Eiah Sae is a real Chinatown legend. Hidden down a quiet side street, the charming coffee shop has been going for about seven decades. The owners here still serve up their great grandparents old style Thai coffee recipe (using plenty of sweet condensed milk) to chain smoking regulars who look as old as the establishment is. The small cafe has...
The tourists in Banglampoo don’t notice this coffee shop as much as other places, probably because it’s a bit hidden inside the historic Baan Pra Athit. The late-colonial structure was built for a high-level civil servant who worked for Rama V, VI, and VII. Anyone who walks through the driveway, past the guards, and turns to the left will find...
BACC opened its doors in 2010 in the Siam neighborhood, and since then, small galleries, arts organizations, designer shops, and cafés have filled the storefronts of this swirling, multi-level structure. BKK Art House curates installations and talks by Thai contemporary artists that attract students and creative types. The established nonprofit Thai Film Foundation also has a shop where they sell...
The homemade pumpkin cake, the maccha milk float, the coffee jelly, and the option of ordering scrambled eggs and toast or ginger pork with rice at the low, diner-style counter in the middle of the room all put this coffee house ahead of the pack. They also sell road bikes. BTS: Thong Lo 10am-7pm
This coffee house has a few different locations. The one in Ari is right by the Skytrain station, across from Ari Soi 1 on the north side of the street. They have great coffee and bakery like croissants and brownies, and their kitchen serves rich brunch food like Croque Madame. It’s usually pretty busy, but the relaxed, cozy industrial surroundings...
When Chinatown starts to feel like too much, sneak away to this tea room and gallery right on hectic Yaowarat Road for a delicious cup of oolong or one of many other choices. The rustic antique wood tables and benches are cozy and elegant in the open space of this grand old shop house. Double Dogs also serves pastries and...
Thai designer Bhanu Inkawat started with clothes, using simple, clean lines and sophisticated, creative twists on classics with minimal color, plus beautiful accessories and leather goods. Greyhound boutiques can be found at The Emporium shopping center, Siam Paragon, and within Central Chitlom and Central department stores. Multiple shops and outlets weren’t enough. Now there are Greyhound Cafes, too, with a...
Kuppa makes so much good European comfort food that people may forget they’re Bangkok’s first coffee house to roast on site. It’s in a big, lofty building with gigantic windows from which hang what must be the world’s largest Venetian blinds. Their menu changes seasonally. Their lasagna (beef, salmon, three cheese, squid ink, vegetable), at 400 baht, is delicious, and...
There are a string of good restaurants that run along Kamphaeng Phet Road behind the Samsen train station and on Set Siri Road, which intersects it. There is also this authentic artisanal boulangerie and pâtisserie that really stands out. In the window are croissants, baguette, and breads that make you wonder if you’re in Paris. Everything is made with sourdough rather...
Japanese fusion and wood-fired pizza may sound like an unlikely mix, but this place pulls it off. They grow many vegetables for their menus on site in their urban garden, at a hydroponic greenhouse, and at another farm. They also roast coffee and have a pleasant coffee shop during the day. BTS: Ari
Another great coffee shop in Ari that also has some decent bakery and makes a mean espresso. The all-white atmosphere with natural wood has a modern Scandinavian feel, and there’s always a decent mix of music playing. Hours: 10am – 10 pm BTS: Ari
This homey breakfast and lunch spot is easy to locate: look for the black and red round sign, red parasols, and Chinese lanterns. There are tables outside in front, and in the semi-enclosed dining room, which has lots of dark wood and vintage Chinese posters. Ricky’s, a great little diner-style restaurant, serves decent European dishes, including western-style breakfasts like omelets...
The buzzword these days is community and that’s exactly what The Commons is trying to create. This neighborhood gathering point brings together a range of eating options on the lower level, including wood-fired pizza at Peppina, Sichuan noodles at Xiao Chi Street Food, Lobster rolls at The Lobster Lab, and brunch staples at Egg My God. For serious coffee connoisseurs,...
If you’ve just toured the Grand Palace and need a little pick me up, not to mention some time away from the crowds, head over to Vivi The Coffee Place down a quiet soi nearby, for a spot of tea or a blended frozen cappuccino and a light snack, or a scoop of mango ice cream. Their terrace is the...
Yaowarat Road is the heart of Chinatown in Bangkok and a must-see for anyone who wants to immerse him or herself in Chinese culture. It’s bustling all the time. The street is lined with traditional Chinese pharmacies that sell herbal and medicinal remedies, gold shops, and dim sum parlors. There are some good hotels here, including Shanghai Mansion, which used...