Using the Guide

Bilingual Listings

The reviews of Bangkok’s best restaurants are listed alphabetically. The address and name
of each restaurant is also written in Thai, which usually proves useful if you are taking a
taxi.

Type of Cuisine/Signature Dishes

Each restaurant has specified the type of cuisine it serves and most have nominated a few
specialities of the house. These dishes are normally served daily, although their availability
may be subject to periodic menu changes and seasonal variations.

Map Reference

The majority of the Bangkok restaurants in this guide are located in three districts:
Petchburi, Silom and Sukhumvit. Maps of these areas can be found after the review section.
To find a restaurant on the map, note the reference and page numbers listed in the sidebar
of the review, and then turn to the respective map. The restaurants are pinpointed on each
map in alphabetical order: P1 indicates that the restaurant is number 1 on the Petchburi
map; S2 means number 2 on the Silom map; SU3 means number 3 on the Sukhumvit map,
and so on.

Dress Code

An indication of suitable attire at each restaurant is listed.

Set Menu/Buffets/Brunch

A number of Bangkok restaurants serve set menus as well as a la carte, and some
restaurants have buffets. Set menus and buffets are a convenient introduction to an
unfamiliar cuisine.

Vegetarian Dishes

Most restaurants in Bangkok offer a selection of non-meat dishes, or they are available
on request. We give some indication of the vegetarian choice available, but it should be
noted that fats and fish extracts may have been used in the cooking. When visiting a
restaurant, to be sure of ordering food with no animal content, request aharn jay. This is a
term used by Thai vegetarians and is universally understood by waiters and chefs.

No Smoking

It is illegal to smoke in an air-conditioned restaurant. Smoking is however allowed in
open-air areas and some restaurants do provide tables outside for smokers.

INDEXES

Restaurants are listed alphabetically by cuisine type and by name.

Credit Cards

The credit cards accepted by each restaurant are listed abbreviated as follows:

Ratings

Thailand’s best restaurants have been rated in four key areas – food, wine, service and price – to provide a quick and easy reference. Each restaurant was reviewed anonymously on one occasion during the compilation of this guide. The final ratings are a result of the reviewers’ reports, plus the general recommendations of our expert editorial panel. The ratings are displayed at the bottom of each review through the use of easy symbols. Food, wine and service are rated on a scale of one to 10, while price is rated on a scale of one to four.

Rating	Food	Wine	Service
The very best	10-9	10-9	10-9
Excellent	8-7	8-7	8-7
Very good	6-5	6-5	6-5
Fair	4-3	4-3	4-3
Good	2-1	2-1	2-1

Price

	Very expensive (more than 1,500 baht per person)
	Expensive (1,000-1,500 baht per person)
	Moderate (500-1,000 baht per person)
	Inexpensive (less than 500 baht per person)

Glossary of Culinary Terms

The glossary contains a description of various culinary terms and translations of local
dishes to help you understand an unfamiliar menu.

Time of Day

Most of the Western-style or fine-dining restaurants are closed between lunch and dinner but noodle shops and cafes are open all day — and some even all night. If you find yourself hungry at 4pm, head to a shopping mall or a hotel where afternoon tea sets are very popular. For the more adventurous, the city’s streets are home to countless food stalls offering a mind-boggling array of noodle and rice dishes to grilled meats. Dinner hour here is 7pm. Book ahead to ensure a decent table. If joining local co-workers or friends, know that 15 minutes past the agreed meeting time is considered “on time” in Bangkok.

Tipping

A 10 percent service charge is added to nearly all restaurant and bar bills. Whether you want to add an extra tip is entirely up to you and depends on your satisfaction with the quality of the service. The guidelines below can be used to determine if an additional percentage should be added to the service charge.

A Dood Waiter

• Senses your mood and tailors the service to suit
• Is invisible, unsmellable and unflappable
• Is intelligent, flexible and passionate
• Helps celebrities feel normal and normal people feel like celebrities
• Makes you feel better than when you arrived
• Should be tipped to encourage such skills to stay in the industry

Local Flavour

Some restaurants may be cold, so it is advisable to take a wrap. Staff will usually be more deferential to men than women. Don’t be surprised if men receive menus first, and they will always be handed the bill. Check the information box of each restaurant review for specific information about car valet, drinking water, corkage charge and other amenities.