10 under the radar Bangkok restaurants where cooking leads the conversation

Bangkok is filled with sois and quiet alleys, and many of the city’s most rewarding restaurants sit far from the obvious dining streets. While the capital is known for both street food and fine dining, some kitchens choose to stay discreet, attracting diners who value focus and consistency over attention. This week, Koktail Kuisine highlights 10 hidden gem restaurants that stand out for their cooking, discipline and clear sense of identity. This is cuisine with conviction and depth, best enjoyed by those who value substance. Take the time to seek it out.

1/10 Adhoc Bangkok

A townhouse Thai kitchen known for rich flavours, heritage recipes and being a personal dining choice of Lalisa “Lisa” Manobal.

Adhoc is a townhouse restaurant that keeps a low profile despite its reputation. It is one of the restaurants Lalisa “Lisa” Manobal has chosen to dine at herself when visiting Bangkok. Chef Pop cooks Thai cuisine through a personal lens, drawing from heirloom recipes passed down from her grandmothers. Ingredients are sourced from across Thailand and the cooking prioritises intensity, balance and flavour. Adhoc is best appreciated by diners who value depth in Thai cooking.

2/10 Choen

An open-fire private dining experience in Yaowarat offering seasonal tasting menus shaped by smoke and natural ingredients.

Tucked away in Yaowarat, Choen operates as an intimate private dining space with only 12 seats available each night, making advance reservations essential. Chef Geravich cooks entirely over open fire, shaping a seasonal tasting menu where every dish is grilled, boiled, charred or smoked. Choen appeals to diners interested in technique, fire driven cooking and a tightly controlled progression. The restaurant rewards patience and curiosity, making it a place worth planning ahead for.

3/10 Enoteca

A long-standing Italian restaurant in Sukhumvit respected for precision cooking and one of Bangkok’s strongest Italian wine lists.

Hidden in Sukhumvit Soi 27, Enoteca has shaped Italian dining in Bangkok for more than two decades. The space feels like a private residence, with a calm and refined atmosphere. The kitchen respects Italian tradition while delivering consistent precision across the menu. The wine list, focused entirely on Italy, is one of the city’s strongest and is curated by owner Nico, whose presence brings warmth and personal attention. Enoteca continues to attract regulars by focusing on fundamentals. It succeeds by doing the essentials exceptionally well and it remains a place diners return to with confidence. 

4/10 Nahm

A landmark Thai restaurant in Sathorn delivering classic flavours with an influential fine-dining legacy.

Nahm stands as one of the most influential Thai restaurants in Bangkok, located in Sathorn and known for its low-lit dining room and composed atmosphere. Chef Pim presents menus designed for sharing, combining classic Thai flavours with thoughtful textural contrast. Some dishes gently reinterpret tradition, while others remain direct and exact. Guests’ experience is further shaped by a cocktail programme that highlights Thai craft spirits, particularly rum, adding another layer to their meals. Nahm continues to feel relevant by staying grounded. It is worth revisiting with fresh eyes.

5/10 Nila

A refined Indian restaurant at Amari Bangkok, evolving from Goan roots to showcase deep flavours and balanced spice from across India.

Located inside Amari Bangkok, Nila was rooted in coastal Indian cuisine shaped by Goan traditions and Portuguese heritage. Today, that foundation has grown into a broader exploration of India’s culinary landscape, from North to South, East to West. The interior recalls an old Goan home and choosing a table in the centre of the room enhances the sense of ambience, while window seats offer views of Pratunam. The menu highlights spice, seafood and regional cooking, with flavours that are expressive yet controlled. Grilled seafood, slow cooked curries and well-made breads define the experience, followed by desserts rooted in familiarity. It is a rewarding stop for those looking to understand Indian cuisine through a more regional lens.

6/10 Summer Palace

A benchmark Cantonese restaurant known for refined wok cooking, clear flavours and a popular weekend dim sum lunch.

Summer Palace sets a high standard for Cantonese cuisine in Bangkok under the direction of chef Shui Wing Yau. The menu focuses on texture, wok skill and clarity of flavour, with familiar dishes executed with consistency. Signature fried rice and char siu showcase pure technique. Many diners choose to visit during weekends for the all-you-can-eat dim sum lunch, which offers strong value but requires advance booking due to demand.

7/10 Sushi Saryu

A six-seat Edomae omakase hidden behind a plain door in Sathorn defined by precision, aged rice and mastery.

Sushi Saryu is hidden behind a door inside the Kronos Building in Sathorn, making it easy to miss without prior knowledge. Limited to just six seats per day, the restaurant offers an Edomae omakase, with Chef Seiji Sudo working alone behind the counter, allowing the ingredients and aged rice to guide the experience. Guests who order select premium sake such as Noguchi Naohiko 01 or Dassai Beyond are acknowledged with a personalised nameplate inside the restaurant. Sushi Saryu is best suited to diners who appreciate true mastery. Book ahead and settle in.

8/10 Kuma No Yakitori

A password-only yakitori counter in Rain Hill showcasing seasonal tasting menus and meticulously cooked chicken.

Kuma No Yakitori is concealed behind a password- locked door on the first floor of Rain Hill on Sukhumvit 47, setting the tone for a focused dining experience. The restaurant centres on a seasonal tasting course using organic chicken from a partner farm in Khao Yai, alongside premium Japanese ingredients. Each cut is cooked with precision, highlighting texture and smoke. Pairing the food with Japanese wines as well as sake is encouraged, as the selection has been curated to complement the progression of the meal. It is a place best suited to chicken lovers who appreciate precision, patience and the details of yakitori.

9/10 Tapori

An Indian restaurant on Sukhumvit 47 exploring regional recipes through thoughtful spice balance and cultural storytelling.

Tapori presents Indian cuisine through regional exploration rather than familiar standards. The interior echoes Indian craftsmanship, while the menu follows Chef Rohit Sharma’s travels across the country, with each dish rooted in a specific region. Diners interested in a broader view of Indian cooking often choose the Tapori Signature menu, which allows the kitchen to explore more experimental interpretations. Tapori offers a broader view of Indian cooking, making it a thoughtful choice for curious diners. 

10/10 Tense

A standalone dining house in Khlong San combining comfort flavours with modern technique and frequently changing dishes.

Tense sits inside a detached house in Khlong San, deliberately removed from the usual dining routes. The space feels lived in, with the kitchen active and visible, setting the rhythm of the room. The cooking draws from familiar flavours but treats them with modern discipline. Tense’s menu infuses comforting flavours with modern techniques, drawing inspiration from past, present and future. Dishes focus on freshness and balance, and the kitchen regularly introduces off-menu items, making it worthwhile to check ahead before visiting. This is a restaurant best discovered slowly and worth returning to.