Restaurant in Bangkok, Thailand
One-star counter format. Book early.
AVANT holds a Michelin 1 Star (2024) on Bangkok's 30th floor, where Singaporean chef Haikal Johari runs a counter-format tasting menu combining traditional and modern technique. Rated 4.8 on Google, it is a hard booking at ฿฿฿฿ — reserve three to four weeks out. One of the stronger cases for a single serious dinner in Bangkok.
A Google rating of 4.8 from a small but consistent pool of reviews signals the kind of venue where nearly every diner leaves satisfied — and at the ฿฿฿฿ price tier, that track record matters. AVANT, on the 30th floor of 78 Soi Ton Son in Lumphini, holds a Michelin 1 Star (2024) and is led by Singaporean chef Haikal Johari, whose approach layers traditional technique over modern precision. If you are planning a single serious dinner in Bangkok this trip, AVANT belongs on your shortlist , provided you can secure the booking.
The room is built around an L-shaped counter, which means your seat faces the kitchen directly. For a first-timer, this is the leading possible orientation: you watch the progression of the meal as it is prepared, and chef Haikal Johari's introductions to each course give you context without turning the dinner into a lecture. The 30th-floor city view works as a secondary register , Bangkok's skyline at night fills the window behind the kitchen, and that combination of live cooking and refined cityscape makes the setting harder to replicate elsewhere in the city.
The cuisine is classified as Modern, and the Michelin inspectors' language around Johari describes a chef who combines traditional and modern techniques with what they call meticulous attention to detail. That framing is useful for setting expectations: this is not a restaurant where the kitchen is trying to reinvent a national cuisine or chase a single conceptual thread. The focus is on craft and execution at the counter, course by course. Come with curiosity rather than a preconceived idea of what the food will taste like, and you will get more out of the experience.
Venue data does not specify a named sommelier or list structure for AVANT Bangkok, so any detailed claims about the wine program would go beyond what is confirmed. What the Michelin recognition does imply, at the 1 Star level in Bangkok's competitive fine-dining tier, is that the beverage program will be structured to match the tasting progression. For a counter-format restaurant at this price point, expect a curated pairing option alongside the menu , this is standard for the format and the category. If wine pairing is a priority for you, confirm availability when booking rather than assuming it on arrival. Bangkok's top-tier wine programs at ฿฿฿฿ venues tend to skew toward French and New World selections, with increasing attention to natural and low-intervention producers in recent seasons, but whether AVANT follows that pattern is something to ask at reservation time.
Where wine becomes a genuine decision factor for first-timers: counter dining at this level almost always rewards going with a pairing rather than ordering by the glass. You will move through multiple courses, and a pairing gives the kitchen more control over how the meal reads as a sequence. If the budget is a constraint, ask what the pairing adds to the total bill before you commit , at ฿฿฿฿ base pricing, the pairing can represent a meaningful addition.
With a Michelin star and a counter format, AVANT is a hard booking. Counter restaurants in Bangkok's ฿฿฿฿ tier fill quickly, and the small number of Google reviews (20 at 4.8) suggests the seat count is limited rather than that the restaurant is obscure. Plan for a minimum of three to four weeks lead time, and treat weekend slots as harder to secure than midweek. If you are visiting Bangkok for a fixed window, make this reservation before you finalise your flights. The address , 30th floor, 78 Soi Ton Son, Lumphini, Pathum Wan , puts the restaurant in one of central Bangkok's most accessible upscale corridors, within reasonable distance of BTS Chit Lom or Phloen Chit.
If AVANT is unavailable or you want to triangulate before committing, Bangkok's ฿฿฿฿ counter-format and fine-dining tier gives you real options. Mia and Bisou are worth checking for different register and availability. Resonance is another option if you want to stay in the modern cuisine lane. For Thai-rooted fine dining, Sorn (Southern Thai) and Baan Tepa (Thai contemporary) both operate at the same price tier with strong critical reputations.
Beyond Bangkok, if you are building an itinerary across Thailand, PRU in Phuket and Aeeen in Chiang Mai represent the strongest regional fine-dining alternatives. AKKEE in Pak Kret and AKKEE Thai delicacies & Tasting Counter in Nonthaburi are worth noting if you want to extend into the greater Bangkok area. For international comparisons in the modern counter-dining format, Frantzén in Stockholm and FZN by Björn Frantzén in Dubai sit in the same conceptual register at higher price points.
For broader Bangkok planning: our full Bangkok restaurants guide, our full Bangkok hotels guide, our full Bangkok bars guide, our full Bangkok wineries guide, and our full Bangkok experiences guide cover the rest of the city.
Yes, at the ฿฿฿฿ tier with a Michelin star behind it, the tasting menu format is what this kitchen is built for. Chef Haikal Johari's counter-facing format is designed around the progression of courses, not individual dishes. Ordering outside that format, if it is even available, will give you a weaker read on what the restaurant does well. The value question comes down to whether tasting menus are your format , if they are, AVANT delivers the credentials to justify the spend. If you prefer à la carte flexibility, look at Bisou instead.
Three to four weeks minimum. AVANT holds a Michelin star, operates a counter format with limited seats, and sits in Bangkok's most competitive fine-dining tier. Weekend slots will go faster. If your travel dates are fixed, book before anything else on your itinerary. Walk-in availability is unlikely given the format.
Yes , the combination of a 30th-floor city view, kitchen counter format, and Michelin 1 Star makes it a strong choice for a significant dinner. The chef's per-course introductions add a sense of occasion without theatre for its own sake. At ฿฿฿฿, it sits at the leading of Bangkok's price tier, so the spend will match the moment. For a more Thai-rooted special occasion dinner, Sorn is the closer comparison.
The venue data does not confirm a dress code, but a Michelin-starred counter restaurant at ฿฿฿฿ in Bangkok's Lumphini district will expect smart dress as a baseline. Smart casual is a safe floor , avoid shorts and sandals. If you are uncertain, contact the restaurant directly when you confirm your reservation.
The counter format at AVANT is not designed for large groups. Counter dining in this category typically suits parties of two to four; larger groups may find the format restricts conversation and the kitchen's ability to sequence courses effectively. The venue data does not confirm a private dining room or group booking policy, so contact the restaurant directly if you are planning for six or more. For group fine dining in Bangkok at the same price tier, Baan Tepa may offer more flexibility.
The L-shaped counter format at AVANT is designed for individual diners or small parties — it is not suited to large groups. If you are booking for more than four, confirm availability directly with the venue, as counter restaurants of this format typically cap the experience at the bar. For larger celebrations, Sühring offers private dining options that may be a better fit.
Yes — AVANT is one of Bangkok's stronger cases for a special-occasion booking. The Michelin star (2024), counter format with open kitchen, and city views from the 30th floor of 78 Soi Ton Son combine to make the setting feel deliberate rather than incidental. Chef Haikal Johari's course-by-course introductions add a personal dimension that works well for milestone dinners. Budget for ฿฿฿฿ pricing per head.
The venue data does not specify a dress code, but a Michelin-starred counter restaurant at the ฿฿฿฿ price point on the 30th floor of a Lumphini address warrants smart dress as a baseline. Avoid beachwear or overly casual clothing — treat it as you would any one-star restaurant in the same city tier.
Book at least 3 to 4 weeks out. Counter-format Michelin restaurants in Bangkok's ฿฿฿฿ tier fill quickly, and AVANT's small seat count means availability tightens further around weekends and public holidays. If you have a fixed date for a special occasion, lock it in as early as possible — last-minute availability is unlikely.
At the ฿฿฿฿ price point with a Michelin star behind it, AVANT justifies the spend if counter-format tasting menus are your preferred dining format. Chef Haikal Johari's approach — combining traditional and modern techniques with course-by-course presentation — gives the meal a structure that rewards attention. If you want à la carte flexibility instead, Gaa or Côte by Mauro Colagreco offer alternative formats in the same Bangkok fine-dining tier.
Keep this venue in your Pearl passport, rate it after you visit, and track it alongside every other place you collect.
