Once a cluster of abandoned shophouses, Soi Nana in Chinatown has evolved over the last few years and is now praised as one of Bangkok's best cocktail bar districts.
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DJs and drinks make this gallery extra special. The two-story hall is plastered with arts and artistic paraphernalia, even in the toilet. Be careful while trying to traverse this bar – the mojito is strong and the stairs are steep.
Hidden behind an unmarked door in the sub-soi of Nana, Asia Today, manned by Tamaryn Cooper (who you probably have seen from the Bangkok episode of Netflix's Midnight Asia), focuses on creating cocktails made with lesser-known ingredients, including bai hor wor (an indigenous herb from the Pga K’nyau community in northern Thailand), bai hoo seur (an aromatic plant that’s used in larb) and thirteen types of honey sourced from different regions in the country. Asia Today’s bartenders usually fly to different areas to source produce that have been tried and tested to blend perfectly with spirits.
One of Soi Nana's newest Orient-inspired bars, Ba Hao, which means “number eight” in Chinese, spreads over four floors that include a cocktail bar as well as a small hotel.
The latest addition to the roster of bars in Soi Nana, Chinatown, which includes Teens of Thailand, Asia Today, and TAX, takes a different route by purveying Italian favorites alongside classic tipples.
Described as a “proper dive bar”, Independence Bar is ideal for tipplers who don’t really care for a stylish atmosphere or going somewhere to see and be seen. It is set in a large (by Soi Nana standards) shophouse where an auto part shop used to stand, and features rough-around-the-edges decor that are reminiscent of the dive bars in Berlin and New York, such as murals created by local graffiti artists and neon lights. Independence focuses on creative drinks with wine as a base. The venue wants to deconstruct the misconception that wine needs to be enjoyed in a formal, stuffy setting.
Pijiu, which means “beer” in Chinese, is a brainchild of the guys behind craft beer-importing pioneer Beervana.
Tep Bar, one of the crowd-pullers at Soi Nana in Chinatown, puts a Thai spin into tapas-style dining. The prawn crackers, served with sweet chili paste, are an all-time favorite, and greatly complement their infused yadong, or Thai whiskey, shots (one is believed to be an aphrodisiac).
Located on Soi Nana in China Town, this gin bar – the first in Thailand – is hidden behind a big wooden door just waiting to be discovered. This place serves almost 80 gin-based drinks (the drinks list changes daily, mind you). Plus, its mixologist, Niks Anuman-Rajadhon, is always there to make sure you have a good time.
Traditional Spanish tapas and drinks are at the core of the menu at El Chiringuito. Try the tortilla de patatas, a spanish omelette made with caramelized onion, or salmorejo, a thick tomato soup with boiled egg and ham on top. Don’t leave without trying their sangria or the signature Gin Xoriguer.
TAX, the anti-alcohol tax-themed secret bar (powered by the people behind Teens of Thailand) slings unique concoctions made of local ingredients from around Thailand like vinegar made from white wine, fresh coconut water, sugarcane-based Issan rum, and black sticky rice from Phayao.
Enjoy live music, fusion mocktails and views of Chinatown at this dimly-lit “secret” rooftop bar called Wallflowers Upstairs atop the Cafe. If you’ve never been here before, now’s the time to visit.
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