Best of 2022: Best new restaurants

Nostalgia and comfort fare can be had in doses at Ang Mor, where age-old recipes of cookshop fare are reworked with modern touches. Order the pork chop (B360) and beef salad (B550 to B980), all of which are bursting with Chinese-Western flavors.

Named after chef-slash-owner Willy Trullàs Moreno, this Spanish restaurant goes for lively colored decor and boldly flavored tapas such as Explosion de Salmón y Trufa (B460/four pieces) and the all-time classic seafood paella (B1,490). ¡Comamos!

We don't frequently talk about Scandinavian cuisine, but Chef Kananon “Benz” Kondee's new venture is definitely worth mentioning. The restaurant delivers a seasonal Northern European menu that changes every few months. Spring (Vår), priced at B2,955++, is the current offering, a worthy set that showcases the clean and mild flavors of Norwegian fare.

Park Hyatt’s lobby restaurant returns with an intriguing new concept: Catalan cuisine. The kitchen is now helmed by Chef Ferran Tadeo Domènech, who takes inspiration from family recipes to come up with dishes such as octopus with egg foam and potato pillow, and Iberico lamb with truffles and chanterelles.

The siblings behind home-style restaurant Baan Nual have opened another establishment not far from their first venture. Laun reflects Tommy and Yuwarat Sakhonsin’s unique approach to brunch—a mix of western, Thai and Chinese fare. (Think rice with cured pork belly,  fried pork buns, and spaghetti with a local twist).

Part of Anantara Siam Bangkok’s glorious F&B catalog, this restaurant brings the many tastes and flavors of Peruvian and Latin American fare to downtown Bangkok with the help of Venezuelan native Chef Carlos Rodriguez. 

Fancy dim sum and 1920s New York influences combine in this stylish restaurant from Hong Kong that’s named after the street where the first Chinese convenience store opened in the Big Apple.  Chinoiserie- and art deco-inspired decor complement dishes bursting with bold Cantonese and Shanghainese flavors, but cooked with modern twists and premium ingredients (e.g., shumai with truffles, Iberico barbecue). While the huge tables can welcome couples and big groups, the bar is perfect for diners hoping to enjoy an evening alone.  

If there is a throne for Bangkok's best soba, Chef Shin Inoue's Japanese restaurant has a claim to it. The restaurant keeps things simple and modest by offering only two soba dishes: Tokusei Shio Soba (B450) and Tokusei Kombusui Tsuke Soba (B470), which are limited to only 35 bowls per day. Though booking may be tough, it is well worth the effort to taste the restaurant's soup-er famous signature bowls.

As its name suggests, this restaurant focuses on Northern Thai (Lanna) cuisine. The eatery offers an eight-course tasting menu that highlights the region’s culinary culture and produce. Savor authentic northern flavors in a feel-good ambience amid unique Lanna-style decor at this new dining establishment on Soi Sukhumvit 33.

You probably won’t see any restaurant on the same level (literally) as Ojo. Thailand’s highest-located restaurant (it’s on the 76th floor of the Bangkok Mahanakhon building) has done everything just right to deserve its lofty status. The modern Mexican restaurant gets more alluring with every step, from reflective golden surfaces, to gorgeous interiors, to a terrace that looks out to stunning vistas of Bangkok’s skyline. The food is pretty good, but, admit it, you’re here for the vibes. Our tip: Come before sunset to catch the golden hour, when the view is at its most beautiful. 

Ruay Mitr has successfully taken khao tom kui (porridge with side dishes) to all-new heights. A great selection of dishes (you have to try its spicy salads) is paired with a nice collection of wines. Lively Thai-inspired interiors by celebrated designer Saran Yen Panya and live DJ sets amp up the mood. 

Sareen Rojanametin’s humble restaurant behind an unmarked door on Charoenkrung is a revelation. The Phuket-born chef, whose portfolio is inked with hours spent in international kitchens, presents diners with a 16-course menu that gives a surprise in every bite. And no, we won’t tell you what’s in store.

Maynard Seekala’s humble eatery in Ekkamai is undoubtedly 2022’s most promising pizza spot. Hype is centered around its 48-hour sourdough bun, which is topped with sauces and seasonal ingredients from all over Thailand. Best of all is the restaurant’s unpretentious no-frills vibes. 

Located on the 24th floor of The Okura Prestige Bangkok, this Japanese venture by Yamazato is ideal for sushi aficionados who like their sushi and sashimi with a side of skyscraper views. The counter bar offers two tasting menu options: Kaiseki Omakase (B4,900++) and Premium Kaiseki Omakase (B6,500++), all made with high-quality local and international ingredients.

Standard hotel’s signature NYC brasserie reveals its New York roots through vintage Americana decor (old US coins stuck to the floor) and a menu listing meats grilled to perfection. It’s casual and easy—and that’s why people love it. 

This new outpost by the Frantzén group (owner of the three-Michelin-starred Stockholm-based restaurant by Chef Björn Frantzén) provides sophisticated Nordic-slash-Asian fare through a delicately presented five-course menu.

In Thailand, the luk-krueng (half-breeds) are believed to have the best of both worlds in them—and Vilas is just like that. With a name that translates as “westerner” in the ancient Siamese language, Vilas sees Spanish chef Pepe Dasi Jimenez reinvent decades-old Thai recipes and present them in a elegant westernized manner.  But you can still smell and taste authentic Thai flavors from the chef’s use of kapi (shrimp paste), local herbs, and fish sauce. 

Chalee Kader promotes Thai khao gang (the ancient tradition of eating rice with side dishes) in his new fine-dining venture. You’ll be taken on a khao gang journey through nine courses and a variety of different flavors.

Uncompromising Isan flavors presented in a chic manner and served in a minimalist Brutalist setting—these are enough reasons to love Nutthida “Eve” Palasak’s new restaurant in Ekkamai.