On the west side of Bangkok amid peaceful residential areas, The Circle Ratchapruk has aimed to be an idyllic spot for people of all ages since 2011. Having gone through some transformations along the way, it has been gaining more popularity than ever recently, and for good reason. 

The venue has long been known as a spot with great shops and restaurants for people living around Ratchapruk road, far outside of the clutches of central Bangkok and the daily traffic battles that go on in the CBDs most popular areas. However, even if you live in the central part of town, it might still be worth traveling to this one-off green community, especially if you want to hang out with your beloved pets on the weekend. 

What makes The Circle Ratchapruk stand out from the crowd is its forest-themed design. It’s a proper green space, with most of the space reserved for trees, and feels much like walking in a public park but with cool creature comforts you won’t find in places like Banjakitti or Lumphini. Plus, the space is open from the early morning until late in the evening, so whether it is a quick breakfast stop on weekday or a lazy Sunday, this is an ideal place to bring your furry buddies with you, taking them on an idyllic walk where they might even meet a few other friends along the way. 

If you are looking for a pet-friendly escape from the city center on a one-day trip, and prioritize cool cafes, great restaurants, and plenty of green space, here is what you can do. 

Morning

The space is great for early birds thanks to a wealth of cafes and restaurants open in the wee hours—many as early as 7am. Perk yourself up with a cup of freshly brewed coffee at Pacamara Specialty Coffee, serving up coffee at 7am, or fuel yourself with an energizing health bowl at Acai Story, which opens just a few minutes later at 7:30am. 

After getting the day going with some coffee and fruit, kick your body into overdrive with a workout class at one of the fitness centers: Absolute Boutique Fitness Studio for a variety of group workouts, or Gym Monkey for weight lifting and personal training. While you enjoy your slow-paced yoga class or a heart-pumping cycling session, your furry friends can get tucked into a grooming session at Peta Pet Shop, opening as early as 10am.

Mid-Day

There are definitely more than a few places to fill your belly at lunch here, including an array of popular restaurants that welcome pets with open arms. For a wholesome lunch, farm-to-table Ohkajhu is where to go, cooking up a multitude of tasty dishes made with healthy ingredients. Yuenan is also a great lunch idea, serving homecooked style Vietnamese food with playful twists, making dishes here one of a kind and the restaurant another popular name across Bangkok. If you crave something more indulgent, Smizzle Burger is famed for its fragrantly-charred smash burgers served with homemade sauce and daily-baked breads—and will give you a slice of the city center. Thong Smith is another place familiar to central Bangkokians, where you can savor hearty bowls of steaming noodles lathered in rich sauces and premium meats like Australian wagyu. 

Afternoon

We are a food and lifestyle magazine, after all, so it wouldn’t be much of a day guide without some recommendations on where to soothe your sweet tooth in the afternoons while browsing a few shops. Unmissable is First Date Farm, a beautiful glasshouse that is both café and a mini grocery store offering handpicked products from small, local producers, as well as tasty smoothies with all natural ingredients and zero additives. For ice cream, Molly Ally is the spot to munch on full-flavored plant-based ice cream. They replace ordinary refined sugar with coconut blossom sugar—way better for your blood sugar levels—but if you want to ditch the sweet altogether then there’s sugar-free alternatives. For those who can’t do without milk tea, like us, Cha Bar BKK offers dreamy boba tea that’s more health-friendly than usual.

Truth be told, just like anywhere in Bangkok, you can expect strong sun at this open-air community space, but thanks to myriad shady trees and an environmentally-centered design with lots of wind flow throughout the day, an afternoon stroll is still a pleasant experience. There are three main green areas: Urban Forest, Forest Trail, and Hidden Forest, where you can hang out with pets for hours under the shade. After that, you can kill some leisurely afternoon hours shopping at the photogenic KINTO Exhibit, which is massively popular for its minimalist, Instagram-friendly design, regular pop-up markets, and other places to explore. It’s a great place to grab new books, new electronic gadgets or other household goods while the pets run around. 

Evening & Night

As the sun starts setting, the space starts to come alive as families and their four-legged friends come to enjoy their evenings. Saemaeul is ideal for having laugh-filled talks over sizzling Korean BBQ, while Ranee’s is where regulars come to munch artisan pizzas and pasta dishes—a favorite among many Bangkok foodies for decades. If you want to please (and challenge) your taste buds with something spicy, award-winning Phed Phed Bistro is the place to enjoy full-flavored Isaan cuisine. For a prolonged session later into the night, Shakariki 432 specializes in Japanese food and signature drinks until the wee hours of 3am. Another good group option is Shabu Baru, which serves shabu and sukiyaki in a set menu with a personal hot pot bowl for each diner, and has many different grades of beef depending on the price point you are looking for. 

That’s just a taste of what you can expect at The Circle Ratchapruk. It’s also a breeze to get here, thanks to the ample parking area and easy expressway routes (no more than 20-30 minutes drive from Sathorn). If you don’t want to bring the car, take the BTS out to Bang Wa station, it’s just a 10-minute cab ride from there. 

To find out more about things to do at The Circle Ratchapruk, visit the website, so keep yourself posted on lively happenings by following The Circle Ratchapruk’s Facebook and Instagram.