Three Best Brunch Bargains in Bangkok
Bangkok is famous for its many five star hotels and resorts, most of which have brunch buffet spreads that will have you up to your eyeballs in anything from sausage to seafood to traditional Thai Jok porridge.
The catch is that hotels are often pricey, in hard to reach locations and don’t cater to local Thais or travelers on a budget. On the other end of the spectrum there are cheap outdoor street food vendors and family restaurants. Catch is, these aren’t exactly places to comfortably enjoy a nice meal or to hobnob with the Hipster and Hi-So crowd.
However, here are a few hip and fashionable Bangkok Brunch establishments that offer great menus and cool ambiance without breaking ones budget. Here are three of the best to check out next time you’re in the mood for brunch but don’t have all the Baht in the world to spend.
Not all of us are on vacation in Thailand, after all!
The Corner Food & Shelter
Tucked in away in the recesses of Sathorn Soi 1, The Corner is a French and Mediterranean inspired cafe adjoined to an upstairs hostel. While it might not look like much from the outside, The Corner serves a consistent variety of delicious brunch items at a reasonable price. You can tell the place isn’t going anywhere either, due to the large number of foreigners and French ex-pats that frequent the Corner every weekend.
Most of the brunch dishes are below the 500 baht range, with the Croque Monsieur/Madame being one of the most popular regular items on the menu. Weekly specials such as Spinach Pancetta scramble are also available at around the same price range. If you’re in the mood for a more traditional western breakfast, they also offer full plates depending on which nationality you prefer such as “The Brit” or “The Yankee.” These also offer a good value for a full portion of pancakes, sausage, bacon or whatever it may be.
As for drinks, you’ll have a wide selection and price range to choose from. If you’re simply in the mood for a local Thai beer or Beer Lao, you can get one for under 80 baht. But even if you’re inclined to “splurge” a little, you can get breakfast cocktails, wine or champagne which also come in well below standard Bangkok hotel prices. The Corner and area surrounding is usually filled with a mix of professional expats and younger Thai crowd, giving you a hip feeling without spending a fortune. And as a bonus with each meal you get a basket of their delicious home-baked baguette bread!
Tribeca Restobar
For a taste of New York during brunch, Tribeca on Thonglor Soi 13 has become a local standard for budget-conscious foodies. The pricing of Tribeca’s menu comes in well-below the high-end hotels, as well as many of the neighboring establishments in Thong Lor. What makes Tribeca special is their bottomless brunch champagne in addition to reasonably priced takes on New York and American favorites. This includes standards like Crab Benedict, Scrambled Eggs and Chicken & Biscuits. The pancake breakfast with maple-glazed pork belly comes in at slightly under 300 baht, for example.
The staff is normally friendly and attentive, and many people like to order the fruit smoothies and juices that are neatly decorated providing an extremely Instagram-worthy experience. While Tribeca may not have lived up to the hype it initially opened to (very few places in Bangkok do), it has settled into a solid groove and is now the perfect place for a Sunday brunch that won’t leave your bank account busted for the upcoming week. And afterwards, you’ll have the rest of the afternoon in Thong Lor at your fingertips!
Roast
Roast has two different locations around the city, with the Emquartier providing a great value simply because of the luxurious ambiance of Bangkok’s hottest new high-end mall that you’re situated in. The second location at the Commons in Thong Lor provides a more open environment with a decidedly hipster vibe. Both are excellent brunch experiences in their own right. Although more expensive than the previous two on this list, Roast is still a great value for the quality and selection of cuisine along with the social atmosphere of mingling with some of the Hi-So crowd.
One of the distinguishing factors of Roast is it’s variety of dishes. From Mexican-inspired Huevos Rancheros to Corned Beef Hash and Brioche French Toast with Ice Cream, Roast has all the brunch bases covered. Not to mention all of these dishes clock in at under 400 baht. But what separates Roast as one of the true top notch brunch cafes in Bangkok is it’s coffee, drink and dessert selection. The espresso is strong and fresh made, while Mojitos, Margaritas and Bloody Marys are available to satisfy those in a boozy mood. Unless you give into temptation and order an entree, alcoholic beverage and dessert, you’ll have an amazing brunch in two of the best designed spaces in Bangkok without annihilating your pocketbook.
So there you have it, three great brunches in Bangkok that will not only satisfy your stomach, but will also leave you feeling as though you’re a true Thai trendsetter.
Good luck and happy brunching na krup!
