Would you want to have glutinous rice-stuffed lotus roots? Always known for food, Bangkok is redefining food in 2026
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Many centuries ago, when Chinese travellers arrived in Southeast Asia, often as traders, labourers, and craftsmen, they carried their food traditions across the seas. Prominently from the 18th to 19th centuries, during the Ayutthaya and early Rattanakosin periods, their flavours found new homes, that adapted, and quietly became part of the region’s rich cultural fabric. Most of these early migrants came from southern China, particularly Teochew (Chaozhou), Hokkien, Hakka, Hainanese, and Cantonese communities. By the late 19th century, Chinese merchants were central to Bangkok’s rice trade, shipping, finance, and urban economy.
Today, when cultural exchange feels more fluid than ever, that journey continues, albeit with refined Chinese cuisine coming into its own. A new generation of chefs and restaurateurs is taking these traditions abroad, honouring their roots while allowing them to evolve in new, global settings. Just like last year, when chef Yu Bin, a leading voice of modern Jiangnan cuisine and the force behind several Michelin and Black Pearl restaurants, opened his first overseas outpost, Purple Laurel, in Bangkok. Set in the elegant Gaysorn Amarin mall near the Erawan Shrine, the restaurant offers a refined yet welcoming Chinese dining experience, blending influences from Cantonese and Jiangnan cuisine for a global palate.
Heavy traffic on Yaowarat Road passes below lit signs in the Chinatown district at dusk. Yaowarat has been the main centre of Chinese culture in Bangkok for over 200 years
Interestingly, the name Purple Laurel carries a piece of Yu Bin’s roots in Hangzhou. Laurel or Gui nods to the osmanthus, the city flower, while purple evokes Zi Xuan, the Relais & Châteaux resort where Yu Bin honed his culinary philosophy. The resort remains his creative laboratory, home to an extensive body of original work and three acclaimed Michelin and Black Pearl restaurants, including Jie Xiang Lou, which was awarded a Michelin star in 2024 for its contemporary take on Hangzhou cuisine. Purple Laurel is built for the overseas market with thorough research on Bangkok’s Chinese food scene and local dining preferences. Yu Bin tells us, “Purple Laurel’s offerings is to bring our research team’s original dishes to Bangkok in their most authentic form. Jiangnan cuisine remains the heart of the menu, highlighting delicate flavours and meticulous craftsmanship, while modern Cantonese dishes cater to local tastes and their longstanding love for Cantonese flavours.”
The restaurant’s decor is rooted in the Jiangnan tradition of a courtyard home and blends classical Jiangnan aesthetics with Nanyang influences to create a refined, immersive space. Intricate latticework, bonsai in stone pots, and a dark green Nanyang screen set a tone of quiet elegance at the entrance. True to the idea of ‘hiding and revealing’ in architecture, the space unfolds gently into a symmetrical main hall with white pavilions, greenery, and delicate partitions. Further in, you’ll see bamboo-joint chairs, Dongyang wood-carved mirrors, porcelain lamps, perforated tiles, and hand-painted mountain-and-river wallpapers. There is also a garden terrace overlooking Bangkok’s skyline and train tracks that gives an illusion of an urban oasis, suspended between tradition and modern city life.
Yu Bin
The wine list, curated by Lv Yang, the world’s first Chinese Master Sommelier, features over 100 fine wines from classic regions, thoughtfully paired with the Jiangnan flavours. Complementing this is a tea menu of 24 Chinese teas, including Wuyi rock teas and Yunnan ancient tree leaves, Taiwan high-mountain oolongs and Qimen black tea, each of which reveal the breadth of Chinese terroir.
We began our dinner with the Chilled Cherry Jelly with Foie Gras, a signature modern Chinese creation from Yu Bin’s R&D team, where French foie gras is gently simmered in red wine, sake, and apple, then topped with a sweet-sour cherry jelly that cuts through its richness. The Cotton Candy Lotus Root Charm reimagines a classic Hangzhou dish that has tender, glutinous rice–stuffed lotus root paired with hand-spun cotton candy, adding a delicate sweetness and playful visual contrast. The Lobster with Crab Aroma and Fermented Rice Marinade draws on Zhejiang cuisine’s use of lees (fermented grains) for depth. French blue lobster is cooked sous vide, infused with spiced fermented rice, and finished with fragrant crab oil from seasonal Jiangnan freshwater crabs for richness and aroma.
Golden-Fried Fish-Crab Croquette with Lime Essence; (right) Wok-Fried King Crab with Aged Pickled Chili
The Sea Bass with Fermented Black Bean Sauce blends Jiangsu–Zhejiang flavours with local Thai ingredients. Phuket sea bass is air-dried for intensity, fried for crispness, then steamed with a house-made Yangjiang fermented black bean sauce. Served cold, it offers a deep savoury aroma, tender flesh, and a clean finish that is perfect as a starter or with a drink. The Glazed Vegetarian Roast Goose reimagines a Hangzhou classic. Tofu skin is deep-fried, gently simmered in a savoury-sweet brine, then cooled and sliced, creating a crisp yet moist bite layered with umami, a refined appetiser ideal with a drink. The Sour Soup with Holy Basil and Clams begins with a rich seafood broth simmered with local clams and small seafood. Lightly brightened with Southeast Asian pepper and white vinegar, the broth is used to poach seasonal Canadian geoduck just before serving, preserving its crisp texture and making it layered and gently warming.
Zi Gui Xuan Fruitwood Roasted Peking Duck is Purple Laurel’s refined take on the Beijing classic. Locally sourced ducks, resembling the prized Beijing fatty duck, are slow-roasted for 90 minutes to achieve crisp, non-greasy skin and tender meat. Carved tableside, it is served with pancakes, cucumber, scallions, and sweet bean sauce. The Lotus-Fragrant Traditional Steamed Green Wrasse reinterprets the classic Zhejiang dish lotus-scented chicken using wild green wrasse from Phuket. Steamed in dried lotus leaves with a savoury house fish sauce, the firm, flavourful fish absorbs the gentle fragrance of lotus while retaining its natural intensity. Finished with its own juices, the sauce is just as prized when mixed with rice.
The King Crab with Lao-Tan Pickled Chilli draws on Sichuan’s love for pickled heat to elevate good seafood. A house-fermented mix of chillies, ginger, sauerkraut, and green beans is simmered into a bright, tangy sauce, then used to stew a generous Russian king crab. The sour-fermented notes amplify the crab’s natural sweetness. Next, Braised Prawns with Chiang Rai Cabbage reimagines the Shandong classic with local Thai produce. The sweet cabbage is braised in a rich shrimp broth and oil, then paired with tender 25-count black tiger shrimp from Phuket. The result is a harmonious blend of flavours
For desserts, the Matcha Mochi Bun with Bird’s Nest Filling that takes inspiration from the classic Snow Mountain Bun is delicately aromatic, with a subtle bitterness balanced by lingering sweetness. The Fresh Milk Pudding with Caramel and Longjing Tea has West Lake Longjing tea brewed and infused into fresh milk, gently set into a pudding, then finished with a torched caramel crust.
Chinese migration to Siam (modern Thailand) dates back several centuries.
Over time, they have assimilated deeply into Thai society, retaining their rituals, festivals, and food traditions. It is said that a large proportion of Bangkok’s population has some Chinese ancestry. Chinese culture remains highly visible in Bangkok with Yaowarat being known as one of the world’s most vibrant Chinatowns, alive with gold shops, herbal medicine stores, temples, and food stalls. Temples like Wat Mangkon Kamalawat serve as spiritual anchors for the Chinese-Thai community, while ancestor worship, Taoist-Buddhist syncretism, and feng shui continue to shape everyday life and business practices.
EAT LIKE A LOCAL
Garima Arora
Keep it classy
We walked into Garima Arora’s two Michelin-starred modern Indian tasting-menu restaurant Gaa, in Sukumvit, Bangkok. Her new menu is her way of sharing India in many bites with 15 dishes inspired by flavours we love and memories we’ve grown up with. Having lived in Bangkok for over a decade, she is an insider on the city’s food scene. Here are her picks:
“For a quick break, I’d go to Rangoon Tea House, a modern Burmese tea house not too far from Gaa, for some Ceylon tea and lahpet thoke salad”
“If I’m feeling indulgent, then I’d go to SCUBA for some oysters and champagne. That rarely ever happens, but that’s a good Sunday afternoon for me”
“It’s not a new place, but Khua Kling Pak Sod in Thonglor is my favourite for the freshest Southern Thai fare in the city. People don’t rave about it enough”
Keep it diverse
Anthony Burd
Chef Anthony Burd, who runs two restaurants, Tony’s and Molino on Soi 11, says if you are in Bangkok for a short break, eat mostly Thai food. “Soi 11 is a party street with lots of bars and restaurants. Come here for a drink if you want.” Here are his picks:
“Here Hai is known for its impeccably fresh crab, prawns and shellfish cooked simply to let the ingredient shine”
“Le Du Kan is great for Thai food and an amazing view, but you must book in advance. Wattana Panich is known for its beef broth noodle soup, with a broth that has been simmering for around 50 years. It truly lives up to the hype!”
“Supanigga Eating Room. Go to the one by the river early evening. Book in advance to watch the sun set behind Wat Arun temple. For bars, the Asia 50 best list won’t steer you in the wrong direction. Everything on that list is great”
“Polo Fried Chicken is a cult favourite for its ultra-crispy, juicy fried chicken, often elevated with playful sauces”
“Thipsamai Padthai is a Bangkok institution for smoky, wok-fried pad thai, wrapped in a delicate egg net. There is also Thong Smith Boat Noodle you can try. In fact, head to Baan Kuay Tiew Ruathong, where you get 9-baht bowls, and you eat like 10 of them and stack your bowls”
Keep it Native
Seefah Ketchaiyo
Thai chef Seefah Ketchaiyo, co-owner, Seeran Hospitality, is renowned for her authentic Thai street-food style and Asian cuisine, with over 15 years of experience across top kitchens in Thailand, China, and India. She co-founded Seefah, a beloved restaurant in Bandra that celebrates bold, comforting Thai (and Japanese) flavours with a heart-forward approach that honours her Bangkok roots.” Tucked away from the usual tourist trail, these local favourites are Bangkok’s best-kept secrets, each serving up flavours that are bold, authentic, and unforgettable. Perfect for food lovers looking to explore beyond the usual spots,” she adds. Here are her picks:
Texas Suki
“This one is known for its no-frills traditional dishes. I just love their roasted duck, made in traditional Thai and Chinese blended preparation.”
Krua Yai Pleng
“Here, you will find soulful, homestyle Thai cooking. I love the fish cake — it is just like it was when I was young. A perfect balance of herbs and spices.
Yueheng
“I ljust love the oyster omelette here. It has the perfect crunchiness achieved with slow cooking and right oil temperature.”
A delicate balance
Jiangnan cuisine comes from the region south of the Yangtze River, covering cities like Hangzhou, Suzhou, Shanghai, and Ningbo, and is known for its refined, delicate approach to food. It celebrates fresh, seasonal ingredients such as river fish, freshwater crab, shrimp, and tender vegetables, cooked using gentle techniques like steaming, braising, and slow simmering. Flavours are light, balanced, and subtly sweet, with an emphasis on natural taste rather than heavy seasoning. Rooted in the region’s scholarly culture and garden aesthetics, Jiangnan cuisine values harmony, elegance, and quiet sophistication, making it one of China’s most graceful and enduring culinary traditions.
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