9 Best Restaurants in Riverside Bangkok

Steve Cafe and Cuisine well and truly fell into Bangkok’s list of ‘hidden gems’ when it first opened in 2012. With its nondescript entrance and out-of-the-way location tucked away beside the Chao Phraya River, Steve Cafe gets packed out most nights drawing in locals, expats and tourists with their delightful views, tasty Thai menu, and quaint little dining space.

This riverside restaurant delivers on the picturesque views, but the crowds don’t just flock for that reason alone. All dishes are fresh, and the menu has an emphasis on both classic Thai as well as some more unusual offerings from around the country. To find it, take a boat to Dhevet Pier and walk towards Thevarakunchong Temple.

Mei Jiang Restaurant at The Peninsula Hotel offers fine Cantonese food and a refined dining atmosphere. Just like the hotel, this restaurant presents some rather stylish surroundings and you’ll rarely hear a bad word said about their delectable signature dim sum dishes.

The restaurant's full-length windows look out over a garden and the majestic Chao Phraya River, giving you a spectacular view to enjoy while tucking into your lunch or dinner. Aside from their dim sum, Mei Jiang Restaurant's standout dishes include roast duck, deep-fried snow fish with salt and chilli, and the tenderloin beef with pepper paste.

Le Normandie, situated in the Garden Wing of The Mandarin Oriental Bangkok, offers a full a la carte French menu of exemplary seafood and meat dishes. Even so, there's always an alternate but no-less-exquisite set menu, both at lunchtime and dinner. It isn’t cheap but it’s well worth splashing out for a special occasion, especially for a memorable moment in Bangkok's Riverside area.

Sala Rim Nam is more than just a Bangkok riverside restaurant – it’s a whole cultural experience, with exciting entertainment in the form of Thai dance and a mock battle. Pair this together with some excellent fine-dining, all against the backdrop of the stunning Chao Phraya River, and you’re bound to have a memorable dining experience.

Located at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel, Sala Rim Naam is set in a gorgeous Thai-style pavilion is reminiscent of an elaborately decked northern Thai sala, with high ceilings, pitched, sweeping roof and polished teakwood finishes. The dinner (and show) usually runs from 7.45 to 9pm every night and it’s recommended to book ahead.

The Deck at Arun Residence is a Bangkok restaurant sitting directly opposite the majestic Wat Arun. It doesn’t disappoint on the food front either, serving some delectable Thai classic using slightly rarer ingredients than you’d find on the streets.

Examples of this include their pomelo salad and frog’s legs with chilli and pepper. You’ll also find European-style dishes at The Deck at Arun Residence, such as duck confit, which satisfy as much as their Thai offerings, just with slightly milder flavors.

Sheepshank Public House's interior has a distinctly industrial feel to it, with plenty of black metal fixtures contrasting the warm wooden tones throughout. It’s difficult to categorize the cuisine here, but popular dishes include crab and apple salad, mushroom risotto with Lao pine nuts, oxtail-stuffed tortellini, and coffee-rubbed beef tenderloin.

Sheepshank Public House is along a hidden alleyway, but finding it is much easier by boat. Disembark at Pier no 13 and spot the bright restaurant lights glowing across the water of the Chao Phraya.

Benihana is a Japanese restaurant at Anantara Riverside Resort & Spa. It offers diners 2 of Japan’s most popular dining options: sushi and teppanyaki (hot plate cooking). The restaurant has become famous for its outgoing teppanyaki chefs, who cook with flair and personality right in front of your table.

Since starting in New York in the 1960s, this chain and has spread to several countries around the world with its unique take on Japanese cuisine, where delicious food is complemented by a fun and frivolous atmosphere. The restaurant is located in the forested grounds of the Anantara Riverside Resort, alongside the Chao Phraya River.

For luxurious riverside dining in Bangkok, Flow at the Millenium Hilton Bangkok is up there with the best. Its large open-plan dining area has 2 sections: a brightly lit indoor space and an outdoor terrace that’s great for riverside views.

This all-day restaurant has 4 open kitchens serving up a vast menu of international treats, as well as Thai and Asian delights. It hosts regular special events, such as riverside dancing by the Patravadi Theatre Group (Thursday evenings) as well as wine and cheese events (Friday nights). You can get there by taxi to Millenium Hilton Bangkok or river ferry to Klong San Pier.

Dining at the Royal Orchard Sheraton’s Thara Thong is a distinctly traditional Thai affair. The restaurant's floor-style seating tables are reminiscent of the Royal Court (table seating is also available) and the décor features plenty of polished teakwood, Thai designs and artwork in keeping with the whole feel of the place.

The menu doesn’t diverge from the Thai theme either, with local favorites such as king prawns with chilli and garlic, steamed seabass, together with a range of coconut-based soups and curries.