Bangkok

Bangkok's French restaurants spread across three main areas: the Chao Phraya riverside and Sathorn, the embassy district around Ploenchit and Lumpini, and the sois off Sukhumvit Road. Several long-running bistros have served the city for decades alongside newer hotel dining rooms.

Le Normandie by Anne-Sophie Pic at the Mandarin Oriental holds two Michelin stars, and Maison Dunand and Signature Bangkok hold one each. Brasserie Palmier at the Four Seasons has an oyster bar by the river, Bisou on Soi Langsuan is known for tableside beef Wellington, and Philippe on Sukhumvit 39 has been open since 1997. For simpler meals, Indigo on Convent Road serves bistro classics, L'Escargot Bistro does snails and steak frites on Soi Ruamrudee, and Bonjour Bonsoir offers set lunches inside the Alliance Française.

Book the starred restaurants ahead and check dress codes at hotel dining rooms. Several bistros offer weekday business or set lunches, which are good value. Bangkok traffic is slow, so the BTS Skytrain and MRT are usually the quickest way to Silom, Lumpini and Sukhumvit. Prices range from casual set lunches to full tasting menus.