Bangkok’s exciting food scene can seriously lack when it comes to vegan food.
Unlike, Thailand's vegan hotspots like Koh Phangan and Chiang Mai, Bangkok has struggled to embrace herbivorous ways, leaving a pretty dull city for vegans.
However, some plant-based restaurants are changing the face of Bangkok, opening it up as a vegan destination.
In June 2020, we visited two of Bangkok's best vegan restaurants, Vistro and Broccoli Revolution, and experienced first-hand what a plant-based Bangkok tastes like.
Vistro Bangkok
Vistro is a vegan foodies’ heaven. The restaurant is divided into two sections: the main eatery upstairs and a vegan pizzeria downstairs. Everything at Vistro 100% plant-based and you'll find incredible pizza, burgers, Mexican, local and western meals available here.
How to get there:
Vistro is easy to find. The restaurant is located in Sukhumvit Soi 24. We caught the BTS subway to Phrom Phong station and walked 400 meters to Vistro.
Address: 46/1 Sukhumvit 24 Alley, Klongton, Khlong Toei, Bangkok 10110, Thailand
Open hours: 10am - 8.30pm daily
The food & price:
There is no doubt, Vistro was the best food we had in Bangkok. It's definitely a luxury as prices can creep up if you're not careful.
We ordered:
Fish-no-Fillet burger - 9/10
Truffle Flatbread Pizza - 10/10
Peanut-butter brownie - 8/10
Our total bill for two people came to 710 Baht (approx. $22 USD).
The restaurant & staff:
The two-storey building has a nice fresh feel to it. The main restaurant is located upstairs and feels like a modern version of an old-school American diner. The small pizzeria downstairs is a nice touch, but don't worry - you can order pizza from upstairs too.
Staff were super friendly had excellent English.
Co-working & wifi:
Our time in Bangkok was short, so we didn't get a chance to work from Vistro. However, impressive wifi speeds, a good cafe, and comfortable seating could result in a good workspace.
Wifi speedtest result:
Download: 135mbps
Upload: 130mbps
Ping: 7 ms
Note: I forgot to look out for power-points (sorry). If you work from Vistro, feel free to let me know about the power-point situation.
Broccoli Revolution
Broccoli Revolution is one of Bangkok’s finest 100% vegan restaurants. The industrial-style building located in Thonglor has a wide range of local and western-influenced plant-based meals, including a juice bar and desserts.
How to get there:
Broccoli Revolution is located in Thonglor, which is also the closest BTS station to the restaurant. From Thonglor station, you'll have a short 450-meter walk. Broccoli Revolution is also just a 15-minute walk from Vistro.
Address: 899 Sukhumvit Road, Bangkok 10110
Open hours: 10am - 8pm daily
The food & price:
The food at Broccoli Revolution is delicious and fresh. We fell in love with their cauliflower wings and would definitely recommend it, whether you're vegan or not.
We ordered:
Cauliflower Wings - 10/10
Mashed Pumpkin Burrito - 7/10
Charcoal Broccoli Quinoa Burger - 8/10
Our total bill for two people was 620 Baht ($20 USD).
The restaurant & staff:
Broccoli Revolution might be the hippest vegan restaurant in Bangkok. The restaurant is built inside a visually stunning industrial building. There are two floors and also a cool little shop selling vegan products.
Staff were very welcoming and friendly.
Co-working & wifi:
While Broccoli Revolution offers a beautiful work setting, however, slow wifi speeds and 2-hour wifi time limits really hinder it as a co-working space.
Wifi speedtest result:
Download: 8.93mbps
Upload: 2.15mbps
Ping: 5 ms
Summary: What it's was like for us being vegan in Bangkok
Overall, our short stay in Bangkok was more frustrating than fun when it came to eating.
While we love western-style vegan restaurants, we thrive on eating local.
We found most side-street and local Thai restaurants lacked a basic understanding of veganism. In contrast to other areas of Thailand, we found tofu was difficult to find as a meat substitute, which is often a staple for us in Thailand.
On a few occasions, we couldn't veganize local meals the way we're used to. For this reason, being vegan in Bangkok was more costly than we are accustomed to.
Bangkok's Food Delivery Services
The popular food delivery service, Food Panda was a saving grace and highly recommended for anyone visiting Bangkok. You can download the apps here for both iPhone and Android users.
Food Panda Google Play download
In summary, being vegan in Bangkok will likely test you in some way. However, as more vegan restaurants pop up and more awareness towards veganism spreads, this city could eventually become a plant-based hotspot.
...it's just not quite there yet.
