Bangkok is an impressively stunning modern city that perfectly combines old and new in itself. When I was there, I was fortunate to visit three of the five best Bangkok’s restaurants. Sadly enough, it was only a three-day trip, but I will definitely go back there once again at least to visit the rest of the restaurants from the list.
1. Vertigo and Moon Bar
At the top of our list is a restaurant called Vertigo and Moon Bar located on the 61st floor of the Banyan Tree hotel. The roof is divided into two zones – the restaurant itself and the bar area. The first thing that catches your attention when you go up on the roof is that there’s absolutely nothing above you. You can enjoy magnificent Thai sunsets to the full 360 degrees. Because of a big rush, you should book a table in advance.
Also, if you’re travelling in the low season (from June through November) and want to take a taxi to the restaurant, I’d strongly recommend you to call the Banyan Tree beforehand. The rooftop restaurant can be closed on rainy days and you may end up sitting in an enclosed area.
One more tip is not to forget about the dress code, as men’s open-toe sandals, gym clothes, backpacks, and shorts are non-acceptable. Prices at Vertigo and Moon Bar are above average because the restaurant is located in a 5-star hotel. It is worth every penny, though.
This restaurant is somewhat special for me because we celebrated my parents’ dating anniversary there. Vertigo is just the right place for events of this kind.
Above all, you absolutely should taste the Grilled lavrak (an ocean-going fish) with a spicy citrus dressing and complement it all by a cocktail from the Moon Bar. And of course, don’t forget to take a late-night Bangkok selfie there!
2. Mezzaluna
Mezzaluna is located on the 65th floor of the Lebua Hotel. An interesting fact: the Sky Bar that is situated here as well was once featured in a Hollywood film called “The Hangover Part II”. The dress code is quite strict here, too. After all, it’s a two Michelin Stars-awarded restaurant. When my family and I were celebrating my aunt’s birthday, we saw one guest wearing open-toe shoes, and they didn’t let him in. He had to buy at least loafers in the nearest shop to join the party. This is precisely why it is important to dress appropriately for any occasion.
One more piece of advice from me is to be careful with alcohol in such places. It is easy to get drunk on two glasses of sparkling wine while waiting for your appetizers and the main course. This is exactly what happened to us. One of my relatives mixed up men’s room with the ladies’ room and then fell down the stairs. Thanks to the attentive staff, he got up quickly, and everything was fine. An imperturbable waiter that was carrying a tray simply helped my relative get up and went on with his work.
Therefore, don’t go to such places on an empty stomach. Portions of haute cuisine dishes are pretty small because you come to a Michelin restaurant to savor the taste, not to gorge. Moreover, an excellent interior, high service standards, and an enjoyable atmosphere are all worth it. The average check here is $150 per person.
3. Baiyoke Tower II
Baiyoke Tower II is an 88-storey skyscraper where I stayed in. The interior didn’t impress me much, but the view from my room and the restaurant was startling as it is known that the Baiyoke Tower is the second tallest building in the city reaching 309m (1.014ft) in height.
On holidays there’s an option to upgrade your room category, this way my standard room was changed to a luxury one with mini-golf on the 70th floor.
On the 75th floor, you can find a floating market with delicious Thai dishes such as various noodles, seafood, spicy soups, and curry. All the food that can be found there is fresh, and you can eat as much as you want if you pay 35 dollars for a 1.5-hour stay (drinks at an additional cost).
4. Cloud 47 Bar
Funny enough, Cloud 47 is the biggest roof bar in Bangkok situated on the 47th floor. You can find it in an office building in the city center. This place falls under a category of cheap bars, but cheap doesn’t necessarily mean bad. Starting from 8 p.m. and right until midnight there’s an orchestra playing here live. I didn’t catch a chance to visit this place, yet I have a strong intention to. Listening to live music and sipping Sauvignon Blanc or any cocktail that can be found in an extensive list of bar’s drinks sounds like a lovely pastime to me.
5. The Speakeasy Rooftop Bar in the Hotel Muse
As I mentioned before, Bangkok successfully combines old and new. The Speakeasy bar is perfect for jazz lovers like me. If you’re fond of smooth jazz, classic interior design, experimenting with alcohol, and want to find out what your ancestors used to drink, this place is for you. Here you can taste the cocktails that our ancestors used to drink at the beginning of the last century!
The bar is endowed with numerous halls and even includes a cigar lounge. I would love to visit the Speakeasy bar especially for its jazz sessions and old-fashioned cocktails.
