Rabbit Hole
One of 2016’s hottest nightlife openings, this renovated three-story shophouse in Thong Lo owes a lot of its design to the owners’ stated fondness for Singapore’s 28 HongKong Street, a speakeasy that perennially ranks among the island’s best bars.
That being said, Rabbit Hole is no tribute, and the floor-to-ceiling, red- and gold-accented bar shelf alone attests to its individuality. On top of that standout feature, marble, exposed beams and brass accents combine with smart lighting to give the bar a sense of whimsy that contrasts its raw shophouse roots.
Namsaah Bottling Trust
A joint effort including world-famous chef Ian Kittichai and music mogul/restaurateur Fred Meyer, Namsaah Bottling Trust brings fine food and drinks together with eye-catching design.
The brazenly pink house in Silom the bar and restaurant occupies once belonged to a royal aide-de-camp before it served as headquarters for a soda bottling company (ergo, the name), and the founders have done an excellent job of building on its history.
Local textiles and antique fixtures complement the vibrant colour palette that spices up the interiors, narrowing the distance between past and present without sacrificing the elements that make the building so special in the first place.
Sing Sing Theater
Practically every project Ashley Sutton touches earns accolades for its design. A.R. Sutton Engineers Siam, Iron Fairies, Maggie Choo’s – the Australian designer’s portfolio is impressive, to say the least, and last year he launched Sing Sing Theater to equal praise.
Fusing a sort of cyberpunk appeal with an Old World Shanghai vibe, all brought together with secret passageways, red lanterns and jaw-dropping live entertainment, the nightclub remains one of the most interesting and sophisticated – but no less exciting – in the city.
Stay tuned: Sutton is expecting to launch another project in Bangkok, Dreadnought, in 2017.
Havana Social
Bangkok’s best bar to visit for rare rums reimagines pre-revolution Cuba. An old shophouse renovated to look even older, Havana Social conjures the old island haunt it’s named after through crumbling ceilings, weathered stucco walls and vintage furniture and fittings, and like the original Havana Social in Cuba, this place caters to all crowds. It’s a beautiful throwback to another era (on another continent, too).
That you have to phone in for the night’s access code adds to Havana Social’s allure.
Bamboo Bar
The Mandarin Oriental’s lavish Bamboo Bar underwent some updates a couple of years ago – the first such done in more than 18 years. But Thailand’s oldest jazz club came out the other side looking sharper than ever, thanks to P49 design studio.
Dark lacquered wood, louvered windows and a mirrored ceiling meet animal prints and antique furniture, giving the bar the ambiance of a post-colonial club. Add to that some of the best jazz in Bangkok, and it’s no wonder the bar has been around since the 1950s.
