Lotus Condo Downtown

The lush riverside gardens, pavilions and ponds feel a world away from the bustle of Bangkok’s streets. Wandering around this idyllic setting before sitting down at your table is a real treat and makes the journey out here from the city instantly worthwhile – and that’s before you get to the food. Suan Thip serves refined Royal Thai cuisine with the emphasis on traditional techniques. Dishes like catfish red curry with khi lek leaves, or deep-fried sea bass with green mango really impress. The service comes from a team that combines experience and youth. You’ll find it hard to leave.

Spacious and well-organised, this lively spot handles groups with ease, offering both air-conditioned and open-air seating. Even at peak times, service remains swift, and the atmosphere relaxed. The extensive menu focuses on local seafood in tasty, well-crafted Thai dishes. In the rich, bold stir-fried crab curry, the egg is cooked to perfection – a highlight. Spicy seafood soups are plentiful too, making this a reliable option for fresh, satisfying cooking.

On the Chao Praya by the Rama IV Bridge, this renowned Thai-Chinese spot has been known for reasonably priced flavoursome fare since 1957. Its open-air dining room and wooden terrace set the stage for relaxed meals featuring highlights like grilled giant river prawns with spicy sauce and mini deep-fried crab meat wrapped in tofu skin. Open for lunch, the place extends its hours on weekends. Reach it by boat, or if driving, park in the public space under the bridge.

Down by the banks of the Chao Phraya, enjoy affordable yet tasty Thai cuisine with relaxing river views from a charming 1950s house. Everything here is vintage, from the old-fashioned décor to the classic cooking techniques and flavours. The traditional Thai curry with pork, shrimp paste and basil is highly recommended. Book table #52 for remarkable private views from the upper deck. Live music adds to the ambience at the weekend.

Run by the same family for over 20 years, this restaurant is something of a hidden gem for spice-lovers. Their signature dish, jungle curry soup with hand-minced fish, provides suitably lip-smacking flavours using ingredients like red chilli, fingerroot and turkey berry. An outdoor area embraces nature, with curved tree trunk tables and an arboretum. Herbs and spices from the forest are used as seasoning, often with game meats – the succulent stir-fried deer with cumin leaves is a must.

With Singaporean chicken rice, Indonesian laksa and Malaysian Bak Kut Teh the highlights, Chuan Kitchen is the only restaurant in Nonthaburi offering this mix of national cuisine. Its stylish design is welcoming, with a high wooden ceiling, and floor-to-ceiling windows, accentuated by black stainless-steel frames and lighting. The nasi lemak and char kway teow are well executed, delivering a complete balance of flavours.

Japanese