feeds the flames that kiss many of the dishes. That’s right, you deduced it, too; they don’t use gas.
The glass-walled wine cellar is worth a detour. Overseen by GM Bobby (how could he not oversee? It’s see through), the wine flights are both adventurous and enlightening, drawing from small, ethical producers across the globe. The dinner wine flight, at £62, feels like good value given the breadth and quality on show. A glass of Nyetimber Blanc de Blancs is available as a supplement if you’re feeling celebratory, because some moments deserve marking.
Dinner is served Wednesday to Saturday from 7pm, with lunch available Friday and Saturday from 1pm. Book well ahead: with only one sitting per service and a growing reputation, tables here are becoming Cornwall’s hottest reservation.
While the price point puts it firmly in special occasion territory, Culture manages to feel both important and intimate, a restaurant that’s pushing boundaries while keeping its feet firmly planted in Cornish soil.
Ideal for intimate, ingredient-led dining in characterful surroundings…
It takes a certain confidence to open a restaurant down a cobbled alleyway off Falmouth’s high street, but Mine has turned its tucked-away location into part of its charm. This cosy neighbourhood spot feels like a delicious secret you’ll want to keep to yourself, though its continued inclusion in the Michelin Guide (it features again in the 2026 edition) suggests the secret is well and truly out.
The dining room at Mine (not mine, although that’s true too) strikes that perfect balance between casual and considered, with midnight blue walls and industrial pendants casting shadows over intimate corners, nurturing a vibe that feels relaxed but also ready for a celebration. But it’s the small, open kitchen where the real action happens, with the chefs dancing an impressive choreography in a space barely bigger than a ship’s galley.
The weekly-changing menu is refreshingly straightforward: one meat, one fish, and one vegetarian option per course. The execution, though, shows chef Angus Bell’s impressive pedigree. Having cut his teeth at the Michelin-starred Star Inn at Harome before training under Michel Roux Jr at Le Gavroche, Bell brings serious technique to seemingly simple dishes. His crab fritters with bisque mayo remain one of Falmouth’s great snacks and are worth ordering by the half dozen.
Images via Mine
The menu rotates with the seasons and what’s landed that day, but expect the same level of care across the board: beautifully handled fish from Cornish boats, well-sourced meats from local farms, and vegetarian dishes that feel like a genuine course rather than an afterthought. Sides of buttery mash and spring greens are worth adding, and the desserts, particularly anything involving chocolate, tend to be exceptional.
For the best experience, grab a table in the cobbled courtyard on balmy summer evenings, or cosy up inside when the maritime weather does its thing. And if you’re feeling adventurous post-dinner, The Chintz Symposium next door offers excellent cocktails in surroundings that feel like falling down a particularly stylish rabbit hole.
Ideal for ultra-fresh seafood and craft beer in laid-back surroundings…
When one of Cornwall’s most exciting breweries turns its hand to seafood, expectations run high. Verdant’s cosy cellar bar on Quay Street delivers spectacularly, a place where the day’s catch meets some of the county’s finest craft beer, all served with the kind of effortless cool that makes you want to settle in for the afternoon.
The premise is beautifully simple: small plates of impeccably fresh seafood designed to pair with the eight rotating lines of Verdant beer on tap. Their signature crab loaded chips have near-mythical status, a generous heap of fries lavished with brown crab cheese sauce, pico de gallo, and deep-fried capers, crowned with fresh white crab meat and homemade aioli. It’s the kind of dish, often enjoyed in a one-two punch with the signature fish finger butty, that has people making special trips to Falmouth.
The rest of the menu changes with the tides, sometimes literally. Expect whatever’s been landed that morning to appear in creative combinations. You might find gurnard tostadas singing with chilli, lime and coriander, or buttermilk fried sardines from Mount’s Bay lounging on a bright tangle of parsley and shallots. The kitchen shows particular flair with the specials board, and there are always one or two vegan options for anyone being dragged to a seafood bar against their will.
The drinks selection deserves equal billing. Beyond Verdant’s own excellent brews, including their signature pale ales and IPAs, the chalkboard reveals an ever-changing selection that reads like a craft beer lover’s wishlist. With eight rotating lines and an extensive selection of sharing bottles from some of the world’s most exciting breweries, alongside a thoughtfully curated wine list and proper spirits, you’re as likely to find people debating hop profiles as discussing the day’s catch. For those steering clear of alcohol, the soft drinks go well beyond the usual suspects.
Don’t expect white tablecloths or reservations. This is a deliberately casual affair where the focus is squarely on what’s on your plate and in your glass. Open Tuesday to Saturday from noon until 11pm (kitchen closes at 9pm), with a no-bookings policy that keeps things spontaneous. Get there early, grab a table, and settle in for some of the best seafood and beer matching you’ll find anywhere in Cornwall.
Ideal for seafood feasts with spectacular coastal views…
Perched above Swanpool Beach, Beach House Falmouth occupies one of the most enviable dining positions in Cornwall. Formerly known as Hooked on the Rocks, the restaurant was taken over by the Beach House Group in early 2025 (the same team behind Harbour House in Flushing) and the rebrand has brought new energy without losing what made the location special. The focus remains firmly on Cornish seafood, and those sweeping coastal views haven’t changed one bit.
The kitchen works with a close-knit network of local suppliers, including Ned Bailey in Falmouth, Mylor Fish Shop, and Cornwall Fish Direct in Newlyn, and the menu shifts with what’s available each day. Starters lean into the sharing spirit: Porthilly Pacific oysters, shell-on wild prawns with ‘nduja butter, and scallops dressed simply with olive oil, lemon and parsley. For mains, whole hot crab with garlic butter is comfortably one of the best-value dishes on the menu, while whole plaice with parsley, caper and lemon butter is a satisfying exercise in letting good fish speak for itself. If you’re going big, the grilled lobster remains a triumph of simplicity, or go further still with the hot seafood platter to share.
The drinks list leans into local producers, with Loveday Gin, Knightor Winery’s Cornish Cuvée, and a wine list curated in partnership with Wanderlust Wine, focusing on small, family-run vineyards.
Beyond the main restaurant, Beach House has introduced a few nice touches since the rebrand. There’s a weekday set menu offering two courses for £20 or three for £25, making it a more accessible lunchtime option. Oyster Mondays bring half-price oysters all day. There’s even a Sunday Swim Club and a monthly Run Club if you want to earn your lunch the hard way. The Cool Box, an outdoor bar overlooking the bay, serves drinks, pastries and loaded fries from midday, no booking needed.
Images via Hooked On The Rocks
Dogs are welcome everywhere at Beach House Falmouth, and the South West Coast Path runs right past the door, making it a natural stop on any coastal walk. Open daily: weekdays from noon until late, weekends from 9am with breakfast served until 11.30am.
Ideal for all-day dining with unbeatable harbour views…
Taking pride of place on Falmouth’s Grade II listed harbour wall, Indidog masters that rare trick of being both a destination restaurant and a reliable local haunt. Floor-to-ceiling windows frame spectacular views across Carrick Roads towards Flushing, Mylor and St Mawes, while the kitchen serves accomplished plates from breakfast through to dinner.
Mornings here are particularly special. The breakfast menu dares to be different, with perfectly cooked steak and eggs paired with a Bloody Mary, or indulgent stacks of pancakes alongside their house Breakfast Mocktini. Best of all is the Cornish crab benedict, which is light, indulgent and simply the best breakfast dish in Falmouth, bar none.
Come evening, the menu shifts to showcase the finest Cornish produce, with day boat fish and local farm meats taking centre stage. A starter of crispy squid with sriracha mayo and lime sets the tone, while mains might include a beautifully simple day boat fish with seaweed butter and potato hay. There’s always one thoughtfully crafted vegan option per course, the kind of cooking that treats plant-based diners as a genuine priority rather than a box-ticking exercise.
Indidog’s cocktail game is strong, with a list that leans heavily on local distilleries. The Cornish Martini makes a perfect aperitif (or brunch pick-me-up, quite frankly). They run a 2-for-1 cocktail offer between 2pm and 6pm daily, which takes the sting out of the afternoon. The wine list balances familiar names with organic and vegan options, plus a selection of small-batch wines from Cornish and English vineyards for those in the know.
Hidden just off the high street (look for the steps under Specsavers), Indidog keeps solid hours, open daily with brunch served until around midday, lunch through the afternoon, and dinner from 6pm. Hours vary slightly by season and day of the week, so check their website before visiting. Those harbour views, however, come at no extra charge.
Ideal for laid-back Italian small plates in a true neighbourhood setting…
Hidden in Falmouth’s terraces high above the harbour, Provedore feels like stumbling upon a slice of rustic Italy. Since 2007, this charming wooden haven with its courtyard and olive tree has evolved from a neighbourhood deli into something quite special: Falmouth’s answer to a Venetian bacaro, where the food is as warm and colourful as the welcome.
Images via Provedore
The kitchen serves up ever-changing cicchetti (Italian small plates) that showcase whatever’s inspiring the chefs that day. Of course, there’s salami and cheeses, but you might also find plump ravioli stuffed with mozzarella, sun-dried tomatoes and basil, swimming in house-made confit tomato sauce, or a hearty Tuscan braise of fennel sausage and white beans lifted with lemon. The grilled dishes (Provedore have a dedicated barbecue out back) are particularly good. Half a blistered, tender poussin cooked with orange and Portuguese oregano has regulars planning their week around its appearance on the menu.
There’s also the occasional appearance of a dedicated pizza menu, courtesy of the guys at Lucky Rod. These are beautifully puffy, sloppy Neapolitan numbers pitched at Naples prices. An eclectic selection of wines and beers chosen to complement the rustic Italian fare seals the deal. This is the kind of place where you’ll want to linger over a glass of Chianti while debating whether to order another plate of those slow-braised chickpeas with pancetta and fresh thyme.
Open Thursday through Saturday evenings from 5pm until 8pm for drinks and cicchetti, Provedore operates a strictly walk-ins only policy. It’s the kind of place that makes you feel like a regular on your first visit, and has you planning your return before you’ve even finished paying the bill.
Get there early: tables in their charming courtyard are particularly sought after when the weather plays along.
Ideal for elevated fish and chips with harbour views…
When only proper fish and chips will do, Harbour Lights delivers in style. This award-winning chippy (a past top-10 finisher at the National Fish & Chip Awards, and holder of the NFFF Quality Award) isn’t trying to reinvent the humble fish supper; they’re just serving the freshest catch with the care and respect it deserves, while keeping prices reasonable for the quality on offer. What’s not to love?
The menu celebrates Cornish seafood with pride. Their line-caught haddock comes perfectly flaky, encased in their signature batter that shatters satisfyingly at first bite. The local hake is worth the slight premium: a Cornish treasure that shows why this stretch of coast is so renowned for its seafood. Or, for a bit of fun, their Fizz & Chips pairs line-caught haddock and chips with a glass of prosecco, a combination that somehow makes perfect sense.
Plant-based diners aren’t an afterthought here. Their vegan option (brine-marinated tofu wrapped in nori and deep-fried) has developed a following, with some claiming it tastes even fishier than fish. That would be a claim too far, but it is good. For something different, try the Hooked on the Harbour burger: crispy battered cod in a Baker Tom brioche bun with homemade tartare sauce. Magic.
Images via @harbourlightsfalmouth
The drinks list goes beyond what you’d expect from a chippy, with local beers like Rattler cider and Tribute ale sitting alongside a carefully chosen wine selection.
The restaurant serves Monday to Saturday from noon to 3pm and 5pm to 8pm, with Sundays noon to 3pm. The takeaway keeps slightly longer hours. A quid from every bill goes to support the Fishermen’s Mission, and though optional, it’s a thoughtful touch that connects your dinner to the folks who made it possible. Much like all of the best places to eat in Falmouth, come to think of it…
Falmouth’s dining scene punches well above its weight for a town of its size. With a Michelin Green Star at Culture, two Michelin Guide entries, and a depth of quality from neighbourhood cicchetti bars to award-winning chippies, it’s a place where eating well is simply what you do. The combination of fiercely local sourcing, genuine culinary ambition, and that ever-present salt air makes eating out here feel like something quite special.
There’s no thoroughfare in the world’s most visited city™ quite as intoxicating as Yaowarat Road. Nope, you’re not high off exhaust fumes, of which admittedly there are many. It’s not spliff smoke that’s got you giddy either, billowing out from a side soi’s so-called dispensary. There’s something more intangible in the air here – a sense of possibility, a kinetic energy and, above all else, the allure of a damn good meal.
But just as the promise of something special can so often evaporate before it’s had time to crystallise, so the experience of eating on Bangkok’s Yaowarat Road and the wider Chinatown area can be fraught with missed opportunities, closed shophouses, underseasoned plates and overwrought metaphors.
Underneath a neon sky thick and hazy – incense, woks and petrol all accounted for – you do have to work (or, at least, walk) for a truly brilliant meal in Yaorawat. Strangely for a district with so many famed options for your supper, there are an equal number of duds ready to trip you up. That’s if a stray stool, extended selfie stick, or the fact that it’s a Monday don’t get there first.
Time, then, to take your eyes up off your phone and look where you’re going – it’s busy out there.
Anyway, enough breaking of the fourth wall and, instead, let’s make a proper impact on our appetites. Here are the best places to eat in Bangkok’s Chinatown (Yaowarat).
Chop Chop Cook Shop
It might feel like we’re raising the white flag before we’ve even got going by beginning indoors, in a proper restaurant, but there’s a good reason our list starts here. It’s because Chop Chop Cook Shop opens from midday right on through ’till late, making it one of the few places in the neighbourhood you can kick back with a beer and a bite during that strange Bangkok barren spell between around 2 and 5pm.
The striking space was designed in collaboration with designer Apirak Leenharattanarak. It could easily have gone full theme-park with its nods to the building’s goldsmith showroom history, but instead, it’s tastefully done, a marriage of mid-century American diner aesthetics – terrazzo floors and pastel-hued booths – with red neon Chinese characters and decorative dragon motifs that reference its position at the symbolic dragon’s back of Yaowarat Road.
It’s a stylish space that doesn’t swerve jarringly into pastiche, with the constant clatter of woks and the sweet, heady hum of smoked meat grounding you firmly in Bangkok rather than on some designer’s mood board.
So, slip inside and settle into one of those window booths, allowing you to gaze out over the Yaorawat Road traffic without being too immersed in it. The perfect setting, we think, for chef David Thompson’s homage to Thailand’s historic and much-misunderstood ‘cookshop’ cuisine – a culinary time capsule from the 1920s to 1970s that had nearly vanished into the mists of time that tees up Teochew, Chinese, Thai, and Western influences. It all feels decidedly old school, a little kitsch, but delivered with the requisite sleight of hand that lightens and lifts the load.
Of course you’ll want to order rounds of the roast meat – the barbecued pork and the roast duck both available over noodles or as standalone items – but don’t let a myopic vision on the main event distract you from the excellent starters; the drunken clams and spring rolls are particularly good, the bak kwa (a kind of sweet, sticky pork jerky) even better.
For dessert, the deceptively simple ginger milk curd is a refreshing conclusion, making you question how something so basic can taste so complex. Wash it all down with a Singha or two, and launch back into Chinatown refreshed and replenished.
Buried deep down one of Yaowarat’s alleyways where you may well lose GPS signal but certainly not your sense of place, Lim Lao Ngow has turned fishball-making into something far greater than the sum of its parts.
The crowds here aren’t gathered in pursuit of mediocrity – these springy, perfectly seasoned spheres of fish bob around in a broth so clear you could check your reflection in it. The textural contrast between the tacky fishballs (the factory bounce is spot on) and noodles with just the right amount of chew is as good as it gets in the city. And that’s saying something.
If your reflection doesn’t need checking, order this one ‘haeng’ (dry) for a different eating experience – more salad-y and, arguably, even more satisfying. Whether wet or dry, do remember to season judiciously to your taste using the tabletop condiments – the baseline here is fairly bland (intentionally so), letting the quality of the fish balls do all the talking.
Their chicken satay skewers – gnarly and burnished – aren’t an afterthought. Though they don’t quite feel at place alongside a fishball soup, these supporting actors could easily star in their own show.
When a place has been ladling the same soup (not actually the same soup, but you know what we mean) for half a century and was bestowed a MICHELIN Bib Gourmand in the process, you know they’ve cracked the code.
Now in the hands of the founder’s son (no pressure there, mate), Guay Jub Ouan Pochana’s rolled noodle soup is just so cleansing, its backbone of pork stock light and silky, its pepperiness assertive but well-judged.
Though it’s now been unceremoniously removed from the big red book for some reason, the quality is, to us at least, unwavering. There’s perfect chewy resistance to the noodles here; noodles that are, admittedly, damn hard to lift with your chopsticks without sending soup splashing up all over the place. Still, it’s worth the work. And, indeed, the wash.
The slivers of pork offal are handled with such care you’ll forget you’re eating parts that usually make tourists squirm. Not feeling adventurous? The basic pork version still delivers.
No wonder Guay Jub Ouan Pochana is considered one of Chinatown’s best places to eat.
In the gladiatorial arena of Yaowarat’s eye-catching seafood joints – where tanks of live creatures put on their most seductive swimwear display for passing tourists – T&K Seafood reigns supreme.
The sidewalk seating drops you centre-stage in Chinatown’s nightly theatre, with front-row seats to flames leaping from woks and the symphony of motorbike exhaust at cutlery level, seasoning your plate of clams stir-fried in chilli jam with a miasma distinctly Bangkoian.
Order a couple of outsized Singhas, get a pitcher of ice, and suddenly that plastic stool feels like the best seat in Bangkok – especially when you inevitably strike up a conversation with a neighbouring table and everything afterwards gets a little hazy.
You can read more of our thoughts on T&K seafood here, by the way.
Hidden deep in Chinatown’s labyrinthine backstreets, where even Google Maps throws up its hands in surrender, Tai Heng operates from what is essentially someone’s converted garage – a space where two randomly placed marble tables anchor this family-run joint.
Tai Heng has somehow mastered two completely different dishes that rarely share menu space: khao man gai and Thai sukiyaki – a dual specialisation that we still don’t quite understand. What we do know is that both dishes are gold-standard versions, and certainly rub along nicely on the same table.
Their khao man gai features chicken poached to that slightly pink tenderness that’s just so good over rice that’s been properly pampered with chicken fat. The sukiyaki is where the magic happens, though – order it ‘haeng’ (dry) and witness a homogenous tangle of glass noodles with just enough char to flirt with burning but never commit, seafood and egg forming a sticky, unified whole that sings with wok hei.
The distinctive shocking-pink dipping sauce – sharp, rich and weirdly energetic – provides the perfect counterpoint. The peaceful backstreet location offers something nearly extinct in Yaowarat – actual serenity – making it the ideal refueling stop before plunging back into Chinatown’s beautiful chaos.
Interestingly, in the three or four times we’ve been to Tai Heng, we’ve been the only ones dining here. Which makes us wonder if it is, in fact, just a family home, and they’re simply too polite to turn us away.
Affectionately dubbed the ‘musical chairs curry shop’ for its constant rotation of diners on red plastic stools, at Jek Pui the entire culinary orchestra plays out streetside, with massive pots of curry lined up invitingly, their surfaces hypnotically dappled with beads of separated coconut cream, just as it should be.
Everything’s served at that perfect Bangkok room temperature – not hot enough to burn when you inevitably spill some on your lap, but warm enough to show the curry’s nuance and depth to its full potential. Their yellow curry with pork is the undisputed headliner and the must-order here – rich, salty and sweet, it’s fabulous.
The pro move? Add some crispy fried Chinese sausage on top for textural contrast and a good whack of MSG. Yes, you’re perched on a plastic stool that’s threatening to buckle under the weight of your enthusiasm, and also yes, you’ll need to surrender your seat while still chewing on your last bite, but with curry this transcendent, comfort comes in the bowl, not on the bottom.
This proud street-side operation – with its prominently displayed Michelin badges from 2018 and 2019 (they are still listed in 2025’s addition, by the way) – has turned the humble act of frying dough into something of a public performance.
The stall’s centrepiece, a giant bronze wok of bubbling oil that could confidently double as a satellite dish, sits boldly on the pavement itself, forcing pedestrians to navigate a careful path behind the operation as if participating in some delicious, highly dangerous obstacle course.
Under the watchful eye of dexterous cooks in branded aprons, the pa tong go emerges with a crisp shell that shatters at suggestion of a first bite, revealing an interior so fluffy it defies the laws of dough physics, which is a subject we’d go back to university for, come to think of it.
Somehow these deep-fried delights emerge suspiciously grease-free, as if they’ve negotiated some deal with the oil. The accompanying pandan custard elevates what would already be an exceptional snack into something truly magnificent; so moreish that you’ll be burning your mouth right off as you dive back in for seconds too soon.
Join the inevitable cluster of waiting customers who’ve been drawn in by both the Michelin recognition and the hypnotic sight of perfectly executed frying tekkers happening right on Bangkok’s bustling streets.
In the cutthroat battlefield of rolled noodle vendors (we’re wondering if they roll up their defeated competitors in a big sheet of rice noodle, a la a thousand gangster film tropes), Nai Ekk holds its own against Ouan Pochana from a few yards west and a few paragraphs previous with a broth so peppery it should come with a warning label. Or, at least, a few tissues to deal with the resultant sneezing.
Their not-so-secret weapon? Perfectly prepared pig’s offal that lands on just the right side of firm and bitter (you won’t find blushing pink offal much in Thailand – which, come to think of it, is the right way to be).
The crispy pork belly brings much needed textural contrast to the slippery, sticky noodles and offal-y bits. Whilst we’d hesitate to ever suggest crackling and fat brought relief, it kind of does here.
The dining room (yep, this one is to be enjoyed with a roof overhead) is pure shophouse chic – all tiles and stainless steel that haven’t changed since your grandparents’ first date (those are some cool grandparents) – but nobody’s here for the interior design awards. It’s that soup, swimming with rasping complexity, that keeps the regulars waiting for their turn on those wobbly metal stools.
You’ll also find roast pork and braise goose over rice here, if you’re looking to eat beyond the restaurant’s eponymous dish.
Part of a gorgeously restored shophouse on Chinatown’s increasingly groovy Soi Nana (the good Nana, not the hellscape one), Ba Hao has perfected the art of making boozing feel culturally enriching.
The ground floor opens out into studied vintage Chinese aesthetics – red neon that bathes everyone in flattering light, antique tiles that have seen things, and wooden furniture that creaks with stories.
But let’s cut to the chase – while the Chinese-inspired cocktails might lure you in, the food makes Ba Hao worthy of a place on our roundup of Yaorawat’s best restaurants. Seeing as this is drinking food, it’s in the ‘small bites’ section of the menu that you’ll be most rewarded. Freshly fried spring onion pancakes, sesame shrimp toast with a pleasing recoil, and deep fried spinach and prawn wantons all hit the spot with a cold one.
Whatever you do, don’t sleep on the Sichuan nuts – they’re totally addictive with one of the bar’s signature baijiu-based concoctions that make this notoriously brutal spirit feel nuanced and complex. Cheers!
Standing proudly in the heart of Chinatown, Potong is Chef Pichaya ‘Pam’ Soontornyanakij’s love letter to her family heritage. Set within a beautifully renovated 120-year-old Sino-Portuguese shophouse that once housed her family’s Chinese medicine business, the restaurant blends history with culinary innovation. The five-story building has been meticulously restored over two and a half years, with each floor offering a distinct experience – from the ground-floor Potong Sino Bar to the atmospheric Opium Bar on the upper levels.
Chef Pam’s progressive Thai-Chinese tasting menu showcases her exceptional talent, earning her accolades including a Michelin star, a spot on Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants list, and the title of World’s Best Female Chef 2025. The 20-course culinary journey balances tradition with modernity, with highlights including the extraordinary 14-day aged duck (complete with brain served in its skull), innovative Pad Thai interpretation, and dishes that honour the five elements of cooking: salt, acid, spice, texture, and Maillard reaction. Each plate tells a story, drawing on Pam’s family recipes while incorporating modern techniques learned during her time at Jean-Georges in New York.
While the tasting menu (priced around ฿6300 – around £145 – per person) places it firmly in special occasion territory, the unique combination of heritage, innovation, and Chef Pam’s personal connection to the space makes Potong one of Bangkok’s most compelling dining destinations and certainly one of the best restaurants in Yaorawat. Reservations are essential and should be made months in advance.
You can check out our full review of Potong here, by the way.
Just off Yaowarat Road, this century-old institution has made Teochew-style suckling pig its speciality. The preparation is quite the sight — whole piglets on spits are brought from kitchen to street, where a chef rotates them over charcoal drums, continuously basting with an oil-soaked cloth. Even if you’re ‘just browsing’, the show will stop you in your tracks. And, the aroma of caramelising pig fat will have you following the scent into the restaurant like a cartoon character smelling a freshly-baked apple pie on a windowsill.
When the pig achieves that perfect golden crackling, it’s carried back inside to appreciative nods from the dining room. A skilled chef then carefully removes the crisp skin, portions it into bite-sized pieces, and arranges it back atop the pig. The dish is then delivered to your table with suitable ceremony.
The pig is served in two distinct stages — first the crackling skin with pancakes, cucumber, spring onions and hoisin sauce (rather like Peking duck), then the meat returns transformed into a garlicky stir-fry. You’ll need a group of about six to properly enjoy a whole pig, which makes it ideal for a communal dinner. The fluorescent lighting might not create the most intimate atmosphere, but it emphasises that this is faithful culinary tradition rather than something designed purely for social media.
Nai Mong Hoi Thod has spent the last three decades perfecting a single dish with such devotion that it’s garnered a Michelin Bib Gourmand and the title of “best oyster omelette in the universe” (according to legendary chef David Thompson, who’s not one for casual hyperbole).
This unassuming shophouse is non-descript from the outside—the universal sign that something brilliant awaits inside. The cooking station is a spectacle of controlled chaos—a hulking charcoal-fired battlestation with a makeshift fan system that sends sparks dancing around the unfazed chef like fireflies at dusk.
You face two delicious dilemmas: crispy (‘awlua’) or soft (‘awsuan’) style, and mussels or oysters. The crispy version shatters gloriously under your fork, while the soft version stretches with a gooey, cheese-like elasticity from the sticky rice flour batter. Both sit atop a bed of crunchy bean sprouts, making a futile attempt to soak up the magnificent oils. While the oyster version features plump specimens lounging like royalty on their golden thrones, the mussels bed down more directly into the mixture. Decisions, decisions.
Regardless of how you play it, accompanying chili-vinegar sauce cuts through the richness with electric sharpness, creating a perfect marriage of flavours. Yes, it’s perhaps pricier than your average street food joint (blame the shiny Michelin recognition), but you’re still paying less for a fully formed meal here than you are for a single oyster at one of Sukhumvit’s wine bars.
Planted defiantly in the heart of Yaowarat’s rushing river of humanity, Krua Porn Lamai’s take on rad na is one of the best in town. What began as a humble two-table operation 25 years ago has blossomed into a street-side empire that now commands around 20 tables sprawling across most of Plaeng Nam Road – a testament to Bangkok’s meritocratic food scene where quality trumps all else, and where customers vote defiantly with their feet.
Wide rice noodles get stir-fried with Chinese broccoli and your protein of choice before being dramatically doused in a rich ‘lava gravy’ that creates enough steam to mist up the glasses of onlookers. Their signature addition of a crispy fried egg on top might make traditionalists clutch their pearls, but when that perfect runny yolk breaks and mingles with the gooey gravy, creating a creamy coating that transforms each mouthful, you’ll wonder why everyone doesn’t do it.
The sizzling hot skillets ensure your last bite is as hot as your first – a rare achievement in thw world of outdoor dining. Yes, eating here means sharing pavement space with Bangkok’s notorious traffic, but the vehicles navigate carefully around the tables in an unspoken agreement that food this good deserves respect and right of way.
For the best experience, arrive early or prepare to wait – locals pack this place nightly until its 2 AM closing time, making it perfect for a late-night feast after exploring Chinatown.
In a neighbourhood seemingly in thrall to soups and gravy-laden noodles, Ann Guay Tiew Kua Gai takes a different path – one paved with dry wok-charred rice noodles that crackle underfoot with smoky intensity.
This decades-old shophouse on Thanon Luang is one of Bangkok’s chief guay tiew kua gai purveyors – wide rice noodles stir-fried with chicken over flames so aggressive they’d make health and safety inspectors (and do make diners) a little nervous. Accordingly, the noodles boast that elusive wok hei in good measure,
The mix – more of a homogenous raft of noodle than something disparate and slurpable – arrives dry, dressed simply with dark soy sauce, a little lettuce, tender chicken, a few squares of very industrial ham and a runny egg yolk. The overall sensation, rather strangely, is of eating a ham and cheese croissant. It tastes very ‘Western’, but it keeps you intrigued and beguiled until the final bite.
Season at the table with the usual condiments to move it back into Chinatown territory.
Walking into Hua Seng Hong is like stepping into the Chinatown dining experience that exists in collective nostalgia — complete with chattering aunties who won’t hesitate to tell you you’re ordering wrong or that you’ve put on weight even though it’s the first time you’ve met.
You can’t miss the place — just look for the massive red storefront with its cartoonish chef logo proudly hoisting a steaming dish, flanked by glass cases displaying an array of plumply appointed dim sum baskets and seafood, and a row of woks powered by jet burner. Those woks flame skywards with theatrical abandon and singe off eyebrows all over the shop, and dim sum trolleys navigate between tables with the confidence of a Bangkok TukTuk driver sashaying through the Asoke intersection.
The menu divides neatly into two specialties: daytime dim sum and evening seafood. For lunch, their extensive dim sum selection draws crowds, sure, but it’s the evening seafood menu that truly establishes Hua Seng Hong as a Chinatown institution.
The steamed sea bass in soy sauce is a standout — the fish arrives glistening, fragrant with sesame oil and topped with perfectly julienned ginger and spring onions. Crab features prominently on the menu in various preparations: try the crab meat in yellow curry for something rich and aromatic, or the crab fried rice where each grain is individually coated in egg and studded with sweet crabmeat.
Don’t miss their sour seafood soup (potak talay) — a sophisticated relative of tom yum that arrives bubbling dramatically over a flame. The broth balances sour, spicy and umami notes as only Thailand can do with quite such precise dexterity, all without overpowering the essence of the seafood.
The dining room — round tables with lazy Susans for family-style dining, lighting that errs on the side of clinical rather than ambient, and red and gold decorations that haven’t changed in decades – all remind you exactly where you are. For dessert, explore their Hong Kong-influenced sweet menu, from delicate crepe cakes to traditional Chinese dessert soups, the latter wonderfully refreshing in the choking heat of the city.
Just 20 metres from Wat Mangkon MRT outside Wat Mongkol Samakhom, where tourists are busy photographing the temple’s golden splendour, a humble stall represents three generations’ dedication to dumpling perfection.
The proprietor crafts what might be Bangkok’s tiniest, most perfect shumai – each no larger than a coin but packed with more flavour than items triple their size. A shower of crispy fried garlic and house-made chilli sauce finishes these bite-sized marvels that prove once and for all that size really doesn’t matter.
Each dumpling represents a century-old recipe preserved with the kind of reverence usually reserved for religious artefacts (appropriate location, then), making this not just a meal but an experience rooted in history.
The makeshift kitchen – essentially just a steaming vessel under the ornate entrance of a Chinese temple – is so vividly evocative it has you questioning if you’re dreaming. There are a couple of randomly placed schoolchairs, but these are always occupied by a patriarch or two, sipping tea and discussing serious matters we wish we understood. For us, leaning against the wall is just fine because inside our polystyrene tray we have our shumai. A toothpick is all you need to ferry these home.
Follow the bright yellow banner, the inevitable queue of people (and accordant line of luminous tuk tuks ready to scoop them up), and the stacks of distinctive bright yellow boxes with the owners’ portraits prominently displayed, to find Yaowarat’s famous stuffed buns.
Inside a bustling street-side stall, workers in red uniforms with white aprons and protective gloves meticulously prepare each cloudlike creation, toasting them to order on large metal griddles and filling them with your choice of custard, from old-school traditional egg to more modern Thai milk tea or sweet chilli.
The take-away yellow boxes have become almost as iconic as the buns themselves – a symbol of tradition that signals to those in the know that you’ve found the real deal among Chinatown’s many pretenders. Worth every minute of the wait, which, let’s be honest, gives you time to decide which flavour combinations you’ll try on your inevitable return visit tomorrow.
With a distinctive two-tier seating arrangement that’s catnip for Tik Tokers, randomly dispersed fake cherry blossom trees, and occasionally lurid dim sum sets, there’s a worry that, superficially, Lhong Tou Cafe is going to be all style, no substance. You’ll find those fears unfounded; Lhong Tou Cafe bridges old and new Chinatown both architecturally and culinarily to beautiful ends.
Their modern interpretations of dim sum classics deserve equal billing with the photogenic interior – egg lava buns that deliver on their slightly dusty molten promises (and destroy the inner lining of your mouth if you’re too hasty) and some seemingly sun-seeking prawn spring rolls that showcase how traditional techniques can be made Insta-pretty without losing their soul.
This is the rare place where the food lives up to the aesthetics, proving you can indeed judge a book by its cover sometimes.
In the midst of a neighbourhood famous for its dedication to the old school, not-to-be-fucked-with recipes, Yuan Yuan Man Man does things a little differently. This innovative spot serves vegan-friendly tofu ice cream so creamy it should be scientifically impossible – enough to convert even the most dedicated dairy disciples.
Their black sesame bua loy dumplings provide that perfect chewy resistance that makes you work just enough for your dessert, while crushed ginger cookies add warmth and spice that cuts through the subtle tofu base.
Images via @yuanyuanicecream
It’s the rare vegan dessert that doesn’t announce its plant-based credentials like it’s expecting a round of applause from numb hands – it simply delivers flavour and refreshment.
Next up we’re heading to bustling Plaeng Nam Road, where motorbikes part pedestrians like Moses with the Red Sea. Here, an unassuming shophouse has perfected the deceptively simple art of chicken rice, with meat poached to that precarious point of tenderness, where flavour reaches its zenith.
The rice – the true test of any khao man gai joint – is generously infused with chicken fat and aromatics, creating grains that demand to be eaten individually rather than shovelled in desperately. Sure, it might take you a whole afternoon to actually do that, but what an afternoon you’ll have.
Their house-made chilli sauce, sharp with ginger and garlic and humming with umami from fermented soy bean paste, ties everything together. It’s a dish that proves simplicity, when executed with religious precision, can outshine complexity every time.
In the confusingly named Soi Texas, Chinatown’s emerging food frontier where young chefs come to make their mark, Ba Hao Tian Mi represents the neighbourhood’s evolution in dessert form.
A sister of the aforementioned cocktail connoisseurs over on Soi Nana, their black sesame soy pudding with boba offers a modern interpretation of bubble tea that’s somehow even more satisfying than the original.
It’s tradition with just enough contemporary flair to avoid the museum-piece feeling of some older establishments, maintaining the comforting essence of Chinese dessert soups while acknowledging that taste evolves. The minimalist, design-forward space might seem at odds with Chinatown’s usual aesthetic chaos, but it represents the new wave of Yaowarat entrepreneurs – respectful of tradition while refusing to be handcuffed by it.
With our sweet tooth only growing with age, we’re off to another dessert shop next; Sweetime, which specialises in traditional Chinese desserts with subtle Thai twists. Their black sesame dumplings in ginger tea are the signature here – warming, nutty, and achieving that perfect balance of sweetness and simplicity that refreshes rather than overwhelms.
It’s the ideal pit stop between the neighbourhood’s more substantial offerings, a palate reset that somehow manages to feel both indulgent and restorative simultaneously. The no-frills setting with its handful of tables means you might end up sharing space with locals who’ve been coming here for decades – the ultimate endorsement in an area (and city) where loyalty is earned through consistency, not trends.
A Yaorawat institution serving satay so expertly grilled you’d think the chefs had thermometers built into their fingertips, at Jay Eng each skewer emerges with perfectly imperfect char marks, the meat still impossibly juicy inside – that mythical balance that home barbecuers spend lifetimes pursuing without success.
The peanut sauce is a revelation that makes every other version seem like watered-down pretenders, thick enough to cling to the meat but not so heavy it overwhelms. Their subtle location, practically hidden behind a lamppost and a couple of parked motorbikes, means many walk past without noticing – all the better for those in the know who don’t want to share this treasure with the masses. That said, there are a collection of colourfully-tiled tables inside if you’re keen to take a load off a while.
Come hungry, leave smelling like smoke, and don’t wear white unless you enjoy living dangerously.
Somewhere in the tangle of alleys off Charoen Krung, in the same shophouse where he was born, Mr Jok has been cooking Thai-Chinese seafood for longer than most restaurants in this neighbourhood have existed. He started with a single table. Word spread the way it does in Bangkok food circles, slowly and then all at once, and the Michelin guide eventually found its way here too.
The lunch menu is just four items on a laminated sheet, but each one has been buffed and polished to perfection. The shrimp dumplings (100 THB) are made fresh each morning with whole prawn, punchy with pepper and finished with crispy fried garlic, and they’re as good as anything you’ll eat in Yaowarat at any price. The thick, viscous fish maw soup has a broth with real depth to it, and if you’re feeling fancy, the abalone upgrade (180 THB) pushes it into something properly indulgent.
Behind it all is Mr Jok, born in this same building, a seafood exporter-turned-chef who grew up absorbing the great Thai-Chinese kitchens of Bangkok and who started cooking for friends before word got out. For those wanting to go further, a pre-booked banquet spread exists, advertised on the wall, built around whatever he decides to cook that day.
You know what? This feels like as good a place to finish as any. We want to be left alone with this soup…
A word of warning! Be aware that many of the restaurants on this list close intermittently for holidays, both personal and national. The majority also don’t start serving immediately after opening. Many also sell out well in advance of their listed closing time. Always have a back up (or two). Monday is ‘cleaning day’ in Bangkok’s Chinatown, and many of the street food places are closed.
Perhaps no city on the planet has more often been named the street food capital of the world than Bangkok. Indeed, it feels as if the Thai capital would exist in a kind of liminal space between meals, were it not for the incredible range of sticks, skewers and sweet treats aimed at distracting appetites until dinner.
This is a city that’s always eating, and though it boasts an ever growing roster of groundbreaking, gravity defying high end restaurants, the main focus of the culinary culture in Bangkok is of course found on the street.
One for the pedants before we begin; defining exactly what ‘street food’ is in Bangkok has become an increasingly difficult endeavour, particularly as some vendors have been moved off the streets and indoors, often to the basement or top floor level of enormous, glitzy shopping malls that are just about as far from the street as is physically possible.
Street food, in the case of this roundup, is about the dishes and the cooks, rather than whether or not there’s a roof over your head or you can see blue sky as you eat. Often, the distinction between street food and shophouse is sometimes blurred only by a shutter.
What connects them is harder to define. Often, but certainly not always, people are thinking of one bowl wonders when they talk about street food. Generally considered ‘cheap eats’, these are family recipes, dishes, a sense of hospitality and a system of serving (and often queuing!) that has been refined over generations.
Anyway, you’re here for Bangkok’s most iconic, legendary, downright delicious street food dishes rather than a discussion in semantics, right? With that in mind, here’s a selection of the best places to eat street food in Bangkok.
Unai Braised Goose, Yaorawat
Ideal for Teochew-style braised goose from a six-decade-old family institution…
Song Wat Road, running parallel to the more famous Yaowarat, has in recent years become one of Bangkok’s most talked-about and Tik Tok’d streets, its crumbling Sino-Portuguese shophouses now home to specialty coffee shops, galleries and wine bars, as well as that faintly naff but charming street art that seems to accompany such a vibe. Urai Braised Goose has been here for over sixty years, long before the creatives moved in, doing one thing and doing it with an ultimate courage of conviction.
The menu has just two items: braised goose, and braised goose with rice. That’s it. The birds are whole geese, slow-cooked each morning in a deeply aromatic Teochew-Chinese broth of soy sauce, five-spice and herbs, emerging with meat that’s tender and yielding, its skin silky, the braising liquor dark and glossy and absolutely crying out to be spooned over rice. A dark, brooding soup arrives alongside, no doubt ladled from that same braising liquor, as does a sharp, garlicky vinegar dipping sauce, the latter a necessary bright counterpoint to all that savoury richness. If you’re here on a Wednesday or Saturday, the intestines are available too.
Arrive early or, better yet, call ahead to reserve your goose the day before (exemplary Thai is required) . They sell out fast, sometimes within an hour or two of opening. Other days, they’re still slicing that goose up with a cleaver as the Bangkok evening darkens and cools just slightly. It’s an impossible game to predict, but the outcome of the eating is always the same.
When is Urai Braised Goose open? From 10am to 1pm and 4pm to 7pm, daily. Closed Monday afternoons. They frequently sell out well before closing.
How long should I expect to queue? If you haven’t reserved, expect a wait. If the goose is gone, it’s gone.
How much should I expect to pay? Between 200 and 400 THB (£4.35 to £8.70) per person, depending on portion size.
Closest BTS/MRT: Wat Mangkon MRT (a 10 minute walk from there)
Ideal for homestyle Thai curry and a game of musical chairs…
Sure, some of the best curries in Bangkok are found in the city’s fancier restaurants, all perfectly balanced flavour profiles, chunks of meat braised until tender and near surrender, and an adornment of makrut lime leaf julienne so fine it passes for green baby hair.
And then, there is Jek Pui. A traditional Bangkok-style raan khao gaeng (rice and curry) restaurant, the whole orchestra is conducted on the street, with several huge pots of enticing curries lined up out the front of a Chinatown shophouse, their surfaces dappled with separated coconut milk, all cooled down to Bangkok room temperature – the perfect ambience for curry in the capital.
Pull up a red plastic stool in the chaotic but calm street level dining space (nicknamed ‘music chairs curry’ for the procession of diners it receives and quick turnaround it delivers), and order a yellow curry of pork, the Jek Pui signature, with some deep fried slivers of Chinese sausage as an extra garnish. It’s sweet, it’s salty and it’s pure perfection.
When is Jek Pui Curry open? Jek Pui is open daily, from 2pm to 7:30pm.
How long should I expect to queue? You’ll be able to find a stool fairly quickly, even at peak times (it’s usually busiest straight after opening).
How much should I expect to pay? The yellow curry with a couple of sides and a bottle of water won’t be more than 100 THB (just over £2).
Closest BTS/MRT: Wat Mangkon MRT (a 5 minute walk from there)
Ideal for arguably the world’s most iconic street food destination…
We couldn’t really go much further into an article about the best streetfood in Bangkok without mentioning the universally acknowledged queen of the scene; Jay Fai.
What is there left to be said that hasn’t already been covered? Yes, you’ll have to wait for several hours to eat the begoggled octogenarian’s wok work. Sure, you might have to share a table with other hungry food tourists. Nope, these aren’t ‘normal’ streetfood prices, with most dishes in the 1000 THB region (around £25), but you’re paying for some seriously premium ingredients here.
Get over those hurdles and the massive wait, and get ready for a crab omlette the size of a newborn baby, properly filled with huge chunks of white meat. Chase it down with an expertly seasoned tom yum soup, replete with huge river prawns, properly spicy and tangy af, and forget that you waited so long.
Simply put your name down and note your number – it’s your call if you hang around with a beer in the adjacent cafe or risk losing your place in the queue by heading off for a couple of hours. You’ll see the last number on a sign out front – if it’s beyond your number, you’ve missed your slot and these guys do not make exceptions and allow for retrospective queue jumping. Your loss.
When is Jai Fai open? Jay Fai is open from 9am to 7:30pm, Wednesday to Saturday. It’s closed on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday.
How long should I expect to queue? In the words of Van Morrison, for hours and hours and hours and hours and hours, and hours and hours and hours
How much should I expect to pay? Prices have risen significantly in recent years. The signature crab omelette is now 1,500 THB (around £33) for the regular version. A full spread of Jay Fai classics plus a couple of cold ones is going to cost upwards of 3,500 THB (£75) a person.
Closest BTS/MRT: Sam Yot MRT (a 10 minute walk from there)
Bangkok’s Chinatown and, more precisely, its defining thoroughfare Yaowarat Road, is full of eye-catching, attention-grabbing seafood spots, with tanks of live fish and shellfish in their skimpiest swimsuits bobbing about in fish tanks for all to see, and huge clusters of plastic stools at motorbike exhaust fume level competing for passing custom.
To our mind, the best of the bunch is T&K Seafood, where the catch is plump and the nahm jim seafood deliciously piquant and punchy. Here, some of the dishes beyond the basic boiled or grilled seafood really hit the spot, too. We’re big fans of clams stir fried in chilli jam, the bivalves here big, briny beauties and the drifts of fresh Thai basil a welcome note of complexity. Even better, is the squid in a viscous, rich salted duck egg yolk sauce, which is punctuated by Chinese celery to lighten everything up.
Order a couple of big sharing beers and a pitcher of ice, get chatting to a neighbouring table, and you’ve got yourself a wonderful night out.
When is T&K Seafood open? From 4pm to midnight, daily.
How long should I expect to queue? You can usually find a table pretty swiftly, though at peak times (around 7pm), you may have to wait ten minutes or so. Turnaround here is fast, though, so don’t worry.
How much should I expect to pay? A generous spread of fresh seafood and a couple of cold ones is going to cost around 1000 THB (£22) for two.
Closest BTS/MRT: Wat Mangkon MRT (a 3 minute walk from there)
Ideal for peaceful, familial Chinatown shophouse style dining…
Still in Chinatown, though off the main artery and into the tangle of side streets, Tai Heng is essentially a couple of massive marble tables in the ground floor garage of a family home where they have pretty much perfected two dishes you don’t often see sharing a menu let alone a table; khao man gai (poached chicken over rice seasoned with chicken fat) and Thai suki hang.
The latter is a stir-fried noodle dish that, at its best, forms a kind of homogenous tangle of sticky, charred noodles, egg and seafood that sings with wok hei. Its distinctive, shocking pink (from red bean curd) dipping sauce – sharp, rich and energetic – seals the deal.
And so it is here, where both dishes have pretty much been perfected, the khao man gai’s chicken an off-pink tender that would be in danger of scaring off the tourists if only they could find the place, but is expertly poached and just so good. The sukiyaki stir fry (do order it ‘hang’, as in dry) is equally as exemplary.
Chase both down with an iced tea, breathe in the surprising serenity of Yaorowat’s backstreets, and get ready to launch yourself back into one of Bangkok’s busiest, buzziest areas.
Ideal for charred noodles and grilled seafood on the road…
For arguably Bangkok’s best version of sukiyaki, head next to Elvis Suki By Nuch (the one on Soi Yotse, rather than the pretenders across the city piggybacking on the name), who have mastered the dish so comprehensively that the restaurant is now named after it. And, of course, named after Elvis Presley – the owner is a big fan and they are the self-proclaimed ‘king’ of the dish. It’s a damn good version, with a seriously smoky kiss from the coal stove over which it’s stir fried.
That said, it’s not the only thing you want to order here. The scallops – plump and fresh – grilled in their shell with a dressing of minced pork fried in sweet garlic butter are a revelation, blessed with that same charcoal smokiness as the sukiyaki, and bubbling and spitting on arrival to the table. In the best possible way of course…
Open until 9:30pm nightly, and popular with the after-work crowd, there’s both air conditioning seating across the road and sociable, street side seating infront of the woks. The beers flow here, naturally.
When is Elvis Suki open? From midday until 9:30pm, daily.
How long should I expect to queue? You should usually get a seat pretty swiftly after arriving.
How much should I expect to pay? Single dishes, including the famous sukiyaki, are priced at around 100 THB each (£2.20).
Closest BTS/MRT: Wat Mangkon MRT (a 15 minute walk – best to get a taxi).
Ideal for the city’s most historic mango sticky rice…
Time for a sweet treat, we think, and it has to be Thailand’s most iconic, beloved dessert; mango sticky rice. In a city where you’ll see Nam Dok Mai mangoes being peeled, sliced and served over rice on just about every street corner, it’s wise to seek out the best, to separate the coconut milk’s head from the tail, as it were.
Doing the good stuff for almost a century, Kor Panich is one of Bangkok’s most revered purveyors of mango sticky rice, their historic shophouse a mecca for lovers of this truly gorgeous dessert.
What more is there to say? The mangoes are only picked and peeled when at their most honey-sweet. The coconut cream is hand pressed daily – none of that UHT, soapy stuff here. It’s seasoned just right – salty, sweet but not overpowering, allowing the inherent coconut flavour to still sparkle. Even the toasted mung beans have been taken to just the right shade of dark brown and crispy.
Where once there was only a modest amount of seating within the shop, and most choose to takeaway from Kor Panich, owing to its success and Michelin recognition, there’s now ample seating in the cafe opposite. They do a refreshing mango smoothie for you to enjoy while you wait. The shophouse is open from 7am to 6pm daily, though be warned; they often sell out by mid afternoon.
When is Kor Panich open? Kor Panich is open daily, from 7am to 6pm.
How long should I expect to queue? Primarily a takeaway operation, you should be served swiftly here.
How much should I expect to pay? The classic dessert is on the more expensive side here, at around 130 THB (£3). You’re paying for some serious quality, though.
Closest BTS/MRT: Sam Yot MRT (a 15 minute walk – best to get a taxi).
Ideal for bowls and bowls of exemplary boat noodles…
The streets and canals surrounding Victory Monument BTS Station are famous for their boat noodles, a popular street food in Thailand that originated from the canals (or ‘khlongs’) of Central Thailand. The dish is named after the vendors who traditionally sold these noodles from boats that navigated the country’s vast network of waterways.
Boat noodles are a flavorful and aromatic noodle soup dish characterised by its rich, dark broth, which is commonly made from a mixture of pork and beef, as well as spices and herbs. The broth is often thickened with pig’s or cow’s blood, which gives it a distinctive taste and a deep colour. However, some places may serve it without blood for those who prefer it.
Though you could alight at Victory Monument and head straight for ‘boat noodle alley’, where a stretch of shophouses serve up the good stuff, you’ll find an even better bowl if you exit the station at the opposite side to that alley. Around a ten minute walk away, the guys at Doy Kuay Teow Reau are doing some truly ‘best in Bangkok’ bowls of boat noodles, rich and thick from blood and with a peppery back kick. We say bowls in the plural, as it’s expected you knock back several at any and all boat noodle shops. Well, it would be rude not to…
When is Doy Kuay Teow Reua open? Daily, from 8am to 6pm.
How long should I expect to queue? A sprawling, alfresco dining room, you’ll always find a table.
How much should I expect to pay? A bowl of boat noodles here is around 20 THB (50p), but expect to eat several, as is tradition.
Closest BTS/MRT: Victory Monument BTS (a ten minute walk from there).
Ideal for premium pork purveyors in Bangkok’s buzziest neighbourhood…
Just one BTS stop further along, in Ari, you’ll find one of Bangkok’s most cherished – legendary, even – pork purveyors. Thanee Khao Moo Daeng are famous for two things; their moo krob (crispy pork) and their moo daeng (stewed red pork), and both are superb, the latter in particular boasting a fluorescent, viscous gravy whose sheen needs to be seen to be believed. It tastes bloody wonderful.
The shop, as with so many on a lunchtime in bustling, residential Ari, is popular with office workers during their break. Ideally arrive a little before, at 11am or so, or after lunch, from 2pm onwards.
Another Bangkok institution that’s always packed with office workers during the lunchtime slot, is Som Tam Jay So, the so-called ‘Queen of Som Tam’.
She has well and truly earned her culinary crown, with intensely spicy, funky, fiery som tams made out front in a huge pestle and mortar by the cheeky, safety glasses-wearing host. Sure, she might chastise you for your less than perfect Thai when ordering, and tease you for the weight you’ve put on since your last visit, but it comes from a place of love.
And boy has love gone into the salads here, the ‘jungle’ version of papaya salad here (tam pa) an absolutely doozy of fermented fish sauce and heaps of both dried and fresh chillis. It will wake you up from even the darkest of hangovers. Hell, it could bring someone back from the dead, we think.
Pair it with some grilled pork neck – fatty as you like, its sugary marinade having caught on the grill to an inviting char – and some fresh sticky rice, and luxuriate in one of Bangkok’s finest street food experiences.
Oh, those safety glasses are for protection against errant chillies when pounding the salads, by the way…
When is Som Tam Jay So open? Closed on Sundays, Som Tam Jay So is open every other day from 11am to 5:30pm.
How long should I expect to queue? You will likely have to wait for a table (though there has recently been some spillover seating set up in the parking lot next door) unless you arrive after around 2pm.
How much should I expect to pay? Som tam salads here start at around 70 THB (£1.50), as does the grilled pork.
Closest BTS/MRT: Sala Daeng BTS (a 7 minute walk from there)
Ideal for steamed ‘claypot’ crab made by a legend…
Now in its third decade of steamed crab slinging, Somsak Pu Ob is one of Bangkok’s true streetfood institutions, a culinary tour-de-force that’s busy from the moment the woks are fired up at 5pm every night (except Mondays, when they’re closed) until Mr. Somsak downs tools for the evening just four hours later.
It’s no surprise that service hours are short and exclusive here; the owner – and only the owner – works the four stoves for the entirety of that service, exacting precision timings on some seriously high quality seafood.
The pu ob woonsen is the must order, no doubt, a dish of crab and glass noodles simultaneously fried and steamed in pork fat in a dedicated skillet, simply seasoned with plenty of black pepper, the sliced greens of spring onion, and both soy sauce and oyster sauce. Those noodles are sticky and giving, and have caught a little on the bottom of the pan, creating a caramelised crust that’s just beautiful. Roll up your sleeves and crack open the crab claws, here having taken on the sweet richness of the pork fat, and have yourself a merry old time. The small accompanying bowl of nahm jim seafood may feel superfluous (you can’t improve on perfection, and all that), but the bright, tart sauce lightens and lifts the whole thing.
There are now several branches of Somsak Pu Ob across the city, but if you want the main man to cook your dinner (you do), then it’s to the original, across the Chao Phraya and into Thonburi district, that you should head.
When is Somsak Pu Ob open? Open daily from 5pm to 9pm, except on Mondays, when it’s closed.
How long should I expect to queue? Arrive at opening time and you may get lucky and nab a table. Otherwise, expect a wait. Fortunately, there’s a ticketing system.
How much should I expect to pay? The signature dish is 310 THB (£.6.75).
Closest BTS/MRT: Wongwin Yai (a 7 minute walk from there)
Though the fortifying rice noodle broth of guay jub is the headlining dish in this famous Charoenkrung shophouse, pretty much everyone is here for one thing; Mr Joe’s famous crispy pork.
You won’t want to miss the guay jub, though, which boasts a pork broth spiked with inordinate amounts of pepper, that familiar rasping heat the perfect foil to all kinds of offal bobbing about in the bowl. It’s gorgeous, but really is a warm-up for what has to be some of the best (see: crispiest) pork in the city.Hitting the table already sliced into bite sized pieces, its fatty layers clearly distinguishable, its skin puffed and bubbled and gloriously golden, it’s impossible not to order a second round of the stuff. And a third. And a fourth…
So tender it only requires a little ketchup manis for dipping, Mr Joe is open from 7:30am to 4:30pm, though often closes earlier if they sell out.
When is Guay Jub Mr. Joe open? Open daily from 7:30am to 4:30pm.
How long should I expect to queue? A large, multiroom shophouse, you won’t have to wait for a table, even at peak times.
How much should I expect to pay? The noodle soup is 75 THB (£1.60), a plate of the crispy pork is also 75 THB.
Closest BTS/MRT: Saphan Taksin BTS (a 20 minute walk – taxi recommended!)
An absolute Bangkok institution beloved of chefs, strays, late night workers and early morning risers (and Dua Lipa), Issan alfresco operation Laab Ubon is open from until 4am nightly, and only really gets going post midnight.
Serving a decent som tam, properly juicy salt-crusted tilapia and a never ending supply of grilled chicken, strangely for the eponymous nature of things, the laab exactly isn’t our favourite version here. Not to worry; really, you’re at Laab Ubon for the cold, icey beer, the live footy being shown in the middle of the night (coinciding with British and European kickoff times perfectly) and the everpresent good natured vibes of the place.
When is Laab Ubon open? Laab Ubon is open daily from 5pm to 4am.
How long should I expect to queue? The dining space is expansive – you won’t have to wait.
How much should I expect to pay? This one really depends on how many beers you end up sinking, but prices are reasonable.
Closest BTS/MRT: SurasakBTS (a 2 minute walk, though do remember that the BTS shuts at midnight!).
Ideal for the most generous of crab fried rice dishes…
Here Hai simply wouldn’t survive a day in the UK, owing to the food costs involved in serving plates of crab fried rice with this much white crab meat. What, in this economy? Huge, mighty chunks of the stuff literally spill off the sides of your plate in this tightly packed dining room, the woks working overtime to service the never-ending stream of orders for the famous fried rice, only made more in demand by the restaurant’s recent floating on GrabFood.
It’s worth the massive wait, with the crab sourced directly from seafood-mecca Surat Thani daily. You’d be foolish to only order the crab fried rice. The fried mantis, showered in buttery sweet fried garlic, is superb, too, as are the giant river prawns, splayed open to reveal gooey, egg-yolk colour head juices. Perhaps best of all though is a riff on everyone’s favourite Thai go-to lunch; pad grapao. Here, it’s done with genuinely a dozen or more queen scallops, smoky but tender, and showered in rafts of holy basil. Yep, not content with their seafood generosity, these guys aren’t shy with the fresh herbs either!
When is Here Hai open? Closed on Mondays, Here Hai is open from 10am to 5:30pm on Tuesdays to Sundays, closing for an hour between 3pm and 4pm.
How long should I expect to queue? Anytime of day, expect to queue for at least an hour, even prior to Here Hai opening. You can put your name down and risk going for a wander, though.
How much should I expect to pay? The signature crab fried rice comes in a variety of sizes with different price points, from 440 THB (£9.60) to 1550 THB (£33.75) for a portion that will feed 4 to 6.
Closest BTS/MRT: Ekkamai BTS (a 15 minute walk in a straight line)
Ideal for every Bangkokian’s favourite comfort food…
No list of Bangkok’s best street food would be complete without mentioning a dedicated pad grapao peddler, such is the popularity of this most comforting of Thai dishes in the city and beyond.
Our favourite in the city (whilst we certainly haven’t eaten all of them, we’re making a pretty good go of it!) is found at Ung Jia Huad, just a five minute walk from the infamous red light district Soi Cowboy. Here, the minced pork arrives freshly stirfried, crisp but tender (the version with larger slices of pork is actually even better, we think). The fried egg boasts frilly edges and a richly coloured, runny yolk. The holy basil is scattered generously and wilted just right. The rice is freshly steamed and on point.
Opposite the restaurant, there’s one of those beer pubs which is blessing drinkers with a fresh, constant application of mist, if you’re up for a cold one after your lunch.
Really, what more could you ask for?
When is Ung Jia Huad open? From 10am to 4pm, Monday to Friday.
How long should I expect to queue? You can usually cruise straight on in.
How much should I expect to pay? A classic pad grapao of pork is around 60 THB (£1.30).
Closest BTS/MRT: Sukhumvit MRT or Asok BTS (a 10 minute walk).
Without wishing to repeat ourselves, no list of Bangkok’s best street food would be complete without mentioning a dedicated pad Thai seller, either, and the best we’ve tried in the city is at Pad Thai Narok Taek, nicknamed ‘Mad Man Pad Thai’ for the owner’s idiosyncratic, occasionally chaotic stir frying style.
It’s an amazing version of this sometimes maligned dish – charred and grungy, and a little tart rather than cloyingly sweet, all to be enjoyed on the street right next to Plurksawet’s cart. Get the fully loaded version with all of the sweet and crunchy gubbins for the ultimate hellfire experience. With no version of pad Thai here clocking in at more than 100 THB, it’s also an absolute bargain.
When is Pad Thai Narok Saek open? Open every day except Mondays, from 4pm to 10pm.
How long should I expect to queue? You may have to wait a few minutes for a seat, but turnaround is fast here.
How much should I expect to pay? No version of the dish exceeds 100 THB (£2.20).
Closest BTS/MRT: Wongwian Yai BTS or Khlong San BTS (a 15 minute walk from either)
Ideal for comforting, nourishing five-spice braised pork knuckle…
With a prime spot just off the intersection where Charoen Krung Road and Silom Road meet, the recipe for Charoen Saeng Silom’s delectable stewed pork leg has been in the family for several generations, and you can taste that deep sense of history in every bite.
Located down a nondescript alley away from the traffic, and with street level seating that catches the sun just right during lunchtime, Charoen Saeng Silom draws the crowds, make no mistake, and often sells out long before closing time. They’re all here for the same dish; that pork leg that’s been braised in warming, medicinal Chinese spices until its liquor is gelatinous and sweet. Served over rice and with a homemade spicy sauce that’s heavy on the raw garlic, it’s seriously good value at around 150 THB (£3) a portion.
And this is one huge portion. Fortunately, the grandma here will be more than happy to (or, perhaps judging you that you weren’t able to finish a portion) bag it up for you.
When is Charoen Saeng Silom open? Open from 7am to 1pm, daily.
How long should I expect to queue? From around 11am onwards, expect to wait for 10 minutes or so for a seat.
How much should I expect to pay? Expect to pay around 150 THB (£3.30) for a serving of whole pork leg, but this could easily feed two.
Closest BTS/MRT: Saphan Taksin BTS (a 10 minute walk from there).
Though tourists and guidebooks eulogise Jay Jia Yentafo as the city’s best version of yen ta fo noodle soup, we’re even more enamoured with a peaceful shophouse found just off Sukhumvit Road, somewhere between Asok and Phrom Phong BTS stops.
At Soong Chai Yentafo, the noodles are slippery and sticky, the fish balls just the right side of fragrant, and the broth refreshing. Like, really refreshing. We’d argue that no Bangkok bowl is as refreshing as this.
Yen ta fo is a popular Thai noodle soup known for its distinctive pink broth, which gets its colour from fermented soybean paste. The dish typically includes a variety of ingredients such as fish balls, squid, morning glory, and sometimes pork or seafood. It is often garnished with fried garlic and served with a side of chilli sauce and vinegar to enhance its flavour.
When is Soong Chai Yentafo open? Open daily from 6am to 6pm.
How long should I expect to queue? Due to its location away from the main tourist areas of Sukhumvit, you won’t have to wait for a table here.
How much should I expect to pay? Expect to pay around 50 THB (£1) a bowl, though you might want to order two.
Closest BTS/MRT: Phrom Phong BTS (a 10 minute walk from there).
Ideal for Bangkok’s most Instagrammable street food dish, and so much more besides…
Alongside Jay Fai, Jay Oh might be the Bangkok street food scene’s most recognisable aunty. At Jay Oh Chula, you’ll also find one of the city’s most iconic dishes, one with such a cult following that it’s been given homage in one of London’s most exciting recent restaurant openings.
Yep, we’re talking about the tom yum mama noodles, of course, an absurdly stacked bowl of instant ramen noodles, tom yam seasoned broth that’s been thickened with evaporated milk, and all manner of other treats, including crispy pork, curls of braised squid, shell-on prawns and so much more. It’s all finished with an egg yolk because, well, why not?
It’s an indulgent, delicious sharing dish, but it’s certainly not the only thing Jay Oh excels at. In fact, the more simply adorned tom yum here is one of our favourite versions in the city, its broth rust dappled from chilli jam and clinging to the sides of the bowl as it tends to in the best renditions. The squid stir-fried in chilli jam and Thai basil are wonderfully fragrant, too. You’ll also see an almost comical number of crisp pork bellies hanging to the right hand side of the dining room, a near constant procession of plates moving across the floor. Flag a waiter down and have yourself a plate of that crispy pork before it’s gone.
Though Jay Oh gets properly rowdy later in the evening (it closes around midnight), the only way to avoid the huge queues that accumulate out front here each and every night is to arrive bang on the restaurant opens, at 5:30pm. We’ve managed to swan in at this time without a wait. By the time we’d finished eating around an hour later, queues were already snaking around the block.
When is Jay Oh open? Jay Oh is open every day, from 5:30pm to midnight.
How long should I expect to queue? Expect to queue for ages.
How much should I expect to pay? The full tom yum mama with all the fixings is currently 300 THB (£6.50). It’s built for sharing.
Closest BTS/MRT: Hua Lamphong MRT or National Stadium BTS (a hot and sweaty 15 minute walk from either.)
Ideal for a seriously luxurious curry over rice experience…
Hiso Curry Rice isn’t your standard raan khao gaeng stall. Here, there’s an emphasis on serious luxury in their curry dishes, whether it’s in the fist-sized lumps of white crab meat used in their curry powder spiked stir fry, or the huge river prawns deployed in a sweet and sticky glaze. In fact, the whole restaurant, run by chef/owner Auntie Aew, prides itself on that sense of luxury – the phrase ‘hiso’ is Thai slang for ‘high society’.
Though there’s not really any streetside seating to speak of at Hiso Curry Rice, you’re only a minute’s walk from Rommaninat Park, making this the most luxurious takeaway/picnic you’ll ever have. Do be aware that not much English is spoken here, but the enticing curries are all laid out in a row on the street, making pointing, nodding and smiling just about acceptable. Or, you know, you could just learn how to order in Thai.
When is Hiso Curry Rice open? Hiso Curry Rice is closed on Sundays and Mondays, and open from 11:30am to 5:30pm for the remaining days of the week.
How long should I expect to queue? As Hiso Curry Rice is a takeaway joint, you won’t have to wait long to make your order.
How much should I expect to pay? For a substantial feast of curry and rice for two, expect to pay no more than 200 THB (£4.35).
Closest BTS/MRT: Sam Yot MRT (a 5 minute walk from there)
At Rung Rueang Pork Noodle, just seconds from Phrom Phong BTS, you’ll find a straightforwardly satisfying bowl of clear, tom yum flavoured soup with minced pork and your choice of noodle (go for the egg) for less than a couple of quid. Also in the bowl, thick slices of liver, fish balls and thinly sliced fish cake make this a generous affair. Order, too, a side of crispy fish skin.
It’s a relentless lunchtime operation here, with a fast-moving queue on the street expected during peak hours. Arrive a little after that rush, at around 3pm, and you’ll be seated quickly.
When is Rung Rueang Pork Noodle open? Rung Rueang Pork Noodle is open every day, from 8am to 5pm.
How long should I expect to queue? Expect to queue for at least 15 minutes during the lunch rush.
How much should I expect to pay? A small bowl is 60 THB (£1.30), a medium 70 THB (£1.50) and a large 80 THB (£1.75).
Closest BTS/MRT: Phrom Phong BTS (a 5 minute walk from there).
Ideal for satisfying your sweet tooth one last time…
We end once again satisfying our sweet tooth, at a temple to all things mango; Mae Varee Mango Sticky Rice. You’ll see the sunflower-yellow piles of perfectly ripe mangos lined up outside the shop, and you’ll notice the throngs of hungry dessert lovers curled around the corner and onto Sukhumvit Road proper, and you’ll know you’ve reached sweet-tooth nirvana.
Portions are only takeaway, and are enormous. There are other sweet treats and classic Thai confection sold here, too. Result!
When is Mae Varee Mango Sticky Rice open? 6am to 10pm.
How long should I expect to queue? A takeaway only operation, the wait for your dose will only be brief during mid-morning and mid-afternoon. During the lunch and post-work rushes, expect to wait significantly longer.
How much should I expect to pay? A premium price for a premium product, this one is 150 THB (£3.25), but portions are massive.
Closest BTS/MRT: Thonglor BTS (a 2 minute walk from there)
*A word of warning! Be aware that many of the restaurants on this list close intermittently for holidays, both personal and national. The majority also don’t start serving immediately after opening. Many also sell out well in advance of their listed closing time. Always have a back up (or two).*
We’re heading north next, to Chiang Mai, in search of the city’s best khao soi. Care to join us?
First things first; Bangkok can give you the meal of your life on almost any street corner, for just a few sheets of Baht. But with a metropolis of this size, pace and pollution, eating that meal on that street corner may not always result in the most laid back of dining experiences.
Though the idea of going to restaurants and spending relative big Baht on food in Bangkok sometimes feels a little frivolous, this is one sophisticated city, with a culinary scene that’s just as comfortable dishing out multicourse tasting menus as it is pink plastic plates of spicy wonder.
From time to time, it’s nice to take that little big longer luxuriating in this city’s glorious cuisine. In an air conditioned room, back supported and upright in a chair, with a glass provided for your beer, or even, perhaps, with a glass of wine. To take stock of the country, the city and its alluring cuisine. For that, we won’t judge you.
So, with all that in mind, we’ve taken on the unenviable task of eating through Bangkok to give you, in our view, the most essential, scene-defining restaurants in the city. Here is our IDEAL 28; the best restaurants in Bangkok.
Samrub Samrub Thai, Silom
Ideal for a singular, masterful expression of Thai food both past and present…
This intimate, chef’s table experience might boast a Michelin star and 47th place on the Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants list, but accolade chasing really doesn’t feel like the point at Samrub Samrub Thai.
Instead, expect a deep dive into historic Thai recipes and a regularly changing tasting menu that places fresh focus on a region, season or simply a vibe with each new menu, whether that’s a celebration of a long-lost Southern Thai seafood recipe book or a whole evening of food inspired by the poetry of the Kingdom of Lanna.Though the influences are idiosyncratic, the result is a singular, masterful expression of Thai food both past and present.
At the stoves here is chef Prin Polsuk, who has some serious roots in Thai fine dining, having been the head chef at Nahm in London when it won its Michelin star, the first Thai restaurant in the world to have done so.
On the plate (and in the glass – there will be numerous gratis shots of chef Prin’s homebrewed liquor handed out!), Samrub is all about generosity, with the main sharing spread at the centrepiece of the tasting menu the perfect embodiment of Thai hospitality.
That generous spirit exemplifies the family-style nature of this brilliant restaurant, with Polsuk’s wife Mint running the front of house operations, and chef Prin happily sharing a little background on the dishes you’re eating, as you eat. An appearance on the Apple TV docu-series Omnivore in 2024 seemed to cement their position as a place that means business.
One of best menus we’ve had here was also one of the most recent, coming to a close at the end of 2025. It saw chef Prin and team celebrating the cuisine of Thailand’s Northern mountains and plateaus, and it’s one of the best menus we’ve had here, with loads of undulating chilli heat, tempered acidity and suave glazes.
A real highlight was the fermented rice dumplings in a warming, roundly acidic pork soup. Ditto the grilled and braised Thai beef, served with a bracing tamarind nahm phrik. To soothe and reset, a coconut popsicle dessert finished things off in some style.
The meal felt particularly well-choreographed this time around, with plates arriving in an increasing blaze of glory until the counter was covered in crockery. Metronomic, tight and precise, sure, but still with a pleasing looseness to the dining room that Samrub does so well. The gratis shot(s) of banana spirit certainly help with that.
For January and February 2026, a new focus; a menu titled Samrub People’s Taste, featuring a round of rice sheets and decadent fillings (Phuket spiny lobster, we see you) for starters, and a sharing spread with an exquisite looking Panang curry of grilled river prawn as a centrepiece. We can’t wait to try this one.
This is a restaurant on form, and to our mind, the best Thai food in Bangkok and, by rights then, the world. The fact that the menu changes so regularly and so emphatically is starting to seriously worry our bank manager!
And to really keep him on his toes, the team behind Samrub have now opened a sibling restaurant and bar; Noi Samrub Bar and Eatery. It’s ace.
When is Samrub Samrub Thai open? Samrub is open from Tuesday to Saturday for two dinner servings, one starting at 5:30pm and one at 8pm. The restaurant is closed on Sundays and Mondays.
Do I need to book in advance? Booking well in advance is recommended, which you can do so on Table Check. You’ll have to pay for the tasting menu in advance, by way of a deposit.
How much should I expect to spend? The tasting menu here is priced at ฿4290 (around £100), excluding service charge and VAT.
Closest BTS/MRT? Sala Daeng BTS is a 5 minute walk from the restaurant.
Ideal Tip: Skip the add on dish, tempting as it will sound. Save your money for the local drink pairings instead which offers interesting tipples like honey mead and lao khao.
Ideal for nose-to-tail dining that celebrates Northern Thailand’s resourceful cooking traditions…
100 Mahaseth opened just off Chareon Krung Road way back in 2017. When you consider the Bangkok restaurant scene’s lightning fast evolution, that makes chef Chalee Kader’s homage to the resourceful cooking traditions of Northern and Northeastern Thailand something approaching an institution.
The restaurant’s nose-to-tail, root-to-fruit, brain to balls philosophy has certainly influenced plenty of hip openings in the years that have followed. It feels a little silly saying that, when no-waste, maximum-yield is the only way cooks in rural Thailand have played it for centuries.
The restaurant’s origin story is an amusing one. “We were supposed to open a pho joint”, Chef Chalee revealed back in 2018, “and we were sourcing so much beef and so many parts for the pho stock and we said ‘What are we going to serve for dinner? We can’t serve pho for dinner’.” This pivot, to using the whole cow and then some, led to one of Bangkok’s most celebrated and distinctive dining experiences. And they do still sometimes serve pho.
Housed in a handsome, revitalised old teak house in Bang Rak, the gorgeous setting plays off perfectly against all that offal, smoothing out the rougher notes and soothing each undulating wave of hard, rasping chilli heat. The flagstone floors feel cooling under foot, and rattan lamp shades throw warm lighting across the dining room, making the old teak wood glow. Traditional molam music plays at a volume so perfectly calibrated that it somehow confirms that everything will be seasoned just right. And so it is.
All ingredients come directly from Thai farmers, including three distinct varieties of rice from Surin province, each offering unique textures and aromas. The signature charcoal-roasted bone marrow is a proper showstopper – an enormous bone halved and roasted, its sumptuous marrow perfectly balanced by scatterings of toasted perilla seeds and slices of lemongrass shaved so thinly they’re rendered almost apparitional. Scoop it up, look for some bread, realise there’s no bread and tackle it with freshly steamed sticky rice instead.
Other must-tries include the playful Northerner’s Hot Dog, featuring a Chiang Mai-style sai ua sausage in a brioche bun with nahm prik noom jam. It’s an idea that’s been imitated many times and in many places since, both in Bangkok and back here in the UK, too. Though it’s the highest form of flattery, those chefs should’ve probably left it to Kader – the OG at Mahaseth is infinitely superior.
The addictive braised, dehydrated then deep-fried fried tripe make the perfect companion to a cold beer, and for those keen to dive deeper, the seasonal koi salad of ant larvae is a joy. Already naturally bursting (genuinely, bursting) with acidity, the larvae is seasoned with lime, toasted sticky rice and chilis. Roasted macadamia is shaved over the top to bolster the nuttiness of the toasted rice. Looking like drifts of parmesan across a risotto, it’s far more technicolour in its flavours; natural ingredients reinforced and amplified, the dish so much more than the sum of its parts.
On the flipside, those looking to eat only the exterior of the beast will find comfort in the Isaan complementary set, often featuring som tam and crispy pork skin with a Thai chimichurri, another item we keep seeing elsewhere lately. Further cold beers follow, perhaps with some skewers of beef liver and ox tongue, and the whole order repeats itself until you’re spilling out onto Charoenkrung Road, dazed, confused and feeling a little feral, thumbing Google for the best whiskey sodas in the immediate vicinity (psst; they were back there, where you left them).
If Bang Rak is a stretch to get to, then you’ll be pleased to hear that there’s a second location in Ekkamai now, featuring a more casual bar set-up, complete with turntables and a vibe that often verges on the raucous. They’ve even recently opened a New York pizza spot opposite, called Across 100, proving chef Chalee’s culinary ambitions stretch far beyond offal.
When is 100 Mahaseth open? Tuesday to Sunday, 11:30am – 10:30pm. Closed on Mondays.
Do I need to book in advance? Highly recommended; it’s a popular spot with limited seating.
How much should I expect to spend? Around ฿2000 per person, though this can vary with specials like aged steak and the amount of booze you consume.
Closest BTS/MRT? It’s a little off the direct public transport lines. The closest MRT is Hua Lamphong, or BTS Saphan Taksin, followed by a short taxi ride.
Ideal for fiery Northern Thai jungle curry in a no-frills setting…
For over four decades, this beloved local institution has served some of Bangkok’s most downright fiery Thai cuisine. Specialising in northern Thai jungle curry (gaeng pa) – from which the restaurant takes its name – this unassuming local hero has a formidable reputation amongst those in the know for its assertive, roundly spiced signature dish.
Located near Sriyan Market (been saying ‘Syrian’ for years, ffs) in a modern-ish renovated building, Gaeng Pa Sriyan features both an open ground floor dining area where fans blow with such gusto that it’s hard to keep hold of your napkin, and a second floor with air conditioning. Neither can cool the chilli heat of a seriously spicy signature dish.
You don’t need to fear hushed tones or reverent vibes here; this is a busy, no-frills local joint that serves the neighbourhood and its workers far more than the city’s tourists. Sure, there are tablecloths, but they’re not of the starched white variety. Rather, the plastic, wipeable kind, which is kind of useful when you’re lashing back a whole host of addictive sauces, soups and curries with wild-eyed and clumsy-handed enthusiasm.
It’s not a boisterous, boozy joint either. Popular with the lunchtime office crowd, the scene is convivial but calm, the food doing the talking, usually at a thrilling, chilli-induced crescendo. Despite its longevity and cult status among Bangkokians with a penchant for pain, the restaurant maintains a low profile. There’s no Insta or Facebook page. You won’t see many reels dispatched from the frontline.
In all honesty, we’re probably overdoing the whole ‘so spicy’ thing in the name of a narrative; the chilli isn’t so crushing that it’s all you can taste, all you can feel. Dishes are served at Bangkok room temperature, allowing the deft spicing and freshness of the aromatic ingredients to come to the fore.
The star of the show is, of course, the jungle curry itself, a herbaceous, fierce thing that’s also complex and nuanced. Traditionally made with wild meats and foraged vegetables from the forest, at Gaeng Pa Sriyan you can choose your protein – options include wild boar, river fish, or frog. Whichever you go for, the supporting cast bring their A-game too; young bamboo shoots, pea eggplants, grachai (fingerroot), fresh green peppercorns, and a generous scattering of herbs, all swimming in that famously spicy, earthy broth, deliver waves of bitterness, astringency, and complexity. God, this curry is good.
Beyond the namesake, other dishes shine just as brightly. The minced quail stir-fried kee mao (drunken) style is sensational, an explosion of savoury bolstered by ground quail (bones included for a crunch), both fresh and dried chillies, and fried makrut lime leaves that bless the whole occasion with a certain floral suaveness.
Southern Thai classics get a good outing, too; the goong pad kapi sator (stir-fried shrimp with stink beans and shrimp paste) is pungent and beautiful, and the green curry of fish balls is a gold-standard version. We concede the latter really was spicy.
After the fire of the main courses, cool down with their excellent durian and coconut ice cream served with sticky rice, and perhaps another round of icy Singha. Then, go back in for round two – this is addictive, intoxicating food that you simply have to surrender to.
When is Gaeng Pa Sriyan open? Monday to Saturday, 09:30am – 8:30pm. Closed on Sundays.
Do I need to book in advance? We’re not actually sure you can. We’ve always just rocked up and been seated, though do be aware that it gets busy between midday and 1pm on weekdays.
How much should I expect to spend? Extremely reasonable. Dishes typically clock in at around THB 150. Expect to spend around ฿600 per person for a generous meal and a beer or two.
Closest BTS/MRT? The closest BTS station is Victory Monument. From there, a taxi (around THB 60) or bus #14 is needed. Alternatively, MRT Bang Phlat is about 1.5km away, and MRT Bang O is 2km away.
Ideal for innovative wood-fire cooking in the heart of the hip part of Chinatown…
In a classic shophouse down Trok Panjit, one of the atmospheric alleyways of thriving Soi Nana in Yaowarat, Choen is a relative Bangkok newcomer that’s making serious waves (hmmm, perhaps not the right element here) with its singular focus on live-fire cooking. The name ‘Choen’ is derived from ‘blazing fire’ – a fitting moniker for a concept built around cooking food over charcoal flames.
Opened in December 2023, this intimate 10-seat restaurant is the creation of Chef Geravich ‘Mew’ Mesaengrilverakul, who previously worked at Nahm in its glory days under David Thompson, and as one of the founding members of Charmgang (also on this list).
His concept – ‘Contemporary Cuisine from Fire x Wood’ – might read like a weird modern classical playlist on TIDAL, but there’s nothing pretentious in chef Mew’s masterful control of of the grill. Clearly inspired by Etxebarri, he manages to coax a similar nuance (no higher compliment) in both flavour and texture from the smoke and flame. The main man even crisps up his pork belly – from start to finish – on the barbecue. It’s pure wizardry, and we’re not sure we’ve seen it done so well, so precision-perfectly, anywhere else on the planet.
There’s nothing brutish about the application of smoke at Choen. Nothing acrid or amaroidal. That’s all down to the use of five different types of wood in the cooking process, including eucalyptus, longan, and lychee, each imparting specific aromatic qualities to different dishes. Traditional Thai cooking equipment, including grills, smokers, and taos (traditional bucket-like clay burners), add further judicious complexity. It’s all admirably thought out and deliberate – an interesting counterpoint to the unpredictability of the medium.
The seasonal tasting menu changes regularly, showcasing Chef Mew’s skill at balancing traditional flavours with refined presentation. Signature dishes include the giant river prawn curry with coconut buds, flambadou river prawn and shampoo ginger salad, and smoked beef cheek with galangal and pickled lotus root. Even desserts receive the fire treatment, with the coconut ice cream featuring burning longan wood to add smoky notes, and a little crispy pork crackling for a little showmanship. That dessert is mind-blowingly good.
The setting itself is a study in contrasts, with the historic shophouse dramatically transformed into a modern, concrete-clad space within. Sometimes, when flames are licking high and there’s sweet smoke wafting about, you don’t want any more visual distraction.
In many ways, Choen defines what’s best about Bangkok’s contemporary dining scene; modern and forward-thinking, sure, but also rooted in traditional, age-old techniques, with something of the elemental thrown in for good measure. It’s our favourite recent opening in the city, make no mistake.
When is Choen open? Open for dinner Wednesday to Sunday, 7pm to 10pm. Closed on Mondays and Tuesdays.
Do I need to book in advance? Essential. Given the intimate setting and tasting menu format, reservations are a must.
How much should I expect to spend? The 9-course tasting menu is priced at ฿3500 (around £80).
Closest BTS/MRT? MRT Wat Mangkon is the nearest station, and is just a 5 minute walk from the restaurant.
Ideal for precise, Kingdom-spanning plates from one of Thailand’s most exciting young chefs…
Winner of Tatler Best New Restaurant In Asia in 2024, Khaan represents the next step in chef Sujira ‘Aom’ Pongmorn’s impressively precocious culinary journey. Having earned her stripes (or should we say stars) with a Michelin-starred tenure at Saawaan, the Young Michelin Chef 2021 winner has created something rather special here: a Thai fine dining restaurant that feels both fresh and worthy of a special occasion.
While new Thai tasting menus that ‘elevate’ the world’s most satisfying street food dishes into fiddly little bites are ten-a-penny in Bangkok these days, Khaan is in a different class to the vast majority of them. There’s real skill and craft emanating from the glass-panelled kitchen, visible as you pitch up Soi Som Khit, a young team working away with both precision and beaming smiles. It looks like an agreeable place to work, which is always reassuring when you’re settling in for the evening.
The name ‘Khaan’ – meaning both ‘tiger’ and ‘proclaim’ in Thai – feels apt for a restaurant that roars with such confident delivery. In a sumptuous, red velvet-clad room, Chef Aom serves an 11-course tasting menu that changes regularly, but rather than focusing on one region, each dish aims to celebrate a different element of Thailand’s rich culinary diversity. It’s ambitious, but it pays off.
This is immediately apparent in the opening quartet of snacks that traverse the country, with South, Central Plains, North and East all represented. Though dainty, they pack a proper punch, particularly the genius crab and egg yolk curry that arrives as a single spoonable bite in an egg shell – assertive with chilli heat yet tempered by its decadence. It’s a fine way to start any meal.
Considering the variety of techniques and ingredients that span from northeast to deep south, the menu maintains admirable cohesion despite its geographical breadth – a testament to chef Aom’s delicate touch.
The menu progresses thoughtfully, with an Andaman tiger prawn with homemade pickled lime and tomalley cracker setting the tone early. Designed to reflect familiar tom yam flavours in an interesting way (mission accomplished), it gives way to the meal’s highlight – rice paddy crab with sticky rice. Peel back the grilled banana leaf to reveal smoky rice within, perfect for swiping through a relish of paddy crab presented in its tiny shell. It’s a rich, luxurious, complex affair where rice somehow still manages to be the star of the show, just as it should be.
The tom kha with Barron point and Surat Thani oysters masterfully balances coconut cream’s (and the oyster’s) inherent richness with sharp, aromatic elements, whilst the headlining Khao Yai duck with Paka-Um-Pun rice and five spice curry arrives dexterously seasoned, its rectangle of blushing meat sporting perfectly lacquered skin. A sausage of the duck’s offal underscores chef Aom’s no-waste philosophy. It’s a triumph.
Indeed, sustainability and zero-waste practices are central here (keep an eye out for Plearn, Chef Aom’s casual eatery opening soon which will repurpose surplus ingredients from Khaan). In a neat bit of cyclical theatre, the petit fours revisit the opening snacks in another country-spanning quartet, again highlighting Thailand’s distinct, diverse (and delicious) regionality. It’s a difficult balance to strike, but one that’s achieved with real panache here.
For those keen to forgo any autonomy and just enough the ride, the thoughtfully curated wine pairings (available in both four and six-glass options) and the unique tea pairing programme offer well-judged accompaniments to this culinary sashay across the Kingdom.
When is Khaan open? Khaan is open exclusively for dinner service, from 5pm onwards, every day except Monday, when it’s closed.
Do I need to book in advance? Booking in advance is recommended.
How much should I expect to spend? The 11-course tasting menu is priced at ฿3,850 (around £85).
Closest BTS/MRT? Phloen Chit BTS is a short walk away.
Ideal for whole roast suckling pig, designed for sharing…
Right in the heart of Chinatown, just off Yarowat Road, is an old school institution that’s stood here for more than a century…
…I mean, there are probably hundreds of places that could follow-up that introductory sentence and feel perfectly at home doing so, such is the history and culinary clout of Bangkok’s most food-focused neighbourhood.
Not all of those century’s old institutions in Bangkok’s Chinatown are doing quite such an iconic, photogenic, banquet-worthy dish as Tang Jai Yoo, though. Specialising in Teochow cuisine and famed, more specifically, for its suckling pig, this is a dish (and restaurant) that it’s almost criminal not to try when visiting Yarowat. The fact it deserves a party of six to take it down shouldn’t be considered an obstacle; it’s a sociable place on the streets here, so crack open a beer, make some friends, and bring them along for the ride.
Or, you could simply tackle the whole piglet – splayed open, bronzed and burnished – solo, and then die happy. Either way, it’s one of Bangkok’s must-try dishes, and has a real sense of ceremony to it.
Once ordered (in the past a pre-order was necessary, but no longer), a suckling pig – splayed on a spit – is brought from the kitchen and out to the front of the restaurant, where the charcoal is already burning in a drum. A chef spins the spit frantically over raging hot charcoal, brushing it with oil using what looks like a rag on a stick. Even if you don’t eat here, it’s quite the spectacle to watch as it progressively crisps and crackles.
It’s then brought back inside palanquin-style to audible gasps from the dining room – each and every time. A skilled chef then proceeds to deftly remove the crackled skin with a cleaver before portioning it into bite sized pieces and adding it back onto the pig, like a comprehensive, successful skin graft. It’s all very theatrical and just a little bit macabre; we love it.
By Thiradech via CanvaBy thaloengsak via Canva
The whole pig is then placed in the centre of circular banqueting tables, aboard a lazy susan alongside pancakes, cucumber, green onions and hoisin sauce, the harsh lighting of the dining room only serving to illuminate the main event and hammer home that this is an old school sort of place.
The idea is to wrap only the crisp skin and its suggested adornments in the pancakes. Once those pancakes have been eagerly dispensed with and the skin finished, the suckling pig is then taken back to the kitchen, where the flesh is chopped up into cubes and stir fried with chilli and garlic.
What a glorious affair this all is, but there’s plenty of other bits on the menu to get excited about too, including oyster omelette (arguably better than that version), black olive fried rice, deep-fried mantis shrimp and an intriguing selection of complex, reviving soups. Singhas and whisky flow freely, as if the deal needed anymore sealing.
Closest BTS/MRT? Tang Jai Yoo is a 3 minute walk from Wat Mangkon MRT.
When is Tang Jai Yoo open? Tang Jai Yoo is open from 11am to 2pm for lunch, and 4:30pm to 10pm for dinner.
Do I need to book in advance? You can make a reservation over the phone only, which requires Thai or Chinese to be spoken. Alternatively, you can pitch up and still get a table – the restaurant has rows of chairs set up outside for customers waiting their turn. Those tables, despite the convivial nature of the place, get turned fast.
How much should I expect to spend? Right now, the whole suckling pig and its accouterments is ฿2500 (just north of £50). It’s well worth the money.
Ideal for an ultra-modern Thai dining experience anchored in tradition and family…
Close to the Rajamangala National Stadium in Bang Kapi, Baan Tepa is one of Bangkok’s most exciting – yet also comforting, soul-nourishing – restaurants. We say restaurant, but Baan Tepa is billed as a ‘culinary space’, home to a chef’s table, a larger dining room overlooked by an open kitchen, a tea experience, and an organic culinary garden of which much of the 9 course tasting menu is built around (ask for a tour; it’s a fascinating living library of herbs, flowers and spices).
Enough of the fluff. Under the pioneering stewardship of chef Chudaree “Tam” Debhakam, the world’s first Thai female chef to be awarded two Michelin Stars and named Asia’s Best Female Chef 2025, the menu at Baan Tepa is a celebration of organic, small batch Thai producers and the country’s rich biodiversity, an ethos inspired by chef Tam’s time spent at the legendary Blue Hill at Stone Barns.
Expect highly intricate but ultimately satisfying dishes, each telling a story of chef Tam’s extensive travels across Thailand and beyond. Highlights of our recent meal here included a reimagining of classic Issan chicken liver skewers and jaew, here presented as a smooth parfait but still boasting the heady, earthy flavours of white pepper, garlic and coriander root that makes up the traditional marinade. Alongside, an incredible sourdough brioche whose starter is made from wild rice was complex and crisp. Gorgeous.
Later on, a show-stealer; the signature ‘anatomy of a river prawn’ featuring a whopper sourced from Ayutthaya and its smoked head juices, which was brought back to the street with possibly the best nahm jim seafood we’ve ever encountered. It’s this anchoring of ultra-modern technique with recognisable, faithfully delivered elements that makes Baan Tepa so captivating.
As with several of the restaurants on our list, there’s a personal connection to the space, too; chef Tam’s family grew up here, with the space owned by Chef Tam’s grandmother, Lady Suwaree Debhakam. The space still retains many of its original features, and its warming, welcoming soul. When combined with some of the most innovative expressions of Thai food you’ll find anywhere on the planet, it’s a highly alluring experience.
When is Baan Tepa open? Baan Tepa’s tasting menu experience is dinner only, available from Wednesday to Sunday in two sittings each evening, one at 6pm to 9:30pm, and one at 7pm to 10:30pm.
Do I need to book in advance? You’ll likely need to book at least two weeks in advance.
How much should I expect to spend? A sprawling 7 course affair is ฿7300 (£170). This price is exclusive of service and VAT. You’ll have to pay for the tasting menu in advance, by way of a deposit.
Closest BTS/MRT? There are no BTS or underground stops close to Baan Tepa. Best get a taxi to this one!
Opposite Democracy Monument, step into the gently faded grandeur of Methavalai Sorndaeng and you’ll find the essence of traditional Thai fine dining celebrated with a grandiosity reminiscent of the nation’s royal heritage.
An iconic restaurant if ever there was one, and now in its seventh decade, the dishes here are delicately presented but full of flavour, with the coconut curries particularly well balanced. Despite its luxurious ties to regal splendour and sophistication, Methavalai Sorndaeng offers an accessible dining experience.
Though once Michelin-starred (they inexplicably lost theirs in the 2024 edition of the guide) The prices are surprisingly modest, with most main courses not exceeding 500 THB (approximately £12), and a selection of others priced even more kindly. The wine is presented with an easy-going charm – a straightforward choice between red or white, always served by the glass – underscoring the exceptional value. The nightly live 80s Thai music seals the deal.
When is Methavalai Sorndaeng open? Methavalai Sorndaeng is open every day from 10:30am to 10pm.
Do I need to book in advance? Though the restaurant can usually squeeze you in, it’s wise to book a day in advance for this one.
How much should I expect to spend? You can eat very well here and drink very merrily, ordering from the a la carte menu, for around ฿3500 (£75) for two people.
Closest BTS/MRT? Sam Yot MRT is a 15 minute walk from the restaurant. Alternatively, owing to the restaurant’s position close to the Chao Phraya river and canals (khlongs), you can shimmy up to the restaurant via Bangkok’s waterways. The closest canal stop is Panfa Leelard Pier. The closest ferry terminal (along the Chao Phraya) is Phra Arthit.
Ideal for soigné Southern Thai cooking that doesn’t hold back…
The impossible-to-book restaurants keep on coming, but Sorn is probably – still – the most coveted table in town. Chef Supaksorn Jongsiri’s culinary love letter to the farmers, fishermen and producers of Southern Thailand was the first Thai restaurant in the world to win 3 Michelin stars in 2024 (retaining it for the 2026 edition of the guide), but that doesn’t mean you’ll find flavours tempered to suit an international clientele.
Instead, ingredients and spice levels remain resolutely ‘Southern’ to their soul, with unfiltered fish sauce, premium quality shrimp paste and, yes, mouse-shit loads of chilli all present and correct on the expansive tasting menu.
Though it’s a no-choice tasting menu, the dishes do evolve both with the seasons and following the team’s research trips to the South. The latest menu sees several new dishes added since the two-star days, all representing refinements that no doubt helped push the restaurant into three-star territory: an opening gambit of abalone and young mangosteen soup that’s so much more than its prosaic description; an extravagant crispy omelette – all puffed up and lacy like an Elizabethan ruff – that’s filled with poached lobster; and cockles grilled in the golae style were three recent highlights.
Fear not; the signature ‘gems on a stick’ is still here and better than ever, and still served with its accompanying complex soup of freshly pressed coconut milk and melinjo leaves and crab oil. And there’s still an exquisite curry and the flakiest of roti, all enjoyed in a sprawling, messy family style spread that feels almost subversive at this level. Yep, this latest iteration of Sorn is looking even better (and certainly more luxurious) than the last – and that’s saying something!
For those keen to try the team’s cooking at a fraction of the price, chef Supaksorn’s more casual Southern Thai eatery Baan Ice has several outposts across the city, and is ace.
When is Sorn open? Sorn is open for dinner only every day except Saturday, with service starting at 6pm.
Do I need to book in advance? At Sorn, reservations can be made a month in advance as announced on our social media platforms. Getting a table requires precision planning and setting your alarm. Check their socials for more information.
How much should I expect to spend? The full tasting menu is currently priced at ฿7200 (£162), tax and service excluded. With the third star recently dropping, we expect prices to rise somewhat in the near future.
Closest BTS/MRT? Phrom Phong BTS is a 15 minute walk from Sorn.
Ideal for a faithful Roman trattoria experience in the heart of Bangkok’s business district…
Of course, modern day Bangkok’s culinary scene is also home to some of the region’s best international restaurants, and if you’re after Italian food in the Thai capital, then you should look no further than Appia.
Standing as a tribute to the authentic Roman trattoria experience, since opening in 2013 on the bustling Sukhumvit Soi 31 (where you’ll find a couple of the other restaurants on our list, incidentally), this heartfelt homage to Rome has been packed out every night of the week, with diners seeking solace in the iconic Big Four pasta dishes that are synonymous with the Eternal City, as well as the everpresent porchetta that turns slowly on a spit in the window, beckoning diners inside. You’ll find us thoroughly beckoned at the counter more often than we’re proud to admit.
When is Appia open? Appia is open everyday, for lunch and dinner, with the restaurant open all day on Saturdays and Sundays.
Do I need to book in advance? Booking in advance is highly recommended, which can be done over phone, email or Line.
How much should I expect to spend? A bowl of pasta at Appia is ฿450 (£10), a glass of house wine is around ฿300 (£6.50).
Closest BTS/MRT? Phrom Phong BTS is a 15 minute walk from Sorn.
Ideal for one of Bangkok’s most acclaimed dim sum lunches…
Located in the Eastin Grand Hotel Sathorn Bangkok (and with two other outposts in the city), Chef Man is one of the city’s most popular joints for fans of the food of Southern China.
Master Chef Wai Yin Man, a Hong Kong native, brings his expertise and passion for Cantonese cuisine to the forefront here, his meticulous Peking duck preparation the restaurant’s obvious centrepiece (more than 30’000 have been served across the city since Chef Man pitched up in 2011) but certainly not the only reason you should head here.
For us, the dim sum at Chef Man is the real highlight. Served from 11am every day, this is our favourite brunch spot in Bangkok. The ha kao shrimp dumplings are plump and squeaky fresh, and the signature yam cake – appearing looking a little like a deep-fried coronavirus – reveals an oozing salted egg yolk centre. It’s a real indulgence, with the frenetic energy of the broad open kitchen only adding to the fun. An extensive tea selection is also available.
Arguably the city’s most popular dim sum spot, you’ll want to book well in advance for this one.
For reservations, call Chef Man (the restaurant, not the actual fella) on 02 212 3789, 02 212 3741 or email [email protected]
When is Chef Man open? Chef Man is open everyday for lunch and dinner, from 11am to 2:30pm, and 6pm to 10pm, respectively.
Do I need to book in advance? Reservations a few days in advance are necessary, which can be made via phone or email.
How much should I expect to spend? A dim sum feast for two, with tea, will set you back around ฿1000 (£22) per person.
Closest BTS/MRT? Surasak BTS is just a 2 minute walk from the restaurant.
Ojo is the crowning jewel of Bangkok’s tallest skyscraper, the King Power Mahanakhon, a Mexican restaurant that somehow lives up to its lofty billing with a fully-flavoured, tastefully opulent dining experience. Helmed by chef Francisco Paco Ruano from the acclaimed Restaurante Alcalde in Guadalajara, the restaurant takes its name from the word ‘eye’ in Spanish, and it’s an apt epithet, seeing as the dining room casts its gaze over Bangkok so seductively.
Drag your eyes away from the skyline and into the dining room, which straddles a real sense of glam with something more tastefully refined; the work of designer Ou Baholyodhin, whose sense of suave and drip seemingly knows no bounds. On the plate, things are equally beautiful, with dishes clearly crafted to taste as good as they look. All of this adds up to a sense of narrative and unity that manages to be totally satisfying rather than shallow. At 76 floors up, you’d certainly hope it wouldn’t be the latter.
When is Ojo open? Ojo is open everyday for lunch and dinner, from 11:30am to 2:30pm, and 5:30pm to 11:30pm, respectively. The sunset slot, around 6pm onwards, is highly recommended!
Do I need to book in advance? Reservations can usually be made on the day.
How much should I expect to spend? Ojo isn’t cheap, with starters between ฿500 (£11) and ฿1000 (£22), and main courses in the region of ฿2000 (£43). Wine is equally lofty.
Closest BTS/MRT? Chong Nonsi BTS is just a 2 minute walk from the restaurant.
Ideal for a bookish, beautifully rendered spread from ‘the godfather of Thai food’…
Inspired by the Thai cookbook authors of the 1940s and 1950s, Aksorn takes pride both in its location on Charoenkrung Road, an area that once buzzed with retail and entertainment and is now home to some of the best restaurants in Bangkok, and in its setting, once a former bookshop.
The restaurant’s menu is a celebration of Thai culture and heritage, offering a regularly changing, single-set selection of dishes that reflect the remarkable transition from a rich Siamese past to modern Thailand.
David Thompson, considered by many as the world’s leading authority on Thai cuisine, is at the stoves here (quite literally, on the night we visited last year), drawing inspiration from historical archives and his profound expertise for a menu that offers both comfort and a few surprises. See; the first bite of sardines on toast; heaving with white pepper and adorned with gossamer thin slices of shallot and coriander leaves, it seems to bridge the city and the chef’s disparate elements poetically.
There are more recognisably Thai dishes, too. Expect expertly conceived, highly-seasoned curries that sing with freshly squeezed coconut cream and Thai aromatics at their peak, as well as sweet and salty desserts that are surely some of the very best in town. Thompson is known for his sweet tooth, and this is just the place to indulge in the glorious marriage and sweet and savoury that Thai food is so celebrated for. Pair it all with a chilled, slightly sweet (of course) Australian Riesling, and you’ve got yourself one of the most well-rounded spreads in the city.
When is Aksorn open? Aksorn is open everyday for dinner, from 6pm to 9:30pm.
Do I need to book in advance? Reservations can usually be made on the day, though you’ll want to book in advance for the weekend.
How much should I expect to spend? The set menu at Aksorn is currently priced at ฿4150 (£97) per person.
Closest BTS/MRT? Saphan Taksin BTS is a 10 minute walk from the restaurant.
Ideal for Thai drinking food and creative cocktails…
Err is the brainchild of the dynamic chef duo Duangporn ‘Bo’ Songvisava and her Australian-born husband Dylan Jones. Both chefs are renowned for their commitment to preserving Thai food heritage, with the pair’s globally renowned restaurant Bo.lan considered one of the world’s top Thai restaurants in its pomp.
The couple bring their expertise to Err in Thonglor, focusing on Thai drinking food classics and traditional dishes with a twist. The deep-fried whole chicken skin is unmissable, arriving still fully formed and needing nothing more than a little house sriracha sauce for dipping. It’s one for the ‘gram, sure, but it’s also bloody delicious.
Even more lip-smackingly good with a cold one is Err’s take on fermented pork, neam. A Northern Thai classic, here sticky rice-cured pork arrives wrapped around skewers, its gnarly edges grill-marked and caramelised, its body juicy, rich and full of savour. It’s a truly glorious take on one of our favourite foods in the world.
Of course, Thai drinking food needs drinks, and some serious thought has gone into Err’s. Go for The Laabtini, a unique cocktail blending tequila with laab spices. Created by the team’s no-waste cocktail bar Wasteland, it’s already a classic.
When is Err open? Err is open 11am until late On Saturdays, Sundays and Mondays, and 5pm until late on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays. The restaurant is closed on Wednesdays.
Do I need to book in advance? Err is walk-in only.
How much should I expect to spend? The majority of snacks and dishes here are priced at around ฿250 (£5.50).
Closest BTS/MRT? Thonglor BTS is a 5 minute walk from Err.
Garima Arora, the Mumbai-born culinary genius behind Gaa, is the first Indian female chef to be awarded a Michelin star, with a historic second following in late 2024.
Having already honed her skills at Copenhagen’s world famous Noma, in 2015 she moved to Bangkok to work as a sous chef at Gaggan, the highly creative Indian restaurant run by Gaggan Anand that has topped the Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants list several times, its most recent iteration once again occupying the number one spot for a record fifth time.
With the blessing of the big man, Arora struck out on her own, opening Gaa in Bangkok in 2017, with the aim of blending ingredients and cooking sensibilities from the Indian subcontinent with the odd Thai flourish, reflecting her diverse culinary experiences to dramatic, alluring effect.
Having recently moved to a new location close to BTS Thonglor and just round the corner from the aforementioned Err, the restaurant is going from strength to strength, capped off by that second Michelin star in the 2024 Guide. We can’t wait to see where they go next.
When is Gaa open? Gaa is open daily, for both lunch and dinner.
Do I need to book in advance? You can usually book Gaa for the following day, though tables are a little more scarce at the weekend.
How much should I expect to spend? The Gaa experience is currently priced at ฿4900 (£115) per person.
Closest BTS/MRT? Thonglor BTS is a 5 minute walk from Gaa.
Ideal for a thoughtful, forward-thinking reflection of Bangkok’s Chinatown…
Standing slap bang in the middle of Bangkok’s Chinatown, Potong pays homage to the city’s rich tapestry of Thai-Chinese heritage through its innovative cuisine. This avant-garde restaurant is the work of Chef Pam, named the World’s Best Female Chef last year, who has skillfully woven her family’s century-old recipes with a modern twist, creating an unforgettable gastronomic journey.
The ambiance of Potong is a seamless blend of the past and present, with decor that reflects the elegance of Shanghai in the 1920s, yet pulses with the contemporary beat of Bangkok. It’s a match made in heaven.
Exciting news for 2026: Chef Pam has now opened Khao San Sek. This new venture celebrates the five pillars of Thai cuisine – rice, chili, coconut, fish sauce, and palm sugar – reimagining these foundational ingredients with her signature precision. Following the success of her Michelin-starred POTONG, Chef Pam’s latest restaurant promises a fresh perspective on Thai culinary heritage.
When is Potong open? Potong is open Thursday to Monday, for dinner service only, 4pm to 11pm.
Do I need to book in advance? You will need to book a table for Potong, via Chope, several months in advance.
How much should I expect to spend? Potong’s new 5 senses, 5 elements ‘revolution’ tasting menu is priced at ฿6300 (£150) per person.
Closest BTS/MRT? Wat Mangkon MRT is a 5 minute walk from Potong.
Ideal for elite soba noodles you’ll have to set your alarm for…
You better set your alarm bright and early if you want to sample a bowl of some of Bangkok’s best soba noodles. Not because No Name Noodle – suitably mysterious in its moniker – opens early doors, but because you have to pre-book your bowl (one of only 35 made each day) in a kind of Glastonbury T-day scramble for one of seven stools and a satisfied slurp. Only furthering that comparison, it happens to be 9am every Sunday that the chaos unfolds online.
It’s well worth hammering that F5 button; chef Shinichiro Kondo is a master of his craft, with every bowl given immaculate care and attention, a glorious blend of innovation (there’s some sous vide work here) and respect for tradition.
The menu has expanded a little since the early days, though the spirit remains the same. Alongside the original Tokusei Shio Soba and Kombusui Tsuke Soba, there are now lunch sets and a signature Matsuri Gozen that lets you sample both of the house’s main broths in one sitting – you’ll want to do that, as it’s impossible to pick a favourite between them, both boasting jaw dropping depth and precision.
The seasonal menu rotates every few months, with chef Shin using it as a canvas for ingredients at their peak. Dishes are crafted with over 30 ingredients, and you can genuinely taste that love and attention in the final product.
Regardless of which bowl you go for, the soba noodles are the star of the show here, a labour of love that boast just the right amount of bounce, chew and earthy grounding. There are fewer more satisfying bowls in a city full of them.
When is No Name Noodle open? Wednesday to Sunday, 11am to 4:30pm. Closed Mondays and Tuesdays.
Do I need to book in advance? Oh yes, and it’s one hell of a process.
How much should I expect to spend? Lunch sets are priced from ฿980 to ฿1,280 (£21 to £28), or from ฿680 (£15) a la carte.
Closest BTS/MRT? Phrom Phong BTS is a 20 minute walk away.
Ideal for a modern curry and rice restaurant that’s really so much more than that…
Bangkok’s historic Talat Noi neighbourhood, sitting pretty on the outskirts of the city’s Chinatown, is one of the most thrusting in the city, where seemingly not a day goes by without a new cocktail bar opening or an art installation popping up.
Charmgang, now in its seventh year, exemplifies this new sense of cool in the area, a restaurant that’s both traditional and forward-thinking in its approach, and one of, quite simply, the best places to eat in Bangkok.
Conceived by a trio of ultra-ambitious chefs – Geravich ‘Mew’ Mesaengnilverakul, Aruss ‘Jai’ Lerlerstkull, and Atcharaporn ‘Aew’ Kiatthanawat – who met at world renowned Nahm, the restaurant is nominally a ‘curry shop’, and true to this billing, the curries here are gorgeous, a skilful blend of Thai culinary tradition and the occasional modern technique, all to be enjoyed in a tastefully furnished, artistically minded dining room that shares its energy with the open kitchen which overlooks it.
Yep, you’ll hear the clatter of the wok and the pok-pok of the pestle and mortar while you eat, the perfect seasoning for a graceful, elegant spread. Do not miss the beef cheek panang curry, a celebration of fresh coconut milk as much as it is of chilli and perfectly braised, surrendering beef. Desserts are fabulous, too, so do try to save room.
The team’s success with Charmgang led to the late 2023 opening of sister restaurant Charmkrung just up the road. Taking over the top floor of a nondescript office building (the night-time views of twinkling Bangkok on high are stirring), this natural wine bar and small plates restaurant sees chef Jai eschewing the by-the-book Thai cooking he champions so brilliantly at Charmgang for a more playful approach, focusing on small bites and medium-sized mains that riff on aaharn kap klaem (Thai drinking foods). As the chef himself puts the difference between his two restaurants; Charmkrung “goes with drinks,” Charmgang “goes with rice”.
Highlights on the menu include Jai’s take on kanom krok, here filled with a silky chicken liver pâté and topped with pomegranate seeds and a little wedge of boiled egg, and an exquisitely balanced smoked and pickled tomato salad, adorned with satisfyingly complete batons of crab leg and a load of crunchy stuff.
The fish curry with a pleasing slab of pomfret is served with raisin-studded roti, a nod to the chef’s Southern Thai heritage, while the deceptively simple but flavour-packed grilled cabbage follows a recipe taken from his school canteen. All are matched brilliantly with an inspired drink list, ranging from cocktails that incorporate Chinese herbs and spices to funky natural wines from small-scale labels that are hard to find elsewhere in Bangkok.
The space is playful and fun, with both tables and bar counters making the restaurant equally suited to large groups, dinner dates and solo diners perched at the counter watching the kitchen at work. A refreshingly undogmatic wine list completes the package, mixing both traditional styles and regions with more progressive and experimental wines, while always keeping a keen eye on the wines’ ability to match the complexity of contemporary Thai cuisine.
Three years on from opening, and it’s clear Charmkrung is another winner from a team who have an inimitable grasp of what Bangkokians want from a modern Thai restaurant. Praise the lord, then, that the prolific team opened a third restaurant late last year, this time named Charmkok. We can’t wait to check it out!
When are Charmgang and Charmkrung open? Charmgang is open daily for dinner, from 6pm to 10:30pm. It opens for lunch, too, on Saturdays and Sundays. Charmkrung is open from 6pm to midnight daily. Do be aware that the kitchen closes at 11pm.
Do I need to book in advance? Reservations for Charmgang are highly recommended, and usually required for a week or two in advance. Charmkrung is a more sprawling, casual space, and bookings are less essential but certainly still recommended.
How much should I expect to spend? A full spread of curries, soups, salads, relishes and the rest at Charmgang will set you back around ฿3000 (£65), before booze is added. At Charmkrung, small plates range from ฿90-290 (£2-6.50), with larger dishes between ฿190-720 (£4-16). Genuinely interesting glasses of wine are available from around ฿300.
Closest BTS/MRT? Hua Lamphong MRT is a 10 minute walk away from both. It’s just a couple of minutes walk between Charmgang and Charmkrung if you fancy tackling both in one indulgent night.
Ideal for perfectly poised marriage of Mexican-Indian cuisine from one of the world’s most recognisable chefs…
Even those not conversant in Bangkok’s culinary landscape might recognise chef Gaggan Anand, perhaps having seen him on Chef’s Table, or on a a TikTok reel traversing Bangkok via tuk tuk with Ed Sheeran or, you know, having read the entry on Gaa just a few paragraphs previously.
At Ms. Maria and Mr. Singh’s, chef Anand tells the culinary story of a ‘’love affair between a Mexican hometown girl and an Indian city boy’’ via a perfectly poised marriage of Mexican-Indian cuisine that the restaurant has dubbed ‘fantasy cuisine’, realised here by the two head chefs Hernán Crispín Villalva and Roshan Kumar. Trust us on this one; it works.
Here, diners can savour Anand’s signature crab curry, which is now ingeniously paired with Goan poee bread, ideal for pulling through the intricate sauce. The menu also features keema paneer quesadillas, bursting with the robust taste of mutton and toasted spices, followed by pork vindaloo tacos accompanied by a tart pineapple salsa, striking an intoxicating yet strangely comforting balance of flavour and texture.
Both are part of the latest tasting menu, offered at an attractive price of 6000 THB (£130) for two, and served in the fresh setting of the second floor of the eponymous Gaggan Anand restaurant. The atmosphere is laid-back and whimsical, with the interior design drawing inspiration from both Oaxaca and Jodhpur, creating a lively and colourful ambiance.
Echoing this playful spirit, guests are greeted by a bright neon sign as they step into the restaurant, boldly stating that “love should never be mild.” The dishes served here not only match this bold statement but also reflect Chef Anand’s continued passion for creating food that’s as spirited and joyous as ever.
When is Ms Maria and Mr Singh open? Ms Maria and Mr Singh is closed on Mondays, and open for just dinner (6pm to 11pm) from Tuesday to Fridays. The restaurant also opens for lunch at the weekend.
Do I need to book in advance? Reservations are highly recommended, and usually required for a week or two in advance.
How much should I expect to spend? The tasting menu for two here is priced at ฿6000 (£130)
Closest BTS/MRT? Phrom Phong BTS is a 20 minute walk away.
Inspired by Japanese izakaya style dining, Aunglo by Yangrank is a paean to the grill (‘aunglo’ is a type of charcoal grill in Thai), expressed via a procession of blistered and burnished sticks of seafood, meat and root vegetable that are as delicious as any aunty’s moo ping you’ll find outside any BTS station. And that’s the highest praise we could bestow on a place…
The counter bar here faces an open kitchen where chefs glaze and rotate a series of skewers, all whilst maintaining a decent side of conversation and good cheer, the intermittent licking of flames the perfect clarion call that the glaze is doing its job. Not exactly harming things in the flavour department, that glaze is often a thick, reduced coconut curry, a massaman-coated, barbecued squash a delicious case in point that demands re-upping several times.
Sure, you’ll have to factor in leaving absolutely humming of smoke, but it’s well worth it for the delicate kiss of charcoal that every dish at Aunglo by Yangrak has received, even the desserts.
When is Aunglo by Yangrak open? Aunglo by Yangrak is closed on Tuesdays, and open every other day for both lunch and dinner.
Do I need to book in advance? You can book a spot via direct message on their Instagram, but it’s not often full.
How much should I expect to spend? The big feast of skewers, sides and beers for two won’t top ฿3000 (£65)
Closest BTS/MRT? Saint Louis BTS is a 10 minute walk from Aunglo by Yangrak.
Ideal for neo-Indian fine dining with genuine green credentials…
Billed as Thailand’s first urban farm and zero-waste restaurant (a bold claim that’s a little tough to verify, perhaps), neo-Indian fine dining restaurant Haoma certainly wears its sustainability chops proudly on its sleeve, with a biophilic dining room that merges the outdoors and in succinctly, and a tasting menu built around on-site hydroponically grown produce (you’ll get a tour of the fish ponds and gardens when you arrive) and organic ingredients sourced from their sister farm in Chiang Mai.
It’s an approach where each discipline of the restaurant – the food, winelist, ambience and hospitality – feeds into the next, creating a homogeneous, self-sustaining feel that you can’t help but admire. Both a Michelin star and Michelin green star for sustainability have followed.
That’s not to say that this is purely branding; Chef Deepanker Khosla certainly puts his money where his mouth is. Following a hugely successful, altruistic pandemic project called the #NoOneHungry campaign that has given more than 500’000 meals to those most in need in Bangkok, the chef has now opened Bangkok’s first permanent soup kitchen. Legend.
On the menu back at Haoma, just two choices; a tasting menu of meat and seafood or a vegetarian version, and 15 courses or 11. In the lean, green spirit of the place (smells like green spirit?), we went for the shorter vegetarian option at Haoma, but certainly didn’t feel short changed. This is a precision procession of loosely Indian, pretty-as-a-picture plates that felt both clean and indulgent, avant garde but anchored, the storytelling behind each dish helped along by a series of postcards and artefacts that rest on your table as you eat.
At 3500 THB (around £75) for the ten courser, Haoma also represents an absolute steal for a restaurant that’s surely due a second star in the coming years.
When is Haoma open? Haoma is closed on Mondays, and open for dinner (5:30pm to 11pm) Tuesdays to Fridays. At the weekend, it’s open for lunch too, from midday to 2pm.
Do I need to book in advance? You can usually book a table at Haoma the day before.
How much should I expect to spend? The Chefs Tasting menu of 10 courses is currently priced at ฿5500 (£130).
Closest BTS/MRT? Asok BTS and Sukhumvit MRT are a 15 minute walk from Haoma.
Ideal for a meticulous meeting of the Med and the Chao Phraya…
When it was announced that a globally celebrated chef would open a fancy French restaurant in a 5 star hotel on the banks of the Chao Phraya River, Bangkok’s culinary cognoscenti could have been forgiven for wondering if another such place was really necessary.
But such is the quality of Côte by Mauro Colagreco, and the unique skills of head chef Davide Garavaglia, that those doubts died down almost as soon as the restaurant had finished its first service, with the spot now arguably the city’s destination fine-dining restaurant for those not in the mood for Thai (fools).
Of course, the pedigree here is undeniable. Mauro Colagreco, whose illustrious career’s highlight is the three Michelin-starred Mirazur on the French Riviera, has brought a slice of the Mediterranean to Bangkok, with a tasting menu that imbues traditional French technique with the odd Thai flourish to great effect. Here, it’s a nine course tasting menu (there’s also a shorter lunch affair) which see the diner put complete trust in the chef.
Whilst we wouldn’t want to ruin the surprise here, the restaurant has a wicked way with seafood, a dish of local sea urchin and textures of cauliflower landing as one of the best dishes we’ve enjoyed in the city, a perfect marriage of sense of place and the chef’s own idiosyncrasies. The panoramic river views certainly do no harm.
In the 2025 Michelin Guide for Thailand announcement, the consistency and quality of Côte was further underscored by Michelin’s awarding of a second star. Whilst we hate to be ‘that guy’, a third feels kind of inevitable at this stage.
When is Côte open? Côte is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays, and open for both lunch and dinner Wednesday through Sunday.
Do I need to book in advance? You can usually book a table at Côte the day before.
How much should I expect to spend? The full nine course tasting menu is currently priced at ฿7800 (£184). The shorter four course lunch menu is ฿3300 (£78).
Closest BTS/MRT? Saphan Taksin BTS is a 15 minute walk away.
Ideal for Thai comfort food given a respectful, ridiculously delicious reinvention…
The dynamic chef duo Napol ‘Joe’ Jantraget and Saki Hoshino are responsible for some of Bangkok’s most genuinely enjoyable upscale restaurants, from their work at the innovative 80/20 just up the road to their more recently opened celebration of Central Thai food at Nawa.
You’ll find that innate sense of hospitality at Samlor, too. Meaning ‘tricycle’ in Thai, it’s a name that hints at the more homely vibes this place exudes, complemented by its bare bricks interior and chalkboard specials menu.
The signature dish here is without doubt the Samlor omlette, an obscene looking thing with a soufflé-like rise, crispy top and runny centre. Served simply with a little fish sauce and chilli, it’s no doubt a knockout, but certainly not the only dish that deserves your attention (of useful note; it can be ordered in a smaller, more manageable version for a third of its usual price).
Even better, we think, is the slow-cooked wagyu beef krapow. Perfumed with deep-fried holy basil leaves, it’s an absurdly satisfying riff on Thailand’s favourite comfort food, which pretty much sums up the restaurant’s strongest suit, we think. Pair it with that omelette in place of your usual frilly fried egg, and you’ve got yourself a pretty perfect meal. As long as there’s plenty of jasmine rice to hand, of course…
…but to order so conservatively would be to miss out on some of the other highlights, including smoked pork ribs with jaew and a genuinely exciting take on the Laotian salad naem khao tod.
With a local craft beer (of which Samlor has a fine selection) this order will give you change from 1000 THB (£21). That’s some serious value.
When is Samlor open? Samlor is closed on Tuesdays, and open for dinner only (6pm to 10:30pm) on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays. At the weekend, it’s open for lunch, too, between 11am and 1:30pm.
Do I need to book in advance? You’ll want to book Samlor a week or two in advance, via their Instagram.
How much should I expect to spend? The omlette and pad grapao are priced at ฿300 (£6.50) and ฿400 (£9), respectively.
Closest BTS/MRT? Saphan Taksin BTS is a 20 minute walk away.
Ideal for Bangkok’s most acclaimed omakase experience…
This exclusive traditional omakase sushi bar is the work of Chef Masato Shimizu, a culinary virtuoso whose journey began in Japan and soared to new heights in New York City, where he became the youngest chef to be honoured with a Michelin star at the tender age of 29.
Sushi Masato, tucked away off Soi Sukhumvit 31 (there it is again) behind an unmarked door, brings the chef’s meticulous craft from over 20 years of experience to the forefront, showcasing both his skills and his impeccable sourcing directly from the fish markets of Tokyo to a first-floor chef’s counter. Though that first floor is chef Shimizu’s domain, for a more laid back, languid experience, head upstairs to Raw Bar Masato, where you can order a la carte sushi of the same premium quality as the full experience below.
Securing a reservation at Sushi Masato requires some effort; seats are released on a month-by-month basis, precisely at 00:00 hrs on the 15th of every month for the following month. Amazingly for a restaurant of this pedigree and poise, there’s a takeaway menu of sorts at Sushi Masato; via their website, you can order a bespoke mini omakase box to be delivered to your door for the princely sum of 2500 THB.
When is Sushi Mataso open? Sushi Mataso is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays, and is open for both lunch (midday to 2pm) and dinner (5pm to 10pm) Wednesday through Sunday.
Do I need to book in advance? Yes, indeed, and it’s something of a scramble On the 15th of every month at midnight, new seat slots for the following month are released.
How much should I expect to spend? The lunch omakase is ฿4000 (£87), the dinner ฿6000 (£130).
Closest BTS/MRT? Phrom Phong BTS is a 10 minute walk away.
Ideal for refined, contemporary German cuisine in a serene villa setting…
In a city so steeped in exceptional Thai food that fish sauce dapples your pores when you do finally come up for air, Sühring offers something a little different: a refined, contemporary exploration of German cuisine, masterfully executed by twin chefs Thomas and Mathias Sühring. Born in East Berlin and trained in three-starred kitchens across Europe, the twins bring an intoxicating mixture of technical mastery and nostalgia to each bite of their sprawling, 15-course tasting menu.
Sühring opened in 2016 with the backing of renowned chef Gaggan Anand, who said soon after, when the accolades started shimmering: “It sounds capitalistic, but I actually bought my own competition.”
That backing represented something of a risk as, interestingly, the brothers had never cooked German food professionally before, instead spending their formative years immersed in the rigid world of French classical cookery. But with memories of their grandmother’s cooking and a desire to show a different side of an often-maligned German cuisine to the world, the restaurant got famous fast, picking up a star at the inaugural Thailand Michelin Guide in 2017, and a second just a year later. And, finally, at the end of 2025, they won their third – rejoice!
Perhaps it shouldn’t come as such a surprise that a German fine dining restaurant was such a success from the off in Bangkok. In fact, Thailand represents something of a captive audience for the cuisine. As acclaimed chef Andy Ricker writes in his excellent book Pok Pok, when discussing the Thais love of pork knuckle: “this seemingly incongruous Thai dish is actually a fine example of sanctioned fusion food. Germans have been coming to Thailand for many years. Thais love to drink beer – matter of fact, much of the beer in Thailand is based on German brew… So the German beer garden concept has really taken hold here. German food, too.”
You won’t find any tough, over-salted pork knuckle at Sühring. Forget any preconceived notions of heavy, rustic fare; here, traditional German dishes are reimagined with elegance, precision, and a lightness of touch that transcends borders.
The tasting menu – or ‘Sühring Erlebnis’ – is a journey. Signature dishes like their spätzle (soft egg noodles), served with aged parmesan or seasonal truffles, were once the talk of the town, and are still just as delicious. The Brotzeit bread service showcases their dedication to craft and a sense of old school generosity – homemade sourdough and soft pretzel is served with spreads including Oldenburger butter, schmalz, and obatzda cheese dip, accompanied by pickles and dry-aged beef. You could leave happy after this course alone, quite frankly, but to do so would be to miss out on Grandma’s Eggnog, served in miniature bottles based on their grandmother’s recipe and just delightful.
That sense of the familial is peppered throughout an evening at Sühring. Set within a beautifully restored 1970s villa, dining here feels like being welcomed into a very stylish, food-loving German home (and one that charges you several hundred pounds just as you’re getting up to leave). The villa itself is actually an integral part of the experience, offering four distinct dining spaces. After something intimate? Get yourself in the Living Room. Something sun-drenched for you, sir? The Glass House is where you should head. Or, if you don’t like talking to your partner, the Kitchen offers counter seating where you can watch the chefs tweezering with studied silence.
Service is bright and knowledgeable, with dish explainers that you actually want to listen to rather than stab your eyes out with your knife. That knife is a serious business, it should said; a whole selection of blades is presented for your meat course, for diners to choose from. It’s a nice performative touch.
All in all, Sühring is quite possibly the best ‘European’ fine dining experience in the city, and that third star feels well deserved.
When is Sühring open? Sühring is open for dinner service from Wednesday to Sunday, 5:30pm to 10pm, with lunch available Thursday through Sunday from 12:30pm to 2:30pm. The restaurant remains closed on Mondays and Tuesdays.
Do I need to book in advance? Absolutely essential, this is one of Bangkok’s most sought-after reservations.
How much should I expect to spend? The tasting menu is priced from ฿4,800 for lunch and ฿7,800 for dinner.
Closest BTS/MRT? Chong Nonsi BTS or Lumphini MRT are the nearest, but a taxi is recommended for the final leg into Yen Akat.
Ideal for consistently brilliant Southern Thai food…
‘Do you like spicy?’. The familiar question fired at a farang upon ordering. Sometimes it’s more of a warning: ’very spicy’, or words to that effect. Here, the waiter’s words of caution were conspicuous in their absence; when you come to Khua Kling Pak Sod, you know what you’re letting yourself in for. This is Southern Thai food and as such, unashamedly pungent, ferocious and, best of all, delicious.
The namesake khua kling – a dry pork curry – is unreal. And hot. Abundant ‘rat shit’ chillies are used as garnish and are as forthright as their nickname. All this bravado shouldn’t detract from how good the food is though – it’s brilliant. The blue swimmer crab yellow curry is just masterful. Make sure to order lots of rice to smooth out those rough edges, and you’re set. In a city with new Southern Thai restaurants seemingly opening daily, Khua Kling Pak Sod still stands out as one of the very best.
Ideal for unapologetically traditional Southern Thai cuisine…
In a city approaching Southern Thai saturation point (somewhat ironic to say so straight after Khua Kling), Janhom sets itself apart not through a ‘refined’, ‘elevated’, or any other neutering of the form, but rather through a sheer, unwavering dedication to the traditional way of doing things, both in technique and seasoning.
For over two decades, chef Poonsri ‘Auntie Baew’ Sarikarn has been serving up some of Bangkok’s most uncompromising Southern food from this modest but totally perfect restaurant in Wang Thonglang. We’re loath to say there’s an ethos here, to ponder a ‘culinary philosophy’ as the Chef’s Table strings crank into life – just a commitment to doing things right. So, that’s absolutely no sweetening to accommodate what many Southerners might consider the more tentative tastes of the capital. Instead, Auntie Baew’s versions remain steadfastly true to their Surat Thani roots – bracingly sour, properly salty, and with a chilli heat that’s spicy, sure, but also fruity, exacting and invigorating.
Auntie Baew’s daily ritual of hand-pounding the restaurant’s curry pastes might look labour-intensive in a city increasingly predisposed to the blender or tub, but it provides a depth of flavour and ’roundness’ that simply can’t be replicated with commercial alternatives, forming the backbone of the restaurant’s signature dishes.
The gaeng leung (sour yellow curry) here is as good as it gets (both the dish and life). Have yours with chunks of barramundi, poached in the curry on the bone, and coconut shoots, which have the remarkable ability to soak up all that broth whilst retaining crunch and structural integrity. It’s one of the best curries in the city – assertive but complex, and with enough chilli heat to dust off the very worst of Bangkok hangovers.
The restaurant’s gaeng tai pla (fermented fish guts curry) serves as another benchmark dish, a heady, moody bowl that’s seasoned with the deftest of touches. Forget the fifth taste – Auntie Baew seems to have coaxed out a new form of flavour in her gaeng tai pla, somewhere between earthy and sweet that has my head spinning everytime I eat it.
Something neutral, a crisp counterpoint, is required here, and it comes in the form of the pla tod kamin (deep-fried fish with crispy turmeric and garlic) and the pak liang pad khai (stir-fried melinjo leaves with egg), both of which soothe the most bracing notes of the other dishes orbiting the rice. When all paired together, it’s such a harmonious spread, it grips you and pulls you in, not letting up until the final, gratis chilled watermelon hits the table to cleanse everything that’s just happened.
Do we even need to say that the dining room is fairly basic, or that the beers stand on one of those little stainless steel trolleys next to a bucket of ice, or that the menu is vast, laminated and wipeable? It’s that kind of place, and with all the turmeric involved, the stainless steel, the wipeable menus, and the laid back vibe, are all an absolute necessity. Need we say more?
When is Janhom open? Janhom is open every day from 10am to 9pm.
Do I need to book in advance? The restaurant is large enough and far enough from the city centre that bookings aren’t usually necessary. During weekend lunch service, you might want to, just to be safe.
How much should I expect to spend? ฿500 or so per person, representing exceptional value for such meticulously prepared food.
Closest BTS/MRT? The nearest station is Airport Rail Link – Ramkhamhaeng Station, though not within walking distance. Janhom is somewhat out in the sticks (relatively speaking), so take the opportunity for a well-earned snooze in a taxi to wherever you’re going next.
It’s nearly impossible to talk about seafood experiences in Bangkok without Somboon coming up. Founded in 1969 in a shophouse near Chulalongkorn University, it was here that pu pad pong kari, the fried curry crab that has since become one of the city’s most essential dishes, was made famous. Now sprawling across eight branches, the Surawong Road branch, which opened in 1990 and remains the largest and liveliest of the lot, is the one to visit.
The crab curry is every bit the headliner it’s cracked up to be. Big chunks of white crab meat come smothered in a thick, eggy, turmeric-gold curry sauce, rich and bordering on sickly, but landing just the right side of indulgent. The sweet batons of spring onion do a lot of work here, it has to be said, bringing respite and contrast. You’ll keep going back to it, long after you’ve convinced yourself you’re done. It is, unquestionably, the reason you’re here.
But Somboon is more than a one-dish destination. A raw mud crab salad brings a welcome hit of sharp, bright acidity to cut through all that richness, while the stir fried morning glory, wok-charred and garlicky, does its usual dependable thing. Blood cockles, served simply, are briny and bittersweet. And though the table hardly lacked for richness, deep fried strips of pork neck feel somehow essential, arriving golden and crisp at the edges, salty and yielding within. A table full of food for two, ample cold beer obligatory, and the bill barely caused a wince.
The room itself seats 200-odd and has a canteen-like buzz to it, tour groups and Thai families filling the tables in equal measure. It’s loud, it’s brightly lit and the service moves at a clip. There is nothing remotely pretentious about Somboon, and that’s exactly as it should be. This is a restaurant that has been doing its thing with total conviction for over half a century. The crab curry alone is worth the trip to Surawong Road, but the rest of the menu makes a strong case for ordering widely.
When is Somboon Seafood open? Somboon Seafood (Bang Rak) is open daily from 11am to 10pm, with last orders at 9:30pm.
Do I need to book in advance? It’s not essential, but during peak dinner hours the wait can be significant, so booking ahead is a good idea.
How much should I expect to spend? A generous spread for two with beers comes in surprisingly reasonable – expect to pay around ฿1,500–2,000 (£33–44).
Closest BTS/MRT? Sala Daeng BTS or Sam Yan MRT, both around a 10 to 12 minute walk.
East London’s London Fields is so clouded with clichés that even observing them is something of one. They put Monster Munch on their oysters here, the mad bastards. Their wine is turbid and full of sediment. Perhaps there’s something in the water here. There’s certainly something in the soil…
London Fields – the grassy stretch, not the neighbourhood – is a sprawling plot that dates back to the 16th century. The park’s rather prosaic, quite beautiful name comes from its historical role as a place where farmers would bring their cattle to graze before heading to the city markets. It has transformed over the centuries into South-Central Hackney’s most cherished public space, becoming a byword for the wider area in the process, as well as a certain sensibility, of stripped back swagger, experimentation, and a kind of studied, strained style.
The cows have gone now, replaced with grazing, bathing humans, the latter found at the iconic Lido, an outdoor swimming pool that has been a community staple since 1932, the former in an ever-growing array of cafes, bars, and restaurants that cater to the eclectic tastes of its residents and visitors (they bloody love salty fingers in this part of town).
At the south end of London Fields park, the historic Broadway Market has been a cornerstone of the local community since the 1890s. Originally a bustling marketplace for fresh produce and household goods, Broadway Market has undergone something of a makeover in recent years, with its main drag now dominated by a string of bricks and mortar, food-adjacent operations.
Formerly known simply as ‘The Broadway’, the strip has evolved from its role as the final stretch of a cattle route leading from Essex into the slaughterhouses of London to a fully fledged shopping street and venue of a weekly farmer’s market, with many ups and downs in between. According to Layers of London, “Broadway was a thriving daily market until it declined steeply in the 1970s and 80s. A graffito stated: ‘Broadway Market is not a sinking ship – It’s a submarine. ‘ Recovery began in the 1990s and in 2004 Broadway Market Residents and Traders Association (BMRTA) established a Saturday farmers’ market.”
Fast forward to 2026, and every Saturday, the market explodes into life, its vendors offering everything from ‘gourmet’ street food (with plenty of tasters being handed out on little cocktail sticks) and organic produce to handmade crafts and vintage clothing.
But you can’t make a meal out of these cocktail stick tasters, however useful they are for picking your teeth afterwards, so instead we’re widening our scope to the restaurants both on the Broadway Market strip and the wider London Fields area. There’s plenty of great stuff to eat in this neck of the woods, so let’s get into it; here are the best restaurants in London Fields and Broadway Market.
Miga
On Mare Street, modern Korean restaurant Miga has been making major waves since its 2024 opening. The proud holder of a Bib Gourmand, Miga has been the recipient of several glowing national reviews, and is talked about in Vittles using exalted terms more often reserved exclusively for suya. Even the restaurant themselves talk a big game, with ‘The History Of Miga’ etched on the whitewashed walls outside the restaurant.
It’s a story that began in 1970s Seoul, where the family matriarch sold her own recipe of ox-bone broth. The family’s first UK restaurant opened in New Malden some quarter of a century ago, and their current venture continues to honour their heritage while offering a contemporary take on traditional Korean cuisine. The father’s extensive training under Korean and Japanese master chefs in the 90s is evident in the quality and gentle creativity of the dishes. Come full circle, a version of that broth as a savoury closer is the highlight of a meal at Miga.
Already, the place exudes a familial warmth, with the father attending to the open kitchen and younger family members (chiefly, the two sons) attending to guests in a bright, airy dining room, all shades of simultaneously stark yet soothing whitewash and walnut.
It allows attention to fall on the food, and a tight menu that features soul-stirring dishes like soy-braised short ribs and sticky glass noodles with crispy beef jeon, sanchaeg bibimbab topped with vegetables selected for their crunch and freshness, and a soy vinaigrette, and cucumber and spinach rolls with a miso sauce.
The ox bone broth is, unsurprisingly, also ace; a real restorative number blessed with generations of seasoning. Perhaps our favourite dish, though, is the spiced beef tartare, lifted and lightened with slivers of pear, all pulled together with a soy cured egg yolk.
It’s thoughtful, it’s interesting, and it’s downright delicious, a world away from your YORIs and the rest. Also of note, though Miga was first trading without a liquor licence, they now do beer, wine and soju. Rejoice!
Another Broadway Market beauty, Chakana is the second act of the popular Birmingham restaurant of the same name. Serving up photogenic plates of precision engineered Peruvian food and drinks from Europe’s most extensive range of pisco, it shouldn’t come as a huge surprise that Chakana has already hit its stride in the capital. The kitchen is headed up by chef Robert Ortiz, who previously earned Lima London its Michelin star, the first Peruvian restaurant in Europe to be bestowed with the honour.
A ceviche of thick, pronounced dice of seabream bedded deep in a bowl of house tiger milk is one of many highlights. Singing with just-squeezed lime, coriander and chilli, it’s masterfully balanced. Equally good, slices of raw Orkney scallop in a comedically vivid dragon fruit tiradito was sweet, refreshing and just a little intriguing.
You can read our full review of Chakana London here.
We wish they’d let us know about the pronunciation sooner, as we’d been going around calling it ‘S-you-n’ until we heard…
Anyway, the proposition at Sune, however you want to say it, has all the hallmarks, superficially at least, of an increasingly ubiquitous kind of London restaurant; somewhere with pockets of pleasure that ultimately ends up being incoherent and unsatisfying. The whole ‘wine bar that happens to do food’ thing going on. A restless, globe trotting menu with the threat of too much umami (too-mami?) lingering across it. There’s no central character around which the other dishes should orbit. There’s a danger that things are going to get confusing, fast..
But make the journey south over the bridge from Broadway Market onto Regent’s Canal, and you’ll be richly rewarded with a meal that does end up making perfect sense. That Sune is coherent shouldn’t actually come as a surprise; there’s plenty of pedigree behind the restaurant, with esteemed sommelier and natural wine enthusiast Honey Spencer and ex-Noma manager Charlie Sims leading things from the front, and former-Pidgin chef Michael Robins at the stoves out back, putting his delicate touch to dishes like pork, fig and cashew nut terrine with apple mostarda and pickles, or fried quail with harissa yoghurt and smoked apricot.
Really, any disparate elements here are pulled together by the impeccable winelist. Sune is named after Honey Spencer’s mentor Sune Rosforth, a renowned sommelier, signalling the restaurant’s dedication to the good stuff, first and foremost. The wine list is predominantly natural, featuring around a dozen types by the glass, starting a just £7 for a very nice 2022 Artefact #2 Tempranillo from Toledo. Spencer has also curated a selection of low-intervention kombucha-style brews for those not on the sauce.
That pork terrine from a paragraph or two previous currently features on a remarkably good value set lunch menu, featuring two courses for £25 or three for £29. If you don’t mind a double porking, you can follow that terrine with a dish of pork loin, grilled greens and lobster sauce. They’re missing a trick not having pork in their set menu dessert, too, but the affogato is bracing and lovely.
Finally, and kicking off at 11:30am each Sunday, the Sune brunch is popular and really, really nothing like your usual eggs on toast and the rest. There’s half lobster tails with calamansi lime and redcurrant, scallop ceviche with plum and salted chilli, cucumber salad with lavender and holy basil, and a reuben sandwich with dairy beef tartare laying across its surface. Yes, it’s idiosyncratic and at times inexplicable. But somehow, in their capable hands, it works.
North of London Fields, in the railway arches that form a rusty labyrinth beyond Broadway Market, is Yuki Bar – a tight, moody Japanese wine bar that’s quickly become an after-hours institution with the hospitality crowd. Former Noma and P. Franco (two joints that are catnip to said crowd) sommelier Yukiyasu Kaneko opened this 20-seat spot in early 2024, creating a space where industry folk and curious locals converge around a horseshoe counter.
The low bar places guests eye-level with the kitchen team, while overhead trains occasionally rattle bottles and conversation. J-pop cuts through any silence, though there’s rarely much of that as Kaneko pours rare finds and shares stories of producers.
The chalkboard menu changes frequently but maintains a confident simplicity. Eggs with sesame mayo for a fiver. Beef rump tataki at £13. £6.50 for leek and girolle miso soup. Crown prince squash with sesame, £6.50. It reads like poetry – sparse and purposeful, and absurdly good value in this city, in this economy.
The kitchen’s touch is gentle but assured, allowing ingredients to speak clearly. For something more substantial, pork belly braised in Guinness or a chicken hot pot lifted and freshened with a little ponzu both keep the nourishing, restorative theme going. Always finish with grilled onigiri in dashi £9.50 – rice cakes with crisp edges and a soul-warming broth.
The Japanese comfort food might feel fairly easy to pin down, but it tastes fucking great, giving space to a wine selection that defies easy categorisation, except in its quality and Kaneko’s evident passion. His recommendations come with context rather than pretension, making even the most esoteric bottle feel accessible.
Yuki Bar punctures London’s homogeneous wine bar scene with Japanese inflection and genuine character. Sunday evenings have become particularly special – the counter filled with chefs and waiters on their night off, glass in hand, winding down before another week begins.
Broadway Market’s Koya Ko – here since 2021 – is positioned as the more casual, faster-paced “little sister” to Koya Soho and their City branch, with a whip-smart ordering system and focus on tachi-gui (or, ‘vertical dining’) that encourages punters to stand whilst slurping back a bowl of noodles rather than settle in for the long haul.
images via @KoyaKoHackney
Indeed, whilst Koya Ko is very much tailored to the needs of speed and efficiency, the same love and attention to both noodle and broth that the brand has become known for remains, and the breakfast – served from 10am at the weekends – is as good as ever.
The Triple Pickle remains one of London’s finest pick-me-ups that doesn’t arrive via a ZipLoc. Instead, a bowl of udon noodles, slippery and silky, soft and chewy, is dressed with pickled beetroot and wakame, as well as soy cured chillies, bringing bites that soothe and invigorate in equal quantities. Yours for £12, and only served (as with all the breakfast dishes) until 11:45am.
Not to worry if you pitch up a little later; from midday onwards the larger lunch and dinner menu is in operation, with great value udon and rice bowls taking centre stage. The tempura prawn udon is as good as ever, and remains one of our favourite prawn dishes in London. Pair it with a glass of warmed choya umeshu – that complex, delicious ume plum liquor – and enjoy a moment of well-deserved mono no aware, as the steam from both mists up your glasses and you gently contemplate what to do with the rest of your day.
Chef Max Rocha wears his influences proudly. His time at St John Bread and Wine is there in Cafe Cecilia’s austere plates that celebrate beige, brown and yellow in all their illustrious shades, and in the bare bones dining room, dark wood dining chairs, whitewashed walls, chalkboard and all.
Rocha’s stint at the River Cafe is also clear, with a recent dish of rabbit cavatelli as good as we’ve had out west on Rainville Road. His Dublin roots are represented too, with gusto, in the now iconic Guinness bread ice cream, sometimes scooped over another showstopping sweet treat, the Cafe Cecilia deep-fried bread and butter pudding. Both embody the cafe’s commitment to making just a few ingredients truly sing. Both are fucking delicious.
All this minimalism could come across as style over substance if the cooking wasn’t so precise and on point. We certainly wouldn’t blame you for making that assumption; as son of John Rocha and sister of Simone, both designers, Max Rocha has a deeply ingrained connection to the world of fashion and a keen sense of composition. Fortunately, he’s put those familial sensibilities to good use in contriving suave plates that never sacrifice on flavour.
And true to the inclusive nature of the name, Cafe Cecillia is open for breakfast on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, between 9am and 10:45am. We’re still dreaming about the marinated, blackened peaches and goats curd on toast we had there recently. Yours for just £9.50.
We fear that we’ve been venturing further and further south on our tour of the best places to eat in London Fields, and that we’re starting to take liberties with the title. So, we’re heading back up through the park, exiting at Martello Street, and making for e5 Bakehouse. Founded by Ben Mackinnon in the spring of 2010, and now well into its second decade, it’s never been more popular.
The bakery’s beginnings were humble. Mackinnon, once a sustainability consultant specialising in renewable energy systems, decided to shift gears and pursue his passion for baking. After a short course in sourdough bread-making at the School of Artisan Food, he set up a clay oven in the corner of a railway arch and started making bread. What began as a modest bakery soon flourished, thanks to the support of local chefs and the wider community who were drawn in by the smell of just baked loaves, a bit like Mickey Mouse following his nose to a freshly baked pumpkin pie sitting on a window sill.
The use of heritage grains is central to the baking here, and it’s well apparent in the deep, nourishing undertone of the bread at e5. The sustainability thing isn’t just marketing here; e5 Bakehouse is certified organic by the Soil Association, the bakery pays the London living wage, and all of the power used at the bakery is sourced from renewable energy sources, including at Fellows Farm, which is off-grid and uses an electric van to deliver produce to the Bakehouse. Nicely done.
All this needs to be backed up by an amazing product, of course, and e5 Bakehouse more than delivers on that front, whether it’s in the absurdly moreish E5 Cheese Toastie that deploys tangy Keen’s cheddar, melty mozzarella, Glastonbury salted butter and spicy housemade vegan kimchi, or the famous, indulgent scrambled eggs doused in more of that raw, cultured butter. Of course, it’s the excellent bread that anchors both of these creations, but the bakery does excellent sweet stuff too. A late summer black and red currant galette recently was a revelation.
Unsurprisingly, the morning pastries are gold-standard. Pick them up on weekdays from 7:30am and at the weekend from 8am. There’s plenty of seating inside this surprisingly cavernous space, and great coffee, too, if you prefer to dine in.
Check out the team’s Poplar Bakehouse in Tower Hamlets while you’re here. An extension of the Just Bread refugee training programme that they ran in collaboration with the Refugee Council until 2017, the aim of this cafe and coffee roastery, which is now also a shop and bakery, us to employ and train people from refugee communities whilst investing profits back into projects which support and welcome refugees arriving in the UK.
Next up, we’re crossing Lamb Lane for a quick pitstop at Green Papaya, whose Xi’anese (Chinese Xi’an province and Vietnamese) cuisine has been gaining a devoted following in this corner of Hackney in recent years.
Start your meal here with an order of cha la lot – minced beef and pork wrapped in betel leaves and grilled, served with rice vermicelli, lettuce and herbs. The subtle, peppery flavour of the leaves (actually wild piper not ‘betel’, but who’s getting pedantic?) once smokey from the grill is intoxicating.
Don’t stop there. Any of the spicy noodles from the ‘Xi’an Noodles’ section of the menu will make you happy. Our go-to order is the Mount Qi pork noodles – think chunks of pork belly sautéed in a spicy sauce, tossed with our house chilli oil and Sichuan peppercorns, served with soya tofu and mixed with noodles. This bowl’s beautiful mélange of flavours and textures is worth a visit alone.
They also serve up satisfying bowls of pho. We’ve written more about the restaurant in our guide to the best pho in London. Do check it out.
Tomos Parry is one of London’s most celebrated chefs, praised just about everywhere for his mastery of open-fired grilling, inspired by Northern Spain’s Basque country and his Welsh roots, at Brat.
Before that, Parry was earning plaudits for bringing fresh energy to legendary restaurant Kitty Fisher’s, and before that before that, he won the Young British Chef of the year at the YBF Awards in 2014 for his cooking at Climpson’s Arch in London Fields. Parry has come full circle then, with the second iteration of his Michelin-starred restaurant Brat. It’s a satisfying career trajectory, and also a satisfying way to finish this article, so there you go…
Now, when someone mentions ‘the second Brat’, they’re probably referring to the Charli XCX’s remix album, but it wasn’t always that way. Four years ago, it was a different story; Brat x Climpson’s Arch originally opened as a winter pop-up in 2020, but its overwhelming popularity swiftly secured its permanence.
The restaurant is named after the traditional Northumbrian word for turbot, reflecting its homage to simple yet profound culinary roots, and is further emphasised by the elemental (see: ‘wood-fired’) focus of the cooking here.
The menu at Brat x Climpson’s Arch epitomises British seasonal cooking with a focus on high-quality ingredients. Signature dishes include whole crab with hay butter, roasted chicken rice, and the star attraction, grilled turbot, which is a must-try. The big, beautiful fish kinda exemplifies Parry’s ethos: unadorned, high-quality food cooked under unpredictable conditions to a type of no-one-plate-is-the-same perfection.
The dining space continues this sensibility arguably even more succinctly than the original warehouse in Shoreditch vibe, with a large covered courtyard ideally suited for al fresco dining, and an indoor space featuring a long bar for walk-ins.
Sure, Brat has been so hyped – so imitated – that its initial impact has been somewhat lessened. But this second, more laid back version has arguably breathed new life into the concept. Think we might be talking about the album again, but…
Now, we wish someone would breathe similar new life into us – after such an extensive eating tour of London Fields’ best restaurants, we’re ready to die. Fortunately, Bunhill Fields is just down the road.
