Check out my Bangkok, Thailand travel blog post part two! Continuing from where I left off in my last blog post on Bangkok! This post features some dynamic eats and drinks from the vibrant Chinatown and Thonglor neighborhoods, which ended up being my favorite neighborhoods in Bangkok. Chinatown is also near the major Buddhist temples and the famous reclining Buddha sculpture, Wat Pho. Thonglor is a pretty hip area with a lot of coffee shops and bars that has a youthful energy.

Charmgang, Chinatown

For New Years Day, I had a reservation for Charmgang after reading about how good their curries are. It’s a charming spot tucked away in Chinatown with bright-colored walls. They didn’t have a lot of vegetarian options so we had the red fish curry and it was incredible. It was spicy and they were surprised that we finished it but the depth of flavors were just mesmerizing. We also had a crab omelet, which was a perfect complement to the spicy curry. It was creamy, soft, and mild. Their dessert was also excellent and unique – we had a mini Thai coconut crepe that came with a refreshing ice cream. I don’t recommend this spot for vegetarians but it’s great for pescatarians.

Hong Sieng Kong, Chinatown

Since we were in Chinatown, we decided to check out Hong Sieng Kong – a charming and large indoor/outdoor café with many beverages and snacks. We had their tea and it was a bit too sweet for us but I would go to just experience the gorgeous ambience and river views. They also sometimes have live music. 

Tep Bar – Cultural Bar of Thailand, Chinatown

Since we were hanging out in Chinatown, we decided to check out Tep Bar, which is a bit hidden but oh so charming. It is a dimly lit spot with traditional Thai music, cocktails, and food. They have a vegetarian section on menu with excellent tofu options so you can try some Thai classics without eating meat or seafood. Their Larb Tod featuring spicy tofu balls was so satiating. The Kao Kreab Wow – a crispy rice cracker was excellent accompanied with the sweet and spicy chili paste. Their cocktails were also quite an experience – they were out of some of the classic ones. We tried the Sato Bangma – a black sticky rice wine – a bit sweet for my tastes but still worth trying. Make sure to get a reservation as it’s a popular spot. 

Celadon, Sathon

Located in the Sukothai Hotel, Celadon is a gorgeous restaurant featuring authentic Thai food served in an elegant way. The service was excellent and they had a vegetarian section on their menu (though not very big). When we arrived they served us complementary lemon drop beverages to start our meal off. We started with the mushroom dumplings which were out of this world delicious and loved the umami-forward sauce. The vegetable curry was good but lacked a depth of flavor that the fish curry had.

If you’re pescatarian, I would definitely order the fish curry as it’s insanely delicious and spicy. The stir-fried morning glory was simple, yet super flavorful with that satisfying smoky flavor. We concluded with their mango sticky rice but I’ve honestly had better mango sticky rice. It was still good but I had better ones from street vendors for 1/3^rd of the price. The charm of this spot is worth going to as they have authentic Thai dancing and music. 

Smalls, Silom

If you’re looking for a more casual, retro rooftop vibe, then this is the place to be. Smalls is a multi-level distinctive and fun bar. Each floor has its own distinctive vibe and feel. The first floor is fun and social, the second floor is more intimate and the third floor is a cool rooftop. They have classic cocktails like negronis and have an extensive absinthe list. The drinks were also not too sweet so we were happy with our bitter negronis. 

We happened to luck out and there was a Gallery pizza pop-up on the rooftop. We couldn’t help but order a pizza after how delicious it smelled. The truffle mushroom pizza was absolutely divine! It was heavenly and while we had a nice break from cheese in Thailand since it’s not in a lot of food there, we were happy to eat some cheesy pizza.

Sky Bar, Sathon

We stayed in the Banyan Tree Bangkok for our last night and had to check out the famous Sky Bar as it’s one of Thailand’s largest rooftop bars. It’s on the 63^rd floor and has the most gorgeous views of all the rooftop bars we went to in Bangkok. By the time we went up there, we were done drinking for the night but enjoyed just walking around and taking in the views. 

Area One Coffee, Silom

This little, quick coffee shop stand is charming and has excellent cold brew and lattes! They have unique lattes that you can’t find in the states and they are relatively fast too! It’s part of a bustling area with plenty of street food and a vast day market.

Eureka Saladaeng, Silom

Located in a bustling part of Bangkok with many street vendors, Eureka is a break from the intensity of the crowded markets. They have nitro cold brew and nitro Thai tea on tap! Both were excellent and had the perfect balance of sweetness and bitterness for us. They also have plenty of snacks that looked appetizing, which we didn’t get to try unfortunately because we were saving ourselves for vegetarian Khao Soi.

Khun Churn, Ekkamai

It was our last day in Bangkok so we had to try some vegetarian food! I realized that it was much harder to find Khao Soi without meat than I anticipated so we specifically came to this spot for Khao Soi. Khun Churn is extremely affordable and has a vast menu of vegetarian and vegan versions of hearty and healthy Thai dishes. Their Kao Soi was crispy and comforting but it didn’t have as much of a depth of flavor that I have had in other Thai curries. We did love their tofu larb (usually made with pork) – it was extremely flavorful with that crispy rice texture mixed in. Another standout was the Pad Prik Khing featuring stir fried soy chunks in a spicy and delicious chili paste sauce with green beans.

theCommons BKK, Thonglor

While Bangkok has plenty of bustling malls, theCommons is an indoor/outdoor community space with cute shops and plenty of food and drink options. There was organic wine, a dog treat/food store, a Japanese highball cocktail bar, and so much more! We were stuffed from our meal earlier so we got some restorative juices from Pash. The vibe was relaxed and I loved all of the plants.

Hungry for more travel blog posts? Check them out here. My blog post on Phuket will be coming out soon!