A brand new technology of Thai bartenders is taking the craft cocktail scene in Bangkok by storm, serving up Thai riffs on Western classics in addition to daring new innovations unmoored from custom. The not too long ago introduced Asia’s 50 Greatest Bars checklist noticed Bangkok venues declare extra spots within the high 50 than another Asian metropolis, proving that there is no such thing as a higher time to delve into the bustling and vivid melting pot that’s Bangkok’s consuming scene.
The town’s burgeoning cocktail scene unfolds in opposition to a singular cultural, political and financial backdrop. In Thailand, craft cocktails are usually not the norm, imported spirits face hefty tariffs, and homegrown distilleries navigate labyrinthine pink tape. Budding mixologists usually function with one hand tied behind their backs—nonetheless, many see these restrictions as a possibility to experiment. The nascency of the trade implies that Thai bartenders can start with a clean slate, free to create creative new drinks primarily based totally on native flavours, strategies and produce.
The seven Bangkok venues featured on Asia’s 50 Greatest Bars checklist are removed from an exhaustive account of Thailand’s bars, however they provide a various snapshot of the capital’s vibrant and dynamic consuming tradition. Step into the perfect of what Bangkok’s budding cocktail scene has to supply.
No. 4: Bar Us
Savoury cocktails take centre stage at this cutting-edge consuming home, which doesn’t draw back from unconventional substances historically present in Asian meals. Be warned: ordering the ‘Pad Thai’ or ‘Ramen’ received’t procure a bowl of noodles, however as an alternative a pair of funky and daring cocktails crafted with a mixture of native substances like sugarcane, ginger brine, and, sure, ramen soup. The all-black inside and employees clad in white lab coats lend an edge to this in any other case elegant and intimate house, and it’s no shock that their unorthodox method to cocktails has landed them within the high 5 bars in Asia.
Bar Us is situated at 61/37, Soi Sukhumvit 26, Khlong Tan Nuea, Khlong Toei, Bangkok 10110, Thailand.
No. 5: Dry Wave Cocktail Studio
For the much less courageous amongst us, the latest Thai entry to Asia’s 50 Greatest Bars checklist presents a sequence of creative spins on traditional favourites. Dry Wave Cocktail Studio’s menu consists of innovatively dubbed “Tremendous Classics”, every of which is a reinvention of two traditional cocktails with a neighborhood twist. Within the crowd favorite Fruitful of the South, for one, the Singapore Sling meets the Malaysian Jungle Fowl in a creamy, tropical, pandan-infused tiki drink. The husband and spouse proprietor duo drew ample inspiration from nature, which is obvious within the bar’s calmly inviting design. Constructed round an historical tree, the house is bathed in heat lighting and earthy shades.
Dry Wave Cocktail Studio is situated at 263 Thong Lo 13 Alley, Khlong Tan Nuea, Watthana, Bangkok 10110, Thailand
No. 19: BKK Social Membership
The crew behind this glitzy and glamorous nightlife vacation spot situated within the 4 Seasons at Chao Phraya River endeavours to carry a style of Latin America to Bangkok. Whereas their shiny and spicy meals menu expertly blends Thai and Mexican influences, BKK Social Membership’s cocktails keep firmly rooted in Latin American custom. One sequence of drinks honours Mexican icons similar to Frida Kahlo and Carlos Santana, whereas one other pays homage to conventional Mexican spirits. Count on top-notch hospitality and a vigorous, convivial environment as you sip agave-based tipples amongst an elegant crowd.
BKK Social Membership is situated at 4 Seasons Resort Bangkok at Chao Phraya River, 300/1 Charoen Krung Highway, Sathon, Bangkok 10120, Thailand.
No. 26: G.O.D. (Genius.on.Medication)
Count on the surprising from this unabashedly provocative new venture by Thai cocktail veterans Niks Anuman-Rajadhon and Attaporn De-Silva. The eclectic mixture of stained glass, graffiti, and suggestive sculptures instantly declares that nothing is off limits at this Chinatown consuming den. The place Bar Us flirted with breaking the principles of cocktail building, G.O.D. breezes proper previous them. The menu presents a spread of spirit-forward drinks, every sporting a daring new spin and paired with a chew. Take the Uni Martini, for instance, which is served ice-cold alongside a scoop of bafun uni on the again of your hand, a smoked Hay olive, and particular directions relating to the order of consumption—uni, martini, olive, then again to the martini, for these curious.
G.O.D. is situated at 25, 27 Soi Rammaitree, Pom Prap, Pom Prap Sattru Phai, Bangkok 10100, Thailand
No. 29: Vesper
Vesper has been a stalwart of Asia’s 50 Greatest Bars checklist and an establishment of the Bangkok cocktail scene for the previous decade, incomes it 2025’s Legend of the Record Award. The European-inspired bar embraces Thai influences by sourcing its substances regionally and mixing trendy mixology strategies with Asian flavours similar to mango and tom yum. Menus are themed and periodically revamped, with the present Individuals of Vesper menu drawing from the personalities and backgrounds of pals of the bar, and former iterations specializing in well-known artworks. Be sure you peruse the Vesper Bible, which immortalises the assorted previous renditions of the bar’s eponymous gin cocktail, to know how Vesper earned its spot as a neighborhood legend.
Vesper is situated at 10/15 Sala Daeng 2 Alley, Si Lom, Khet Bang Rak, Krung Thep Maha Nakhon 10500, Thailand.
No. 43: Opium Bar
Tucked above Chinatown’s storied Potong restaurant, Opium Bar is a refined speakeasy that trades gritty nostalgia for glossy indulgence. Its “liquid surreality” menu sees trendy cocktail strategies meet each seasonal and unconventional Thai substances similar to oyster salt and banana liqueur. With its elusive entrance and sultry atmosphere, Opium Bar presents a complicated escape for discerning drinkers in search of to discover Bangkok’s mixology scene.
Opium Bar is situated at 422 Vanich 1 Rd, Samphanthawong, Bangkok 10100, Thailand.
No. 48: Bar Sathorn
Set inside the historic Home on Sathorn, Bar Sathorn presents a journey by way of time inside a lovingly restored Nineteenth-century mansion. As soon as the residence of nobleman Luang Sathorn Rajayukta, the house now hosts a bar of deep magnificence, wrapped in emerald tones and gilded accents. The cocktail menu is structured like a story, divided into eras from the 1800s to the current, with every drink paying homage to the constructing’s storied previous. Splendid for intimate evenings and curated sophistication.
Bar Sathorn is situated at The Home on Sathorn, 106 North Sathorn Highway, Silom, Bangrak, Bangkok 10500, Thailand.
This story first appeared on GRAZIA Singapore, Creator: Anika Deshmukh.
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