I’m Tickled Pink: New Rooftop Bar is Heavy on Aesthetics, Cocktails

Photos by Tappanai Boonbandit

BANGKOK — Lounge in millennial pink seats surrounded by Monstera plants and birds of paradise while gazing over the Bangkok skyline at this new, aesthetic rooftop bar in the city center.

Paradise Lost opens Sept. 4 on the 26th floor of the Siam Design Hotel. It’s daring commitment to millennial pink, Helvetica-like font Acumin Pro, and tropical plants aesthetic is sure to draw Instagram-loving crowds – but the drinks aren’t bad either, at least during our early access press preview.

Imported straight from San Francisco for Paradise Lost, head bartender Gabriel Lowe is an affable, charming personality with a green curly mohawk who can’t stop talking about the ample supply of tropical ingredients he can use in his concoctions and how the bar is “tropical, not tiki.” 

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“There’s such an abundance of fresh things here. We can make flavors that don’t exist in old classic cocktails from the 1900s Prohibition era,” said the bubbly, sociable Lowe. Those who want a West coast style, American bartender rather than the smiling, silent Thai bartender type should come and shake hands with Lowe. 

View of the Thephasadin Stadium.

All cocktails are 468 baht per glass, while non-alcoholic ones are 234 baht. Grab one of the circular couches facing the horizon and think of it as paying for the amazing view. On the south edge of the rooftop one even gets a pure, unadulterated view of both the Supachalasai and Thephasadin stadiums. 

One of our favorite drinks is the Can’t Burn Concrete, a scotch cocktail for non-scotch drinkers – it’s made refreshing and light by the mango, yellow chartreuse, chrysanthemum honey, and lemon.

Those who love fruity flavors may also enjoy the Static Sunset, a gin and sparkling wine drink with watermelon and cucumber and an enticing burned marshmallow wobbling across it. 

Static Sunset (468 baht).

“There’s such an abundance of fresh things in ample, affordable supply,” Lowe kept gushing about the tropical fruits available for him to use. Conforming to its millennial aesthetic, the bar is also slightly “green” – they don’t use sugar syrups, save fruit pits, peels, and seeds to make ingredients and garnishes, and use EcoSpirits, which is liquor sold in environmentally-friendly, refillable 25-liter containers. 

“So instead of using 30 glass bottles, we just refill this 25 liter-tote, and send it back to the Thai producer when we use it up,” Lowe said. 

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On his first day in Thailand in December, Lowe flew in and worked the bar at Wonderfruit while jetlagged – that’s the kind of commitment to party he has. Previously, the 34-year-old was the bartender at Locanda in San Francisco and opened several cocktail bars in Bogota, Columbia, such as the black bear.

“I’m so glad I’m here, away from all the craziness going on in America right now,” Lowe said, describing his bar as a “post-apocalyptic tropical paradise.” 

This review is unsponsored and based on a hosted visit.