Pastel Rooftop Bar & Mediterranean Dining

Most Bangkok rooftops sell you the skyline and hope you don't notice the food. This one, on the 22nd floor of the Aira Hotel on Soi Sukhumvit 11, runs a proper Mediterranean kitchen alongside the cocktails, which is why it holds a crowd through dinner rather than emptying out after the sunset photos.

It's an evening place, period. Doors open at 5pm and the room doesn't close until 1am, so you can treat it as dinner, as drinks, or as both if you're in no hurry. My advice is to go early, somewhere in that 5 to 7pm window, when the light is doing its thing and you've still got a chance at a good table without standing around. Later on it gets busier and more social, which suits some people fine.

The crowd is a mix of Bangkok residents and travelers, and it's smart without being stuffy. Dress smart casual and you'll fit in anywhere in the room. Skip it if you want cheap and quick, because this isn't that kind of night out.