I was in Bangkok for the first time in 2016. At that point, I had just moved to Hong Kong and was spending most of my travel time in China. Mostly for work or family visits. Bangkok wasn’t really on my radar. But after that first visit, something clicked. Since then, I’ve been back over 40 times. Yes. Forty (!) times.
When people hear that, they always ask the same question: “So what should I see when I go?” Not the tourist stuff – they know about the Grand Palace and the floating markets. They want to know where I actually go. Where do I eat, where do I stay, where do I start my morning run?
That’s what this post is about. These are not the big sights which you can find in every tourist guide. These are the places I return to every single trip – the ones that make Bangkok feel like a second home.
My Favorite Spots in Bangkok
Olá Thai Tapas Bar
This place is run by Nancy and Dash, and they’ve done something really special with a very small space in Bangkok’s Old Town. The concept is Thai fusion tapas – and it works. The food is creative, the drinks are good, and the service makes you feel like a regular even on your first visit.
One thing to know: it’s small. If you show up without a reservation on a busy night, you’re probably not getting a table. Book ahead. It’s worth the effort. You can reach them via Instagram
It’s also a 5-minute walk from Sam Yot MRT [Exit 3], so getting there is easy. If you’re into Thai cuisine but want something a little different from the usual, this is the place I’d send you first.
Yellow Curry Studio
Same owners as Olá – Nancy and Dash – and about a 2-minute walk away from their first restaurant. Yellow Curry Studio focuses on Surat Thani-style southern Thai food, which is a different style than what you get in most Bangkok restaurants: bolder, saltier, and built around dishes you don’t see everywhere.
I had the pomelo salad – juicy pomelo with dried shrimp, peanuts, chili, and shallots – and the Moo Waan, slow-cooked pork ribs in a dark, caramelized sauce that falls apart the second your fork touches it. Both dishes were excellent. But the pomelo salad was my favourite.
I finished with fresh mangosteen, which is a simple thing, but a good one. Since that evening, the Yellow Curry Studio has earned its place on this list here. The food was wonderful, and I’ll be back for sure.
LOUIE’S on Fifteen – Bamboo & Bourbon
I met Louie years ago at a dinner with friends from Twitter, and I’ve been following him since. When he opened LOUIE’S on Fifteen on Sukhumvit Soi 15, it quickly became one of my regular dinner spots in Bangkok.
Some describe the food as a blend of Italian and international. However you call it, it’s done well and served in a relaxed, welcoming space. What sets it apart is the atmosphere and the team. You can tell the people running this place actually care. The service is friendly and top-notch, and the food quality is consistent, which matters when you’re visiting a restaurant for the fifth or tenth time.
If I’m meeting someone for dinner in Bangkok, this would be the place where I suggest we go.
O’Leary’s Irish Pub
Right around the corner from LOUIE’S is O’Leary’s Irish Pub – also connected to Louie. It was actually his first place. After a good dinner, this is where I often end up for a beer.
It’s a proper Irish pub feel: a couple of pool tables in the back, dart boards, live sports on the screens. On Friday evenings, it gets busy and loud in the best way. If you’ve had a long, hot day walking around Bangkok and just want to sit down somewhere comfortable with a cold drink and good energy around you, O’Leary’s delivers.
Adelphi Suites
My relationship with Adelphi Suites started out of necessity. During COVID, when Hong Kong had some of the strictest entry restrictions in the world, I found myself stuck in Bangkok with nowhere to stay long-term. A friend suggested the Adelphi, and I checked in without much expectation. That first stay has since turned into almost 100 nights across many trips. Almost every time I’m in Bangkok, I end up back here. If it’s available.
It’s not the most fanciest hotel. But it’s clean, spacious, and well-located on Sukhumvit Soi 8 – a 2-minute walk from Nana BTS and quiet enough that you won’t hear street parties keeping you up at night. The rooms are big, the AC is powerful (sometimes almost too powerful), and the suites come with a small kitchen and laundry machine, which is a game-changer if you’re island-hopping and need to sort your gear. Check-in is quick – usually 5 minutes – and the staff are friendly.
The rooftop pool on the 16th floor has a good view over the Sukhumvit area. The gym is maybe not the best out there, but functional. I am using it all the time. Breakfast isn’t included, but there’s street food right outside the hotel and plenty of good restaurants within walking distance.
Like any hotel, it has its small quirks – but nothing that has ever made me consider staying somewhere else. And that’s why, the Adelphi keeps me coming back because it feels comfortable and reliable. In Bangkok, that counts for a lot. I’ve written a full review here.
Lumphini Park
Bangkok is not exactly known for its green spaces. That’s what makes Lumphini Park feel like a proper discovery when you first visit early in the morning.
My routine when I’m staying at the Adelphi is to run over to Lumphini – it’s about a 20-minute jog from Sukhumvit Soi 8. The park opens at 4:30 a.m., and if you’re there early enough, you’ll share the path with locals doing tai chi, groups of runners, and – this is the part people don’t believe until they see it – large monitor lizards just wandering around the lake. And I seriously love to watch them.
It’s a free, calm Bangkok experience. Go once and you’ll understand why I make it a habit.
Final Thoughts
Bangkok has this ability to pull you back. I’ve been over 40 times and I still find something new each trip. But the places above? Those are the constants. The spots I return to because they’re genuinely good, not because they look impressive in a photo.
I’ll be adding more places to this list as I revisit the city. If you have a Bangkok pearl of your own, drop it in the comments – I’m always looking for a new reason to go back. 🙂
