My Bangkok: Chris Schalkx on everything the city has to offer
With Soho House Bangkok opening this winter, the travel journalist, photographer and Thailand native shares his favourite spots
Tuesday 4 October 2022 By Chris Schalkx
In addition to being a design and travel journalist, Chris Schalkx is also a photographer for The New York Times’ T Magazine, Condé Nast Traveller, Wallpaper* and Vogue. Schalkx, a Soho House member, has lived in Bangkok since 2013, which means he’s perfectly positioned to posit his favourite spots in Thailand’s first city. ‘I’m always on the lookout for ways to champion Thai creatives and put them in the global spotlight,’ says Schalkx.
Where to go for drinks
‘Bangkok’s cocktail scene is ever evolving. Some of my recent favourites are Tax Bar in Chinatown, where cocktails are made from drinking vinegar and unexpected ingredients such as bell pepper and cumin shrub. Nearby, Opium Bar is another cool spot. It looks like a jewel box, hidden on the fifth floor of a beautifully renovated Chinese medicine dispensary. Baan Rim Naam, with its pillow-strewn terrace right on the Chao Phraya River, is a lovely spot for relaxed afternoons and sundowners.’
The best restaurants to have dinner
‘I steadfastly send all my visiting friends to Charmgang, a kaleidoscopic curry joint in a “blink and you’ll miss it” alley in Talat Noi. The team of young chefs trained under David Thompson and dish out some of the best curries and stir-fries in the city. Pitched one street over from Soho House, Gedhawa is another favourite. Dinner at this humble Northern Thai restaurant feels like eating sai oua (northern Thai sausage) and nam prik ong (vegetables with chilli relish) in Chiang Mai, and the service is exceptionally lovely.’
Where to go for breakfast
‘On Lok Yun in the old town is an old-timey favourite that hasn’t changed a bit since it opened decades ago. The food is a weird mix of Western-Thai; think eggs and bacon, French toast, but also chargrilled bread with sangkaya coconut custard. And while it won’t be the best dish you eat in Bangkok, the blast-from-the-past atmosphere is worth the stop. For something a bit more progressive, Nangloeng Shophouse hits the spot for late brunch. With its massive wooden counter, this high-concept hideaway has an omakase feel, and has an ever-changing menu driven by their house-made sausages, breads, pickles and more. Their tonic, which they also make in-house, is a must-order.’
Favourite places near Soho House Bangkok
‘Down the road from the House is a cool little community hub. It’s home to a record store called More Rice Records, a funky candle-making store and studio called Chand, and my friends at Kad Kokoa, a duo of lawyers-turned-chocolate makers who source cacao beans from small farms all around Thailand, do innovative chocolate-y stuff at their bistro 31 Degrees.’
The most ‘Bangkok’ thing to do in Bangkok
‘Nothing beats the thrill of taking a motorcycle taxi – we call them motosai here – across town – ideally in the very early morning or late at night, when the city wakes up or goes to sleep. It‘s the best way to experience Bangkok at its Bangkok-est: the smells of jasmine, grilled meat and moist garbage; the frenetic traffic and pushcart vendors hawking everything from grilled insects to bootleg sneakers. And the best part: it costs you just a handful of baht.’
To find out more about Soho House Bangkok, click here.