Sunday Brunch Ideas for Bangkok

[TotallyOz]

My typical go to for a good Sunday Brunch is the Intercontinental Hotel. It has a great brunch on Sunday and the seafood is excellent. But, it is closed for renovations. I have a friend flying in from Spain this week and I wanted to treat to a nice Sunday Brunch.  Any recommendations?

[Lucky]

I liked the buffet at Le Meridien and the W hotel.

[a-447]

Oriental Hotel.

It's all you'll ever need. Their high tea is an experience up there with the best.

[reader]

I recall that the Next2 Cafe at Shangri-La Hotel as having one of the finest Sunday brunches in the city with ample seafood offerings. Beautiful setting on the river. Even the weekday breakfast buffet is a stand out.

When I waked by the hotel three weeks ago on my way to Jack's bar on waterfront, I noticed that many rooms had lights on. Business seemed brisk with a steady flow of taxis coming n and out of driveway.

[PeterRS]

15 hours ago, a-447 said:

Oriental Hotel.

It's all you'll ever need. Their high tea is an experience up there with the best.

I always wonder why so many people - even hotels - use the term "high tea" when it should be "afternoon tea". High tea is a totally separate meal that always includes one cooked dish and is generally taken around 6:00 pm.

That said, i agree afternoon tea in the Mandarin-Oriental's Author's Lounge is a wonderully extravagant experience. But check beforehand if it will actually be served in the Lounge as that is frequently booked up for weddings. The last time I was there, afternoon tea was being served in the lobby.

But the thread is about Sunday brunch. I have no hesitation of nominating the Sukhothai on Sathorn. It offers so much and an amazing variety you really should starve for days beforehand. But like all hotel Sunday brunches, it is really expensive. I also dislike the live jazz offered in many hotel Sunday bruch offerings. On the few occasions I go for Sunday brunch, I hate live music. I go with friends and want to chat without having to shout!

[TotallyOz]

Thanks all. I'll be trying those in the future. I chose the Pullman Grand Sukhumvit Jazz Brunch today as it was 2 for 1 special. I thought well worth it. It was unlimited seafood, steak, deserts, Thai, and Chinese food. Lots of great cheeses and unlimited non-alcoholic beverages. The regular price was 2,222 and for that, it was 1,111 per person. So, it was worth a try. It is also near my friends place so easy to go for them. I enjoyed the piano player during the brunch and stayed all the way till Brunch was over. We got our money's worth.

[Lucky]

Thanks for the recommendations on brunch, and thanks to @PeterRSfor reminding some that high tea is not brunch,

[Lonnie]

Yes thanks Peter.

What's the difference between high tea and afternoon tea?

Here's a question we often get asked - what's the difference between high tea and afternoon tea? And is there really a difference, or can the terms be used interchangeably? Here's our take on this.

What is the origin of 'afternoon tea'?

'Afternoon tea' refers to a quintessentially British tradition established by Anna, the Duchess of Bedford in the 19th century. When first introduced, the practice of sitting down for afternoon tea wasn't seen as a treat. In fact, it had a very practical purpose - to fill the gap between lunch and dinner. In other words, afternoon tea was born as a snack!

It all started when a peckish Duchess, around 4 pm, would ask for tea, finger sandwiches, scones with clotted cream, and cakes to be served in her room. What began as a private affair became more of a social occasion (or tea party!) when the Duchess got into the habit of inviting relatives and friends to join her. At the time, tea would be served on low comfortable chairs and tables. And all the while the Duchess and her upper-class guests would chat and gossip. And, when available, they'd enjoy the entertainment.

So as the invites from the Duchess kept coming and more people started to host their own gatherings, afternoon tea slowly turned into a tradition all over the country. But of course, at first, this only happened amongst the royals and the rich. Because sadly, back then, tea parties weren't something that anyone outside the aristocracy circles could afford to have.

So what is 'high tea'?

For working-class men (and, during and after the two World Wars, for women too), sitting down to have a hot cup of tea with a bite to eat had to wait until after work - i.e. 5 pm onwards. By that time, and after a long working day, people naturally felt the need to eat something more filling than sandwiches and cake with their much-awaited pot of hot tea.

And that's when we see the addition of the word 'high'. The phrase 'high tea' started to be used to describe a working-class meal served at a high table and high back dining chairs at the end of a long workday. The tea would be accompanied by a hot meal. This could be a meat or fish dish or baked food or vegetables. 'High tea' had nothing to do with the elite social gathering that started back in the 19th century with the Duchess of Bedford!

And in a nutshell, 'high tea' is not the same as the afternoon tea that we now all know and love. It consists of a more substantial meal served at the dinner table and eaten later in the day. While many people in Britain today refer to this meal as 'supper' or 'dinner', in many homes, it's still referred to as 'tea'. And the word 'high' has been (rather confusingly) dropped from the phrase altogether.

[Lonnie]

Sorry...I'm a good thread killer. 🤐

[PeterRS]

4 hours ago, Lonnie said:

Sorry...I'm a good thread killer. 🤐

Not at all. I think it is important to distinguish between types of meal. About 3 years ago, I called various hotels who advertised "high tea" and asked them what the cooked dish was that day. Even the chefs seemed not to know that high tea is not the same as afternoon tea!