Best restaurants to have a business lunch in Bangkok
Whether you’re negotiating a deal, impressing a client, or simply rewarding your team, the spot of your business lunch plays a vital role in setting the right atmosphere and can often tip the scale in your favour. But in a city like Bangkok, packed full of eateries at every turn, choosing the best one can feel like a chore. So, if you’re looking for the perfect restaurant for that all-important business lunch, keep reading for our round-up of suitably sophisticated Bangkok restaurants.
Paii
Opening hour: Daily, 12:00 – 23:00
Address: 106 North, Sathon Thani Rd, Silom, Bang Rak, Bangkok 10500, Thailand
Helmed by the Bangkok native Chef Joe Weeraket Nilayon, Paii Bangkok offers a refreshing take on Thai seafood dishes. The menu emphasises authenticity and brims with Thai flavours, created using locally sourced as well as international seafood. Generous portions suitable for sharing take centre stage. You can find dishes like fried rice with local mud crab, charcoal-grilled giant river prawns, and French flambeed razor clams. An intriguing Thai-inspired afternoon tea is also on offer, skillfully blending traditional flavours with the elegance of teatime tradition.
Paii’s location adds a certain allure to the dining experience. Set within an old aristocratic mansion, the visual charm of original plasterwork and parquet flooring flows through the restaurant. In addition to the main dining room, they also have several private rooms. These rooms are perfect for formal business meetings, complete with an adjacent lounge and bar.
Yu Ting Yuan
Opening hours: Daily, 11:30 – 14:30 and 18:00 – 22:30
Address: Four Seasons Hotel Bangkok at Chao Phraya River, 300/1 Charoen Krung Rd, Khwaeng Yan Nawa, Sathon, Krung Thep Maha Nakhon 10120, Thailand
Situated inside the elegant Four Seasons Hotel, Yu Ting Yuan is the only Michelin-starred Cantonese restaurant in Bangkok. The culinary team is led by Executive Chef Tommy Cheaung, whose experience spans renowned restaurants from Hong Kong to Taipei. The menu at Yu Ting Yuan comprises selections that reflect Chef Cheung’s modern approach to Cantonese cooking. Some of the most popular dishes include the crispy Peking duck and an extensive array of dim sum. Moreover, the restaurant also offers a specially curated Dim Sum Set Lunch, which provides a variety of dim sum selected by the chef, along with signature barbeque dishes and dishes.
But the food is not the only part of the experience at Yu Ting Yuan. The restaurant’s lavish interior design pairs modern influences with classical Chinese elements. Expansive windows offer a stunning panoramic view of a reflective pool set within lush gardens, which are illuminated by night with light installations. Given its backdrop and the quality of its cuisine, Yu Ting Yuan is a great destination for business lunches in Bangkok.
J’AIME by Jean-Michel Lorain
Opening hours: Wednesday – Monday, 12:00 – 14:30 and 18:00 – 20:30
Address: U Sathorn Bangkok, 105/1 Ngam Duphli Alley, Thung Maha Mek, Sub-district Bangkok 10120, Thailand
J’AIME by Jean-Michel Lorain boasts a strategic location in Bangkok’s bustling central business district, Sathorn. It was created by Jean-Michel Lorain, a Michelin Star chef, who aimed to bring a distinctive culinary experience to Thailand’s capital. Since its opening in 2014, the kitchen has been expertly managed by Chef Amerigo Sesti, known for his careful attention to detail. Together with his team, he presents an array of French food that beautifully melds classic elegance and contemporary creativity.
They have several set menus on offer, but one of the most popular is the Picnic Lunch Menu, which includes dishes like Mango Gazpacho, Ronin Jack Tartar, or Sauteed Pen Shells. And to complement the dining experience, you can also choose from a wide range of wines from both new and old worlds. Outside of the dishes and drinks, this restaurant in Bangkok also provides a delightful setting for your business lunch (or dinner). It features an upside-down theme with a grand piano suspended from the ceiling.
Yamazato
Opening hours: Daily, 06:00 – 14:00 and 18:00 – 22:00
Address: The Okura Prestige Bangkok, 57 Witthayu Rd, Lumphini, Pathum Wan, Bangkok 10330, Thailand
If you want to experience the authentic world of traditional Japanese dining in Bangkok, Yamazato is the best place to go. Flanked by a high-rise city view, it’s a favoured spot for business lunches. From a sushi bar stocked with only the freshest finds from Toyosu Fish Market and teppanyaki tables where you can watch your meal sizzle to perfection to stylish dining tables where you can enjoy a business lunch that will impress your clients, Yamazato doesn’t just serve food; it presents an experience.
Yamazato provides choices ranging from conventional à la carte dishes to changing set menus that adapt to the seasons. Their à la carte menu is based upon the centuries-old traditional Kaiseki Ryori (Japanese haute cuisine). Plus, they also have speciality dishes to celebrate Japanese festivals. The combination of excellent service, kimono-clad staff catering to your every need, and their meticulous attention to detail has won them acclaim in the Michelin Guide’s selection.
La Dotta
Opening hours: Daily, 11:00 – 14:30 and 17:00 – 22:00
Address: 161/6 Soi Thong Lo 9 Khlong Tan Nuea, Bang Na, Bangkok 10110, Thailand
If you (or your client) are a pasta-lover, then La Dotta is a must-visit. With its lunchtime set menus launching from 11 am, it’s the perfect destination for an early business lunch, away from the midday rush. The restaurant borrows its name from the vibrant city of Bologna’s nickname “La Dotta”, which translates to “the wise one”. Apt, considering Bologna’s status as a city of culinary wisdom, owing to its tradition-rich hearty cuisine. The team brings an authentic slice of Bologna’s flavours to Bangkok, with a sprinkle of creativity, of course.
What truly sets La Dotta apart from the crowd is the fresh pasta made each morning. Not just your everyday spaghetti and fettuccine, but also the lesser-known gems of pasta, like tortelloni and pappardelle. Using only 100% natural Italian flour, organic duck eggs, and more than a pinch of passion, La Dotta has elevated the seemingly simple pasta into a dish that’s both mouthwateringly good and nutritiously satisfying.
The five restaurants we’ve shared in this guide offer not just fantastic food, but also the atmosphere and service that will surely impress. Whichever you choose, you’ll soon find that your business lunch in Bangkok means great business in the best places to eat.
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