Nine of the Best Italian Restaurants in Bangkok

Nine of the Best Italian Restaurants in Bangkok

So you thought all the best food in Bangkok was stir-fried and spicy Thai cuisine?

Well, that may be the case to some extent, and it’s certainly true that many people come to Bangkok for just that reason. But did you know that quite a few Thais developed a soft spot for Italian food more than a couple of decades back, and that it has been one of the few western cuisines that became popular with carbonara-loving locals.

Hence there have been steadily growing numbers of Italian eateries across the expanse of the Thai capital for more than a few decades now.

Never really having been ones to have caught on to the stodge associated with much western cuisine, the Thais embraced the easy-to-eat spaghetti and pasta dishes (not to mention pizza) even before the current ruck of Japanese and Korean restaurants began appearing across the city in their current bedazzling numbers (although as this is SE Asia, doubtless they have always been there in some capacity).

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That’s not to say it’s always been that easy to find a decent bruschetta within the Thai capital (and we won’t even touch on fast-food pizza chain names here), but certainly over the last decade or so there have emerged a few established names on the Bangkok restaurant scene in terms of Mediterranean-style fare.

A few later ones have added to the choice of options, ranging from moderately-sized, reasonably-priced, homely and traditional affairs to the distinctly high-end variety, many of which are located in some of the top hotels in the city .

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Needless to say, this is a style of cuisine loved by both locals who fancy a change, and visitors who fancy a change. This has been fuelled to some degree by the slowly but surely expanding interest of the Thais in imported wines, notable from the small and not-so-small stores across the city selling wider and wider ranges of the rather expensive grape water.

Obviously much of the ingredients in the Italian restaurants in Bangkok are likely to have been imported, which makes it somewhat difficult to these restaurants to offer anything close to a budget option – and then there are the wines to consider.

So usually indulging in Italian cuisine while in Bangkok won’t come all that cheaply – but you can expect fair degrees of quality and tastiness from the establishments outlined in this report. You’d have to decide for yourself about the value for money though, depending on what you are used to.

So let’s take a somewhat deeper delve into what currently constitutes some of the best Italian restaurants in Bangkok, in no particular order to speak of.

1. Rosanno’s

This place goes back about as far as we can here in terms of any links with the beginnings of today’s current crop of authentic Italian restaurants in Bangkok. This comes by way of owner Gennari Rossano, who arguably opened the first Italian eatery in the city back in 1984, under the name of L’Opera.

Although he tried his hand at retirement for a while in 2005, Gennari eventually felt the pull towards reopening another restaurant, so in 2008 he opened up this Tuscan-styled establishment in one of the central areas of Sukhumvit Road, a regular haunt of many of the city’s food lovers who fancy a diversion from local Thai flavours.

So here you have an intimate, homely atmosphere comprising 2 rooms for dining set amidst authentic-looking Italian décor and setting, and a menu offering a selection of all the best elements of home cooked Italian delights.

Location: 167 Sukhumvit Soi 21, Asok Montri Road, Khlong Toei Nuea, Bangkok 10110

Hours: 11:30 am-2 pm, 5 pm-11 pm

Tel: (+66) 022601861

Website: www.rosannosbangkok.com

2. Biscotti

Biscotti is the Italian home-from-home eatery located in the Anantara hotel in central Bangkok. With a head chef hailing from Genova with more than 20 years’ experience in the industry under his belt, you won’t be disappointed with some of the delights on offer in this establishment.

Here is a contemporary, Trattoria-style restaurant offering authentic Italian fare prepared in style in full view through an open kitchen scenario, which is clearly a focal point of interest in this aromatic and lively restaurant with a homely feel.

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All manner of pasta, seafood, and home-made pizza is on offer here along with a wide-ranging wine list. Set lunch menus are available, along with a la carte options including antipasti, scallops and porcini, or perhaps the house speciality, sautéed Roman-style live clams with fresh-baked Ciabatta is more up your street.

Needless to say, there is a fairly tantalizing dessert menu which offers such delights as Tiramisu Biscotti, and a fairly impressive artisan cheeseboard option comprised of such delights as Asiago resplendent with honey, dried apricot and walnuts. To top it all, the wine list contains more than 400 labels guaranteed to complement any meal. Saluti!

Location: Anantara Siam Bangkok Hotel, 155 Rajadamri Road, Bangkok 10330

Tel: (+66) 2341 9448

Hours: 11:30 am-2 pm, 5 pm-9 pm

Website: https://www.biscottibangkok.com/

3. Cantina

Cantina Wine Bar & Italian Kitchen is one of the more recent additions to the Italian dining scene in Bangkok. With the distinct and obvious influence of an Italian subterranean wine cellar in Italy, the restaurant as both a wine bar and an eatery, and hence attracts a slightly broader range of clientele by way of diners and casual wine drinkers.

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Here you’ll find a selection of homemade Italian dishes with no frills, including such delights as baguettes stuffed with avocados, feta cheese, tomatoes, and fresh rucola, or cheese Burratas with cherry tomatoes, shallots and basil.

If that sounds a little to ‘brunchy’, there’s always the braised rock lobster salad, or maybe even the seafood risotto, lamb chop, fettucine, or pizza options sound more appealing. What you get here is affordable, home-made cuisine in a less-pretentious setting than some of the larger venues.

Location: Ari Samphan Soi 3, Ari, Phaya Thai, Bangkok 10400

Tel: (+66) 2038 5114

Hours: 5 pm-11 pm

Website: https://cantinabkk.com/ari/

4. La Scala

This award-winning is one of the finest you are likely to find in Bangkok if you are a fan of progressive-style Italian cuisine.

Set in a rather impressive poolside scenario in the Sukhothai Hotel which encompasses the traditional open kitchen approach, resplendent contemporary design with a subtle not towards the cultural heritage personified by the hotel brand.

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A slightly more formal dress approach needs to be observed in this particular establishment, as does the need for a prior reservation – just to give some indication of the tone of the place. The menu options include set lunches and a la carte options alongside impressive pizza and dessert menus and a massive selection of wines covering all prominent Italian regions related to individual dishes.

A quick glance of the menu and its relevant prices will either have you rubbing your hands in anticipation of the delights on offer or running for a cheaper option – definitely one of the more higher-end establishments on our list today, but obviously considered well worth it by those giving out the awards.

Location: The Sukothai Hotel Bangkok, 13/3 South Sathorn Road, Bangkok 10120

Tel: (+66) 2344 8888

Hours: 12 pm-9 pm

Contact: promotions@sukothai.com

5. Trattoria

Trattoria is another homely, family-run concern with the owner and chef again being a native of Trieste. After 2 previous successful ventures in the Thai seaside town of Hua Hin, the owner decided to try his hand at opening up in the capital.

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The establishment serves a selection of spaghettis and pastas, cold meats, salads, lasagne and pizza, and has regular promotions such as 50% on oysters. The restaurant also does take-outs and home delivery, and if you want to drop in you can find Trattoria inside Octo Seafood, near the Davis Hotel on Sukhumvit Road.

Address: 88, 88/9 Sukhumvit 24 Alley, Khlongton, Klongtoey, Bangkok 10110

Hours: 5 pm-12 am

Phone: 082 492 4266

Reservations: trattoriabkk.com, chope.co

6. Enoteca Italiana

This top Italian restaurant in Bangkok (with a name that translates as wine library) also happens to be well-established and long-running  after serving wine and cuisine in the city for almost 18 years. 

It must be doing something right then, and in fact right from its subtle location down a small alley with a garden, this establishment has all the right elements that typically make up an enjoyable Italian dining experience such as a rustic-style dining room, traditional dishes and Piedemontese-inspired flavours; and of course, an expansive wine list.

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The menu is reasonably mid-priced in the otherwise leaning-toward-posh Phrom Pong area – home to both the Emporium and Emquartier shopping malls — and is his is reflected in the preferred smart casual dress code common to Italian restaurants of this approach.

 Location: 39 Sukhumvit Soi 27, Bangkok 10110

Tel: (+66) 02 258 4386

Hours: 6 pm-11 pm

Website: www.enotecabangkok.com

7. La Castra Nostra

Situated in a former stately home, here we have a chic Italian restaurant in the central business district of Bangkok’s Sathorn region that can draw crowds based on its wine list alone.

La Castra is a tried & tested favourite of many locals who work in the city-centre vicinity of the restaurant, and aside from its popularity and reputation as a wine bar, the establishment offers an impressive selection of rustic-tinged dishes.

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These come by way of Fettuccine con Salsiccia & Funghi (homemade fettucine with Italian sausage & mushroom ragout, in slightly simpler terms), and Spaghetti All’Aragosta with Maine lobster and cherry tomatoes).

Again these dishes are not likely to come that cheaply – expect to pay between 500 and 800 baht per dish – but the ambience and setting, combined with the wine and food, could make you forget that you are in the middle of Bangkok altogether should that be your wish.

To add to the authentic mediterraneon appeal – or as near as you are likely to get to that in Bangkok – this Italian restaurant is quaintly situated on a tiny alley which goes by the name of Soi Goethe.

Location: 22 Sathorn Soi 1 Yaek 2 (Goethe), Bangkok

Tel: 02-287-2402

Hours: 10:30 am-11 pm.

8. La Dotta

Moving across town to the equally trendy Thonglor area of the city, we can find another tantalisingly authentic Italian restaurant in the form of La Dotta.

Not surprisingly, this is typically high-end affair, as far as Bangkok eateries go – think Tagliatelle Bolognese with tender, slow-cooked wagyu beef shoulder combined with ribbons of fresh-made pasta.

Dessert comes by way of Nutella-stuffed bomboloni (fried Italian donut), just in case you needed a few more carbs before moving along.

Location: 161/6 Thonglor Soi 9, Bangkok

Tel: (+66) 023928688

Hours:

Contact: www.facebook.com/ladottapasta

9. Don Giovanni

If you fancy getting a bit further out of the built-up city centre areas that the majority of these restaurants seem to be located in, then you could do worse then head on over to Central Shopping Plaza in Ladprao.

No, don’t worry – we’re not seriously talking shopping mall restaurants here – but right behind the department store you’ll find the exceptional 5-star Centara Grand Hotel, which just happens to have within its confines a rather decent Italian restaurant by way of the Don Giovanni trattoria.

The fact that this particular eatery is located within a pretty decent hotel gives rise to some indication of just what to expect here – high-end, luxury dining with fine wines — but if that happens to be your thing, then why not?

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The ambiance of the restaurant is actually fairly cozy and welcoming, and unsurprisingly of an establishment such as this, the head chef is Italian, and highly-experienced.

With a single dining room that accommodates up to 80 people, this fine Italian restaurant in Bangkok is refreshingly devoid of that packed inner-city vibe, and this hotel is actually just a stone’s throw from Chatuchak Park, which gives the area in general a slightly more open feel.

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With lunch and dinner options available in traditional, home-cooked Italian style, as well as a range of delightful salads and pizzas, this Bangkok Italian eatery is truly a tried and tested affair which has been open for more than 2 decades now.

Location: Centara Grand, Central Plaza Ladrao,1695 Phahonyothin Road, Chatuchak, Bangkok 10900

Hours: 11:30 am-2:30 pm, 6 pm-10:30 pm

Tel: (+66) 2541 1235

Website: www.centarahotelsresorts.com