Where to Find the Best Tom Yum Soup in Bangkok

Whenever we’re asked what the best Thai food is, one of the first dishes that come to mind is tom yum. The sour and spicy soup, commonly made of prawn and mushroom mixed with spices like lemongrass, galangal, and kaffir lime leaves, is a local favourite because of its savoury and distinct taste.

But what if we tell you that there are many other ways to make the dish? In this article, we will show you five of the best restaurants to eat tom yum soup in Bangkok, each with their own gimmicks and twists to make the dish more enjoyable.

Jay Fai

Don’t let it deceive you, because under the clear broth of Jay Fai’s tom yum, is a feast that warms the stomach. Albeit simple-looking, the restaurant’s meaty tom yum soup is filled with shelled jumbo prawns, fish and squid chunks, mushrooms, and herbs. Pair it with their famous crab omelets, and you have yourself a filling meal!

In fact, the street-side restaurant, named after its owner and head chef Jay Fai, is a Michelin-starred diner and ranked 38th in this year’s Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants. The almost-always-jam-packed resto is open from Wednesday to Saturday from 9 AM to 7:30 PM only.

Location: Jay Fai, 327 Mahachai Road, Samran Rat, Bangkok

Contact details: +66 2 223 9384 or email [email protected]

Pe Aor

Fancy a lobster? Pe Aor’s tom yum has it, and many more! The resto’s Tom Yum Kung Noodle is a seafood extravaganza, evident from the large rock lobster at the bowl’s centre and the chunks of squid, fish, prawns, and mussels sprawled around it. Moreover, its creamy broth balances the dish’s sour and spicy taste, giving you an irresistible tom yum dish.

You’ll also love how you can choose the type of noodles to put in the soup. Reviews say that although it is filled with ingredients and has a large serving, it comes at an affordable price – perfect for sharing with your peeps! You can visit them from 10 AM to 9 PM from Tuesday to Sunday.

Location: Pe Aor, 68 51 Phetchaburi Rd, Thung Phaya Thai, Ratchathewi, Bangkok

Contact details: +66-2-6129013

Usman Thai Muslim Food

Located on one of the most vibrant streets in Bangkok, Usman’s tom yum soup is just as exciting. The dish boasts an authentic taste with its meaty shrimp, rich and creamy soup, herbs, and chili. The restaurant also serves various authentic Halal food that you can pair with tom yum, such as their Deep-Fried Seabass Fish and Chicken and Cashew Nut Curry. The restaurant is open daily from 10 AM to 10 PM.

Location: Usman Thai Muslim Food, Sukhumvit Soi 22, Bangkok, Thailand

Contact details: +662 258 1135/+6661 386 5858

Yana Restaurant

If you’re looking for more variety, Yana Restaurant in MBK Center is the place to go! One of its most eye-catching tom yum dishes is the one served inside a young coconut, which is also mixed with coconut milk to balance out the taste. Of course, Yana has tom yum soup served in bowls that are equally delicious.

You can choose whether to put chicken, shrimp, or seafood in your soup, or if you want coconut milk in it. For something more filling, you may also opt for the Noodle Tom Yum. The restaurant is open daily from 10:30 AM to 9 PM. You can also reserve a table through the website.

Location: Yana Restaurant, MBK Center 5th Floor, Tokyu Side, Room No. 5A-05 444 Phayathai Rd. Wangmai Pathumwan, Bangkok, Thailand

Contact details: +66 2 048 4589 or email [email protected]

Jeh O Chula

Seafood? Eggs? Pork? Name it, Jeh O Chula’s tom yum soup has it! The restaurant is another local favourite because of its giant MAMA noodles, topped with almost everything you’d want in tom yum: squid, eggs, deep-fried pork, large prawns, and meatballs. Reviews also say that the abundance of herbs put in the soup contributes to its rich taste and fragrant aroma. You can expect long lines as tourists and locals come here, but we promise you, the wait is worth it!

Location: Jeh O Chula, 113/1, Soi Charat Mueang Rong Muang, Pathum Wan, Bangkok, Thailand

Contact details: 081-682-8816/064-118-5888