BANGKOK, THAILAND – Since opening in November 2023, new cocktail bar F*nkytown (pronounced Funkytown) has been making an impact on the local bar scene. Opened by the Sarnies Group from Singapore, the bar, as its name suggests, is all about the ‘funk’ – finding the wildest, most unusual taste profiles and bringing it all together in its menu, with a particular focus on South East Asian flavours.

Speaking to F*nkytown Group Head Chef Luqman Hakim Hamzah and Group Beverage Manager Pae Ketumarn, we found out more about how the establishment has been developing, and their plans for the years to come. “The idea was for this to be a one-stop place for people to have dinner and then carry on with drinks after, with a focus on both the drinks and the food,” says Hakim. “It was a concept we wanted to bring to Bangkok, this idea of harmonising both food and drink, and making sure it was communal but not so big to the point it was overwhelming.”

One of the key features of F*nkytown is the ‘funky scale’, which increases the ‘funk level’ the more you go down the menu, with use of everything from fish sauce to durian. This scale serves as a roadmap, allowing guests to explore F*nkytown’s eclectic repertoire with confidence and curiosity. “It can be quite polarising because these ingredients aren’t used very often in cocktails or restaurants, but we try to make it more approachable by mixing it in, and really, not letting ourselves be limited and let our imagination run wild,” says Hakim. “The scale also acts as a useful guide for how adventurous diners are feeling in the moment, or if they want something easy.”

“We started with the idea of bastardizing food concepts—like seeing pork knuckle on the street and thinking, ‘I can put that into a drink’,” says Pae. “The possibilities are endless. We’re always thinking about how contemporary the menu is, not just chasing trends like scallion lattes or boba. And as for the food, well we knew it would be like this—a cocktail bar, first and foremost. But when people visit, they’re surprised to see how much we focus on food. When chef friends visit, they go, “Wow, you have a full kitchen!” So even though we’re cocktail-focused, we don’t cut corners on the food.”

The crafting of the menu takes the effort of the entire team, and often goes down wild pathways, focusing on activating the senses with ingredients such as yuzu and chili even in their drinks. Texture plays a pivotal role in F*nkytown’s cocktail alchemy, with the team employing various techniques to achieve depth and complexity. From fat washing and infusion to aeration and emulsification, each method enhances the drinking experience by manipulating ingredients in innovative ways. This results in cocktails that transcend conventional boundaries.

“We always try to differentiate ourselves, putting thought into even the smallest things, like our bar snacks. Many bars use generic snacks from the same suppliers, but we make our own seasonings and do these little things ourselves to create a unique experience,” says Hakim. “A lot of our inspiration comes from learning from the people who’re around us, like what the aunties are doing, and create something special from that. We make new tastes approachable in a bar setting, like how we have a sambal which uses a recipe my mom used to have when I was younger, and weaving all these different elements together.”

“There’s a big presence of odd combined ingredients in our dishes, like matcha cocktails or croissant Caesar salads. We share ingredients across the menu, making changes based on what’s fun and interesting, and it’s all about finding the right balance and ensuring there’s something for everyone,” says Pae. “It really feels like we’re at the start of a long and exciting journey ahead with our second year, and we’re constantly doing R&D, always coming up with new ideas and trying to introduce new things to the menu. At Funkytown, we represent Bangkok, so we try to be unique while still staying true to ourselves.”

The road ahead isn’t easy, but it’s always exciting to be at the forefront of something new, and while Sarnies had already been in Thailand for some time, F*nkytown feels like breaking new frontiers for the brand in many ways. “We’ve always wanted to show people that we’re more than just a brunch place. We’ve already come a long way since our origins in just coffee and roasting, and a large part of that came from wanting to explore a customer base who would come out in the evening,” says Hakim. “So when we realised we had the resources to do something new, this whole F&B experience, everything just clicked together, the concept the timing and the idea.”

“It was a risk of course. Sarnies was already a well-established brand and we needed F*nkytown to be fresh and different,” says Pae. “But we’ve really found a home here in Bangkok, where the bar scene is so collaborative, especially after COVID where there’s no more space for rivalry and we’re all here to support each other and work on collaborations, to celebrate each other and growing the industry as a whole.”

“Customer demands are always changing, which challenges us. What we do is already very different from other bars. People come here expecting something innovative, and we want to exceed those expectations with new flavors, textures, and experiences. It’s only been our first year, and we’re still working on even newer menus,” says Hakim. “But really, this is my playground. I’m always doing weird and crazy stuff, trying something new. It’s all about keeping things funky and fun, complementing the drinks and pushing the team forward.”

“And above all, it’s about staying innovative, about changing things up all the time, because the moment you’re settled, you’re already out of the race,” says Pae.”It’s so special to us because it’s our first project as a team, and while we could aim for accolades like being in the top 50 bars, that’s not our goal. We just want to create good food and drinks for people to enjoy.”

F*nkytown is available for bookings online, and located at 39 Sukhumvit 37, Khlong Tan Nuea, Watthana, Bangkok 10110, Thailand. Enter through Sarnies カフェ Sukhumvit and take the stairs until you see F*nkytown. For more information, follow them on Instagram
or call +66 63 845 1844