The Bangkok eating experience is truly unique. There is no where else in the world that you will be offered the same diverse range of eating venues in such a wonderfully exotic setting. Whether you want to indulge in a river cruise dining experience or you just want a quick snack from one of the many street side vendors; Bangkok has everything you could desire.

BANGKOK STREET FOOD

One of the many opportunities to be had whilst you travel around Bangkok is the chance to sample some incredibly good, authentic Thai food from the numerous street vendors. You will find many of these stalls along the sois, in the market places, many of the food courts and just about anywhere a stall can be situated.

Hygiene on these food stalls is fairly good, although there are a few basic things to remember just to make sure that what you are eating is alright. If you are going to buy food from a street stall try to make sure that you buy it at lunchtime – although the food is cooked freshly if you buy it in the late afternoon or evening, chances are that the food has been standing out in the heat of the day. Most of the time you will see the food cooked in front of you – so you know it isn’t just kept warm. If you are having a dish that is stir-fried make sure that the oil being used is not darkened or thick. You should be fine with soup that has been boiled but we advise that you avoid anything with ice as you can not be sure of the origin of the water used. You should also avoid any food that is raw, mainly because you can’t be sure that the food hasn’t been washed in contaminated water. As long as you are careful, then you should be fine.

One of the delicacies you really should try is Kanom Krok, coconut hotcakes that are a firm favourite of the street food on offer. Fresh fruit like pineapple, papaya and watermelon is always available and incredibly cheap. There is an abundance of noodle stalls, Pak Thai is a dish of fried noodles with plenty of vegetables and usually tofu. There are plenty of rice dishes with various curry’s or fried meats available at drastically lowered prices compared to the restaurants.

BANGKOK FOOD COURTS

One of the popular things to do in Bangkok is shopping and as a result there have been many modern shopping malls built in the city. Wherever there is a shopping mall there also rends to be a food court. The food courts are usually a blend of the generic westernized food chains and the quirky Thai stalls. While the atmosphere may be a little lacking at times, the quality and price of the food is incredible. Most food courts work on a voucher system whereby you buy a set of vouchers/tokens for what you want to eat. Don’t worry if you don’t use them all on the day of purchase, most of the food courts allow you to redeem the value of any vouchers that you don’t use.

FOOD COURTS

The Emporium shopping centre on the Sukhumvit Road Soi 24, is a great place to get something to eat. While it does have its more mainstream food outlets like KFC that appeals to Western tourists, it also has a good mix of Thai influenced food outlets. However it is the top floor that makes this shopping centre unique. The Emporium has some of the best pastry and cake shops, including Café Lenotre, Bakerzyn and Le Gourmet.
Skytrain: Prom Phong.

The district of Chitlom has Central Department Store as the main food court. The food area in the store is known as ‘The Loft’ and it has an incredibly modern and sleek finish. Instead of the voucher system, The Loft uses a plastic card system. There is a real variety of food available, everything from Italian, Thai and Japanese to American food outlets.
Skytrain: Chitlom.

The Mah Boon Krong (MBK) Center on Phayathai Road is one of the largest shopping malls in Bangkok. The food court here has over 150 eating establishments offering a variety of cuisines and pricing structures.
Skytrain: National Stadium.

Ratchadamri Road’s Central World Plaza (also known as the World Trade Center) is Bangkok’s largest mall in the downtown area. There are plenty of food outlets dotted throughout the mall.
Skytrain: Chitlom.

AFTERNOON TEA

One of the indulgent delights that Bangkok has to offer its visitors is the ‘tradition’ of afternoon tea. There are so many sumptuous hotels like The Oriental, the Shangri-La and the Sukhothai Hotel. With beautiful settings along the riverside and the cool luxurious feel of these 5 star hotels, afternoon tea truly does become an art form. From delicate finger foods to completely sinful traditional English cream teas there is much to choose from. You can escape the heat of the Bangkok afternoon and relax in the air-conditioned hotel’s, or you can sit out on the numerous terrace areas overlooking the Chao Phraya river and watch the Bangkok world go by.
Most of the hotels serve tea between about 2pm to 6pm and the prices vary accordingly.

BANGKOK DINNER SHOWS

One of the essential things to do while in Bangkok is go to one of the traditional Thai dinner dances. The elaborate and intricate dance movements and the evocative musical accompaniment are a unique experience and one not to be missed. The performances are completely captivating with the slow, graceful motion of the dancers and the exquisite colours and silks of the costumes, it is a complete visual delight enhanced by the fragrant food you have been served.

There are several very good places to go to in Bangkok for a traditional Thai dinner show. Most notably there is the Chao Phraya Cultural Centre, the Sala Rim Naam (part of The Oriental hotel), the Supatra River House, Salathip (Shangri- La Hotel) and Piman.