If you've been planning a food trip in Bangkok, Song Wat Road should definitely be on your list. Over the past few years, this charming neighborhood has become one of the city's hottest spots. While iconic areas like Yaowarat have always been famous, Song Wat has quietly built its own reputation and is now drawing huge crowds every day.
This quirky neighborhood is packed with incredible food, colorful street art, and plenty of photo-worthy corners. Youngsters come here to catch up with friends, snap aesthetic photos and enjoy the lively atmosphere, while serious food hunters arrive with one mission - to eat as much as possible.
Restaurants line the streets one after another, and they're not just trendy newcomers. Many have been serving their signature dishes for decades, earning loyal customers through consistently delicious food. Besides the food scene, you'll also find unique little shops selling specialty products, like the Road of Cinnamon, along with street vendors tucked away in the alleys leading toward Chinatown.
We came prepared. Our plan was simple: arrive with completely empty tummy because we had at least five different food stops on our list.
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| Gu Long Bao |
Our first stop was Gu Long Bao, a Teochew-style bun shop that has been around for over a century. They serve shumai, sweet and savoury buns, both steamed and pan-fried, along with classic Thai milk tea. One of their signature ideas is serving the Thai milk tea in a cup that comes with a built-in-shumai holder. Super convenient for snacking while walking around.
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| Thai milk tea and 10 pieces of pork shumai 160 Baht (around AUD 7.30) |
The shumai was wonderfully meaty and juicy, especially when dipped into their tangy soy-vinegar sauce and topped with crispy bits of garlic. It was easily one of the best shumai we've had. The buns were equally impressive - soft, fluffy and pleasantly chewy. You can instantly tell they're handmade rather than factory-produced.
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| Black sesame steamed bun 17 Baht (around AUD 0.88) |
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| Roasted buns: BBQ pork bun and pork & salted egg 25 Baht each (around AUD 1.15) |
After our warm-up snack, it was time for something more substantial.
Next, we headed to Urai Han Palo, famous for its braised goose. Getting a table wasn't easy. We almost gave up because the queue was incredibly long, and it was already peak lunch hour. We had heard that they often sell out early, so we weren't feeling optimistic.
Luckily, patience paid off. We managed to get in just before they ran out of food and ordered some of the last dishes available.
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| Large stewed goose 840 Baht (around AUD 38.20) |
The goose was incredibly tender, rich and beautifully aromatic. Every bite was packed with flavour, and the portions were surprisingly generous. We also ordered their meatball and vegetable soup, which had a bold peppery kick. It turned out to be the perfect companion to balance the richness of the goose and refresh our palates between bites.
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| Soup 70 Baht (around AUD 3.20) |
After all that savoury goodness, it was time to give our taste buds a little reset with something cold and sweet.
Our next stop was Nuury Chestnut for some ice cream. The ice cream itself was delicious, but what really makes this place stand out is the toppings. Besides the obvious chestnut, you can add honey.. or even vodka. Yep, vodka on your ice cream!
It works incredibly well. It instantly reminded me of my childhood visits to Zangrandi in Indonesia, where they served ice cream with a splash of rum. If you've ever had ice cream paired with alcohol, you'll know exactly what I mean. They're simply made for each other.
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| Chocolate with extra honey and coconut with vodka |
Apparently, our sweet tooth still wasn't satisfied. As wandered down the street, the beautiful cake display at Pink Rabbit practically called us inside. Everything looked irresistible, so naturally we ordered more desserts. We picked the lemon dark chocolate meringue, a blueberry Oreo pie and an adorable swan-shaped eclair.
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| Lemon dark choc 185 Baht (around AUD 8.40), Blueberry Oreo pie 195 baht (around AUD 8.90), swan eclair 70 Baht for 2 (around AUD 3.20) |
The cakes were fantastic. The lemon meringue and dark chocolate had a wonderful balance of tangy and rich flavours, while the blueberry Oreo was creamy and indulgent without being overly sweet.
The only slight disappointment was the eclair. It certainly won points for presentation - the swan shape was absolutely adorable - but unfortunately the pastry shell was too thick and the cream filling was a little too less. It looked much better than it tasted, almost like it was designed for kids than serious pastry lovers.
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| Rabbit dirty coffee 125 Baht (around AUD 5.70) |
By the end of the day, we were completely stuffed, but there were still so many places we didn't get to try. If you have extra time, don't just stick to the main street. Wander through the hidden alleys and explore smaller side streets - you'll discover even more local eateries, cozy cafes, street vendors and charming little shops. There are also plenty of places to pick up souvenirs, clothes, toys and unique gifts, often at bargain prices.
Song Wat is much more than just another food destination. It's a neighborhood full of character, history and hidden gems waiting to be discovered. We barely scratched the surface on this visit, so one thing is certain, we will definitely be back to eat our way through the rest of it.
Gu Long Bao
983 Song Wat Rd, Samphanthawong, Bangkok
Open: Monday - Saturday 9am - 5pm (Sunday closed)
Urai Han Palo
935 Song Wat Road, Samphanthawong, Bangkok
Open: Daily from 10am - 1pm then reopen 4pm - 7pm
206 Trok Saphan Yuan, Samphanthawong, Bangkok
Ph: +66 85 364 9785
Open: 8am - 5pm (Sunday close at 3:30pm)
Pink Rabbit
1330, 1332 Song Wat Road, Chakkrawat, Bangkok
Ph: +66 88 088 5033
Open: 9am - 8pm
