This one always eludes me. When I used to stay in Bangkok for business I would invariably eat some tasty breakfast or breakfast buffet in the hotel I was staying but for those who live in Bangkok - eating in hotels is just not an option. It is too expensive and I just don’t go for eating in hotels when I live in a city. Most hotels cost too much and have about 8 different service charges layered on top of the bill. So unless there is some special deal I don’t know about I won’t include hotels in my database for places to get a good breakfast. I have some ideas and will discuss my feelings on the matter but hoping the power of the community will come to light as we find the best places to eat breakfast.
One issue that must come up in a debate like this is the difference between what different nationalities think about breakfast in general. Sure a good English breakfast is good but as an American it does not really work for me. The idea of a grilled tomato, baked beans and black pudding on my breakfast plate usually turns my stomach. As we have written before - nothing really beats a McDonald’s breakfast when it comes to price and ease of use but it is not really a proper breakfast. It is hard for me to say that anything tops a good old-fashioned American diner where the breakfast menu might be a few pages in and of itself full of everything from pancakes, waffles, crepes, eggs, omelette’s and less well known items like grits. So as an American I generally look for an American style breakfast but what most places in Thailand call an American breakfast is not really what I recall from America.
At the bottom of the scale one could go to the Foodland restaurant counter for some of the cheapest breakfast in Bangkok. I think it is like 49 baht or something if you are there early in the morning but let’s face it. I am probably more apt to get a sausage mcmuffin with egg versus the 1 slice of bacon, 2 eggs and cheap bread they serve for toast at Foodland. However it is cheap and reliable.
There are places like Crepes & Co. on Suk Soi 12. A small but very cool French Restaurant that is open for breakfast. Plenty of Crepe specialties and other common breakfast items. The coffee is quite good as well but this is not a cheap place.
Then there is Tamarind Cafe on Suk Soi 20. I have not had breakfast there yet since it is only served on the weekends I think and it is not a short walk from where I live but I was impressed with the breakfast menu. This place is on my list to check out.
Sometimes I have been known to get breakfast at Bourbon Street near soi 22. It has American style eats but not really the classic diner type I am craving. The food is good though and the sausage patties are awesome but it is not the cheapest breakfast eats either.
I used to have breakfast at the Busstop on Soi 4 but as we have mentioned before - since the remodel I feel like everything has gone downhill at the Busstop - including the food.
Since it is close to me I find myself going to the Soi 8 pub for breakfast as of late. It is 170 baht for the English breakfast which includes coffee, tea or juice. 2 sausages, 2 bacon, some fried potatoes, 2 eggs, baked beans(contained in a small dish so it does not contaminate my breakfast) and a grilled tomato that I can remove from the plate by putting it into the baked beans I won’t eat. 2 slices of toast as well. Not the best bread but decent enough. For 170 baht I am usually stuffed and it is a good place to hang on the patio in the morning to read the paper or borrow the free WI-FI. Not a bad option at all but I am still in search of the best breakfast for the money.
Someone help me…
gorge yourself to death at ..the landmark hotel for 600bt net you will be stuffed for the whole day with the best …my favouriteis the sunday brunch with the chocolate fountain …put your face under it and die of plesure :P:P:P
View all comments by filet o fish
fof - good to know but I am looking for the non-hotel, non-buffet options.
View all comments by smitty
As far as I can remember, the Duke on Silom serves half an english breakfast which isn’t bad at all but not cheap at all either (something like 130THB without coffee/tea/juice). Never tried the full one. Not in the Suk area though. I am used to staying at the Sofitel Silom (only for a few nights) when in Bangkok but always book my room without breakfast (costs 500THB and is nothing near perfect). I warmly recommend the Sofitel Silom by the way: girl friendly, great rooms/service and not necessarily expensive if you book your room early enough and online.
View all comments by farangsay
I like the breakfast selections (served mornings and even all day) at the Down Under Sports Bistro on Sukhumvit Soi 23. Not sure what time they normally open in the AM though.
http://www.downundersportsbistro.com/Menu1.aspx
Even a grilled tomato and baked beans in Thailand sounds alluring to me, as I still have a couple of more weeks slurping oatmeal in the USA before returing to Bkk.
View all comments by DJ
Do you guys go to the gym to work off that big breakfast? Ok, I know how you like to work it off.
Personally, I like a fruit breakfast. I think that costs next to nothing.
View all comments by astrayalien
I know you said you prefer “non-hotel”, but you also mentioned “diner” in the post. If you haven’t tried it before, the Dynasty Hotel on Suk 4 has a nice breakfast selection, and a great setting (both indoors and outdoors).
Good value for the money, and the best breakfast I have had in Bangkok. Try it, you’ll like it.
View all comments by John Brown
‘Jools’ bar Soi 4.
They do a huuuuge ‘feed-your-fat-fuckin-face breakfast’ for 395bht.
Never seen anyone finish it… It’s got loads on the plate. All the ingredients of a heart-attack.
Free wi-fi too, so you can find out the nearest medical center, should you actually finish it all and collapse.
View all comments by Day walker
I haven’t tried it myself but heard that the breakfast at hanrahans on soi 4 are huge portions and excellent quality.
View all comments by keithk2007
Smitty… This breakfast on Soi 8 that you talk of. Is it available all-day? It’s a bit far for me to walk, so doubt I’d get there in the mornings.
View all comments by Day walker
fs - duke breakfast does include coffee or tea
dj - looks like a good option. Will check it.
dw - hmmm. sounds good but way huge…
k2007 - I am not allowed in the big H
dw - I think it is all day but it starts at 8 am so u could hit it on the way home from lucky.
Anyway know of a place with a big breakfast menu? pancakes and french toast - stuff like that?
View all comments by smitty
You mean there’s another place to eat bacon and eggs other than the Nana (Hotel) buffet? (200 baht; all u can can eat).
View all comments by jack dawson
jd - could be the most useful comment ever.
Is it good?
View all comments by smitty
Nana Hotel Buffet has a great breakfast selection from 0600-1000 (free if you stay there): Eggs bacon sausage croissants FRENCH TOAST cereals fresh-fruits tea/coffee juices fried-rice asian-noodles and some other stuff.
A bonus is watching the farangs dining with their sleepy overnight dates. A fun game with a mate is to see who recognizes the most BGs in the restaurant.
Sounds like someone has been caught out screwing more than one Hanrahan’s waitress.
View all comments by DJ
dj - may have to check it.
nope - we run a successful competitive pub and have been banned from their pubs. They don’t play fair.
View all comments by smitty
i had the fried english at the irish pub by Emporium soi24-26 (is it the dubliner?)
eff me with a feather this thing was huge
shedloads of bacon, sausages like babys arms, mushrooms, massive tomatoes, soda bread the works
i cant remember how much it cost but it was a beaut
View all comments by myspace.com/penfold_xxx
Try the Fortuna Hotel on Soi 5. It’s only 200 baht for all you can eat.It has a mix of western and asian dishes.You can eat as much as you want.
View all comments by Mark
It’s good Smitty.
View all comments by jack dawson
Buy your maid a frying pan
View all comments by Orion
Went to hanrahans this morning for breakfast.medium size cost 260 baht with tea. Have to admit that it was good!
View all comments by ex uk
Maybe an obvious choice but I usually go to Bully’s on Suk between Sois 2 and 4. Nice home fried potatoes with lots of onions and green, red, and yellow peppers. Comes with sausage or american bacon (149 baht) and I usually pay extra for both (30 baht extra?). Includes eggs, toast, coffee, and juice. Good service and nice booths when available. Also free wi-fi.
View all comments by The Bone Never Lies
Smitty, i say get your ass out of bed and cook breakfast out of the Mango kitchen… Us punters will be there to eat!!!
D
View all comments by Goodlife
Fave is the Olde German Beer House Soi 11 great air cured German ham and eggs and top hash browns + proper cold beer or coffee!!!!
Loads of good breakfast places on Soi 8 on left as you go down, the newish Soi 8 pub is good value another great little place 100 yards on same side can eat outside.
Landmark downstairs in Huntsmans decent scrambled egg and freshly cooked.
View all comments by nampla
If you are in the mood for Waffles you can try out The Little Hut House of Waffles. It’s in Nana Square which is on the corner of Suk Soi 3 and Suk, where the Starbucks is on the first floor in the back.
However, don’t expect the Waffle House (big Waffle chain in America where you have some serious breakfast options http://www.wafflehouse.com/ourmenu.asp). This place serves mostly Thai food but does have some Waffles.
You can specify three different size waffles from 80-120 baht. I only saw one plate that had a combo of Waffle and Egg. The other combos were very strange under the “Waffle as Food” part of the menu. The most interesting being Waffle and Tuna. I almost spewed when I saw the pic. What’s next Waffle Balla or Waffle w Pik Nam Plaa (Fish juice and peppers)?
Okay, so I don’t recommend it but you can get Waffles here if you have the craving.
View all comments by pmmp
@Smitty: I just finished breakfast at Bourbon Street and I’m amazed that you discounted this as the right option for an American style ‘diner’ breakfast. The food was great and the prices were not over-the-top. Seems to me to fit the bill nicely with a typical 2-egg breakfast, pancakes and french toast, along with other options like creamed chipped beef and eggs benedict on the menu. Granted, they don’t have grits, but generally speaking it seems to boast a pretty good variety and quality of American style breakfast dishes.
View all comments by werewolf
ww - it is good. I think it is too far away for me to just drop in but it does have some tasty food. I stand corrected.
View all comments by smitty
Went to the Downunder Bar on DJ’s suggestion. Ordered the omelette with everything. Was delivered an omelette with nothing. Had a few bited and told the waitress. She said they would make a new one for me. I just told her to bring me some bacon. It took 20 minutes in the first place and there was only one other table in the place. Was served the omelette with french fries. Very strange. The worst part is that there are no decent sized tables in the place. Hard to eat breaky and read the paper. Won’t be going there again - problem solved.
View all comments by JustinCider
Try a breakfast At Blue Lightening Suk Soi 7/1
includes Tea/Coffee, Juice, 2 100g sausage, 3 wiltshire Bacon, 2 Egg, Hash Brown, Fried Bread, Mushrooms, Tomato, Beans And Toast
Pretty Damn Big, Best Thing is its cooked By a Big fat English man! All For 270bt Plus maybe a Black Pudding extra!
Big Show
View all comments by Big Show
Used to go to Soi 8 Restaurant. Great breakfast but quite possibly the rudest service in Bangkok. Think of Thai government employees on a bad day and you pretty much get the picture. Your best bet for a great breakfast and friendly service is Bully’s on Sukhumvit between soi 4 and 2. Eggs, bacon, real sausage (not cocktail weenies), toast, fried potatoes (or hash brown patty), beans, fried tomato, coffee or tea and juice - all for 140-160 baht. One downside is that they start serving at 11:00AM but the girls are very friendly and can actually speak English very well. Highly recommended.
View all comments by JustinCider