There’s only one country I love more than the one I call home, and that’s Thailand. I first visited the country on a solo trip in my mid-20s, and that holiday transformed my life. While I wasn’t roughing it, I certainly wasn’t earning the big bucks, but the incredible street food convinced me I would return.
Over the years, I’ve had the fattest, most delicious prawns in Ko Chang, sensational noodles in Bangkok, and fabulous cocktails in the Phi Phi Islands.
Since the Michelin Guide first arrived in Thailand in 2017, Bangkok has rapidly established itself as one of Asia’s most dynamic gastronomic capitals. Today, the city boasts more than 30 Michelin-starred restaurants, ranging from contemporary interpretations of Thai cuisine to international tasting menus executed with remarkable precision. At the same time, many of these establishments feature prominently on Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants list, further cementing Bangkok’s reputation among the world’s culinary elite.
So, after years of not being back in Bangkok, I was excited to visit some of the city’s most celebrated fine-dining restaurants in dazzling and unique locations. What makes the city’s haute-cuisine landscape so compelling is the way chefs – both local and international – draw deeply from Thailand’s culinary heritage while pushing the boundaries of technique and presentation.
Unlike other countries where a star means you feel intimidated by the choreography of staff and wine lists akin to biblical tomes, the masters of fine dining in Bangkok serve up magic with class, warmth, and humility.
These three restaurants each offer distinct visions of contemporary gastronomy, while sharing a commitment to storytelling and an unwavering respect for flavour.
Nusara
An intimate, deeply personal tribute to Thai heritage
Our first stop kicked things off with a spectacular “Sawasdee kha”!
Tucked discreetly into Bangkok’s historic old town, Nusara offers one of the city’s most intimate and emotionally resonant dining experiences. Located opposite the majestic Wat Pho temple, the restaurant blends breathtaking views with a deeply personal culinary narrative led by celebrated Thai chef Thitid “Ton” Tassanakajohn. Ranked sixth on Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants and 35 on The World’s 50 Best Restaurants list in 2025, Nusara has firmly positioned Chef Ton among Thailand’s most influential culinary voices.
The restaurant is named after his grandmother, whose cooking forms the foundation of the tasting menu. Each dish reinterprets traditional Thai recipes through refined modern technique while preserving the soul of the original flavours.
After being welcomed with a cocktail that uses indigenous Thai ingredients such as pandan, makrut lime, and tropical fruits, we were ushered into Chef Ton’s kitchen, where he talked us through the two journeys we were about to experience. Beforehand, a bottle of Krug Grand Cuvée 173ème Édition was opened to signify the start of our culinary expedition.
The menu reads like a tribute to Thai heritage. Delicate seafood, aromatic herbs, and vibrant chilli pastes are transformed into dishes that feel simultaneously nostalgic and contemporary. Critics frequently describe Nusara’s cuisine as deeply personal Thai fine cuisine – cooking that honours tradition while embracing innovation.
I loved that the Nusara team tricked us into taking photos for “their records”, but at the end of the night, we were each presented with a framed copy of the photo with the temple as a backdrop. This is what I mean when I say, the future of fine dining is in talented, welcoming, and warm hands.
Potong
A multi-sensory journey through Thai-Chinese identity
Few restaurants in Bangkok have a story as layered and personal as Potong. For starters, it is located in a historic five-storey building that once served as Chef Pichaya “Pam” Soontornyanakij’s childhood home and her family’s Chinese herbal medicine shop.
On a postcard note that comes with the menu, there’s a dedication to her great-grandparents, in which Chef Pam explains: “People ask me why I chose to have a restaurant here, right in the middle of Chinatown, where the roads are small, and the walls are old. I tell them it’s because of this building that you built to last, with so many details and memories.”
The 12-course menu is named after the principles they instilled in her: heart and soul (pork tongue, rolled rice noodle, and caviar), humble (14-day aged duck), while the menu starts with ‘mission’ (cured lard with rose wine).
My friend El-Shebah and I had a table for two in the gorgeous dining room enveloped in blue leopard print wallpaper. Across from us, a mother-daughter duo – the young girl must’ve been about six years old – in matching red outfits brought homely atmosphere that Chef Pam and her team infuse into her childhood home. That heritage forms the emotional backbone of one of the city’s most exciting fine dining experiences. Named Asia’s Best Female Chef by the World’s 50 Best Restaurants, Chef Pam’s menu reflects her Thai-Chinese heritage, weaving together family memories, cultural history, and contemporary technique.
Potong holds one Michelin star and has drawn international acclaim not only for its cuisine, but also for Chef Pam’s remarkable achievements. Each course follows her five elements and five senses philosophy, balancing flavour and texture to create a multi-sensory dining journey.
Front-of-house staff Angie and Celina added humour, history, and pure joy into every course we had. After ending the meal with Bordeaux’s most legendary dessert wine, Château d’Yquem, we took the steep stairs to the rooftop, where funky music, beautiful people, and the humid Bangkok skyline were the perfect way to say “khop khun kha” for one of the most extraordinary meals of my life.
Sühring
Modern German cuisine meets Bangkok sophistication
Led by twin brothers Thomas and Mathias Sühring, the restaurant has earned the pinnacle of Michelin stars and remains one of Bangkok’s most celebrated fine dining establishments. Born and raised in Germany, the twins trained in some of Europe’s most prestigious kitchens before eventually settling in Thailand, where they opened Sühring in 2016, bringing German culinary heritage into dialogue with Bangkok’s cosmopolitan dining culture. “We define our cuisine as very seasonal and product-driven; we get our inspiration through family recipes,” say the brothers.
Dishes such as house-made sausages, smoked eel, pretzels, and delicate schnitzel are elevated through precise technique and elegant presentation. The brothers had a vision to reinterpret the flavours of their childhood through the lens of modern gastronomy. Our palates travelled to Germany via Thailand through trout and horseradish, the scallop with buttermilk made my eyes water with awe, and the lobster with pumpkin and vanilla was outstanding.
The restaurant’s wine collection is equally impressive, showcasing exceptional European bottles alongside rare vintages, earning recognition from Star Wine List. For one of the courses, head sommelier Guillaume Perdigues served a Heymann-Löwenstein 2019 Riesling GG “Blaufusser Lay” that was so delicious it defied logic. Overseeing the experience is manager Martin Wulffeld, whose background includes working at the critically acclaimed Noma in Copenhagen. Martin’s tattoo of the iconic red three-Michelin-star icon on his wrist made me realise that fine dining is more than just caviar, award-winning wines served in Zalto glasses, or choreographed service; it is life itself. Excellence reigns here.
Sühring was by far my favourite fine dining experience on this culinary voyage, not because of the three Michelin stars (which are well deserved), but because when you experience magic, all your senses are involved. From the beautiful foliage as you enter to the friendly and immaculately tailored front-of-house staff, Sühring’s restrained elegance, curated menu, and first-class ingredients left an indelible mark on my food memory. It encapsulates everything I love about life – elegance, beauty, and enjoyment.
Honourable Mention: Le Du
Le Du, also led by Chef Ton, is another pillar of Bangkok’s modern culinary scene. The Michelin-starred restaurant famously ranked number one on Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants in 2023. Its seasonal tasting menu highlights Thailand’s exceptional produce, translating local ingredients into refined contemporary dishes.
Plan Your Bangkok Visit
Where to stay
Public House is a stylish boutique hotel in the Sukhumvit district, offering contemporary design and easy access to Bangkok’s best restaurants.
Shopping
Nearby malls EmQuartier and Emporium are among Bangkok’s most sophisticated retail destinations, featuring luxury brands, Thai designers, and exceptional food.
Getting around
Grab is Bangkok’s version of Uber, while the BTS Skytrain offers a fast and efficient way to navigate Bangkok’s traffic.
Must-see
Bangkok’s temples – particularly Wat Pho and the Grand Palace – are architectural and cultural landmarks.
Street food
For a contrast to fine dining, explore local street food stalls such as Mai Thong for authentic Thai flavours.
