Vesper Bar (Bangkok)

Vesper Bangkok, named after James Bonds’ famous martini, is a fancy cocktail bar and Italian restaurant serving some of the finest drinks in Bangkok – that’s a bold claim but we are sticking to it! A veil of calm settles over you as you enter Vesper, which is made all the more apparent because of the hectic scenes unfolding along Soi Convent on the other side of the door. The bare brick, marble and dark wood combination feel suitably suave, but it’s what takes place behind the bar at this retro-chic venue that will impress even the most serious of cocktail connoisseurs. For example, the freshly grated ginger in the Ginger Gimlet (390 baht) is cooked sous vide with gin for four hours prior to serving. The result is an intense burst of ginger which is counterbalanced by the lime and Tanqueray gin and further flavoured by Kaffir lime leaf.

The namesake cocktail, the Silver Vesper – which “will always be on the menu”, according to owner Chotipong Leenutapong – is a powerful vodka martini flavoured with chamomile and orange bitters (440 baht). It is served with some pageantry, as it comes in a single serve crystal decanter, along with a scroll inscribed with the recipe. It’s punchy yet clean in taste and a must for martini drinkers.

Other masculine cocktails include a barrel-aged negroni and a surprisingly refined Vieux Carre (420 baht), made with Bulleit rye whiskey, Hennessy VS, DOM Benedictine liqueur, Sweet vermouth, Angostura bitters, Peychaud’s bitters and served in a crystal tumbler with a thick chunk of ice. The cocktail menu is called The Book of Botanicals, with each drink explained according to liquor and specific botanicals used.

You could spend a thoroughly enjoyable (and quite expensive) evening sampling their signature creations, classics and barrel-aged cocktails. There are also plenty of French and Italian wines on offer, which hover around the 1500-2000 baht mark per bottle. The world-class drinks are what keep us coming back to Vesper Bangkok, but the food is certainly no afterthought. The menu of Italian classics was created by famed Italian chef Luca Appino (mostly known for his Sukhumvit restaurant Bottega di Luca) an he has stayed true to his philosophy of sourcing the finest ingredients direct from his homeland.

The fileja pasta with is pleasingly chewy texture is served with a rich duck ragu and large slices of Parmesan and at 380 baht it is great value. The Wagyu tenderloin steak (990 baht) is a lovely fist of meat presented on a slate with Gorgonzola cheese sauce, walnuts, pear and some chunky wedges. The meat is ever so slightly charred for that smoky flavour and more texture than is typical of Wagyu. For snacking over drinks, try the 36-month aged prosciutto di Mora Romagnola with burrata cheese or the roughly cut chorizo served on a bed of rocket with a balsamic dressing (390 baht). Located just a few steps from Sala Daeng BTS Station in Silom, Vesper is easy to find, and find it you should because they are serious about making the best cocktails in Bangkok – try for yourself and see if you disagree.

Opening Hours: Lunch: Mon – Fri 12:00 – 14:30; 

Dinner: Mon – Sat 18:00 – 01:00 (last kitchen order 23:00) 

Address: 10/15 Convent Road, Silom, Bangkok 

Tel: +66 (0)2 235 2777, +66 (0) 81 620 8879

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