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Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner at The Sukhothai Bangkok

Luxury travelers wanting to fine dine their way through Thailand's capital should give the river a break and head for the Sukhothai Bangkok in Sathorn for unique and diverse dining.

WRITTEN BY
Tyler Roney

PHOTOGRAPHY BY
Phoebe Storm

PUBLISHED ON
September 7, 2018

LOCATION
Thailand

Far too many high-end tourists plop down at Suvarnabhumi airport and head straight for the Chao Phraya River for world-class hotels, like the boutique charm at The Siam or the history of the Mandarin Oriental. Yes, these are some of the nicest and most memorable hotels in the city. But, for most of us who call the capital home, the river’s a daytrip, not Bangkok.

Travelers wanting to fine dine their way through Thailand’s capital will find places like Sathorn a much more amenable way to taste the city. At the top of that hotel fine dining list is The Sukhothai Bangkok.

The Sukhothai Bangkok

Unlike the luxury offerings on the river, the Sukhothai is centrally located for some of Bangkok’s more decadent hotel pleasures – including the delights found at the Anantara Sathorn, SO Sofitel, and the famous infinity pool at Banyan Tree. The Sukhothai Bangkok isn’t alone in Sathorn. But it is unique.

The Sukhothai Bangkok is a luxury destination in downtown Bangkok, a surprisingly green space in the urban sprawl of one of the busiest cities in Southeast Asia. The design is a mix of teak, mirrors, and water that puts one in mind of an angular Thai palace – the work of Edward Tuttle and Kerry Hill. The emphasis on history is apparent both in the name – The Sukhothai being the 13th century capital of Siam – and in the interior design, awash with statues, traditional Thai structures, and stone stupas.

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ABOVE: Grounds, rooms, and facilities at The Sukhothai Bangkok.

What’s most impressive are the six acres of land in the middle of downtown Bangkok’s spires and skyscrapers, attracting no shortage of high-end travelers and celebrities to the The Sukhothai Bangkok and its plush pool. For the downtown diner who likes to be at the center of the city with a certain green charm, the Sukhothai Bangkok is an ideal choice.

Breakfast at Colonnade

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Breakfast at even the plushest hotel is rarely the treat of any hotel stay, but The Sukhothai Bangkok makes a valiant effort. The buffet style breakfast at the Colonnade features many of the luxury hotel staples most have come to expect: fresh French toast, a selection of cheeses and pastries, and the growing popularity of the fresh honeycomb.

More impressive, however, for one waking to find themselves in the surrounds of The Sukhothai Bangkok, is the design. The high ceiling at the Colonnade adds an art deco feel to the morning, and early risers will find a front-row view to the charming stupas that make up the central design feature of The Sukhothai Bangkok.

Lunch at La Scala

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ABOVE: Images from La Scala, fine Italian dining at The Sukhothai Bangkok.

If you find yourself in La Scala for lunch, then get ready for some of the most innovative Italian dining in the city. In culinary parlance, for your average diner, “innovative” is synonymous with “weird” but that is not the case with La Scala: new, inventive food from the brain of David Tamburini.

At home in Michelin starred kitchens in Milan, Taormina, and Modica, Tuscany native Chef Tamburini is tattooed, animated, friendly, and passionate about Italian cuisine.

ABOVE: Polipo E Patata at La Scala, potato skins filled with foam on a bed of octopus.

The must-try dishes on the La Scala menu include the Polipo E Patata, a Cerignola olive dressing with a potato filled with delectable foam atop chopped Mediterranean octopus.  It’s rich. It’s hearty. And it’s even a little bit sour. Also, be sure to try the Capania buffalo mozzarella bavaroise on a bed of roasted Piccadilly and Datterino tomato.

ABOVE: One of La Scala’s pizzas, cooked in a pizza oven and then carefully sliced in half to add toppings.

For this reviewer, however, the pizza was the star. At La Scala, the pizza is wood-fired, handmade, and fresh. What’s more, the process was somewhat fascinating. The pizza was thrown and kneaded as it often is, then to be pulled from the oven, cut in half lengthwise so as to create two whole pies, and then the ingredients are added to make a crunchy, rich pizza with fresh ingredients with natural flavors.

Dinner at Celadon

ABOVE: Exterior of Celadon at The Sukhothai Bangkok.

You may have heard of Celadon in the news of late. On August 6th the Jay Fai – the Michelin-star streetside chef off Maha Chai Road famed around the word for her Thai crab omelets – collaborated with the Celadon. Jay Fai just isn’t the type to do that sort of thing, but if there ever was an exclusive pair, it is Jay Fai and Chef Rossarin of Celadon.

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Celadon is Thai food – very Thai food. It’s a simple treasure that has garnered plaudits from Michelin and Travel & Leisure called it the Best Restaurant in Bangkok. Chef Rossarin is the mind behind Celadon’s success, taking her culinary inspirations from the royal cuisine of Rama V.

“I take the recipes from King Rama V – and sometimes King Rama II. At this restaurant we want people to know that Thai food is not only the pad thai, only the green curry, only the pad kra pao,” she says. A native of Samut Sakhon, Chef Rossarin has been at Celadon for more than three years and is cementing her reputation as one of Bangkok’s finest Thai chefs.

If you find yourself in Bangkok with a need for luxury in Sathorn, be assured that, no matter what time of day, The Sukhothai Bangkok has fine dining at the ready – be it La Scala by the pool or watching the evening shows at Colonnade. Indeed, there are even more places at The Sukhothai Bangkok to eat: Thimian for pastries and sweets, Salon for snacks, and Zuk Bar for some incredible Italian drinks. But, for all of that, you’ll probably need to stay more than one night.