One of the best ways to pass the time in Bangkok is by indulging in some good, old-fashioned consumerism. Pretty much all of the big cities in Asia are great for shoppers, but Bangkok stands out among the rest. If you’re a shopper or simply interested in seeing the best mall the world has to offer, then the Iconsiam Bangkok is a must see during your next trip to the Land of Smiles.
The Iconsiam Bangkok is one of the newest malls in the city, and has become a cornerstone of the Thai luxury shopping industry. This behemoth of a mall stands out along the roaring Chao Phraya river dividing the city.
Come for the food court, stay for the shopping!
The Iconsiam Bangkok holds 6 floors of everything imaginable, from budget options like H&M to luxury brands such as Hermes and Gucci, there’s a little bit of everything. And this isn’t even the main attraction!
Located on the ground floor is the food court of all food courts. The creators of the Iconsiam have replicated the historic Bangkok floating markets in such great detail that it’d put the designers of the Las Vegas strip to shame. Everywhere you look is something beautiful to look at or something delicious to eat. Trust me, your Instagram will be happy you came.
While there are several other food courts scattered throughout the mall, we would recommend you stay on the ground floor, as that’s where all the best and cheapest stalls can be found.
Food stall after food stall after food stall
The Iconsiam Bangkok has created a perfect replica of a traditional open-air market alongside the floating market. Just beyond the main photo opportunities of mock floating market, you’ll find an endless amount of vendors selling every type of food you can imagine. The Iconsiam packed the floor FULL of diverse food stalls to mimic a “real” Thai outdoor market.
Caution! If you come to the Iconsiam during the lunch rush, be prepared to be shoulder-to-shoulder with the person next to you. Seriosuly, it gets crazy in there around lunch or dinner time, and finding seating becomes a real nightmare.
The Iconsiam Bangkok in general is a huge sensory overload. For first-timers, the it can be a bit much, especially with the never-ending shopping center and rapid, constantly moving crowd of eager tourists. When you walk in you’ll be stuck with 1000 different smells, super futuristic-looking shops, and tons of escalators that will make you feel like you’ve been transported to Hogwarts with all the escalators leading in every direction imaginable.
We get it. It’s a lot, so we made a list of our all-time favorites to narrow down your search for the best food in the Iconsiam Bangkok
#1 Mango Sticky Rice WITH Coconut Ice Cream
You cannot say you’ve been to Thailand without trying the mango sticky rice. Cut mangoes and rice dowsed in coconut milk, all topped with crushed roasted peanuts. This alone is worth the trip to Thailand however, it’s not the same without being paired with the coconut ice cream.
Price: 150 THB= $4.29 USD
We’ve made multiple trips to the Iconsiam and Grab orders for this addictive dessert and honestly, you can’t stop me. I regret nothing.
#2 Crispy Pork Belly Pad Ka Prao (Extra Spicy)
Pad ka prao is a Thai specialty, loaded with holy basil and minced pork served with rice, this was Nik’s favorite dish at the Iconsiam Bangkok. We’ve seen Pad ka prao everywhere in Bangkok. This may be one of Thailand’s most versatile dishes. We’ve seen Pad ka prao served in expensive high-end restaurants to street vendors and they all seem to do it differently.
This Pad Ka prao in the ICONSIAM was served with a side of crispy pork belly and a fried egg on top. Although this pad ka prao leaned on the more expensive side, we discovered that it was totally worth it after trying some cheaper options at nearby street vendors. This was by far the best.
Price: 120 THB= $3.42 USD
We found that the crispy pork belly really elevated the dish and separated it from the typical street vendor serving minced porked. The pork belly was almost caramelized with a small touch of sugar and it gave it a sweet and savory flavor.
#3 Sichuan Small Bite Dumplings
Out of all of the Thai food stalls, we managed to find one of the few that didn’t sell traditional food. This Sichuan-style dumpling table had tons of flavor options, everything from shrimp to salted egg yolk and you can try all of them! We chose a variety of 6 dumplings and got to try shrimp, crab, and salted egg yolk, pork.
Price: 100 THB = $2.85 USD
Our favorite was the salted egg yolk as we almost rarely ever see anything egg yolk flavored in the States. It seems that Americans really turn their nose to anything dealing with raw egg yolk.
#4 Mediocre Seafood Pad Thai
Surprisingly, at the bottom of our list was the seafood Pad Thai that we tried on our first day in Bangkok. The Iconsiam had tons of options for Pad Thai. Seriously, so many. Every other stand had pad thai as an option to appeal to the classic tourist. This vendor was located closest to the entrance and allowed us to customize our own Pad Thai with various additions such as seafood, beef, pork, and chicken. The customization set this stand apart from others because we chose the protein right before they cooked it fresh in front of us.
Price: $2.50 USD
Honestly, we have found that Pad Thai in Bangkok in general has been a bit underwhelming. Pad Thai isn’t as big in Thailand as people in the West make it. We highly recommend venturing out and trying other savory Thai dishes while you’re here in Bangkok such as Pad Ka Prao or Khao Soi.
After you’re done eating, enjoy some of the best views in the city from Bangkok Iconsiam
Before you leave the Iconsiam Bangkok, make sure you check out the impressive rooftop views of the city. There are two spots in the Iconsiam that have huge terraces with some of the best views of the city.
Apple Store
Located behind the Apple store, the Iconsiam has access to an open viewing terrace.
6th floor
Head up to the 6th floor of the Iconsiam mall to find the highest point of the mall. Up there you’ll also find the 6th-floor food court. We saw a few restaurants and bars on the 6th floor that offer rooftop views, eats, and terrace seating.
