The best restaurants and cafes in Ekkamai

Joe Napol is back in the fine-dining scene with Nawa, a warmly-lit dining room in Ekkamai that aims to transform classic Thai recipes from the central region into progressive cuisine.

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).

It’s been over two years since Jay Sangsingkaew, a former chef at L’Atelier de Joel Robuchon Bangkok, moved on from the much-respected, yet short-lived, restaurant to launch her own venture. No longer a young hopeful aspiring to break through Bangkok’s culinary scene, Chef Jay pays homage to French cuisine at Restaurant Stage (pronounced “staj”), a name that alludes to the culinary term for unpaid internships.  When she opened Stage in 2020, the Europe-trained chef was committed to using only imported ingredients to create a series of multi-course menus that are assigned a number that suggests the restaurant’s constant progression. Recently, Chef Jay unveiled Stage Experience 7.0 (B4,500++), a 10-course set that, instead of solely focusing on international produce, emphasizes the use of local ingredients sourced from producers across Thailand, such as king prawns from Surat Thani and sweet potatoes from Phetchabun. The meal starts off with a four-bite amuse bouche that includes taramasalata rosette, egg mimosa, duck confit puff, and wild boar. Following closely is a delicate white asparagus dish with razor clams. In the third course, Ox & Bone, Chef Jay uses different parts of the animal to create a series of small dishes, namely oxtail terrine, bone marrow croquette, and tarragon emulsion. The potatoes from Phetchabun figure in the next dish, cooked using a special method that gives the root crop a different texture. Three seafood dishes follow, featuring king prawn, soft-sh

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. 

When talking about dumplings, we bet most of you quickly imagine a hot stack of steaming bamboo baskets filled with dim sum in a Chinese restaurant. But the Chinese don’t have a monopoly on these tasty little bites. Almost all countries, in fact, have their own way of making these scrumptious morsels, using ingredients and cooking methods that encapsulate the essence of their culinary culture. Russia’s pelmeni is one dumpling we don’t encounter too often in Bangkok. Mostly recognized as the heart of Russian cuisine, this dumpling doesn’t differ much from the Cantonese wonton—it’s basically meat stuffed in thin wrapping paper. To boost the flavor of pelmeni, the Russians add condiments such as sour cream. These Russian dumplings are the specialty of new cloud kitchen Dumplings Bangkok. Founded earlier this year, it is run by the folks behind Alexander’s German Eatery in Ekkamai.  Ordering involves two easy steps: pick the filling and then the sauce of your choice. Dumplings Bangkok currently has four main fillings on offer: pork, chicken, potato and cottage cheese.  The fun part is choosing the sauce. The kitchen has come up with almost 10 options, each one named after a country. Russia, to start with, is simply butter topped with dill and some sour cream. Austria is an assorted mushroom gravy, while Italy hits you with a tomato-heavy Napolitana sauce. North Pole tops pan-fried pelmeni with apple purée and raisin, while Switzerland flavors up the dumplings with a sauce made wi

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. 

A champion of egg noodles with barbequed pork and soft-boiled egg, this old-school noodle shop morphed from a simple pushcart and is probably the most famous eatery of its kind in Ekkamai. Waits are notoriously long (its name translates to “Uncle Slow”) but the food is definitely worth it

Its location in the Bangkok Mediplex Building on Sukhumvit Soi 42 might be uninspired, but the meat-free Thai menu does more than enough to pull in the local veggie crowd. Start with something raw (fresh spring rolls or mixed veggies salad with peanut sauce) before trying one of the hearty mains such as red “duck” curry with tofu or kanom jeen gaeng het (soft rice noodles covered in mushroom curry) To finish, the Banana Cereal Cream (grilled banana with sweet gravy and coconut milk) is a guaranteed sugar high. As you’d expect, there are plenty of smoothies and fruit juices to drink. 

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

As its name suggests, this eatery is famous for perfectly cooked noodles served with tender beef slices in a flavorful broth. Premium beef options are also on offer.