From the outside, it might look like your typical Thai restaurant, but within these walls are a hardworking husband and wife who work from 7 am to 11 pm, preparing authentic Thai street food for CBD workers 6 days a week.
Bangkok City first opened in the Elizabeth Street Mall in 2022 with a simple promise: fast, fresh and affordable Thai food made with integrity. Now, in its larger home just across the road, the lunch spot is adored by office workers everywhere and has become a staple in the Hobart food scene.
For owners Avi and Pimrawin, the move felt like destiny.
“When we first started looking for a restaurant space around Hobart, this space was available, but we couldn’t decide fast enough,” Avi says. “When it came back later, it felt meant to be.”
Previously home to Dome (a Hobart icon!) and more recently Elizabeth Lounge, the space represents a big step forward.
“It was a big leap,” Avi admits, “but we’re happy we made that decision.”
Avi’s journey to Hobart spans continents, training in hospitality before working across Europe, on cruise ships, and throughout North America, including Texas, where he ran a business in Houston.
But after a short visit to Hobart to see distant family, he knew where he wanted to settle down,
“I came for five or six days,” he says. “I’d lived in places like London, Toronto, New York – but Hobart had something special. I knew straight away this was where I wanted to be.”
Pimrawin is from Chachoengsao, a small town just two hours from Bangkok, where cooking was part of daily life. Her mother was a cook, and Pimrawin learned by observing – knowledge passed down through generations. After running a restaurant in Bangkok, she stepped away from hospitality, retraining as a nurse and working at the Royal Hobart Hospital.
The pair actually met at a Hobart bus stop.
“When we met, it just clicked,” Avi says. “We knew we would most likely be opening a restaurant together; it was inevitable.”
What Hobartians love
Before Bangkok City, Avi and Pimrawin co-owned the locally renowned Monsoon Thai in Battery Point. It was a testing ground – a way to understand Hobart’s tastes, produce and pace.
“Every place has something different to offer,” Avi says. “We needed to absorb Hobart first.”
They got to know Hobartians through their stomachs, shaping Bangkok City’s purpose: feeding busy office workers quickly and affordably without compromising quality.
“People might have only one hour for lunch,” Avi explains. “They want good food, fast service and prices that won’t break the bank.”
Lunch at Bangkok City centres around a daily-changing buffet of around 22 dishes – a balance of beloved staples like green curry chicken and red curry pork, alongside rotating specials such as pork belly stir fry, peanut chicken and spicy ribs.
“If you cook and bring food from home, you’ll probably end up spending more,” Avi says. “So let me cook for you – it’s fast, fresh and economical.”
Recipes passed down through generations
The couple have had one rule since opening: only they can cook the food.
“We don’t employ anyone else to cook,” Avi says. “That way we control the quality, taste and standard of every meal”.
The trade-off is relentless hours. Their day starts at 7.30 am, with all buffet dishes needing to be ready by 11 am. After the lunchtime rush, dinner prep begins, followed by evening service until 9.30 or 10 pm – often later.
And once a customer walks in, they’re never turned away.
“If someone comes in at 9.45 pm and we’re still here, we will serve them,” Avi says. “It’s a strong belief in our cultures.”
Pimrawin’s cooking comes from the heart; there are no written recipes in Bangkok City.
“She doesn’t use recipes,” Avi laughs. “She tastes everything – sometimes 20 times. It’s all about flavour.”
That attention to detail is what keeps Hobartians coming back day after day.
“These recipes have been passed down from her grandmother and mother,” he says. “She doesn’t even tell me the recipes.”
“We enjoy cooking, we have fun doing it. Sometimes on Sundays, when we don’t have prep, we don’t know what to do with ourselves”.
Why Hobart?
After travelling and working across the world, Avi believes Hobart stands out – especially when it comes to food.
“People here understand taste,” he says. “They might not know the chef’s name, but they know what’s good.”
For aspiring chefs, his advice is simple:
“It’s hard – the money, the hours, the risk,” Avi says. “But if you love cooking, you will succeed. That’s what matters.”
At Bangkok City, that love shows – you can taste the care that goes into each meal.
