June has been one of the most exciting months on Bangkok’s food scene in a long time. Here are the best new restaurants in Bangkok to check out this month.
It’s a good month to have dinner reservations, as they seem to be becoming increasingly difficult to get. International tourists and world-travelling foodies are flying in and snagging tables at restaurants we almost started to take for granted, and the sound of cutlery, conversation, and clinking glasses is starting to refill dining rooms once again. It is a warm feeling, and it is a good feeling. And alongside guests from around the region and beyond, even restaurant owners and concepts welcome a breath of fresh air.
This month, one of the world’s most renowned Nordic restaurant groups opened its first restaurant in Thailand. We see the revamp and reopening of the city’s most famous skyscraping restaurants, and we welcome a throwback to the 1970s with a new Thai restaurant with charming edge. Whether you’re looking to check out the steakhouse of the future or shatter the stereotypes of Mexican cuisine, here are the new restaurants in Bangkok you should check out this June.
(Hero and Featured Image Credit: Villa Frantzén)
New Restaurants in Bangkok to Try This June
Villa Frantzén Opens as the Renowned Nordic Group’s First Outpost in Thailand
There’s no way you haven’t seen or heard about the hype surrounding Villa Frantzén. The stunning property in Yen Akart opened earlier this month to much excitement and fine dining fangirling, welcoming for the first time the renowned Franzén Group to Thailand. The 60-seat restaurant aims to introduce to Bangkok modern, casual Nordic cooking with Asian influences, as well as Nordic-inspired cocktails at the Villa Frantzén Cocktail Bar. Helmed by Executive Chef Martin Enström, Villa Frantzén currently serves up a 5-course tasting menu at the restaurant, which has been developed together with the eponymous Björn Frantzén, Daniel Everts, and Claes Grännsjö. Whilst those who have dined at Frantzén restaurants worldwide may be familiar with some of the elements, Björn Frantzén himself describes Villa Frantzén as “the most Nordic restaurant in the entire Frantzén Group.” This holds true even in the interiors, featuring a stunningly massive open kitchen beside the dining area, and many charming elements, like Morakniv knives handpainted by Pernilla Nordman and handmade ceramics from Calle Forsberg. Aiming to provide diners with a more casual dining experience, Villa Frantzén is set to become Bangkok’s most magical and sophisticated new culinary addition. Naturally, reservations are hot tickets this month, and advance booking is definitely required.
Find out more: Villa Frantzén
OJO Bangkok Proves The Standard, Bangkok Mahanakhon is the Place to See and Be Seen
We were long curious to see what would happen to the beautiful space atop Bangkok’s most famous skyscraper, and suffice to say, OJO Bangkok does not disappoint. The crown jewel of The Standard Asia’s flagship at The Standard, Bangkok Mahanakhon has opened as a Mexican-inspired restaurant unlike any in the region. Located on the 76th floor at 300 metres above ground, it’s not a dining location for the faint-hearted, yet proves an extremely worthy night out for those with discerning palates and an eye for design (Ou Baholyodhin was behind the interiors, in case you needed any more convincing). Set in a whimsical, retro glam setting, OJO is led by one of Mexico’s most exciting chefs, Francisco ‘Paco’ Ruano, and serves up a menu designed to “shatter all stereotypes of Mexican cuisine.” Expect inventive snacks and traditional dishes, such as chicken and green mole, fish Zarandeado, short rib birria, and dark chocolate Tamal, to name a few. Translating to “eye” from Spanish, OJO overlooks Bangkok city as a fabulous backdrop, and lately is certainly the place to see and be seen.
Find out more: The Standard, Bangkok Mahanakhon
Guilty Bangkok Opens within the Anantara Siam with Peruvian Flair
Ratchadamri lit up last week with the grand unveil of Guilty, a new “drinking-dining den” with Latin American roots, located within the Anantara Siam. Welcoming pleasure-seekers to its vibrant interiors, the menu is curated by Chef Carlos Rodriguez, formerly of Gaggan and Penthouse Bar + Grill, and brings together Peruvian flavours with a Nikkei twist. Highlight dishes include the ceviche in leche de tiger and tuna acevichado roll, as well as the Guacamole prepared table side. Robust barbecue items are also available, such as Brasilian wagyu served with Peruvian rubs or chimichurri sauces, and can be paired with a number of colourful craft cocktails to suit. Don’t leave without trying the churros, and don’t forget that what happens at Guilty, stays at Guilty (so order more churros).
Find out more: Guilty Bangkok
Chef Deepanker Khosla Opens Jardin du Boeuf as a Steakhouse of The Future
It isn’t often that you hear the words “steakhouse” and “sustainability” in the same sentence, but Chef Deepanker ‘DK’ Khosla is ready to shake up those notions a little. With the opening of Jardin Du Boeuf, the beloved chef aims to make a commitment to sustainable, ethically sourced ingredients, without compromising on flavour. At the restaurant, Chef Don Sujith and his team serve up grass-fed wagyu beef, line-caught seafood, and carefully-selected organic and biodynamic wines, all with a spotlight on people and the environment. All-natural beef, sustainable seafood, small-farm produce, and farmstead cheeses are very much at the forefront here, which Chef DK describes as a means to “source and grow the best and let it shine.” There’s only one way to find out.
Find out more: Jardin du Boeuf
Bangkok ’78 is the Comforting Throwback you Didn’t Know you Needed
The Sindhorn Midtown hotel seems to see no stopping in coming up with new culinary concepts, and Bangkok ’78 is the latest on their list. Inspired by the bygone 1970s in Bangkok, the new retro-inspired restaurant has opened in collaboration with the Michelin-starred Saneh Jaan as a nostalgia-inducing eatery with a spotlight on authentic Thai dishes. Must-try dishes include everything from fried shrimp balls, spicy pomelo salad, and grilled pork neck, over to spicy eggplant salad with minced pork and seafood, and stir-fried cowslip flowers with glass noodles and fermented sour pork. A casual spot for family and friends to enjoy some of the greatest hits in Thai cuisine.
Find out more: Bangkok ’78
This story first appeared on Lifestyle Asia Bangkok.