Thonglor: Bangkok's Stylish Dining and Nightlife District
Explore Thonglor and Ekkamai, Bangkok's design-led neighborhood of Japanese restaurants, rooftop bars, cafes and boutiques along Sukhumvit Soi 55.
Thonglor, also spelled Thong Lo, is where Bangkok goes to eat well, drink well and be seen. It is the trendiest neighborhood in the city's Sukhumvit corridor, centered on Soi Sukhumvit 55, a long, leafy side road that runs north from the main avenue and is lined with restaurants, cocktail bars, cafes, boutiques and design stores. It started as a quiet residential area with a strong Japanese expatriate community, and today it is the city's most fashionable address for dining and nightlife. It is not a place for temples or sightseeing, but it is the best place to see how modern Bangkok lives, eats and socializes.
The district is easy to understand. Soi 55, Thonglor's main street, runs from Sukhumvit Road at BTS Thong Lo station for about two kilometers, with smaller sois branching off both sides. Ekkamai, the next area to the east, flows into Thonglor and shares its mood, with its own restaurants, cafes and a popular shopping mall. Between them, you will find Japanese izakaya and ramen shops, Thai restaurants, wine bars, coffee roasters, concept stores and a number of rooftop bars with views over the city. Almost everything is within a short walk or a quick Grab ride.
Food is the main draw. The Japanese influence is strong, so you will find some of the best sushi, ramen and izakaya dining in Bangkok here, but Thonglor also has excellent modern Thai kitchens, many of which reinvent regional dishes with careful sourcing. Prices are higher than in street-food neighborhoods, and reservations are wise for dinner at popular places. For something classic and cheap, small noodle shops and street carts still operate in the side lanes, and our guide to <a href="/guide/tom-yum-goong-bangkok-guide/">tom yum goong</a> and <a href="/guide/pad-thai-bangkok-guide/">pad Thai</a> shows what to order.
Cafes and brunch spots are everywhere. Bangkok's specialty coffee scene is strong, and Thonglor and Ekkamai have some of its best roasters, bakeries and design-led cafes, many in renovated houses with gardens. Mornings are slower than in the rest of the city, and a long breakfast with a cold brew is a pleasure. Boutiques and small galleries line the main street, offering Thai designers, vintage clothing, homeware and gifts. It is a good place to browse at an easy pace, especially on weekday afternoons.
| Time of Day | What to Expect |
|---|---|
| Morning | Quiet streets, specialty coffee and long brunches in garden cafes |
| Afternoon | Boutiques, galleries and air-conditioned shopping in nearby malls |
| Early evening | Aperitifs, rooftop bars with skyline views and early dinner reservations |
| Late night | Cocktail bars, clubs and late-night ramen until the early hours |
Take the BTS Skytrain Sukhumvit Line to Thong Lo station, which sits at the start of Soi 55. From there you can walk, take a Grab or hop on a motorbike taxi along the soi. Taxis and Grab are cheap but traffic is heavy in the evening, so the BTS is the fastest way in and out.
Nightlife is where Thonglor really stands out. The area is home to some of Bangkok's best cocktail bars, many with inventive menus and carefully designed interiors, as well as rooftop lounges, live music venues and clubs. The crowd is mostly local, young and well dressed, and the atmosphere is more sophisticated than the backpacker areas. Dress codes are relaxed but smart-casual is a good rule, and some clubs enforce entry rules. Bars usually open in the early evening and run until after midnight, with some staying open later.
Malls and markets are also part of the Thonglor routine. Shopping centers in the area offer air-conditioned dining, supermarkets, cinemas and boutiques, and a Japanese-style mall on Soi 55 has long been a favorite for casual lunches and groceries. Weekend markets and small night markets pop up in the area from time to time, selling vintage clothes, crafts and snacks. If you need a break from the heat, a mall is a simple solution, and many have good, cheap food courts in the basement.
A few practical tips help. Traffic on Sukhumvit and Soi 55 can be severe, especially on weekday evenings and Friday nights, so use the BTS where you can. Dining is more expensive than in the rest of Bangkok, so look at menus before sitting down, and note that many restaurants add a service charge and tax to the bill. Reservations are needed for the best tables on weekends. Be careful with drinks in busy bars, and use licensed taxis or Grab late at night rather than unmetered rides.
Thonglor suits food lovers, nightlife seekers, couples and travelers who want a modern, comfortable base with plenty of restaurants. It is less suited to first-time visitors focused on temples and palaces, since the old sights are a long ride away, and to those on a tight budget. Many visitors combine a few days here with a stay in the old city, using the BTS to move between them. For where to sleep, see our guide to <a href="/guide/where-to-stay-in-bangkok-sukhumvit-vs-silom-vs-old-city/">Sukhumvit, Silom and the old city</a>.
It is possible to enjoy Thonglor on a modest budget. Eat lunch rather than dinner at the better restaurants, since many offer set menus at lower prices, and look for small noodle shops and street stalls in the lanes off the main soi. Share dishes, skip cocktails in favor of a single signature drink, and use the BTS rather than taxis. Many of the best cafes charge less than similar places in other major cities, and a long, slow afternoon with a coffee and a book is one of the area's best pleasures. A walk through the side sois, away from the main road, also shows quieter residential life behind the glossy front.
For hotel ideas, see our top 10 hotels in Bangkok and budget hotels in Bangkok. For other neighborhoods, see our guides to Yaowarat Chinatown and the Chatuchak Weekend Market.
