Bangkok's Chic Street

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il recently, Thonglor was a distinctly unfashionable side street off Sukhumvit Road, Bangkok's pre-eminent designer artery. But this surprisingly leafy thoroughfare—once the preserve of tacky wedding centers, shabby eateries and down-at-heel car dealerships—is suddenly in the grip of a major outbreak of chic.

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First came the H1 complex, a series of Modernist glass buildings in the shade of venerable trees. Inhabited by über-hip boutiques and restaurants, H1 inaugurated Thonglor's style revolution with a tenant list that includes one of the Thai capital's hottest tables, To Die For, tel: (66-2) 381 4714. Owned by fashion mogul Bhanu Inkawat and film director Nida Sudasna, this opulent restaurant wins as many raves for its contemporary dishes, like the vodka and caviar pasta, as it does for its posh take on home cooking (try the delectable cottage pie). Another of H1's star draws is the whimsical lifestyle store Geo, tel: (66-2) 381 4324, where you can find everything from designer gardening tools to welded wire chandeliers.

The next destination mall to be built on Thonglor was J-Avenue, an upscale venture that's crammed to its trendy rafters with cafés, bars and slick emporiums. Then a three-storied, $9.5 million extravaganza called Playground, tel: (66-2) 714 7888, opened its doors. Billed as Thailand's "first superchic concept store," Playground offers a sprawling selection of fashion, jewelry, books, art and furniture. The goods are the creation of homegrown designers (check out Prin Sachakul's hot clothing label, the Oddyssee) as well as overseas names (don't miss the must-have housewares by Amsterdam's Droog Design).

After-hours, well-heeled young Thais make for Thonglor's busy new nightclubs like Escudor, Gwatamou and Boose. But if hitting the dance floor sounds too energetic after a day of shopping, try the Witch's Tavern, tel: (66-2) 391 9791. Alternatively, drop by Shades of Retro, tel: (66-2) 714 9657. Something of a best-kept secret, Shades of Retro is ostensibly a purveyor of 1970s collectibles—you'll find an impeccable selection of vintage furniture and old vinyl recordings on-site—but it also serves a mean espresso, and functions as a hangout for local hipsters. These days, there's no shortage of them on Thonglor.