Over on Charoenkrung, the freshly opened modern-colonial Once boutique hotel is run by the second generation owners of the longstanding Ramada Plaza Bangkok Menam Riverside Hotel. Situated right out front of the mother hotel, Once may not be exactly riverside, but the views from the rooftop bar are pretty amazing.

Head up to the eigth floor for the main restaurant room, but take another spiral staircase for a full 360-degree look at the river. Food spans breakfast, lunch and dinner, but the specialty is barbecue (B140 for pork and chicken, B220 for beef, shrimp and salmon) and pasta (from B200 for olio to B250 for fettuccine carbonara).

Local and imported beers come by the bottle (B160 for Singha and Beerlao to B280 for Brothers ciders). Going in a big group? You might want to consider their buy-10-get-10-free deal on Beerlao—just be careful with those stairs afterwards.