Messenger Service

Bangkok

Designed to feel like the home of your dreams

A grocery-store-meets-home-bar concept is not one that's particularly familiar to the average bar-goer, nor do the diametrically opposing states of food shopping and relaxing with a drink in hand usually combine into one seamless hospitality experience. However, that's where Bangkok's Messenger Service has found its niche – in a space where everything has been designed to make guests feel 'at home'.

The new incarnation of Messenger Service in the historic Baan Trok Tua Ngork building is a study in thoughtful design, minimalist modernism and, quite simply, coolness.

Housed within a century-old shophouse, the space pays homage to its roots through a deliberate preservation of original materials – patterned terracotta tiles, exposed brickwork and heavy teak doors. Rather than masking time's patina, the design amplifies it, using the building's imperfections as textural counterpoints to sleek, modern interventions.

At the heart of the design is the concept of 'Delivered from the Grocery', where everyday ingredients become extraordinary cocktails. This philosophy extends to the layout, with the space divided into grocery-inspired 'departments' that manifest as communal seating areas.

There's nothing cluttered or supermarket-like about this space however – every element serves a purpose, including the 'less is more' approach to the tables and seating, which are designed to be seen as part of the décor itself. Everything is made to be the same height as a classic kitchen island, making it feel less like an imposing bar and more like sitting in a friend's incredibly stylish lounge.

Rather than confined behind a fixed bar, the central bar station is open from all angles, which means bartenders can serve drinks from different points, in turn having more interactions with guests. The prep area is open and intentionally visible, allowing everyone to observe and engage with the cocktail-making process.

Lighting plays a central role, mixing strips of downlights – to draw the eye upward to the high ceilings and exposed putty-painted pillars – and black table lamps casting a rosy glow over the long stretches of communal cherry wood tables. Open shelves are artfully crowded with ochre and terracotta pots and row upon row of amber glass bottles, while slender twigs and dried flowers spout from earth-toned, polished vases scattered on the tabletops.

Instead of feeling like a commercial venue and in spite of the open, expansive space that houses it, Messenger Service Bar manages to remain intimate and welcoming in a way that allows guests and staff to feel at home. In recognition of its sensitive approach to design, it is awarded the Best Bar Design Award as part of Asia's 50 Best Bars 2025.

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