Mod Kaew Wine Bar
We’re not sure if it’s true that Mod Kaew Wine Bar kicked off Bangkok’s very welcome shift towards no-frills, trend-rejecting wine bars a few years ago, but it is effortlessly the best at it. The venue has now won BK Magazine’s “Best Wine Bar” at the BAD Awards for the 3rd year running — although the competition has stiffened. The venue has long been a wine bar for everyone, whether they know their grapes or not. This is reflected in the list, which varies from some of the best low-intervention wines available in Bangkok to a selection of Spanish and French wines, including many difficult-to-find labels. The food menu also walks a tightrope between high-end ingredients and down-to-earth ideas, where the likes of shaved foie gras rub shoulders with simple bites like grilled baby corn.
142, Sathorn Soi 12, 082-096-0281. Open daily 4pm-1am
Finalist: Must Wine Bar
This 35-seat bistro along the bustling Thonglor 13 (especially when it comes to nightlife) comes from the folks behind Fin Wine, and has since moved from its humble beginnings at Bo.lan when the concept was in its early stages to a new space on the second floor of Sodality Project — also home to this year’s runaway overall BAD Awards winner Dry Wave Cocktail Studio. Enter through the wine cellar to get a glimpse of their 300 rotating labels and a look at a portfolio of more than 500. Like any wine bar worth an entry in the BAD Awards this year, the food program at MUST punches above its weight.
2/F, SODALITY, 263, Thonglor Soi 13, 092-599-8919. Open Tue-Fri 2-11pm; Sat-Sun 11am-11pm
Finalist: Salon Kiku
This is where you roll up on a late night in Thonglor when you have that eclectic hankering for booming, vinyl-driven music and a glass of good wine. Salon Kiku is a rare breed in the city’s wine scene, a place where you can find rare orange wines and then get challenged to a full-on dance battle right after you put down your glass. Here you’ll find a rotating selection of around 50 wines in a tightly compact space that melds tight clusters of tables with big analog sound systems. The music isn’t so deafening that it kills the conversation, but this is definitely a place for people who like both wine and music.
4/F, 3/1 Sukhumvit soi 51. Open Tue-Sat 7pm-1am
Finalist: Sixteen Grapes
“Comically large 2.5-liter glasses of wine are on offer at the new Sixteen Grapes” was the headline we wrote for this place when it opened in 2024 and it’s one of our favorites of the year. And while its playful approach to things like sharable wine towers and gargantuan glasses of wine (that will turn you into a meme while drinking them) get the headlines, most people come here more for the lively atmosphere and more than 120 labels to choose from. Its bright red and white interior with splashy grape art on the walls also sets the less than serious tone here, and we appreciate that.
199/8, Sukhumvit 16, 093-565-6730. Open Tue-Sat 5pm-midnight
Finalist: No Bar Wine Bar
The go-to spot in Ari-Sanam Pao for serious wine drinkers who love to explore new natural wines — they have a rotating selection of around 150 labels. Founded by two wine enthusiasts, the venue goes for a laid back dinner room feel with framed photographs and ferns lining the walls. The room seems built for fusing good conversation and good wine together, and that intimate feel is reflected in the wine list that prioritizes small-scale producers worldwide — specifically natural wines.
128/10, Phahonyothin soi 2, 09-9229-7465. Open Wed-Sun 6pm-midnight
