The best European restaurants in Bangkok

After the success of his first restaurant, Soul Food Mahanakorn, former American food writer, Jarrett Wrisley collaborated with Roman chef, Paolo Vitaletti, to open an Italian restaurant named Appia. Named for and inspired by the ancient road which connected Rome to the southern part of Italy, Appia’s combines original Roman food with southern Italian recipes. Interesting, right? The all-handmade pasta is a must as well as the gnocchi, Italian-style dumplings made from potatoes and flour. They also recommend the Porchetta, mouthwatering roast pork sliced and served in the traditional Italian style. If the pork is too much, try the zucchini salad with Parmesan or A Caprese in Puglia, a combination of burrata, crispy bread and oven-dried tomatoes. My Mother’s Tiramisu and some wine nicely round things off.

Set in a turquoise-colored, two-story house, Chew N’ Brew is dressed up in a journey-inspired theme, featuring accessories like a globe, sailboats, notebooks, helms and treasure chests. A world map is painted on the wall where clocks depicting different time zones are hung. Classic cameras are displayed on one side of the bar. But the real highlight is the bevy of black hats hanging from the ceiling, which make this place stand out even more. 

From not so many Spanish cuisines in Bangkok, we can assume that they are not as popular as other international restaurants, and that makes it so hard to find an original Spanish taste. So Santiago Codina Ylla, the founder of Hola, had an idea to start a restaurant and introduce traditional dishes to Thai people. Hola means greeting, or simply                                                                                             hello in Spanish and as its name suggests, he aims this restaurant to be like a great gathering place for family and friends. The welcoming interior makes us feel like sitting in a living room. On the wall, many Spanish footballers’ autograph are hanged (some of them are his friends, cool!). When there is a big match, Hola becomes so crowded from Spanish cheering. Catalan chef Marc Font is not your average chef because he was trained by Joan Roca from El Celler de Can Roca, a three-star Michelin restaurant and a Catalan cuisine expert, Jovani, and became a chef in many restaurants and hotels before moving here. So food here is various and all tastes original. You’d start with their appetizer or just landing Spain with Iberico Ham Jabugo, the best and most expansive ham in the world (one of everyone’s food bucket list). They also recommend Shrimp with Garlic served in a tiny hot pan which goes very well with bread. You know a Spanish meal will never be completed without Paella and it comes in many tastes and sizes for you to pick. Wrap it up with

Expect fresh homemade dishes like all the ingredients were just harvested straight from their garden. Begin your meal with the highlight starter, heirloom tomato salad that arrives with balsamic dressing topped up with bruschetta and mozzarella cheese. For main course, explore carabineros gambas, and baked rigatoni--a hearty pasta dish with pork sausage, mushroom and tomato sauce, grilled iberico pork secreto--medium rare Spain-imported pork. For drinks, if you aren’t a heavy drinker, try passion of steel (watermelon, vanilla vodka and Italian spirit). But if you are in search for something stronger, why not go for the sexy good pear hunting. 

A mixture of modern-meets-classic restaurant serving late breakfast, lunch and dinner by chef Daniel Bucher, a former Chef de Cuisine at Reflexions. Dishes include Paella de Mariscos, Spanish Hot Dog and Arroz Cremoso. Drinks range from imported wines from Spain, Portugal, Germany, Austria, to vermouth, and quality house gin like Martin Miller’s Gin.  

Bangkok betty is an unusual vintage themed bar and restaurant, decorated with bombs and pulleys to recreate an american vibe from 1940s. The food and mixology is pretty amazing despite the unusual names on the menu; heirloom tomato with cheese, the classic calamari, and the succulent pork belly that melts in your mouth. To spice up your night, customers are also greeted and entertained by the Betty’s girls around 9pm everyday.

 The Cavern Club plays live ’70s and ’80s disco music on Monday, soul on Tuesday and Thursday, soft rock on Wednesday, and Elvis rock ’n’ roll on Friday. The highlight of the club is The Beatles tribute band from Thailand that plays every weekend. The food is also spectacular, from the pizza combo, t-bone steak, to the bar-b-q ribs that can be enjoyed with their house brew, The Cavern Premium, or the other cocktails.   

The fresh Canadian lobster is individually prepared to your liking! Enjoy it grilled, with spaghetti, or as lobster bisque prepared Tuscan-style by the talented chef, Edoardo bonavolta. With an amazing view of Bangkok, it’s always a good idea to indulge in your meal with a sip the wine for a sophisticated night.

Small and mighty. Fresh Pacific oysters, grilled hokkaido scallop, and the classic lobster roll are served daily at this humble restaurant. However, there are only a few tables, so advanced reservation is highly recommended. The special menu, grilled lobster with chilli and garlic butter are also limited and only served on the weekend, so if you want a try, advanced reservation is needed too! 

Sensi Restaurant is an Italian fine-dining that you can choose to enjoy with a set course menu or as A La Carte. One of the recommended dish is soup truffle with foie gras and strawberry ice-cream. It might sound like an odd combination, but they guarantee that it works!