Thonburi boasts a handful of brekkie spots and cool cafes for early risers. Head to Lynx Specialty Coffee for a quality cup of coffee. If you have such a ferocious sweet tooth that you want cake for breakfast, you can satisfy the itch here with its scrumptious array of desserts. Or head to Hint Coffee for a signature, Korean-style dalgona coffee (equal parts coffee, sugar, and hot water whipped until it’s creamy and poured over cold milk, B130). For a cozy spot to sip and read, visit Walden Home Cafe and indulge your inner bookworm, or relish in the fresh-baked pastries and heartier bites, like club sandwiches (B120), at Siam Ratana Bakehouse.

 

 

 

 

 

Thonburi’s street food scene is jam-packed, especially if you venture as far as Talad Phlu. Wongian Yai’s Mae Sariang is known for its authentic khao soi (B60) while Pad Thai Narok Taek offers well-balanced, beautifully wok-fried noodles with shrimp. But there’s more to try here. Feed the Beast serves quality Texas-style barbecue with craft beer, and 35 Dry Aged Beef satisfies meat cravings with a menu of Asian and international dishes centered on, you guessed it, premium beef. If you’re craving a burger, check out Sorry I’m Hungry.

 

For upscale meals, head to IconSiam. Here, Blue by Alain Ducasse, newly minted with a Michelin star, offers contemporary French cuisine and Masa serves premium Hokkaido-style sushi. The Avani Riverside, meanwhile, has a handful of worthy venues, including the Belgian beer and Sichuan-focused Spice & Barley and rooftop bar-restaurant Seen. On the ground level, visit The Never Ending Summer at the Jam Factory, whose rustic Thai dishes remain enduringly popular.

 

 

 

 

For those looking to avoid inner Bangkok’s mall-strewn concrete cityscape, Thonburi can be a great escape, dotted with historical buildings that tell stories of overlooked communities. Explore the history of the early Portuguese settlers at the Kudeejeen community where you can sample their famous khanom farang kudeejeen (Portuguese-inspired cakes) freshly baked at Thanusingha Bakery. Here you can also take a cultural tour at either the Santa Cruz Church. If you head further down the river, you can find another Christian relic in the Samray Church. Built in 1849 then recreated in its current location in 1910, now in a field next to the Anantara Riverside hotel, it’s the oldest Protestant church in Bangkok.

 

Thonburi is filled with other temples, mosques, and heritage sites dating back to the 1600s. Arguably the most famous are Wat Arun and the Thonburi Palace, the former seat of power under King Taksin. The old palace now sits within the site of the Royal Thai Navy Academy. Near the Kudeejeen community, you’ll find riverside heritage sites Wat Kalayanamit and the small, faded Kuan An Keng shrine. 

 

Down the road, next to Memorial Bridge, there’s Wat Prayun with its all-white stupa and further in the ornate Wat Phichai Yat. Thonburi’s Muslim community dates back centuries, and there are a few mosques that speak to its rich history. Check out the all-white, 200-year-old Bang Luang Mosque in the Kudee Khao community and the Tonson Mosque down the road. The latter was built in 1688 and is likely the oldest mosque in Bangkok, if not all of Thailand. All of these sites are easily visited on your own, but you can also join tours that will lead you around on bikes, by foot, or in tuk tuks.

 

Local Alike and Smiling Albino put together great community-focused tours. The eccentric Uncle Jeab, meanwhile, can also take you further into Thonburi on canal boat tours (book by calling 081-812-4019). You can also splash out on the Manohra dinner cruise through the Anantara Riverside.

 

Want to pray to the gods of wealth? Go to the towering IconSiam, a luxury mall standing in stark contrast to its working-class surroundings on the riverside (i.e., where Louis V bags meet coffee in a bag). Though currently deserted, the renovated Lhong 1919 up the river is a fine example of restoration work. The centuries-old warehouses have been converted into high-end shops and restaurants, while Chinese architectural flourishes and an old shrine speak to the history here.

 

 

 

 

Thonburi has a handful of rooftop bars boasting majestic views of Chao Phraya. Swing by Three Sixty Lounge at the Millenium Hilton or Seen for jazz, cocktails, and panoramic views.

 

Get a ground-level perspective at The River Bar at the Peninsula hotel. Beer geeks can drop by Save Our Souls for rotating taps of craft beer.

 

Want something different? Check out S’amuser, a secret bar-restaurant built into a tailor shop near Wongwian Yai, or Lost & Found, the inclusive event space at the Avani Riverside.