The best restaurants and cafes in Ekkamai

Hear Hai attracts local seafood lovers looking to savor reasonably priced fried rice packed with charred flavors and heaps of crab meat. Other popular dishes include stir-fried giant prawns with salt and garlic, and yellow curry with crab and betel leaves. Make a reservation before you visit and expect to wait for your food. You’ll know the food is in demand, judging from the number of food delivery guys waiting out front

What is it?: Chef Francesco Lenzi’s Italian eatery in Soi Phrom Si brings the tastes of Tuscany to Bangkok. Why we love it: The art of charcoal wood-fired grilling is much in evidence here with Chef Stefano Merlo leading the charge. Having honed his skills at three-star Michelin restaurant Le Calendre, Merlo knows how to cook with fire and flair. For a meaty delight, try grilled Tasmanian grass-fed lamb chop (B1,280) – tender, medium-rare lamb paired with a creamy carrot puree. Alternatively, if you’re really hungry, a hearty serving of roast beef (B3,800) will do the trick. Made with top-tier Black Angus beef from Australia, this 500g sirloin is grilled to perfection, robed in a rich red wine sauce, and topped with a Parmesan samayon – a silky sauce made with egg yolks, sugar and wine.  Time Out tip: For dessert, the restaurant keeps it classic with Italian favourites such as bomboloncini ripieni (B230), which is deep-fried doughnuts stuffed with creamy Italian goodness and drizzled with berry sauce.

What is it?: This yakitori spot helmed by a seasoned Japanese chef is straight out of Tokyo. Why we love it: A cosy, dimly lit atmosphere, with individual lights highlighting each table, the restaurant boasts a sleek, minimalist Japanese design with a focus on wooden furniture. The open kitchen at the centre lets diners watch the magic unfold, especially the grilling over charcoal that gives yakitori its perfect aroma and taste. You can choose to sit at the bar, at a table for two or four people, or a private room for larger groups. When it comes to the yakitori, try the Tsukune (B120), which is seasoned minced chicken with a satisfying crunch. It is best eaten with a special Toritama sauce. Also excellent is Emon (B120), which is lightly salted tender chicken breast. Chigimo (B100), expertly grilled chicken liver topped with Toritama sauce, is wonderfully juicy.  Time Out tip: Sip it, savour it, and maybe even order a second glass of Toritama Original Bottle (B280 per glass) with your meal. It’s a specially brewed shochu that’s only available at this restaurant. 

What is it?: The dining flagship of the EKM6 plant-based wellness mall on Ekamai soi 6. A bright and airy all day diner that offers a full menu of Western plant-based breakfasts, brunches, lunches and dinners. Prices are friendly and the staff likewise. The friendship extends to offering vegan Thai dishes too, from Plant Passion cafe next door. Why we love it: It has that anytime of the day welcome look and feel, and invariably you will see post-workout people grabbing a smoothie and a quick bite while catching up on emails. Many of Bangkok’s newer vegan kitchens are come and go places to grab a meal and move on, but at Kynd Kulture you might want to linger. Favourites include tzatziki sauce burger in a light black bun and crisp side salad with tomatoes and BBF all day big breakfast plate to rival that of any English pub in looks and taste. The bowls are packed with plant protein with cheesy rice bowl, squeezing in sauerkraut, kale, onion, cranberry, apricot, pistachio, chilli and cashew nut cheese, riceberry, tomato, sweet potato and homemade falafel all for just B290. And speaking of cheese, there are two platters of vegan cheese sets on offer that are great to nibble on over a late afternoon drink with friends. Time Out tip: Take the time to explore the mall. Drop your pet off at Oh My Fluffy for a furry spa experience and pick them up after your meal. Do some plant-based protein grocery shopping at the eco-friendly, well-stocked grocery store. In fact make an afternoon...

The team behind Cocotte—the swanky steak-slash-ribs specialist on Sukhumvit 39—loosens up on its meat-centric concept by letting seafood co-star at a new Mediterranean spin-off in Ekkamai. An eye-catching two-story house painted in contrasting hues of white and yale blue accommodates the restaurant, which features interiors that play on the concept of sea and land—mar and terra in Latin—as seen in the combination of navy blue chairs and heavy wooden floor and tables. The open kitchen is populated by a team that’s hard at work wielding culinary magic on fresh ingredients such as oysters and Maine lobster. Italian chef Marco Pacetta, who used to work at Issaya Siamese Club, sends out an array of seafood dishes influenced by French, Italian and Spanish cuisines, including a paella and cooked in lobster bisque, and packed with succulent lobster, meaty chorizo and chicken (B2,400). The kitchen also oversees veg-heavy dishes like a light and crispy pizza soufflé filled with truffle-infused stracciatella (soft Italian buffalo cheese) and topped with grilled vegetables and truffles (B590)—a combination that screams creamy indulgence. The main dining area showcases a photogenic deli space that displays a number of cold cuts and more than 80 kinds of cheese. You can opt for the Artisan Board, which lets you select either three or five types of cheese and cold cuts (B980/B1,490). Try the delicious and rare Gruyere de Gruyere from Switzerland or the Italian Blu61, an infamous...

What is it?:  A vegetarian restaurant that is predominantly vegan snuggled under the Ekkamai BTS station on the even numbered side. It started life in 2020 after one of owner Khu Churnjuti’s earlier restaurants was asked to provide vegetarian food for a nearby meditation centre. Why we love it: The white in the title signifies a desire to serve clean and healthy food in a modern cafe style ambience with plenty of potted plants and greenery for contrast. Here you will find one of the best khao soi offerings in town, which is also a nod to Khun Churn’s northern Thai heritage, mixing tofu with yellow noodles in a luscious curry with pickled lettuce, topped with crispy noodles. Other excellent dishes include guay tiew khua hed, stir-fired mushrooms (with or without egg), and hed kum waan, crunchy deep-fried mushrooms topped with lime juice, red chili, sliced garlic and Chinese kale. Cold-pressed juice selections are recommended to partner the cuisine. The chefs and service team will do their best to accommodate their guests’ requests and are happy to adapt many of the dishes to suit requirements. Khun Churn’s home-made vegan ice cream is a must to cap off the meal. Time Out tip: If you are heading there for dinner you will need an early start as they close at 8pm each evening.

Tucked in the bustling Ekkamai stretch is this pad thai parlor which are popular among all-nighters after the clubs in the neighborhoods are closed. The highlight is the river prawn pad thai which comes out on neither too dry nor wet, served wrapped in omelet that’s filled with delicate smoky flavor and two jumbo size prawns with fresh sprout and bean curd served separately on the side (B150). For a budget option, a simple pad thai with dried shrimps is also a good choice for good old classic throwback. 

Used to be, the only way to enjoy Ban Beung’s famous noodles was to make a trip all the way to the small town in Chonburi (that’s easily a two-hour detour just to have your fill savory soup). Your life is now easier thanks to Mamarin, the new noodle spot in Ekkamai that has brought the district’s signature delicacy to downtown Bangkok. In the old days, Ban Beung was a well-known settlement for the Teochew Chinese, one of the migratory groups that greatly influenced Thai-Chinese cooking. Ban Beung-style noodles quickly became known for its flavorful noodles, which was prepared with dried squid, dried shrimp and pork bone. Mamarin whips up its own version following the family recipe of Ban Beung-born owner Cake Poonyamund (who’s also one of the members of the soulful band B5). You can opt for the classic version (B89), which comes with pork, fish cake, seafood bits and deep-fried wontons; the spicy tom yum version (B89); or the intensely hot yentafo (B99). Apart from the noodles, Mamarin also serves hearty dishes like spotted mackerel fried rice, and addictive desserts like butterfly pea-infused sticky rice with coconut milk and longan (B65).

Edo-style hand-rolled sushi offerings focus on ingredients that include premium seafood and wagyu beef and the chefs are happy to tell you how and why they select prime produce from various parts of Japan. Signatures such as lobster ikura (lobster with salmon eggs) and awabi (sliced abalone) will delight seafood aficionados. Those who crave fusion fare should try crispy unagi (B220) and A5 wagyu jumbo (B590) for a meal with a difference.    Ekkamai Soi 19, Khlong Tan Nuea. 065-989-5296. Open Tue-Sun 11am-2.30pm & 5pm-9pm. Closed Mon

An artful bakery where each croissant is served fresh from the oven. Try playful creations like the six-eye spectre cookie (B130) or sun-kissed strawberry crust (B359). For a local spin, there’s a Thai tea custard croissant (B129) or pandan custard (B159), offering a familiar flavour profile in flaky form.