Lounge
Unveiling Bangkok's cocktail revolution
Summary
Thai bartenders raise a toast to hyperlocal flair, reimagine food as drinks and get obsessive about the perfect flavour
In new-age Bangkok bars, prepare for some cocktail sorcery. The Dry Wave Cocktail Studio serves two classic drinks in one glass. Named 1806-1988, they combine Old Fashioned and Cosmopolitan. There are several such libations, and a good drinking game would be to guess which cocktails go into one glass.
Thai bartenders don’t shy away from experimentation. At Mahaniyom, headed by bartender Ronnaporn “Neung" Kanivichaporn, each drink on the menu is named after an ingredient around which the flavours are built. For example, Duck is an eggnog-style drink with duck fat-washed Scotch, duck blood hoisin liqueur and duck egg mixed with tequila, brandy, honey, lychee and topped with passion fruit gel. The ingredients boggle the mind, but the flavours hit the spot.
Bangkok was once famous as an ideal budget-friendly travel destination. While pad thai, chicken-rice and ubiquitous Thai curries kept foodies satiated, curious drinkers would seek out the quintessential inexpensive Thai beers, like Singha and Chang, or bring home the Thai brandy Regency and the good old rum SangSom. Cut to 2024, the city’s drinking scene is driven by homegrown bars, impeccable service and gourmet cocktails accented with regional flavours—from sticky rice to pandan and squid. They have evolved to become a dynamic blend of culinary pride and innovation. After all, Bangkok is a global dining destination and tourists desire to discover local flavours; be it food or drinks.
“There’s a strong convergence of South-East Asian flavours, with umami and savoury profiles standing out in cocktails. Special themed menus are the norm, each championing Thai flavours and ingredients," notes Vikram Achanta, co-founder of the award platform 30BestBarsIndia. Additionally, food-inspired cocktails, both sweet and savoury adaptations of local Thai dishes like pad Thai and sticky rice, are highly popular.
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“Cocktails like Mango Sticky Rice, Pad Thai, or Laabh from the popular bar Lost in Thaislation are big attractions, as they offer the ability to taste the essence of a dish in a drink. These are often clarified cocktails layered with elements like foams and liqueurs to add depth and texture to the drinking experience," he adds. Focus on ingredients and distilling their essence for a sophisticated cocktail experience is a defining factor. Achanta says the bar Asia Today has a dedicated Honey Program, championing various styles of honey sourced from different regions of the world.
“I have seen Bangkok’s drinking scene transform from older expat dive bars to a sophisticated cocktail and service-led city. It has now shifted to classics re-imagined with both technique, and ingredients," observes Siddharth Mewara, co-host of the YouTube food-travel channel, The Big Forkers.
The Goa-based culinary enthusiast takes frequent trips to the Thai capital. In a story about the cocktail bar Mahaniyom—featured on the World’s 100 Best Bars list this year—the beverage publication Punch Drink highlights the city was once famous for rooftop bars “often run by expats that cater to tourists", but recently the homegrown bars run by locals have become hot spots for cocktail enthusiasts.
Bangkok’s thriving cocktail culture also seems to have embraced bars that champion a single spirit, such as blended Scotch. “Premium blended Scotch whisky has found a home here, whether it’s in a classic cocktail, paired with Thai dishes, or savoured on its own in an elegant bar," says Mokksh Sani, co-founder of the Indian whisky label Glenwalk.
And of course, there’s always room for creative cocktails—imagine an Old Fashioned made with Thai spices or a whisky sour with a hint of kaffir lime. There are several bars with a rare collection of whiskies and inventive whisky cocktails. There’s Vesper which combines sophistication with creativity; Bamboo Bar at Mandarin Oriental is a timeless favourite that has expertly crafted whisky cocktails with live jazz; and The Whiskey Room at Whisgars is a cosy, welcoming space with an impressive Scotch collection, where you can take your time exploring and learning.
The top bars and speakeasies have been successful in bringing hyperlocal flair with expert bartenders. Mumbai food enthusiast Mansij Vaidya travelled to Bangkok this year with the sole purpose of exploring food and drinks. He was impressed by the attention to flavour in each of the speakeasies he visited—Rabbit Hole, Find The Locker Room, Playroom, and Sugar Ray, You Have Been Poisoned (temporarily closed). “I like complex drinks and Thai bartenders go to great lengths to master flavours. There are no over-the-top garnishes or fancy glassware and the attention is on an elegant cocktail experience with spectacular tastes," he says.
The drinks he tried had a beginning, middle and end—the first sip has distinct taste notes that matured to a different flavour and settled with a long-lasting finish. They don’t come cheap, and each is priced between ₹1,000 and ₹1,200. A unique aspect about these places is most don’t have a hot kitchen, and packaged snacks are served. Their single-minded focus is on drinks which leaves little room for error and the idea is to bar-hop, he notes. It’s perhaps one of the main reasons for exceptional cocktails in the homegrown bars of the city.
Vaidya was intentional about visiting speakeasies because they are run and frequented by locals. The neighbourhoods of Sukhumvit and Tonglor are populated by places high on creativity. The best seat in these small (about 25 seats) speakeasies is by the bar. Talk to the bartender, he will enquire about your taste preferences and whip up something that’s unique to you. What’s not to love, really?
Pooja Prabbhan Srijith is a lifestyle journalist based in Bangkok and Delhi.
