Nusara

Bangkok

Atmospheric and creative Thai dining experience in the heart of Bangkok

When his grandmother passed away in 2019, chef Thitid ‘Ton’ Tassanakajohn was inspired to open a new restaurant to honour the memory of the person under whose wing he first fell in love with cooking. He decided to do so in close partnership with his younger brother, Chaisiri ‘Tam’ Tassanakajohn. Four years and one relocation later, the duo have curated an experience so precise, personable and sophisticated that the restaurant is bestowed with the Gin Mare Art of Hospitality Award 2024 by the Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants voting Academy.

The story of the restaurant is one of family love: Grandma Nusara herself largely raised the Tassanakajohn brothers in Bangkok, not far from where Chef Ton later opened his first restaurant, Le Du, which reached the No.1 position in Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants 2023. So it’s no wonder that the duo’s mission was always for Nusara to inspire that same sense of hospitality, care and connection that dining at your grandmother’s table creates.

Nusara opened in 2020 in the room above the Tassanakajohns’ natural wine bar, Mayrai, and quickly became one of Bangkok’s hardest reservations to secure. Serving modern, zeroed-in versions of his grandmother’s recipes and taking inspiration from royal cooking books from the court of King Rama V, Chef Ton crafted a menu full of personality – and, of course, his lifelong passion: the very finest ingredients from all over Thailand.

Tam, who co-owns and manages the restaurant as well as being a trained sommelier, was adamant that Nusara’s offer needed to go beyond food to focus on the ethereal elements that make a dining experience unforgettable: authentic connection with the front of house team, a relaxed and enjoyable atmosphere and the warm feeling of being welcomed into someone else’s home.

To truly deliver on these principles, the restaurant relocated to a new venue in April 2023, less than 100 metres from its previous location. The brothers, however, retained the same format: on the ground floor, guests are welcomed at a swanky cocktail bar called Nuss after their grandmother’s nickname – before being shown to the first floor for the meal itself.

Cosy, warm-hued and decorated with family photos, the dining room fits only around 10 people, allowing the kitchen and knowledgeable front of houe team to offer truly personalised service and attention to each diner. Punchy and well-rounded Thai flavours shine in the 12-course menu, while outside the windows the sun sets and the Wat Pho temple complex begins to shine in all its glory. An outdoor terrace provides the perfect setting for petit fours and digestifs with a first-class view of Bangkok’s dazzling skyline.

Driven by a passion to pay homage to a remarkable woman, brothers Ton and Tam have created an experience that stands out thanks to superior attention to detail, deep flavour research and an intimate and welcoming setting. Grandma Nusara would surely be proud of this outstanding Thai restaurant and labour of love, a deserving winner of the Gin Mare Art of Hospitality Award 2024.

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