Bangkok's street food may be what draws in hungry visitors, but in recent years the city's fine dining scene has grown enormously, giving culinary travelers more reasons than ever to visit Thailand's capital.
Two Bangkok restaurants earned spots on the list of the world's best restaurants in 2019. Meanwhile, back in 2017 Michelin released its own guide to the city, and in the latest edition 26 Bangkok restaurants, along with one restaurant in Phuket, were awarded stars.
Now a new fine dining destination has arrived, one that lifts Bangkok's food and drink scene to even greater heights.
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Opened in early July, Mahanakhon Bangkok SkyBar has become the highest restaurant and bar in Thailand. It occupies the 76th and 77th floors of the King Power Mahanakhon skyscraper, which rises 314 meters (1,030 feet) above the city.
The SkyBar menu, described as a "modern brasserie" serving both Western and Asian dishes, was created by the skilled hands of American chef Joshua Cameron, formerly of New York's Eleven Madison Park, named the world's best restaurant in 2010.
The menu is paired with an extensive list of classic cocktails and more than 100 wine selections.
Once guests finally tear their eyes away from the unmatched view of the city outside the windows, they'll notice countless thoughtful touches throughout the stunning space. Designed by Tristan Auer and his team at Wilson Associates, it blends French elegance with Thai-inspired patterns.
We recommend reserving a table in the breathtaking open-air dining area, out under the sky and surrounded by glass.
"The layout of the open terrace recreates the concept of an urban jungle, surrounding guests with lush greenery to evoke the feeling of a forest in the sky," reads the design brief from Wilson Associates.
Free access to the SkyWalk
An added bonus of dining at the SkyBar is easy access to the Mahanakhon SkyWalk, located two floors above.
From the 314-meter (1,030-foot) observation deck and its rooftop bar, the highest in Thailand, you get a 360-degree view of the city.
The main attraction here is the nerve-wracking glass floor that juts out over the edge of the building. Before stepping onto the platform, visitors must slip protective fabric covers over their shoes.
Both the restaurant and the observation deck are part of the King Power Mahanakhon mixed-use project, whose cost is estimated at nearly 1 billion dollars.
When construction was completed in 2016, it earned the title of "Thailand's tallest building," pushing Baiyoke Tower II off the top spot, a 304-meter hotel in the Pratunam district built in 1997.
Mahanakhon's time in the spotlight was short-lived, though. According to the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat, after construction wrapped up in 2018 the crown passed to Magnolias Waterfront Residences.
Even so, Mahanakhon remains one of the city's most striking architectural landmarks, its eye-catching three-dimensional ribbon of "pixels" winding its way down the steel-and-glass tower, a trick achieved through the construction of "sky boxes."
The skyscraper has 78 floors. Floors one through 18 will house the soon-to-open Orient Express hotel.
Floors 23 through 73 are given over to the Ritz-Carlton Residences: 209 residential units managed by Ritz-Carlton, including the SkyResidences penthouses ranging from 125 to 844 square meters (two to five bedrooms).
Levels 74 to 78 are reserved for the observatory, restaurant and bar.
