Sampaonava — Restaurant in Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya City Municipality

Sampaonava, opened in 2021 is a hidden gem an hour by car from Bangkok, located in the historical city of Ayutthaya.

We had the opportunity to drop by for lunch and meet with the owner Khun June, who introduced 5 dishes for the 2 of us.

The food was fabulous! We had : Stir fried Star gooseberry (Sweet leaves) with egg, the best dish of the afternoon. Crunchy, not overcooked. Egg complemented the dish well. Thai stew pork belly & medium boiled egg in brown sauce. Generous portions incl. hard boiled eggs with a soft yolk center, the unique selling point, and the quail eggs were a nice touch. Mango salad and sweet Pork/crispy catfish, I found too tart for my taste. Would have been a good appetizer, but was served together with the mains. Ranjuan curry with catfish. Consistency perfectly similar to that of a fish tom yam kung. The dish was nicely favored with shrimp paste, lemongrass and thai basil. Signature - grilled river prawns. Fresh and delicious. Red ruby of watermelon with Coconut ice cream. The rose water made the dessert more aromatic.

The interior is tastefully decorated. There is also outdoor seating available along the Chao Phraya River, facing Wat Phutthaisawan (beautiful white Prang). Khun June mentioned that the sunset/night view is breathtaking, best enjoyed with a few jugs of beer.

Sampaonava has a good collection of beers including Leffe, Stella, Hoegaarden and both Singha and Chang. They also have whiskey and wine collection but the selection is nothing to shout about. Would recommend to bring your own wines.

BYO corkage is at 300...

I had Christmas dinner reservations at Sampaonava, and I must say, everything—the ambiance, service, and food—was exceptional, best in Ayutthaya!

Their specialty, the giant river prawns, was cooked perfectly, complemented by delightful side sauces spicy, sweet, and savoury.

Their unique drinks not only looked great but tasted fantastic too. They have a wide selection of desserts, we choose four all were excellent.

The nighttime view of Wat Phutthaisawan across the river is stunning.

For anyone visiting Ayutthaya and seeking a romantic evening, Sampaonava should top your list.

If the weather allows, I suggest sitting outside to enjoy the river views, temple views, and passing boats, although there's a comfortable air-conditioned inside area in case it gets too hot.

Considering the quality and level of cuisine at Sampaonava, it offers great value.

Pro tip: Parking is limited; consider using Grab for drop-off...

Friendly services, excellent food, great ambience with the best dining view in Ayutthaya. We made a last min change in dining venue and was glad that we did it. We had the grilled beef, onion soup with pastry puff, seafood Tom yam, calamari & Grilled local fish with garlic and salt. We also tried their home made durian ice cream and coconut cakes. Both were delicious and did not disappoint. We enjoyed the dining experience so much that we went back again the 2nd night. This time we had the special beef cheek curry, grilled pork & pumpkin with crab meat. The beef cheek curry is the star of the day, a MUST try. Since we had been looking the temple Wat view for 2 nights, we decided to visit the temple next day opposite the restaurant. You can feed the fishes from the pier & visit the large...