Restaurant in Bangkok, Thailand
Regional Thai cooking, sharper than expected.
Vilas holds a Michelin Plate (2024) for modern Thai cooking that pairs rare regional produce with Japanese seafood and Spanish shrimp. The à-la-carte format and open kitchen counter make it more flexible than most ฿฿฿฿ Bangkok peers, and booking is considerably easier than rivals like Baan Tepa. Request the counter seat for the full experience.
Vilas earns its Michelin Plate (2024) by doing something specific well: pairing rare regional Thai produce with premium imported ingredients, then executing the result with contemporary technique and real precision. The à-la-carte format gives you more control than a tasting menu, and the open kitchen counter is the seat to request. At ฿฿฿฿ pricing in Lumphini's Sindhorn Village, it sits at the upper end of Bangkok's modern Thai tier, but the cooking justifies the spend for anyone serious about the category. Booking is easy relative to peers like Baan Tepa, which makes this a practical first choice when other leading tables are full.
The seasonal menu at Vilas is organised around different regions of Thailand, which gives the kitchen a clear editorial logic: each visit tracks a different part of the country's ingredient map. That structure matters for repeat visitors. If you went last quarter and the menu was anchored in the north, return now and you may find southern coastal produce or northeastern ferments driving the direction. For food-focused travellers passing through Bangkok, it also means the timing of your visit shapes what you eat, so it is worth checking current menu focus before you book rather than assuming a fixed repertoire.
The visual language of the restaurant signals intent immediately. Staff uniforms in pink and neon green set the tone: this is not a hushed, neutral-walled fine dining room but a deliberate, high-energy environment. The dining room has whitewashed walls and a casual feel that keeps the atmosphere from tipping into formality, which works in its favour for solo diners and couples who want serious cooking without a ceremonial setting. The open kitchen is the centrepiece, and the counter seats facing it are the right call. You see exactly how the Thai-European technique combinations are assembled, watch spice decisions made in real time, and get an unobstructed view of how dishes are plated. Counter dining here is not a compromise for walk-ins; it is the preferred seat for anyone engaged with the food.
Ingredient sourcing is the core differentiator. Japanese seafood and Spanish shrimp appear alongside rare regional Thai produce, and the kitchen uses both European and Thai techniques to build each dish. That combination can read gimmicky on paper, but the execution here is described as precise and well-judged, with spicing that layers rather than flattens and texture that holds across the plate. For the explorer diner, the tension between those two culinary traditions is exactly what makes Vilas worth attention. R-Haan and Wana Yook sit in the same modern Thai conversation, but Vilas's European import approach gives it a distinct identity within that group.
Vilas is located on the B1 floor of Velaa Sindhorn Village on Lang Suan Road in Lumphini, Pathum Wan. The Sindhorn Village development is well-connected by BTS (Chit Lom is the nearest skytrain stop, a short walk away), which makes arriving without a car direct. For visitors staying in the Ploenchit or Wireless Road corridor, this is an easy evening out without needing transport beyond the skytrain. Sindhorn Village itself has become a reliable anchor for high-quality dining in this part of the city, and Vilas sits comfortably within that context. See our full Bangkok restaurants guide for more options across the city.
The Google rating of 4.6 across 101 reviews is a reasonable confidence signal for a ฿฿฿฿ restaurant at this stage of its operation. The Michelin Plate recognition in 2024, combined with the recent move to a new setting and the shift to à-la-carte, suggests a kitchen that has recalibrated and sharpened rather than coasted. For diners who want to eat somewhere in active creative development, that is a more interesting proposition than a venue running on reputation alone.
For context on what modern Thai cooking looks like elsewhere in Thailand, PRU in Phuket takes a farm-to-table approach, Jaras in Phuket works with southern Thai flavours, and Aquila in Chiang Mai addresses the north. Vilas in Bangkok sits within a national conversation about how Thai cuisine handles contemporary technique, and its regional-menu structure places it squarely in that dialogue. For Thai contemporary dining beyond Thailand, Manāo in Dubai is the relevant comparison in the Gulf market.
Outside Bangkok, AKKEE in Pak Kret, Anuwat in Phang Nga, and Ayutthayarom in Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya each address regional Thai cooking at different price points and in different formats. If your trip extends beyond Bangkok, those are worth adding to the itinerary. For broader planning, use our Bangkok hotels guide, our Bangkok bars guide, and our Bangkok experiences guide.
Vilas is at Velaa Sindhorn Village, B1 Floor, E103, Lang Suan Road, Lumphini, Pathum Wan, Bangkok 10330. Booking is direct relative to most ฿฿฿฿ Bangkok restaurants — this is not a venue where you need to plan weeks ahead under normal circumstances, though weekend evenings warrant at least a few days' notice. Dress code data is not confirmed, but at this price tier in a Sindhorn Village setting, smart casual is a safe approach. 80/20 and NAWA are strong alternatives if Vilas is full on your preferred date. For a broader look at what Bangkok's dining scene offers beyond this tier, see our Bangkok wineries guide and The Spa in Lamai Beach for a contrast in setting and format.
Vilas has an open kitchen with counter seating, and it is worth requesting specifically. Watching the kitchen work is part of the experience at a restaurant where technique is a selling point. Ask for counter placement when booking rather than leaving it to chance.
The dining room has a casual feel with simple décor and whitewashed walls, so the dress code leans relaxed. Smart casual is appropriate given the ฿฿฿฿ price point, but the room does not demand formal attire. The staff's pink and neon-green uniforms signal the tone: polished but not stiff.
Yes, and arguably better solo than in a group. The counter at the open kitchen is the best seat in the house, and it is a natural fit for a single diner. The à-la-carte format also means you are not locked into a multi-course commitment designed for two.
Booking is relatively straightforward compared to most ฿฿฿฿ Bangkok restaurants, but do not leave it to the same week if you have a fixed date. A few days to a week out is typically sufficient outside peak season, though counter seats fill faster than tables.
The seasonal menu rotates around different regions of Thailand, so the specific dishes available will depend on when you visit. Focus on plates that combine the imported European produce, such as Japanese seafood or Spanish shrimp, with local Thai ingredients — that pairing is where the kitchen's technique is most clearly on display.
No specific dietary policy is documented for Vilas. Given the à-la-carte format and the regional focus of the menu, your best approach is to check the venue's official channels before booking and confirm which dishes can be adjusted, particularly if you have seafood or shellfish restrictions given the kitchen's reliance on premium imported marine ingredients.
Vilas holds a Michelin Plate (2024) and operates on an à-la-carte format, which sets it apart from the tasting-menu-only approach at peers like Sorn or Baan Tepa. The menu is organised around Thai regions and changes seasonally, so repeat visits track differently. Sit at the counter if available, and expect a lively, colour-forward room rather than a hushed fine-dining atmosphere.
Keep this venue in your Pearl passport, rate it after you visit, and track it alongside every other place you collect.
