Not just to worship good fortune and spirituality, the mooncake festival, which falls on Friday, Sept 29, this year is also a time to showcase the generosity and grace of those who celebrate it.
The observance typically begins six to eight weeks prior to the date, marked by the first batch of round-shaped, golden-baked delicacies in the market.
Classic fillings never go out of fashion, while various new cutting-edge flavours for both the filling and the crust have also been unearthed.
Mooncakes today also come in an imaginative vessel, which might double as an art piece, a jewellery chest, a fashionable tote bag or even a miniature tea table.
Options are mind-numbing. So a wise decision is required as much as a deep pocket.
Kimpton Maa-Lai Bangkok
The hotel mid-autumn treat comes in an exclusively designed, origami-like gift bag with bright and bold floral illustrations by Thai artist Jeep Kongdechakul, whose designs have been featured in many glossy fashion magazines and top global lifestyle brands.
- Filling option: Lotus seed with yolk, durian with yolk, custard, and sweet and sour cranberry.
- Price: 2,488 baht net per box.
Capella Bangkok
Capella Bangkok
Capella Bangkok
Presented in individual tins inside an exquisite box that depicts miniature food cabinet drawers, the Capella mooncakes showcase sustainable ingredients from Thailand’s best sources including macadamia from the Royal Project, coconut from Samut Sakhon, salted egg from Surat Thani and chocolate from Chiang Mai.
- Filling option: Durian with salted yolk, macadamia with Thai tea, bamboo charcoal with coconut, and chocolate.
- Price: 2,339 baht net per box.
W Bangkok
W Bangkok
W Bangkok
The club-centric hotel continues to offer its young and modern rendition of mooncakes with lusciously imaginative fillings encased either in a supply of soft snow skin or with golden-baked crust.
- Filling option: Banoffee, citrus, rum raisin, red velvet and cheesecake, salted caramel, durian, chestnut, and the classic nuts & fruits.
- Price: An individual mooncake costs 199 baht net. A gift box with four mooncakes costs 1,599 baht.
Starbucks
The global coffee house brand’s 2023 mooncakes come in 12 flavours.
- Filling option: Chocolate mint, coffee with yolk, green tea and red bean, durian with yolk, fruit and nuts, rose and berry, acai and berry, mocha, purple sweet potato, yuzu orange, salted caramel, and cappuccino lava, the latter is imported from Hong Kong.
- Price: An individual mooncake costs 160 and 170 baht. A set of six mini cappuccino lava mooncakes costs 1,590 baht. A tin box with four mooncakes and a Starbucks tote bag costs 1,890 baht.
St. Regis
Its white faux-leather gift box serves a multi-purpose — a container of mooncakes that can later be turned into a versatile cosmetic box.
- Filling option: Durian with yolk, red bean with yolk, mixed nuts with pork and Thai Tea with macadamia.
- Price: An individual mooncake costs 198 baht net. A gift box with four mooncakes costs 1,888 baht net.
Banyan Tree
The mooncakes come in a rabbit-designed box.
- Filling option: Durian, assorted nuts, lotus seeds, jujube and walnuts, custard and chocolate peanut butter.
- Price: An individual mooncake costs 248 baht. A set of four mooncakes costs 1,188 baht while a set of eight mini custard mooncakes costs 1,088 baht per box. A gift box with eight mooncakes costs 2,888 baht.
Dusit
Available at selected Dusit properties throughout the country including Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Hua Hin, Pattaya and Phuket, Dusit mooncakes come in a jade-coloured gift box adorned with golden rabbits representing the Chinese zodiac.
- Filling option: Durian, mixed nuts, jujube, custard, lotus seeds and vanilla pistachio.
- Price: An individual mooncake costs 220 baht. A gift box with four mooncakes costs 888 baht net, or 1,320 baht net with six mooncakes.
Kyo Roll En
Kyo Roll En
Kyo Roll En
The dessert cafe’s 2023 mooncake series is a collaborative work by top culinary masters in Bangkok’s fine-dining scene including the Suhring twin chefs of two Michelin-starred German restaurant Suhring; chef Thitid “Ton” Tassanakajohn of one Michelin-starred Thai restaurant Le Du; chef Pichaya “Pam” Soontornyanakij of one Michelin-starred Chinese restaurant Potong; and veteran patisseir Dej Kewkacha.
- Filling option: Black Forest with Kirsch liquor, Thai tea with kuromame black soybean, fish floss with sweet red bean, Satsuma imo sweet potato, yuzu lava, durian with salted yolk and matcha Mont Blanc.
- Price: A classic set costs 499 baht for four mooncakes or 999 baht for eight mooncakes. A limited edition gift box with eight mooncakes costs 1,888 baht.
Mocha & Muffins
The mooncakes by Anantara Siam Hotel’s bakery cafe come with two choices of gift boxes: the classic ruby-red box and the emerald-green box, the latter can be turned into a mini tea table.
- Filling option: Durian with yolk, jujube with yolk, cranberry with macadamia nuts, lotus seed with yolk and custard.
- Price: An individual mooncake costs 168 baht net. A gift box with four mooncakes costs 1,188 baht net and 1,788 baht net.
InterContinental Bangkok
The hotel’s royal blue mooncake gift box is inspired by the traditional phuang malai (flower garland), which symbolises good luck, respect and honour while the round shape represents completeness and reunion.
Durian custard, coffee custard, nutty red bean with yolk and lotus seed with yolk.
- Filling option: An individual mooncake costs 220 baht.
- Price: A gift box with four mooncakes costs 1,188 or 1,588 baht with eight mooncakes.
Royal Osha
Royal Osha
Royal Osha
Crafted by the Michelin-starred chef Vichit Mukura, the luxury fine-dining Thai restaurant presents a series of premium mooncakes including soft lotus-charcoal flour snow skin mooncakes with fillings made with world-class ingredients from France.
- Filling option: Premium chocolate truffle, red bean orange zest, custard, lotus seeds and durian salted yolk.
- Price: A gift box with eight classic mooncakes costs 1,299 baht or 2,500 baht with eight chocolate truffle mooncakes.
Wah Lok
Coming in a specially designed chest, the mooncakes by the award-winning Chinese restaurant at the Carlton Hotel Bangkok are available in very limited numbers and only until Sept 15.
Durian with yolk, white lotus paste with yolk and custard. There’s also mini walnut moontart with yolk.
- Filling option: An individual mooncake costs 268 baht net.
- Price: A set of six mini custard mooncakes costs 688 baht net. A gift box with four mooncakes costs 1,488 baht net or 1,288 baht with eight mini walnut tarts.
Grand Hyatt Erawan
The hotel’s artful octagonal-shaped magenta mooncake boxes symbolise infinite vitality and prosperity.
- Filling option: Durian with yolk, white lotus seed with yolk, assorted nuts, Chinese red date with yolk, cream custard, coconut and pandan custard, orange yuzu and macadamia and Chinese chestnut and macadamia.
- Price: A gift box with four mooncakes costs 888 baht or 1,688 baht with eight mooncakes.
Mandarin Oriental
Mandarin Oriental
Mandarin Oriental
Marking the record of 17.5 million mooncakes sold over the past three decades, the 2023 edition of the hotel’s mid-autumn delicacy blends its 5-star culinary expertise with a socially responsible mindset and utmost luxury.
- Filling option: Custard, white lotus seed with yolk, durian with yolk and dark chocolate Grand Marnier with orange confit.
- Price: A classic set of eight mooncakes costs 998 baht net. A gift box that includes eight mooncakes, a tin of TWG special tea blend and a mini Bluetooth speaker costs 3,198 baht net.
Conrad Bangkok
The hotel mooncakes are curated by Cantonese chef Andy Fung of Liu Chinese restaurant and come with both classic and contemporary fillings.
- Filling option: Durian, custard, multigrains and mocha.
- Price: An individual mooncake costs 188 baht net. A set of four mooncakes costs 988 net, or 1,688 baht net for eight mooncakes.
Chocolab
The mooncake by So Bangkok Hotel’s bakery cafe allows sweet-tooth gourmands to celebrate the Chinese festivity without compromising on chocolate indulgence.
- Filling option: Assorted nuts, lotus seed with salted yolk, durian with salted yolk and chocolate.
- Price: A set of four mooncakes costs 1,288 baht net.
Athenee
Athenee
Athenee
The hotel’s mooncakes come in both traditional and new flavours and are offered with exclusively designed gift boxes by world-renowned Italian floral-painting artist Arianna Caroli.
- Filling option: Black sesame with salted yolk, sea salted caramel, raspberry rose with red jasmine, Mandarin yuzu with macadamia, durian with yolk and white lotus and melon seeds with yolk.
- Price: An individual mooncake costs 248-298 baht. A gift box with four mooncakes costs from 1,088 baht to 1,288 baht. A limited edition Bouquet per Vittoria Artbox with four mooncakes and a complimentary foulard costs 1,688 baht.
Rosewood Bangkok
The hotel’s classic mooncakes come in a mini, multi-drawer paper cabinet with a contemporary design.
- Filling option: Lotus seed paste with salted yolk and durian with salted yolk.
- Price: A gift box with four mooncakes costs 1,888 baht net or 2,888 baht net with eight mooncakes.
Zing Cafe
Zing Cafe
Zing Cafe
Zing Cafe’s mooncakes are available at Centara Grand at CentralWorld and Centara Grand Ladprao.
- Filling option: Durian with yolk, lotus seed with yolk, Thai tea with yolk, purple sweet potato with yolk, mixed fruits and nuts with egg yolk and jujube with yolk.
- Price: An individual mooncake costs 138 baht. A set of four mooncakes costs 1,288 baht net.
Pagoda
Mooncakes by the award-winning Chinese restaurant of Bangkok Marriott Marquis Queen’s Park pay an earnest tribute to Cantonese traditions.
- Filling option: Pork bak-kwa with assorted nuts, caramel espresso, malted chocolate Rocher, durian and white lotus seeds with yolk, white lotus and melon seeds with yolk and macadamia with white lotus seeds.
- Price: A classic gift box with six mooncakes costs 1,288 baht. A leather gift box with 10 mooncakes costs 2,288 baht. A limited-edition handcrafted wooden box with two traditional mooncakes, two sets of wooden knives and forks and one packet of pu’erh gold tea costs 11,888 baht.
Shang Palace
Presented in a gift box with illustrations of peony flowers and hummingbirds, the mooncakes by the Shangri-La Bangkok’s Cantonese restaurant are offered with both golden-baked crust and snow skin.
- Filling option: Mixed fruits and nuts, durian, lotus seed with yolk, almond and black sesame, custard cream and custard with bird’s nest.
- Price: A set of two mooncakes costs 488 baht net. A gift box with eight mooncakes costs 2,668 baht net.