Start your day with a bowl of congee, standard breakfast in Thailand. Joke Prince has been run by a Chinese family for over 90 years. The creamy porridge made with slow-simmered pork broth draws a line of locals and visitors from the early hours. Highlights include a minced pork, ginger and green onion congee (top left, 45 baht) and a filling dish of pork offal and century eggs (bottom left, 75 baht). Fried bread available.

For a glimpse of the Bangkok design world, check out the Thailand Creative & Design Center, a public research facility. Step through the modern black gates at a corner of the historic Grand Postal Building, and you’ll find a library full of books and photo collections and a cafe space decked out with magazines. A focal point of the interior, created by Bangkok-based design studio Department of Architecture, is an atrium where art students can be found studying. Entry for one day costs 100 baht.

A select shop in a renovated warehouse, consisting of different galleries and retail areas. Since opening in 2019 as a place for the owner to promote the brands of friends, the store has grown in popularity to include around 200 brands, focusing on Thai creators. With everything from folk art to incense and vintage clothes, there are treasures to be found around every corner. The colourful bamboo fans and “ya dom” herbal inhalers (bottom left) make perfect souvenirs.

Care for a taste of what’s outside of Bangkok? Allow us to recommend a tea room specializing in teas from the richly forested Chiang Mai, in northern Thailand. Organic tea brand Araksa, renowned for teas grown on proprietary farms in the mountains, opened its first retail store in 2023. Alongside hand-picked white, black and green teas, the lineup includes deep-blue butterfly pea flower tea, lemongrass tea, and a light pink torch ginger flower tea. If you can’t decide, just grab a can or pack of tea and enjoy a cup at home. On weekends, don’t miss the special afternoon tea, served with an assortment of sweets from the East and West.

Housed in a private residence built in 1916, this three-room boutique hotel opened its doors in 2017. The building embodies a blend of Portuguese and Chinese styles popular at the time of construction. Interiors feature an oriental aesthetic of antique wooden furniture and tile. Though walking distance from both the old city and Chinatown, it’s tucked away down a back alley, giving you a break from the action. Breakfast is served in the lobby with a fine view of the neighboring temple. Rooms from 3,600 to 4,800 baht.