The best restaurants and cafes in Ekkamai

Yes, it’s stylised as ‘Cüm’ – pronounced ‘coohm’. Inside The Office coworking space in Thonglor, this coffee kiosk serves respectable specialty brews, from dark-roast Brazil Santos to lighter seasonal blends. Then comes the limited-run ‘Cum Drops’ menu, with flavours such as Yuzu Cum and Butter Cum. The tagline, ‘Thanks for cüming’, isn't exactly subtle either.  125/1 Soi Sukhumvit 63, Thong Lo, Khlong Tan Nuea, Watthana, Bangkok 10110. Daily, 8.30am-8pm

There's a brass pot at the entrance here that has been bubbling for more than 40 years. The kitchen never fully extinguishes it, so each morning's broth begins as a continuation of the day before, drawing from decades of accumulated flavour and collagen until the liquid turns dark, rich and almost mahogany.  That's the foundation for the kuay teow neua, one of Bangkok's great  beef noodle institutions: gelatinous, herbal, deeply savoury and perfumed with Chinese medicinal herbs, star anise and cinnamon. It comes topped with brisket, melt-soft stewed beef, springy meatballs and tendon. Choose your noodle – fine, wide or glass – then settle in at one of the ground-floor steel tables, non-air-conditioned, worn-in and exactly as it should be. The goat stew is the move if you want to go deeper. Dishes to order: Kuay teow neua (beef noodles), slow-simmered goat stew. Price range: B80-200 336-338 Ekkamai Rd., Watthana. Open daily 9am-7pm

Ekkamai gets a lively new player with Somsak, a modern Isan spot from the team behind Fatboy Izakaya and Kim Jeong Grill. The restaurant is named after Somsak, a taxi driver who won the lottery in London before returning to Bangkok to open this personality-packed eatery. The space is full of personality, with music, colour and a slightly chaotic energy that sets the tone from the start. The menu runs wide, covering som tam, laab, grilled meats and sharing plates, all dialled up with punchy seasoning. Start with fried squid tossed in laab spices, or for seafood fans, garlic tomalley river prawns and pla dib with wasabi nam jim seafood. There are also grilled cuts and playful twists across the menu. Whether you’re settling in for a proper meal or just swinging by for a lively night with friends, this place gets the energy to match. Open now. Somsak, Ekkamai Corner, Sukhumvit Rd. Sunday-Wednesday 11am-10.30pm, Thursday-Saturday 11am-11.30pm

Originally a viral hit in Singapore, Pralet has landed in Ekkamai and wasted no time making itself at home. The format here is unusual – square sourdough doughnuts, made using a natural starter that's been kept alive for over 14 years and bubbles up through a 72-hour fermentation process that yields dough that's genuinely light and notably not greasy. The burnt butter honey glaze is the shop’s signature: glossy, fragrant, sweet against a faintly bitter note. For the more adventurous, the catfish nam prik doughnut – crispy fish, prawn floss, kaffir lime and dried kombu – is worth the leap. If that’s a step too far, pistachio raspberry crunch rounds things out for the more gourmet-leaning crowd. Pralet BKK. Ekkamai Corner. 9am-8pm

100 Mahaseth, the restaurant near Charoenkrung that has elevated nose-to-tail eating and given a gourmet twist to less appreciated meat cuts, has branched out to Ekkamai. The new dining room boasts a more casual bar vibe, and serves creative tipples to go with soulful dishes that celebrate locally sourced ingredients from the northern and Isaan region. Wooden details permeate the establishment’s two floors, giving the feel of one of those suan arhaarn eateries outside Bangkok. Chef/owner Chalee Kader wants this second branch to feel less formal, designing it as a casual dining spot before party-goers hit the watering holes and clubs in the area. There are plans to include more tapas-style bites in the menu but, for now, you can enjoy 100 Mahaseth’s popular fusion dishes such as American-style beef pho and sai oeur hotdog. The restaurant also gives Isaan food a creative twist. The som tum ponlamai (spicy fruit salad) mixes pineapple with plara (fermented fish sauce),cockles and sliced green taro. For heavier fare, order the grilled bavette (locally sourced) served with a sauce of bai ya nang (bamboo grass) and grilled onion flower stem, or the Western-style blood sausage with spicy larb. Pair these boldly flavored dishes with drinks that pile on Thai spirits. Chamchan is a heady concoction that combines Isaan rum and New Moon (a spirit made from fermented jasmine rice) with lemon juice, purple lemonade and a shot of M150. Equally fun is Nam Dang Lumyong, which brings back...

Set in an old Thai house dating from the 50s, this Mikkeller location has a stylish, elegant atmosphere with that special, uniquely Nordic feel. 

Sit back, relax and enjoy your tea at Peace, the oriental teahouse created by Teerachai Limpapaitoon, a tea expert who loves to educate Thais on Japanese and Chinese tea. The minimally decorated space serves Gyokuro, the king of Japanese green tea, in three different ways – cold brew, hot brew and with yuzu sauce. If you’re Chinese tea fan, try the Jinjunmei, a red tea that gives off a distinctive flavor when brewed in different temperatures. There are also cold drinks such as the Green Espresso matcha latte, served in cold bowls instead of with ice (said to ruin the flavor). Koicha Cream, their version of homemade milk ice cream is also a must. If you can’t finish the ice cream, just let it melt and drink it as matcha latte.

Tuba is part bar, part Italian-Thai restaurant, part vintage furniture showroom, with almost everything on the walls technically for sale. It feels unmistakably Bangkok, and it has survived because a loyal crowd keeps coming back. The karaoke room fits the same spirit: less a dedicated singalong zone than the natural extension of a long dinner that refuses to end. The song selection leans Thai and English, and is updated regularly enough to keep things current without overthinking it. Come for the laab moo tod, stay for the strong cocktails, and you will probably end up singing longer than planned. 34 Ekkamai Soi 21, 02-711-5500. Open daily 11am-2am. BTS Ekkamai.

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.

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.