If your perception of French food is all heavy creams and rich buttery sauces on meat or seafood, head chef Nicolas Raynal and Brasserie Palmier have something to say about that. The dishes here side- step the weighty protein and sauces for lighter fare that Nicolas believes better fits Thailand’s torrid climate—think delicate pan-seared sole instead of hefty steak frites. The menu goes hand-in-hand with the easy-drinking cocktails designed by BKK Social Club’s Philip Bishchoff. 

 

 

Bangkok’s gold standard for French fare since the 1950s, Le Normandie is a bona fide fine dining institution. Following the departure of Chef Arnaud Dunand Sauthier late last year, Alain Roux has maintained its two-Michelin-star reputation through rare ingredients, classic presentation, and inventive preparation of French flavors. The Chao Phraya River opens up on your left through floor-to-ceiling windows upon entering this space, and the sophis- ticated black and gold design effuses exclusivity. 

 

 

The first restaurant opened in Thailand by the leg- endary French chef added even more firepower to Bangkok’s fast-growing fine dining scene with their meticulously crafted French dishes. The restaurant sees a sprawling corner room on the second floor of IconSiam transformed into an azure dreamscape. Their 5-course set lunch menu is a good way to get a peek into what this restaurant has to offer. 

 

 

Comfortable, classic, and beloved of the Yen Akat brunch crew, patrons go to Cagette Canteen and Deli for the fresh seafood, pungent cheeses, and simple French and Mediterranean comfort food. A well-known venue to every cheese-lover in the city, the design here evokes French farmhouse vibes—with a little touch of the industrial chic. Cagette also doubles as a grab-and-go deli. 

 

 

Lebua takes classic French dining to the highest levels, figuratively and literally at 61 floors above Bangkok, led by chef Vincent Thierry, who used to work at the three-Michelin star Caprice in Four Seasons Hong Kong. The restaurant has two-Michelin stars and changes their menu periodically based on seasonal ingredients. 

 

 

 

Since welcoming its new chef Gerad Villaret Horcajo from the Ciel Bleu mothership in Amsterdam, Okura Prestige’s Elements has retained its unique com- bination of Japanese and French influences—think plumb hamachi (Japanese amberjack) with sweet peas, oysters, and fermented rhubarb or Norway’s langoustine prawns served with ninjin (Japanese tiny carrots) sauce. 

 

 

This tucked away “eclectic fine-dining” restaurant, overseen by Jean-Michel Lorain of Burgundy’s three- Michelin-starred La Cote Saint Jacques, has become a breeding ground for innovation thanks to chef Amer- igo Sesti. Here, local ingredients—from Chiang Mai vinegar to seepweed leaf and Arabica coffee—receive a decidedly French spin. The decor may lean on the whimsical, but you can’t fault the quality of the food coming from the kitchen. 

 

 

At Mezzaluna, Chef Ryuki Kawasaki's tasting menu harmonizes the intricacy of French and Japanese cuisines as seen in his Sanriku scallop featuring karasumi (Japan’s prized salted mullet roe) baked with butternut and turmeric. The ise ebi, meanwhile, boasts spiny lobster with yurine (edible bulbs of lily), mussel, and aged parmesan. With the picturesque view of the Chao Phraya River, floor-to-ceiling glass, and spiral chandeliers, Mezzaluna never fails to deliver a memorable experience. 

 

 

The restaurant and the eponymous Michelin-starred Henk Savelberg are still serving modern French fare with premium ingredients. The space is white, bright, and intimate with light decorating the green area outdoors at night—an ideal date space for the romantic in you and the food to match. 

 

 

This elegant French restaurant boasts seasonal tasting menus that play with creative—sometimes downright rebellious—twists on the dining experience. When Stage returned in August, former Robuchon chef Jay Sangsingkaew came roaring back with a whimsical, European ride in her new carnival-inspired “Le Stage en Fete” menu.