It’ll be a classic dirty Martini for me (gin, extra olive), and the El Presidente for Vichayuth Chantan. Together, we’re discussing our take on the biggest bar and restaurant trends in Thailand this 2023.
We didn’t go to Le Cordon Bleu in Bangkok nor Paris, we aren’t secret voters and critics (that we can reveal here), and we didn’t star on Drinks Masters, Iron Chef, or even in a cameo role on Hunger. We do, however, visit new bars and restaurants on a weekly basis, and we do, quite often, report on the trends that take form there.
As part of our yearly review, Vichayuth and I pick apart some of the biggest bar and restaurant trends we’ve spotted in Thailand this year.
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A discussion on Thailand’s biggest bar and restaurant trends in 2023
Guest shifts & pop-ups, borderless bromances
LG: If you had to guess how many guest shifts you visited this year, would the number be in the hundreds?
VC: Probably a thousand, roughly the same number of new bar openings in Bangkok this year. They were very big this year, for bars, they swap bartenders for shifts often, and we saw big names of the industry coming every month.
LG: Guest chefs, pop-ups, and collabs were everywhere on the food scene as well, from renowned names like Mirazur x Odette at Côte by Mauro Colagreco, over to that insane 30-hand Yuzu Safari dinner at the Park Hyatt this month. I couldn’t count the number of “one-night-only” dinners I attended this year. It’s been really fun, and it’s so nice to see the return of really big names to Bangkok, though there’s always that bittersweet feeling of knowing you’ll never be able to enjoy certain dishes again (Mia restaurant’s Chef Top: I still think about your killer ox tail consommé).
VC: In Thailand, Bangkok Bar Show also contributed to that, too. Lennon’s, The Bar, Vesper, Opium, Tropic City, and I can go on and on — many places now make it their regular programme to invite bartenders from overseas.
LG: That’s true, F&B collaborations have embraced regional talents quite beautifully this year. After all, the industry is relatively small, and many are friends. It was just announced this month, for instance, that Thailand’s beloved Chef Ton will be joining hands with Hong Kong’s beloved Chef Vicky Cheng for a fine dining extravaganza atop The Empire.
The cult of the chef, the buzz around the bartender
LG: The breaking of borders in this way has also made food travel even more enticing for many. Discerning diners collect F&B experiences like stickers and checks on a bucket list. In February, I had Haoma’s notorious Crab Madras in the Maldives, as part of Chef DK’s pop-up there. You can’t make this stuff up.
LG: Chefs have become akin to celebrities and influencers in their own right, and diners will make the trek to have their special menus. Where ‘foodporn’ was big hype a few years ago, there’s growing hype around the ‘pornstars’ now — the chefs, I mean.
VC: I’d say it could be that way soon for bars. Bartenders have broken into mainstream with media exposure (Suzu and Kate from Drinks Masters, for example) but it’s just the beginning. We also have a number of industry legends that people are looking forward to, but not to the point of being a celebrity yet.
LG: There’s definitely fan girls and boys for many of these people. Social media makes them so accessible, but also so interesting.
VC: I’m also off to the Shingo Gokan guest shift today, so nice timing.
A spotlight on wellness: calories and community
LG: Wellness was a huge lifestyle trend post-pandemic in general, and it has translated to the food space also in relation to sustainability, waste management, and a greater availability of vegan/vegetarian menus. But actually you wanted to talk about wellness, right?
VC: Indeed. As people become more health-conscious and limit their alcohol intake, many bars are starting to create signature menus that are low in alcohol percentage — something all patrons are able to enjoy without guilt. The Bar at The House on Sathorn has a spin on the Americano, for example, and Opium Bar has a whole page on low ABV cocktails.
VC: Some bars are also now stocking non-alcoholic spirits. It’s perfect for everyone at the table to enjoy the same sensation, even if you’re the designated driver or simply allergic to alcohol. In many cases, a non-alcoholic gin and tonic tastes just as refreshing yet complex as your usual order.
LG: That’s true. On a slightly different tangent, health and fitness in the chef community is an increasing subject, too. I’m not sure if it’s just my Instagram algorithm, but I’ve never seen so many chefs work out as I have in 2023. Running, weight-lifting, crossfit: you name it. In relation to our previous point, it’s pretty cool to know that the chef-crush you follow is also personally taking care of him or herself. There’s a reason why we took IGNIV’s chefs Andreas Caminada and David Hartwig for a run last month!
Do we need to talk about sustainability?
LG: Sustainability has been a big topic for restaurants and the food scene for a while now. To me, it shouldn’t be called a ‘trend’ and I don’t even want to highlight it; eco- and climate-conscious practice should be commonplace. However, I do think it’s interesting that the bar industry is also doing impressive things in this area lately.
VC: Yeah, bar owners that are looking to get that edge over their competition recognise the usage of sustainability in their operations. This, of course, gives the cocktail menu another selling point. Mahaniyom has skyrocketed into No. 19 on the World’s 50 Best Bars list, and they’re a big player in the sustainability game. Being sustainable also helps save resources by reducing waste, and also saves money while creating each cocktail — just requires a bit more time and prep for each.
Thai ingredients continue to shine
VC: Thai-inspired cocktails was arguably one of the trends started last year, and it hasn’t slowed down yet. What also popped up, however, is the increasing interest in other parts of Asia’s ingredients and spirits. Korean rooftop bar ANJU has opened atop Sindhorn Midtown, featuring cocktails made with soju. Gir’s new menu incorporates kimchi and pickled radish in one of their drinks. Kodo Bar uses a lot of sake in their menu. The list goes on.
LG: There’s going to be the first-ever craft spirit awards for Asia next year, so I’m pumped for that too. In general, the world is waking up to Thailand, and to Asian ingredients, so it is an exciting time. For restaurants, local ingredients have been in the spotlight for a longer while now, but key players like Baan Tepa’s Chef Tam or Samrub Samrub Thai’s Chef Prin Polsuk continue to communicate these Thai flavours in a refreshing, authentic, and refined manner. Even down in Phuket, Chef Ricardo Nunes and the new Hom restaurant are getting a lot of attention for what they describe as “locavorism.” It was great to see all three highly lauded at this year’s Michelin star revelation, too.
A return to the classics
VC: One big thing I noticed is that lesser-known (and many forgotten) classics are back in the limelight.
LG: Sorry, you’ll have to kill me if you want me to give up my Martini.
VC: Martinis are never out of fashion, and Negronis are a guy’s best friend. But as more consumers of Bangkok are more in touch with your usual classic cocktails, bar managers could showcase the lesser-known classics in their menu. Finally, the Galliano bottle collecting dust in the corner will finally be used for a Harvey Wallbanger or two.
LG: I get what you mean. Linking somewhat to our previous point, a spotlight on local ingredients is also a kind of return to the classics, or even as you put it, “lesser-known classics.” It’s giving a lot of ingredients a newfound respect and appreciation; I don’t want to call it “appropriation” just yet. A friend told me that recently, at a dinner party, people were gasping over Buddha’s hand fruit. Have you seen it? Sure, it’s quirky, but it has also been around forever.
VC: I know what you mean. 4th Wall’s daily-changing menu is like they had to dig up forgotten classics from a trunk beneath a seabed, but it’s the best place to introduce yourself to new flavour profiles that will sometimes make you question what the people in the 1930s were thinking.
LG: 4th Wall is a good example of the kind of space that is also a return to the classics — a good cocktail and good conversation kind of place. Whilst maximalist dining rooms may be a trend in other places, we still maintained a fair share of more intimate bars and restaurants. There’s something comforting and exclusive about them, and it’s not limited to only fancy establishments. Look at the success of SDC in Charoenkrung, or No Name Noodle in Thonglor. Both incredibly hard to book — one to enjoy with a small group of friends, and one to give yourself a solo mouthgasm when you’re craving quality ramen. Yes, we still had space for another spot for ramen.
LG: The latter reminds me of a quote from The New York Times in their 2022 story on restaurant trend predictions: “Japanese food is the cuisine all other cuisines most want to hang out with.”
VC: Good to know that in 2023, there’s one thing that hasn’t changed.
