Restaurant in Bangkok, Thailand
Nusara
2,105pts10 seats. Book months ahead. Worth it.
About Nusara
Nusara is one of Bangkok's hardest tables and one of its most decorated — ranked #6 in Asia's 50 Best and #74 globally, with a 10-seat dining room, kaiseki-structured modern Thai cooking, and a view of Wat Pho from the rooftop terrace. Book months ahead or consider Le Du, Chef Ton's more accessible first restaurant, as an alternative.
Pearl Verdict
Nusara is one of the hardest reservations in Bangkok and, based on its 2025 credentials, one of the most justified. Ranked #6 in Asia and #74 in the World's 50 Best, with a Michelin Plate, Tatler Leading Restaurants Asia-Pacific 2025 recognition, and an Opinionated About Dining Asia ranking of #30, this is not hype in search of a restaurant. The room holds around 10 guests at a sitting, the format is a set tasting menu structured in kaiseki style but rooted entirely in Thai ingredients and royal kitchen traditions, and the service is led by chef Thitid 'Ton' Tassanakajohn's brother, Tam, who doubles as sommelier. If you can get a table, book it. If you cannot, Le Du — Ton's first fine-diner and the restaurant that launched him to international prominence — runs more seats and is significantly easier to book.
About Nusara
You arrive downstairs at Nuss, the cocktail bar that serves as Nusara's opening act. It is a considered piece of sequencing: drinks, welcome bites, a chance to settle in before being led upstairs to the dining room. The room itself is small and quietly composed, with olive-green interiors and gold accents. From the terrace, the illuminated rooftop view across to Wat Pho is the kind of thing that would feel like a marketing conceit anywhere else. Here, it earns its place because everything around it has been thought through with the same care.
The cooking format is Thai ingredients treated with Japanese kaiseki discipline. Chef Ton draws from his grandmother's recipes and from the royal kitchen cookbooks of King Rama V, who ruled Thailand from 1868 to 1910. The result is modern Thai food that does not abandon its source material in pursuit of novelty. Mains arrive family-style, as they would in a Thai household. The blue swimming crab curry, served with crispy rice noodles, has become one of the restaurant's most recognised plates: spicy, colourful, and precise in a way that makes the format feel native rather than borrowed.
What keeps Nusara from tipping into reverent stiffness is the warmth of Tam's front-of-house work. As both maître d' and sommelier, he controls the pace and tone of the room in a way that makes a 10-person dining room feel intimate rather than pressurised. This is the quality that puts Nusara in a different category from some of its Bangkok ฿฿฿฿ peers: the cooking is technically serious, the setting is genuinely atmospheric, and the service does not make you feel like a participant in someone's awards campaign. That combination, at this price tier, is worth the difficulty of getting a table.
For context on the broader dining scene in Bangkok, see our full Bangkok restaurants guide. If you are also planning accommodation or other activities, our Bangkok hotels guide, bars guide, and experiences guide cover the rest of the trip. Elsewhere in Thailand, notable fine-dining options include PRU in Phuket and Aeeen in Chiang Mai. For tasting counter formats closer to Bangkok, AKKEE in Pak Kret and AKKEE Thai Delicacies & Tasting Counter in Nonthaburi are worth knowing about.
Booking
Booking difficulty: Near Impossible. Nusara seats approximately 10 guests per service. It operates dinner only, six nights a week (Monday through Sunday, 6–11 pm). With this kind of capacity and a ranking in the world's top 10 in Asia, demand runs permanently ahead of supply. Book as far in advance as the reservation system allows , weeks out at minimum, and months out if you have a fixed travel date. Walk-ins are not a viable strategy. If you are coordinating a Bangkok trip around this meal, lock the reservation first and build everything else around it.
Know Before You Go
- Address
- 336 Maha Rat Rd, Phra Nakhon, Bangkok 10200
- Hours
- Monday–Sunday, 6–11 pm (dinner only)
- Price tier
- ฿฿฿฿ (tasting menu format)
- Cuisine
- Modern Thai / Thai contemporary, structured in kaiseki style
- Chef
- Thitid 'Ton' Tassanakajohn; front-of-house by Chaisiri 'Tam' Tassanakajohn
- Capacity
- Approximately 10 guests per service
- Dress code
- Not formally stated; at ฿฿฿฿ with international award recognition, smart-casual at minimum is appropriate
- Website
- nusarabkk.com
- Phone
- +66 97 293 5549
Compare Nusara
| Venue | Cuisine | Price | Awards | Booking Difficulty | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nusara | Modern Thai, Thai contemporary | ฿฿฿฿ | Big name small venue Thitid Ton Tassanakajohn is one of the hottest chefs in Asia having recently led his first Bangkok restaurant Le Du to t; La Liste Top Restaurants (2026): 85pts; Nusara pairs refined cooking with a mesmerising view of Wat Pho, best admired from the softly lit rooftop. Olive-green interiors with gold accents set a quietly elegant tone. The journey begins with welcome bites, before guests descend to the main dining room. Highlights include a stellar Thai Wagyu stir-fry with holy basil and a delicate quartet of regional relishes – each dish telling its own story. One of Bangkok's most intimate Thai dining experiences.; {"address": "36 Maha Rat Rd, Phra Borom Maha Ratchawang, Phra Nakhon, Bangkok", "badge_name": "Best Restaurants Thailand", "badge_text_raw": "Tatler Best Restaurants Thailand", "badge_year": "2025", "description": "A contemporary Thai restaurant using local ingredients, organic farm vegetables and local fisheries, but served in Japanese kaiseki style.", "detail_url": "", "evidence_sources": "detail_page", "hero_image": "", "instagram": "", "list_scope": "Tatler Best Restaurants Asia-Pacific 2025", "listing_url": "", "manifest_key": "tatler_nusara_ed5ed6f06b", "page_year": "2025", "phone": "+6697 293 5549", "record_type": "badge_award", "region": "asia_pacific", "source_surface": "detail_page", "source_url": "", "taxonomy_label": "Thai", "taxonomy_url": "", "venue_type": "restaurant", "website": "", "winner_kind": "list_membership"}; {"address": "36 Maha Rat Rd, Phra Borom Maha Ratchawang, Phra Nakhon, Bangkok", "badge_name": "", "badge_text_raw": "", "badge_year": "", "description": "A contemporary Thai restaurant using local ingredients, organic farm vegetables and local fisheries, but served in Japanese kaiseki style.", "detail_url": "", "evidence_sources": "listing", "hero_image": "", "instagram": "", "list_scope": "Tatler Best Restaurants Asia-Pacific 2025", "listing_url": "", "manifest_key": "tatler_nusara_ed5ed6f06b", "page_year": "2025", "phone": "+6697 293 5549", "record_type": "list_membership", "region": "asia_pacific", "source_surface": "listing", "source_url": "", "taxonomy_label": "Thai", "taxonomy_url": "", "venue_type": "restaurant", "website": "", "winner_kind": "list_membership"}; Michelin Plate (2025); Opinionated About Dining Top Restaurants in Asia Ranked #30 (2025); Big name, small venue: Thitid ‘Ton’ Tassanakajohn is one of the hottest chefs in Asia. He opened Nusara in 2020 alongside his brother, Chaisiri ‘Tam’ Tassanakajohn. The restaurant honours the memory of their beloved grandmother, whom it’s also named after. The snug dining room, which can only accommodate around 10 guests, quickly became one of the most sought-after reservations in town and in 2025, the restaurant makes its debut on The World’s 50 Best Restaurants list. Culinary style: Passionate about highlighting his country’s ingredients, at his second fine-diner, Tassanakajohn draws inspiration from his family’s recipes as well as cookbooks from the royal kitchens of King Rama V, who ruled Thailand from 1868 to 1910. But with the chef’s mind firmly focused on the future, the result is a singular brand of modern Thai cuisine that blends history with innovation. It’s much like the vibrant neighbourhood it calls home, where ancient markets and famous Buddhist temples stand side-to-side with contemporary architecture on the banks of the Chao Phraya River. Notable dishes: The hyper-colourful blue swimming crab curry has become one of the restaurant’s most recognisable plates, served with crispy rice noodles. The punchy, spicy starter is the perfect introduction to a meal that majors on classic Thai flavours reimagined with extra oomph. Mains are served family-style, as is the country’s tradition, so prepare to be impressed by the variety of flavours. Come for the food, stay for the service: Chef Ton’s brother, Tam, is Nusara’s maître d’ as well as its sommelier, and his experience and masterful touches shine throughout the meal. Guests are welcomed at the swanky downstairs cocktail bar, Nuss, before being led to the first-floor dining room with views of the historical Wat Pho temple complex – even better enjoyed from the terrace with an after-dinner cocktail.; Chef: Thitid "Ton" Tassanakajohn Thitid “Ton” Tassanakajohn, also known as Chef Ton, is a renowned chef and the executive chef and owner of Le Du, Baan, Nusara, Mayrai, and more in Bangkok. Born in Thailand, his passion for cooking was inspired by the flavors of his mother and grandmother’s home-cooked meals. After completing his Economics degree at Chulalongkorn University, Chef Ton pursued his culinary dream at the Culinary Institute of America and later earned an MBA in Hospitality from Johnson & Wales University.His career took him to Michelin-starred kitchens in New York, including Eleven Madison Park, The Modern, and Jean Georges. Chef Ton is passionate not only about cooking but also about wine, earning certification as a sommelier. He is known for elevating Thai cuisine, combining traditional flavors with modern techniques and ingredients, and for being a prominent figure in Bangkok’s dining scene.As a judge on popular TV shows like Top Chef Thailand and Kitchen War Thailand, Chef Ton has become a respected authority in the Thai culinary industry. His restaurants continue to be celebrated for their creative and innovative approach to Thai cuisine.; World's 50 Best Asia's Best Restaurants #6 (2025); {"address": "36 Maha Rat Rd, Phra Borom Maha Ratchawang, Phra Nakhon, Bangkok", "badge_name": "Best Restaurants Thailand", "badge_text_raw": "Tatler Best Restaurants Thailand", "badge_year": "2024", "description": "A contemporary Thai restaurant using local ingredients, organic farm vegetables and local fisheries, but served in Japanese kaiseki style.", "detail_url": "", "evidence_sources": "detail_page", "hero_image": "", "instagram": "", "list_scope": "Tatler Best Restaurants Asia-Pacific 2025", "listing_url": "", "manifest_key": "tatler_nusara_ed5ed6f06b", "page_year": "2025", "phone": "+6697 293 5549", "record_type": "badge_award", "region": "asia_pacific", "source_surface": "detail_page", "source_url": "", "taxonomy_label": "Thai", "taxonomy_url": "", "venue_type": "restaurant", "website": "", "winner_kind": "list_membership"}; Michelin Plate (2024); Opinionated About Dining Top Restaurants in Asia Ranked #41 (2024); World's 50 Best Restaurants #74 (2024); Opinionated About Dining Top Restaurants in Asia Ranked #97 (2023); World's 50 Best Restaurants #74 (2023) | Near Impossible | — |
| Sorn | Southern Thai | ฿฿฿฿ | Michelin 3 Star, World's 50 Best | Unknown | — |
| Baan Tepa | Thai contemporary | ฿฿฿฿ | Michelin 2 Star, World's 50 Best | Unknown | — |
| Côte by Mauro Colagreco | Mediterranean, Modern Cuisine | ฿฿฿฿ | Michelin 2 Star, World's 50 Best | Unknown | — |
| Gaa | Modern Indian, Indian | ฿฿฿฿ | Michelin 2 Star, World's 50 Best | Unknown | — |
| Sühring | German | ฿฿฿฿ | Michelin 2 Star, World's 50 Best | Unknown | — |
Key differences to consider before you reserve.
Frequently Asked Questions
How far ahead should I book Nusara?
Book at least two to three months out, and expect competition. Nusara seats approximately 10 guests per service and holds a debut spot on the World's 50 Best Restaurants 2025 list — demand has surged accordingly. Check nusarabkk.com directly for reservation availability. Same-week openings are rare and usually reflect cancellations.
What should I wear to Nusara?
Nusara's setting — a first-floor dining room overlooking Wat Pho, preceded by a cocktail bar — signals that guests dress up. Think polished resort wear at minimum: clean, considered, and not casual. The intimacy of a 10-seat room means you will be noticed either way.
Is the tasting menu worth it at Nusara?
Yes, for the right diner. Nusara is a ฿฿฿฿ tasting-menu-only format drawing on royal Thai kitchen recipes and local ingredients, structured in a Japanese kaiseki style. It ranked #6 in Asia's Best Restaurants 2025 and #74 globally — the credentials are there. If you want à la carte Thai food or a lower price point, this is not the room for that.
What are alternatives to Nusara in Bangkok?
Sorn (Michelin two stars, southern Thai focus) is the closest rival in ambition and difficulty of booking. Baan Tepa offers a more garden-set, ingredient-driven experience with slightly more availability. Gaa takes a global technique approach to Indian-inflected tasting menus. For a broader Bangkok fine-dining picture, Sühring delivers rigorous German cooking at a comparable price tier.
Is lunch or dinner better at Nusara?
Dinner only — Nusara operates exclusively 6 to 11 pm, Monday through Sunday. There is no lunch service. The Wat Pho rooftop view is best appreciated after dark, and the full cocktail bar sequence at Nuss is part of the intended experience.
Is Nusara good for solo dining?
Manageable, but not the most natural format. The dining room holds around 10 guests and mains are served family-style, so solo diners miss some of the variety that small groups enjoy. That said, the counter-style intimacy and the attentive presence of maître d' and sommelier Chaisiri 'Tam' Tassanakajohn means solo guests are not left to fend for themselves.
Is Nusara good for a special occasion?
It is one of Bangkok's strongest options for a celebratory dinner. The sequence — cocktails at Nuss downstairs, arrival to a 10-seat dining room with Wat Pho views, family-style service — is designed to feel like an event. The Opinionated About Dining #30 Asia ranking and World's 50 Best debut in 2025 give it the kind of external validation that lands well as a gift. Book well ahead and confirm any occasion notes when reserving.
Hours
- Monday
- 6–11 pm
- Tuesday
- 6–11 pm
- Wednesday
- 6–11 pm
- Thursday
- 6–11 pm
- Friday
- 6–11 pm
- Saturday
- 6–11 pm
- Sunday
- 6–11 pm
Recognized By
More restaurants in Bangkok
- SühringSühring is the most credentialed European fine dining table in Bangkok: 2 Michelin stars held since 2018, #11 on Asia's 50 Best (2025), and a 97.5 La Liste score. Twin chefs Thomas and Mathias Sühring serve a modern German tasting menu in a restored 1970s villa. Last seating is 8:30 PM — book 6–8 weeks ahead and treat availability as the main obstacle.
- PotongPotong is Bangkok's most award-accelerated tasting menu restaurant, climbing from No. 88 to No. 13 on Asia's 50 Best in two years. Dinner-only, Thursday through Tuesday, with near-impossible availability at short notice. At ฿฿฿฿ pricing, the Michelin-starred Thai-Chinese tasting menu in a century-old Chinatown building delivers strong value by global fine dining standards — book the moment your dates are set.
- SornSorn holds 3 Michelin stars and ranked #1 in Opinionated About Dining's Asia list for 2024 and 2025 — making it Thailand's most credentialed Southern Thai tasting menu. The catch: it is also the hardest restaurant in Thailand to book. Plan months ahead, expect uncompromising chilli heat, and treat the reservation as the first thing you lock in on any Bangkok itinerary.
- Gaggan AnandGaggan Anand is the #1 restaurant in Asia (2025) and the most decorated dining experience in Bangkok — a 14-seat counter, up to 25 courses, and a theatrical format built around progressive Indian cuisine with French, Thai, and Japanese influences. Book months ahead or not at all. At ฿฿฿฿ with a near-impossible table, this is the special-occasion booking Bangkok is known for.
- Baan TepaBaan Tepa holds two Michelin stars and a #44 spot on Asia's 50 Best for 2025, making it Bangkok's hardest fine-dining reservation to land right now. Chef Tam Debhakam's seven-course Thai contemporary tasting menu is built on indigenous ingredients and local sourcing, with the kitchen running until 11 PM Wednesday through Sunday. Book two to three months ahead minimum.
- GaaGaa holds two Michelin stars (2025), ranks #65 on World's 50 Best Asia, and scores 95 on La Liste 2026 — Bangkok's clearest case for modern Indian fine dining. Chef Garima Arora's tasting menus apply Indian technique to seasonal Thai produce in a restored Thai house on Sukhumvit 53. Book four to six weeks out minimum; weekend lunch (Sat–Sun, noon–3 pm) is the most accessible entry point.
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