15 Michelin Star Restaurants in Bangkok Gourmets Can't Miss
Here are 15 Michelin Star venues in Bangkok where you can get a taste of the city's best fine-dining experience.
After announcing its coming to our country two years ago, the first Michelin Guide Thailand was published in 2018. Thai gastronomes were hyped, to say the least. In its latest 2019 edition, the red guidebook features an array of restaurants in Bangkok, Nonthaburi, Samutsakorn, and Phuket.
A Michelin Star indicates that the restaurant maintains an exceptional quality. There are currently Michelin Guides for several major cities around the world: New York, Paris, London, Tokyo, Hong Kong, Singapore, and more.
These Stars are awarded to restaurants and other establishments, dividing them into tiers of 1, 2, or 3 Stars. Criteria include ingredient quality, technique, taste, creativity, and consistency.
Other than the prestigious Michelin Star, there are also the Bib Gourmand - given to venues that serve top-quality meals under 1,000 THB - and Michelin Plates, which means the restaurant uses fresh ingredients and impressive cooking techniques.
Michelin Guide’s inspectors are mostly bankers, lawyers, doctors, or business people who are willing to test the restaurants. They’re trained extensively by Michelin, then they’ll visit the venues as an ordinary patron.
Some places might even warrant three or four inspections per year to ensure its overall quality stays the same. Letters that customers send to Michelin Guide also play a part in the selection process.
To cater to our foodie fans, here’s a list of 15 Michelin Star restaurants in Bangkok. Get ready to explore the culinary trails whose quality is guaranteed by the finest gourmets.
Elements
Awarded with 1 Star for two consecutive years, Elements receives praise from Michelin Guide Thailand for striking the perfect balance between French cuisine and Japanese influences.
The venue itself is located on the 25th floor of The Okura Prestige Bangkok. Focusing on understated elegance, the interior design makes use of antique metal, charcoal accent walls, and hardwood floor to add character and color to the place.
The open ‘culinary theatre’ allows you to closely observe the chefs as if you were a spectator of a live cooking competition.
Created by chefs who are experts of the French cuisine, menus at Elements combine traditional French techniques with a premium selection of ingredients from all over the world.
Items usually reserved for Japanese dishes such as Japanese vegetables, fruits, meat, seaweed, ponzu sauce, and curry are often integrated into the menu. This makes for some unmistakably French dishes with a Japanese twist that you’ll fall in love with.
Elements’ highlight “Takumi” is a brand-new tasting menu that focuses on ingredients from small, hyper-specialized sources. There are two sets available - the 6-course “Take” and the 7-course “Matsu” - as well as an option of Japanese sirloin steak as a main course.
Both sets begin with a complimentary amuse-bouche - a signature of Elements - before the first dish is served. The food will be served course by course, while the host explains the stories behind each one. Then, the delightful meal ends on a sweet note with a dessert.
If you want to experience French fine dining with a taste of Japan, we wholeheartedly recommend Elements’ exclusive full-course meal. You’ll love it from the first bite.
R-HAAN
R-HAAN is highly reputable as a traditional Thai fine-dining restaurant, guaranteed by 1 Michelin Star. Its menu is created by Chumphol Jangprai - a Thai chef with over 30 years of experience.
R-HAAN’s core concept lies in the Thai proverb “there’s fish in the water and rice in the fields”, which refers to Thailand’s abundant food resources. Another key element is the sophisticated details of Thai art and culture that go into each dish.
The ingredients are mostly authentic Thai, selected from reputable local sources in the provinces of Thailand and prepared meticulously at every step. R-HAAN puts an emphasis on the harmony of flavors such as tart, sweet, creamy, salty, and spicy, as well as stronger ones like bitter, astringent, and fizzy.
The restaurant offers three seasonal course meals, called ‘Samrub’ for summer, monsoon season, and cool season. By changing the items as the season passes, the chefs can truly bring out the best of seasonal ingredients.
There are two choices available for R-HAAN’s full-course dinner: Royal Thai Taste and Amazing Thailand. The first focuses on rare, traditional Thai dishes with renowned ingredients from each region, while the latter blends a variety of tastes in a delicate balance. It's the comfort food you love with some surprising flavors.
Thai elements are infused into every inch of R-HAAN. The decor shows off contemporary Thai designs, while the tableware - a creation of master crafters - resembles those used in the Thai royal court during the early Rattanakosin era. You’ll get a taste of Thai heritage at every turn of the venue.
J’AIME by Jean-Michel Lorain
Sitting on the 2nd floor of U Sathorn Bangkok, the French fine-dining restaurant was established by Jean-Michel Lorain. If you feel like that name rings a bell, it’s because he also owns the 2-Star ‘La Côte Saint-Jacques’ in Burgundy, France.
J’AIME by Jean-Michel Lorain transport France to the heart of Bangkok. Managed by Marine Lorain, the chef’s third-generation successor, the restaurant boasts genuine French service and flair. Expect nothing less than world-class taste and quality.
The menu consists of mostly French dishes. You can feel extreme attention to detail in every step from cooking to ingredient selection, which combines imported and local items in the best way possible. The traditional cooking method helps impart much of the original French flavor to the food.
Everything is managed by JML’s head chef, Amerigo Sesti. The Italian chef has worked with Chef Jean-Michel himself and renowned establishments all across Europe.
The menu offers quite the option with lunch, dinner, and a la carte dishes, including full-course meals.
The decor is uniquely remarkable; it has the luxury you’d expect from a fine-dining venue, but with much more quirk and character. For its ‘Upside Down’ concept, the furniture gets a topsy-turvy treatment. A grand piano hangs from the ceiling, and the lamps on the floor are upturned; the place feels like another world every time you step inside.
Canvas
Canvas is a fine-dining restaurant conceived by the mind of one Riley Sanders. The Texan chef has traveled the world in search of new flavors. That, and his experience working with Michelin-starred chefs in restaurants and on luxurious yachts, send him across the sea to Bangkok to follow his passion for food by creating Canvas.
The menu at Canvas is described as ‘Contemporary Bangkok Cuisine’. Using Thai ingredients, some modern additions, and masterful preparations, he presents his patrons with a refreshing rendition of Thai dishes that warrants a try.
There are only two options available: the six-course and the nine-course tasting menus. The list is refreshed every season to ensure the restaurant can get their hands on the best ingredients at the moment. Most items come from Thailand’s best sources, so you can be sure of their quality and freshness.
Upstairs at Mikkeller
Upstairs at Mikkeller is a chef’s table venue that makes fine dining more approachable by keeping it casual. The no-tie treatment lets you enjoy hanging out with your friends worry- and stress-free. Led by Dan Bark and his culinary vision, the restaurant finally receives 1 Michelin Star.
Chef Dan has spent over a year to study and design each item on ‘Progressive American’ menu. Despite the venue’s easy-going attitude, the chef is no ordinary fellow, having worked as a sous chef at one of Chicago’s 3 Michelin Star restaurants.
The ten-course meal offers an unusual pairing of six top-quality craft beers. Other than the food itself, feast your eyes as the chef prepares each dish right in front of you.
The ‘Upstairs’ sits on the 2nd floor of Mikkeller beer bar and transforms the house’s upper level into a relaxing dining area. Most furniture is white, which offers a great balance to the dark wood floors and eye-popping graphics on the wall.
Le Du
A Thai fine-dining restaurant, Le Du focuses on contemporary Thai cuisine. Its #14 rank on Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants and recent 1 Michelin Star should convince you that the venue is among the most sought-after at the moment.
If you’re a fan of Top Chef Thailand, you might recognize Thitid “Ton” Tassanakajohn as one of the judges. He’s the mind behind Le Du, breathing new life into age-old Thai recipes and rarely used ingredients with new, innovative techniques. The result is a contemporary Thai menu that stays true to the original flavors.
Le Du serves exclusively four- and six-course meals with sweet and savory items and a couple of options for each course. You can also get wine pairings to complete the tasty experience.
Saawaan
Tucked away in Soi Suan Phlu in downtown Bangkok is Saawaan, a 1-Michelin-Starred Thai fusion restaurant. Its concept is to preserve rare Thai menus by introducing it to the current cuisine as well as bringing Thai culinary tribute to the international table.
The restaurant is led and owned by Sujira “Aom” Pongmorn - an experienced chef with a long and illustrious career working at numerous renowned restaurants. Saawaan exclusively serves 10-course meals with appetizer, entrée, and dessert, each with its own story and elaborate details you can wonder at.
What’s interesting is the preparation and ingredients are all authentic Thai. However, with some creative designs and presentation, each dish turns out absolutely ingenious and stunning.
Saawaan houses 24 seats in the main dining area and another six at the bar counter, where you’ll get a ringside view of the chef at work. The decor is mainly contemporary with sleek furniture that gives the venue simple elegance.
Nahm
Located at COMO Metropolitan Bangkok, this Thai restaurant has held its own among the World’s 50 Best Restaurants and Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants.
Nahm was first established in London by David Thompson in 2011, receiving a Star in merely six months after its opening. After relocating to Bangkok, the helm was passed onto Pim Techamuanvivit, who earns the restaurant 1 Michelin Star in its new home.
Nahm serves traditional Thai menu with a focus on hyper-local ingredients. The meticulous cooking process and a flavor profile full of bold tastes result in Thai cuisine that looks modern but contains all the flavors of the past.
There are course meals and a la carte items available with entrées, spicy salads, soups, curries, and stir-fries. You should definitely pair them with hot, fluffy jasmine rice.
Saneh Jaan
The Thai fine-dining restaurant serves authentic Thai food in a contemporary setting. “Saneh Jaan” refers to a Thai sweet often served at celebratory events; the prosperity associated with the name is meant to represent the value of Thai culinary heritage.
The interior features contemporary Thai decor - luxurious, but lively and vivid with the art pieces that line the walls. There are also other Thai aesthetics such as patterns on the tableware.
The chefs of Saneh Jaan choose and prepare their ingredients with incredible care in every step. Some recipes have even been reinvented to impart more flavor without compromising traditional tastes. They also integrate natural Thai ingredients such as holy basil, garlic vine, bird’s eye chili, and roselle into the food and drinks.
Suffice to say, the menu is full of hidden delights waiting to be discovered.
Saneh Jaan serves lunch sets and traditional Thai Samrub, which includes starters, entrées, and desserts. But if you’re looking for a lighter meal, a la carte choices are also available.
Gaa
Take a break from Thai cuisine and explore a new style of food at this unique restaurant in Lang Suan. The 1-Michelin-Starred Gaa features ‘Modern Eclectic Cuisine’, showcasing Thailand’s finest ingredients with a mix of modern and traditional methods. The result? A dazzling array of vibrant menus and intense flavors.
Led by Garima Arora, every step in Gaa’s preparation goes through the Indian chef’s careful inspection. She has a long list of culinary experience, having worked at Bread Street Kitchen & Bar in Dubai with Gordon Ramsay and the 2-Star Noma in Copenhagen, Denmark.
Gaa’s menu boasts distinctive appearance; the flavors and aromas come from an original blend of ingredients and seasonings. All elements are prepared in-house by a team of skilled chefs.
Gaa serves mainly tasting menu, which includes various sweet and savory courses. There are also options of juice or wine pairings to complement the food.
Finally, the eye-catching decor creates a contrast against the venue’s bright yellow exterior, and inside, you can see a blend of modern and classic elements. That, plus the bricks and edgy accent pieces, give Gaa a uniquely unconventional feel.
Sühring
Owned by Mathias Sühring and Thomas Sühring, the German fine-dining place has been awarded 2 Michelin Stars. The twin chefs had over 10 years of experience, some of which was gained at the 3-Michelin-Starred Aqua in Germany.
Sühring serves up a taste of New German Cuisine. While their first impression might seem unfamiliar and strange, the menus are German comfort food from the chef’s childhood. On top of elevating old recipes with new methods and techniques, the two also use premium ingredients to bring you on the gastronomic journey.
The restaurant offers lunch sets (on weekends and holidays) and a la carte items plus dinner sets every day. These menus are a delightful culinary trip - food from each region in Germany brought to Bangkok on a literal plate. You can just skip the airport! Wine pairings are also available.
If you like to lounge in the garden, you’ll fall in love with the restaurant’s setting. Lush with all kinds of greenery, Sühring has been adapted from an old house in Soi Yenaagard into a restaurant with spacious seating, simple decor, and a homey atmosphere. Vintage furniture and various antiques also add an air of old world to the venue.
Paste
Another Thai restaurant that has earned a Michelin Star, Paste stands by a principle of reinterpreting Thai cuisine with a more modern twist. First established in 2013 at Thonglor, it has moved to Gaysorn since 2015.
The layout feels airy and spacious; there are several types of seatings from single tables, couple tables, to group tables to accommodate all demographics. You can also see the intricate details in the Thai style decorations.
Paste is mainly inspired by the Royal Thai cuisine and historical recipes but adjusts them for a better fit with the current cooking methods. By showcasing top-quality ingredients from all over Thailand, the restaurant ends up with an exceptional menu.
Over 30 ingredients on the menu are hand-selected by the chefs, including herbs and spices in various dishes. They give Paste’s cuisine a unique character and brings out the best features of Thai food.
Paste serves a la carte menus during lunch and dinner time. And if you’re looking for something heftier, there are premium tasting menus as well.
Savelberg
Established by Henk Savelberg, the restaurant is one of the most well-loved and well-recognized Michelin Star venues at the moment. The Dutch chef has opened four restaurants in the Netherlands, each having earned a Michelin Star of their own.
Chef Henk opens Savelberg in Bangkok and, to little surprise, manages to earn 1 Michelin Star for two consecutive years, making it the sixth Star in his career.
Savelberg serves contemporary French cuisine; the ingredients are personally selected by Chef Henk, and most of them are imported goods from Europe. His team also scout around Thailand for additional items to enhance the flavor.
Enjoy 2-, 4-, or 6-course meals at lunch and dinner time with sweet and savory items. But if you’re not feeling like going all out, there are also a la carte dishes. What’s more, Savelberg offers over 170 options of wine pairing.
The interior design makes the venue feels airy and open. Orange tones in the main dining area downstairs give it a playful pop, and the open kitchen allows you to watch the entire cooking process. Upstairs if the loft that houses a wine lounge and a private dining room.
Bo.lan
Bo.lan is a long-standing upscale Thai restaurant. Its stellar reputation is well-earned, considering its rank on World’s 50 Best Restaurants and the fact that it’s been awarded with 1 Michelin Star.
The restaurant focuses on bringing Thai produce to the proverbial table as main ingredients. The owners believe that Thailand is rich with resources, so they put immense care into ensuring everything is as environmentally friendly as possible.
The venue is decorated with recycled materials, and glass bottles are used instead of plastic ones. Other choices, like tending a kitchen garden and supporting suppliers who practice sustainable organic farming, also play a vital part in Bo.lan’s current success and acclaim.
The menu mostly uses local and original ingredients, created with an innovative twist, yet staying true to authentic flavors. The items are regularly refreshed due to the availability of seasonal ingredients.
Bo.lan serves mostly set menus, with ‘Bo.lan Lunch’ during the day, and ‘Bo.lan Botanical’, ‘Bo.lan Balance’, and ‘Bo.lan Feast’ at dinner. All sets include sweet and savory courses and can be accompanied by wine pairings.
Le Normandie
Established since 1958, the long-standing French restaurant sits on the 5th floor of Mandarin Oriental Bangkok in Charoenkrung and has always been well-regarded for its food, service, and unmatched luxurious experience.
Michelin Guide’s arrival in Thailand has made Le Normandie’s popularity practically double. The restaurant has been awarded 2 Michelin Stars for two consecutive years. Needless to say, it’s one of the most sought-after destinations among gourmets.
At the helm of Le Normandie is Arnaud Dunand-Sauthier - a French chef with over 15 years of experience. He worked with many world-renowned chefs before his relocation to Thailand in 2012. Other than the Michelin stars, the restaurant is also named ‘Best French Restaurant in Thailand’ in Les Grande Tables du Monde.
The menus lean toward contemporary French cuisine, with top-shelf ingredients, seasonings imported from France, and fresh vegetables from the Royal Project. Le Normandie serves course meals and a la carte menus at lunch and dinner with starters, main courses, and desserts. You can also kick it up a notch with wine pairings.
Another highlight is the breathtaking riverside vista you get from Le Normandie’s window. If you want a taste of this exclusive experience, we recommend reserving 1-2 weeks in advance, since the venue is often fully booked with customers.