With a global economic crisis looming, everyone’s asking us for cheap eats. And you know you can’t get more affordable indoor eating than at a food court. To help guide you, we put 16 of the leading food courts in a head to head challenge.
Central Bangna: Food Court VS Seacon Square: Food Center
Central Bangna: Food Court
The Contender: This food court is the place you visit before you hit the aisles of Tops Supermarket. It can get a little chaotic on the weekends when people decide to eat before they shop. You’ll find it hard not to trip over a person or a shopping cart as you try to find a seat.
Secret Weapons: The high noise levels and the overly bright colors of Tops are a small price to pay for the lard naa moo (B40). Try it over the big noodles or the much-loved, crispy noodles. For a touch of Isaan, head straight for the pork and sticky rice. You can get it barbecued for B5 a stick or fried, in which case you pay according to the weight.
B/F, 1090 Moo 12 Bangna-Trad Rd., 02-361-1010. Open daily 9am-10pm.
Seacon Square: Food Center
The Contender: The place is nicely designed: with the food stalls arranged to form funky waves around the perimeter and the tables and chairs arranged in a creative, non-cafeteria-like way. It’s quite big too, so make sure to keep a mental note of the closest stall to you, or you’ll be walking around in circles.
Secret Weapons: One particular stall that usually has customers coming back for seconds is the nuea toon stall. The beef is stewed to perfection, so tender that it melts in your mouth. One plate sets you back only B45.
4/F, 55 Srinakarin Rd., 02-721-8888. Open daily 10:30am-9:30pm.
WINNER - Central Bangna: Food Court
Seacon Square might look more appealing in terms of aesthetics and ambience, but most of the food there is mediocre and can sometimes drive you to the nearest McDonald’s. While the noise levels and chaos at Central Bangna might be potential reasons to drive you away, the food will keep you seated and satisfied.
Silom Complex: Silom Food Park VS United Center: Food Center
Silom Complex: Silom Food Park
The Contender: Your run-of-the mill food court feeding Silom’s plentitude of office workers. Decent-sized but definitely not the biggest in Silom. With white tabletops chained to the floor, ambience is non-existent. Just grab your fill of cheap eats and run back to your desk.
Secret Weapsons: Besides your choice of general Thai cuisine, the must-try is the kao mun gai (B40) at Shin Lang. The portions are hearty, but since the chicken is tender and the chili sauce is scrumptious, you might want to get it “special” (B50) anyway.
5/F, 191 Silom Rd., 02-632-1199. Open daily 10:30am-9pm. BTS Sala Daeng.
United Center: Food Center
The Contender: This expansive food court is the epicenter for Silom office workers looking for a quick and cheap lunch. The place looks its age, with dim fluorescent lighting and a tired feel. We say, sit near the large windows on the other side of the food court to add a little light to the depressing ambience.
Secret Weapons: With popular vendors such as Yen Ta Fo Wat Khaek and Khao Kaa Muu Trok Sung, the place is stocked full of options and for B50 you can get a generous meal. Make your breakfast and lunch a no-frills quicky or sweeten up your workday with some dessert. The tubtim krawp, with big juicy pieces of tubtim in coconut milk, is only B25.
3/F, 323 Silom Rd., 02-231-1100/9. Open daily 8am-3:30pm.
WINNER - United Center: Food Center
The feeding ground for Silom office workers, United Center knocks out Silom Complex by its sheer size. With more vendors and a much bigger space, United is the cheap eats of choice in Silom.
MBK: Food Center VS Siam Paragon: Food Court
MBK: Food Center
The Contender: This old and famous food court (well look at its location) is hectic, loud and has all of the ingredients of a true food court. Clothes and jewelry stalls come right up against the coupon-ticketing booth at the “entrance” of this large and extremely crowded (even on weekdays) food court. It’s nothing fancy and very cafeteria like: white formica tables coupled with orange and blue chairs laid out in systematic lines. Most of the time, it’s packed with tourists who would rather spend more money on shopping than “waste” it on expensive food.
Secret Weapons: Head straight for the khao kha moo (pork knuckle stew, B40). The pork is tender and melts in your mouth and unlike many other food courts where they mash up an insignificant amount of meat to make it look substantial, here they are more than generous. The food court staple khao man gai is delicious and, for B50, you can get a mix of fried and steamed chicken (again, they don’t jip you on the meat). Although it might be labeled as a “cheap” food court, it still offers other cuisines, like Indian and Japanese. For a drink, a main dish and possibly some dessert, plan to splash out no more than B100-B120. Note: by 8:30pm, stalls start packing it in.
6/F, 444 Phayathai Rd., 02-620-9000. Open daily 10am-10pm. BTS National Stadium.
Siam Paragon: Food Court
The Contender: If you want to eat in peace, Siam Paragon’s food court is a big no-no. Here, you have to be ready to play musical chairs. Despite hundreds of tables sprawling across its huge area, the food court is ever bustling, if not jam-packed, with hungry shoppers. Don’t expect to linger and chit chat as it’s a scoff-and-go destination. The noise level is almost unbearable and you are forced to eat while other people squeeze past bumping into your elbow and knocking your chair. On the plus side, its central location can’t be beaten.
Secret Weapons: There are over 20 restaurants to choose from. Japanese one-dish menus like tonkatsu and rice topped with kimchi pork can be found at Shimanto but prices are only slightly lower than what you can find in other proper Japanese restaurants with a better ambience. So you might want to stick to the food court’s staples like raad naa (B45 at Kieng Empire), rice topped with pork knuckle (B50-55 at St.Louis Khao Kha Moo) and beef noodles at Rod Det (B40-45).
G/F, 991/1 Rama 1 Rd., 02-690-1000. Open daily 10am-10pm. BTS Siam.
WINNER - MBK: Food Center
Filled with weary shoppers and confused tourists, both of these behemoths of a food court raise the decibel level up a notch. But MBK beats out its noisy competitor by offering better selections at a more affordable price. To prove our point, there is a Facebook group, which encourages people to stop buying over-priced water in Paragon Food Court... though there are only 18 members.
All Seasons: Tops Food Hall VS Central Chidlom: Foodloft
All Seasons: Tops Food Hall
The Contender: Located in Tops Supermarket, this is your run-of-the-mill food court with the usual vendors, which is pretty disappointing for the posh CRC Tower. However, the food court here is a bit more jazzed up than other venues, with chic Thai and English writing on the menus and professional photography of food and the floating market on the walls.
Secret Weapons: Popular Greek and Mediterranean eatery, Olive and frozen yoghurt place, Red Mango, are right outside the food court, but hold on to your wallet with willpower. Yes we know, Olive’s moussaka is to-die-for, but look away and walk towards Tops. Stop by the popular stall, Koursaoeak, and order yourself some fried rice for B35. They can fry the rice in chili paste, Chinese kale, or in the traditional style.
2/F, 87 Wireless Rd., 02-654-3888. Open 10am-8pm.
Central Chidlom: Foodloft
The Contender: A little bit cramped, but the atmosphere is pretty awesome, considering the fact that it is a food court with live music. It does get a little loud and awkward; having the guitarist next to you might kill the vibe a little when you’re trying to chat with friends. Neither is this the ideal place for those seeking privacy: staff will constantly come bugging you with a tray full of cakes that nobody wants to eat.
Secret Weapons: World-class cuisines ranging from simple Thai khao gaeng dishes to elaborate steaks. What we recommend is the special cooking station session, which regularly rotates the menus so you’ll get to taste something new instead of going to your favorite stall every time you visit. A dish costs around B120 and up, a little pricey but you’re paying for the service and ambience.
7/F, 1027 Ploenchit Rd., 02-793-7777. Open daily 10am-10pm. BTS Chit Lom.
WINNER - Central Chidlom: Foodloft
Food courts really aren’t the place to be seen in, but if you must be seen at a food court, Chidlom beats out its posh rival by actually being hiso. All Seasons food court is inside Tops and even though it jazzes things up with chic writing and photos, it can’t hide the fact.
CentralWorld: Tops Food Hall VS Siam Center: Food For Fun
CentralWorld: Tops Food Hall
The Contender: Think of your generic food court but add in some comfy couches to up the ambience. Tucked away at CentralWorld’s supermarket, this food court is the same as All Season’s but much bigger and is split into two sides—one corner dishes out Thai and the other Asian flavors. A bit confusing since the Asian Flavours section has Charlie’s stall selling western food like porkchops (B149), but then again the dishes are geared towards the Asian palate.
Secret Weapons: At their Asian food section, the Vietnamese stall, Winner House serves up scrumptious dishes. If you can’t afford Le Dalat, come here for Vietnamese and order their barbecued pork set (B90). Or head over to the busier Thai Flavours section and get your run of the mill a la carte dishes. There is actually a stand called A La Carte serving stir frys, popular is their spaghetti with tuna and basil, a bit soggy but flavorful.
7/F, 999/9 Ratchadamri Rd., 02-635-1111. Open daily 10am-10pm. BTS Chit Lom or Siam.
Siam Center: Food For Fun
The Contender: Designed to suit the teens of Bangkok, you are engulfed in vibrant colors of red, blue and heavy on the orange. With a DJ booth overlooking the food court and a laser light show, the place tries to be young with warning signs that homework and business meetings can’t be done on the premises unless with the permission of the owners. Even with the youthful theme, the place is pretty dead.
Secret Weapons: A good choice of Thai food, but they also have some inter stalls. The Wii Pizza vendor sells small, homecooked pizzas, but at B89 for the small with two toppings, it’s not worth the money. Stick to the reliable Thai stalls and order a khao mun gai from Ratchadamri Steamed Chicken for B40.
4/F, Rama 1 Rd., 02-658-1000 ext 5000. Open daily 10am-9pm. BTS Siam.
WINNER - CentralWorld: Tops Food Hall
Siam Center had its day as the hip epicenter of shopping and food. Such trends come and go and CentralWorld has now taken the crown of new kid in town. The dek naews are starting to flock here, with the help of Top Shop and Forever 21, and its not-so-posh food court is starting to fill up with shoppers and trendsetters, while Siam Center is starting to dwindle.
Emporium: Food Court VS Amarin Plaza: The Cook, Kolors of Taste
Emporium: Food Court
The Contender: With this cafeteria meets French garden café, the Emporium tries to hide its bare white setting under a disguise of fake plants, make-believe bookshelves and posters depicting the streets of Paris. The hall is narrow but long, with full glass windows to help bring the view of Benjasiri Park into the room. One warning though: this eatery is quite small relative to the size of the crowds that descend on it, so watch that bowl of soup you’re carrying.
Secret Weapons: Not feeling the overpriced dishes in the nearby supermarket area? This is the spot to have a decent meal with a drink for less than B100. Though most of the selections are baan baan favorites like khao gaeng, noodles and chicken over rice, the place does offer international stalls, so you can get your fix of kimchi fried rice and sushi sets for less. Make sure you try the killer Phitsanulok tom yum noodles (B55-65), which come with unlimited supplies of crispy wontons and deep-fried veggies. This is also a place to get some of Bangkok’s best-known dishes such as Phad Thai Aree and St. Louis stewed pork. Also worth a try is khao soi (B65) with chicken or pork spare ribs (B65), beautifully thick and incredibly tasty curry sauce packed with onions, greens and thick noodles. Get here early though, as it sells out quick.
5/F, 622 Sukhumvit Soi 24, 02-269-1000. Open daily 10am-10pm. BTS Phrom Phong.
Amarin Plaza: The Cook, Kolors of Taste
The Contender: This oldie mall has seen better days, welcoming the first Mcdonald’s in Thailand, back when Amarin was the “it” place. Having lost its swagger, even with refurbishments, Amarin is now a rather lonely place. Frequented by expats getting lessons at the Thai language school and workers from the surrounding offices, the decent-sized food court is geared to a farang crowd with English writing on the walls, including a tom yum kung recipe. With large windows looking onto the skytrain, you can enjoy the view as you slurp your Siamese soup.
Secret Weapons: Your usual suspects of Thai food can be found at vendors like Prantalay and Jutatip (B45-60). It’s a case of grabbing a quick and cheap meal of khao mun gai (B40) before heading back to your office. On weekdays they open at 7am for the office drones to get breakfast. They also have a vegetarian stall. Note: the food court starts packing up before 7pm.
4/F, 496-502 Ploenchit Rd., 02-256-9111. Open daily 10am-9:30pm. BTS Chit Lom.
WINNER - Emporium: Food Court
While the “view” is not a main criterion when we go to food courts, it sure is an added bonus. Emporium takes the title here by having a better view, with the park right there. Sitting in Amarin you only get to see the BTS passing you by. Plus, Emporium attracts more corporate eye candies for your viewing pleasure.
Century Movie Plaza: Food Court VS Seri Center: Food Court
Century Movie Plaza: Food Court
The Contender: No fancy international cuisine, just your straight-up basement level food court with glaring neon lights and a large open space. There’s a great variety of dishes on offer, from khao mun gai to waan yen, all at prices that are basement level as well. If you’re broke and on your way to Club Culture, grab a bite and a movie at Century Movie Plaza first. Otherwise, what the heck are you doing there?
Secret Weapons: Khao kha moo chula sam yang (B35-40) is rich and delicious, with a great sauce and dipping. The pork is perfectly cooked but it’s unfortunate they don’t use fresh vegetables anymore and have replaced them with pickled ones. Khao yam is also a deliciously healthy vegetarian treat. It comes with different types of rice, herbs doused in a sweet sauce. There’s also a nice variety of waan yen (B10-15), which use good quality ingredients.
B/F, 15 Phayathai Rd., 02-247-1111. Open daily 10am-10pm. BTS Victory Monument.
Seri Center: Food Court
The Contender: Seri Center’s ground floor is a foodie’s heaven. The area is swamped with stalls dedicated to cooked, ready-to-sell food plus a small sectioned-off food court. Once you’re done with your cheap eat, feel free to browse through the selection of take home Chinese delicacies like roasted duck and desserts like roti saimai.
Secret Weapons: If you’ve got a big appetite to fill, head straight for the ba mee kieaw kwang tung (B40), where you can get the usual choice of pork or duck. They really pile the noodles on and the wontons are big and packed with filling. Also try the hoi thawd (B40). The clams are just as big as the wontons at the noodle shop. The highlight of the Seri Center food court are the desserts. You might want to place your order before you start eating because there is always a line at the sweet stall. Try the khao neaw thua dam (B15), black sticky rice and beans in a warm coconut syrup. You won’t be disappointed.
G/F, 61 Srinakarin Rd., 02-746-0444. Open Mon-Fri 11am-9pm, Sat-Sun 10am-9pm.
WINNER - Seri Center: Food Court
The fact that the food court is surrounded by hundreds of other food stalls should be enough of a reason to keep you going back. The great thing is, everything you try there, although pretty typical and common, is very taste bud-friendly, not to mention, cheap.
The Platinum Fashion Mall: Food Center VS Pantip Plaza: Raan Ros Jaeb
The Platinum Fashion Mall: Food Center
The Setting: Bustling with weary shoppers, both local and tourists, you’d be lucky to get a table here on the weekend. There’s not much going on in terms of décor as it’s your average food court with lots of tables and chairs clustered together. But at least there’s a good dose of natural light coming through the windows.
The Payoff: Quite a lot of options from khao mun gai to beef noodles (B35-45). But it’s the crepe stall (B25) that attracts lots of hungry shoppers looking for a hearty snack on the go.
6/F, 542/21-22 Petchaburi Rd., 02-121-9999. Open daily 9:30am-8pm.
Pantip Plaza: Raan Ros Jaeb
The Setting: Right smack in the middle of the hustle and bustle of electronic heaven, with two big open kitchens, this food court feeds geeks with run-of-the-mill Thai dishes. There is another food court on M/F.
The Payoff: A must try here is the tiny stall, Krung Kao, selling grilled pork balls, B10 per stick. Tender pork with juicy, sweet and spicy sauce and you don’t have to exchange coupons for the sticks, cash only. It’s the perfect meal to chomp while browsing pirate DVDs. The desserts stall is nice, too. Other than that, this food court is for weary shoppers in need of a quick meal.
2/F, 604/3 Petchaburi Rd., 02-254-9797. Open daily 10am-9pm.
WINNER - The Platinum Fashion Mall: Food Center
You don’t come to these two places to eat. You go there to shop till you drop, be it for the newest gadget or the skirt ripped off from Prada’s new fall line. You only eat here if all the hustling has depleted your blood sugar level and you need a quick fix. Platinum beats Pantip by not being quite as gritty. At least you don’t leave smelling like the curry from the open cooking stations.
SECOND ROUND
Seri Center: Food Court VS Central Bangna: Food Court
WINNER - Seri Center: Food Court
Although no contest on the shopping scale, Seri conquers Central Bangna simply because you’re swamped with quality-driven variety. Plus, you’re not distracted by grocery shoppers and their whiny kids; it’s all about food, food and more food.
CentralWorld: Tops Food Hall VS United Center: Food Center
WINNER - CentralWorld: Tops Food Hall
Both places are beehives for Bangkokian office workers, but CentralWorld knocks out United for its newness and freshness.
Central Chidlom: Foodloft VS Emporium: Food Court
WINNER - Central Chidlom: Foodloft
Even though it has lost its steam, Foodloft’s classy ambience and DIY salad and pasta bars are keeping its loyal customers and at the end of the day, despite the view, Emporium’s is just another food court.
MBK: Food Court VS The Platinum Fashion Mall: Food Center
MBK: Food Center
The oasis for weary shoppers, MBK beats out Platinum thanks to its convenient location right next to a BTS stop.
SEMI FINAL
Seri Center: Food Court VS MBK: Food Center
WINNER - MBK: Food Center
Forget Seri. It’s just way too far.
CentralWorld: Tops Food Hall VS Central Chidlom: Foodloft
Central Chidlom: Foodloft
Central goes head to head and Foodloft wins because at the end of the day CentralWorld’s food hall is nothing that special.
FINAL
MBK: Food Center VS Central Chidlom: Foodloft
WINNER - MBK: Food Center
Bangkok’s famous food court, MBK has been welcoming weary shoppers, tired tourists and Thai families looking for a cheap meal for years. Its sheer size and famous stalls—including Pow Tiem Heng (B45 for a pot of beef noodles)—keep us coming back and beats off the challenge of Foodloft. In these times of dire straits, value for money beats a touch of class every time.
