Banthat Thong Road: A Street Food Gem
Named by Time Out magazine as the 14th coolest street in the world - Banthat Thong is an approximately two kilometer bustling street that has some of the best food in Bangkok. Locals will say this is where they go as an alternative to the crowds of Yaowarat Road in Chinatown. Close to both the BTS (National Stadium) and MRT (Samyan) stations, it is a short walk to Banthat Thong Road where you’ll find a wealth of dining options ranging from Thai hotpots, Korean BBQ grills, Hainanese chicken rice stalls, iced bingsoo dessert spots, to Michelin starred restaurants. We’ll share the best spots to check-out on this street.
Banthat Thong Road in the evening.
Som Som Seafood: On the main road, if you’re looking for seafood in a clean environment with friendly service, look no further than Som Som Seafood. They are famous for their crab egg glass noodles and oyster omelettes. You can also opt for other seafood cooked fresh including blood cockles, baked scallops topped with cheese, and giant grilled river prawns.
Som Som Seafood
2. Jae Wan: Word on the street is that this place is famous because Lisa of BLACKPINK fame made a stop here. Regardless of the hype, this Thai dessert place has some of the most unique and tasty desserts we’ve tried in Thailand. There usually isn’t a line during the day. Be warned, the bowls are big so share with a friend or get ready for a spike in your blood sugar.
Jae Wan storefront
You can choose from toppings like Milo cocoa volcano, grass jelly in fresh milk, tangyuan (glutinous rice balls) in ginger soup, soybean curd, or “pomegranate seeds” (water chestnut balls). All of this is served alongside a mountain of shaved ice. What better way to beat the heat?
3. Jeh O Chula: A Michelin Bib Gourmand spot, this place is packed to the gills for people lining up for their famous Tom Yum Mama. We didn’t actually get a chance to try this place out, but it would be a crime to leave out on this list. Not your typical tom yum goong, their noodle soup here bursts with authentic flavours and is chock full of seafood and crispy pork. Don’t show up here without a plan or a reservation or be prepared to queue for at least 2 hours. I heard that a confirmed way to skip the line is to buy a set menu ticket on Klook that gets you in front of the line without waiting.
Image Courtesy of: https://johorkaki.blogspot.com/2022/05/jeh-o-chula-midnight-tom-yum-mama.html
We didn’t have enough time (or stomach) to try out all these other places in Banthat Thong, but here is a list of highly rated spots:
Chicken Rice by J’Bo: Choice of original Hainanese style chicken rice or fried crispy chicken rice.
Pork Satay Nai Song: Ten pork satay freshly grilled for 100 baht.
Tuay Tung Ice-cream: Famous dessert place with ice cream sandwiches.
Saranghae Bingsu: Korean shaved milk ice in flavours like melon, red bean, and cotton candy.
Elvis Suki: Famous for their must-try grilled scallops.
เฮงหอยทอดชาวเล บรรทัดทอง: Known for their mussels with fried egg and crispy rice flour.
