A Bangkok Coffee Guide - Our Recommendations For The Best Coffee In The Thai Capital
Bangkok’s coffee scene is a booming industry. From high end coffee shops to market stalls, vending machines to global chains, whatever time of day, you’ll be hard pushed not to find a cup of coffee in this bustling Thai metropolis.
We absolutely love our coffee and can’t go a day without a cuppa. At some point during a busy day exploring Bangkok, there will come a time (or multiple times) when we need to get our caffeine fix, whether that’s a cappuccino or a Thai styled coffee. With so much coffee on offer, it’s sometimes hard to know where to go, so read our guide on where to get some of the best coffee in Bangkok.
Below are just some of the best coffees we’ve drunk in the Thai capital as well as some of our favourite coffee shops we’ve visited. This includes both Thai style coffees and your more conventional Western fare.
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A Book With No Name
North of the Khao San district, lies Dusit. A world away from the glass high rise offices and concrete jungle of Sukhumvit, Dusit still keeps its traditional old-school feel. With a daily market open from the early hours of the morning until late at night, shops that look as though you’ve stepped right into Bangkok in the Seventies and a real community feel amongst its locals, Dusit feels unchanged compared to its flashier neighbouring districts.
Dusit is a fantastic, varied and truly local Bangkok neighbourhood!
Dusit not only happens to be our favourite district in Bangkok, but is also home to our favourite coffee shop, A Book With No Name.
Set on the main road that connects the Bang Sue and Dusit districts to Khao San Road and the south of the city, A Book With No Name isn’t just a great coffee shop, but is also a beautiful book shop, and if you know us, you know we can’t say no to having a snoop in a bookshop!
With shelves and shelves of books, dark green plants, small wooden tables and chairs, a chilled out LOFI playlist playing in the background, walking into A Book With No Name feels as though you’ve entered someone's living room. It is the perfect place to escape with a good book and a fantastic cup of coffee.
The cappuccinos are delicious!
The coffee bar at the back of the shop offers a small menu of all your favourite coffees as well as cans of craft beer, tea and some excellent cookies!
Also did we mention cats?!
The coffee shop has four adorable, if not slightly, chonky cats that love a stroke! Our favourite is the grey cat (apologies we don’t know his name) who sits in the chair right by the front of the window. If there ever was a draw to come into a coffee shop, then this is it!
Just one of the four very cute cats!
Every time we’ve visited A Book With No Name, we always order the same thing (what can I say we’re creatures of habit) and always go for two hot cappuccinos. Sprinkled with a dash of cinnamon on top, the cappuccinos are delicious. Strong, yet smooth, rich but comforting, they’re everything you need from a cappuccino.
A Book With No Name is a perfect break from the busy streets of Bangkok. It’s one of those places that seems to attract literary lovers from all over the city, with people writing to people illustrating, it feels like a small library of creativity.
A Book With No Name can easily be reached by public transport both on the river and by road. For those on the river, just use the ferries and get off at Phayab or by using the number 3 bus from the Khao San Road area. Get off at the ‘Before Si Yan Intersection’ bus stop next to the 7/11.
If you’re in Bangkok over the Christmas period, we’d recommend going just to see the pretty Christmas tree they make out of books!
We’d also recommend following A Book With No Name on Instagram to keep up to date with book signings, talks and workshops happening within the coffee shop. We saw that in the past they have done talks with big names like Haruki Murakami.
Delicious coffee, friendly cats and shelves of books to get lost in, what more could you want from a coffee shop?
Coffee Thyme
We were lucky enough to stumble upon this small coffee shop after a morning exploring the colourful Ratchawat Market. After a healthy breakfast of fried chicken (if you haven’t succumbed to the delights of fried chicken and rice in the morning, then you’re seriously missing out!), we were in dire need of a caffeinated brew. A quick search on Google and we stumbled upon the delightfully named Coffee Thyme.
The coffee shop is located on a small side street, just over the road from Ratchawat Market making for the perfect place to escape to once you’ve finished your market munching! You’ll know you’ve reached the right place as soon as you spot the ornate Koi Carp pond outside the shop.
Coffee Thyme has an extensive coffee menu showcasing all the coffee favourites as well as a small specials menu which we just had to take advantage of!
One of these specials was the Orange Americano which we can highly recommend. Citrus and coffee has yet to catch on in the UK, but when it does, we’re certainly here for it. The blend of citrus against rich, bitter coffee beans creates the perfect balance of sharp, sour, sweet and bitter. It’s got all the power of the caffeine kick, yet feels almost healthy with the citrusy undertones. It’s an excellent combination and one if you see on any cafe menu you really must try. Trust us! Next time we’d love to try their Yuzu Americano special.
If you’re in the area, we’d recommend pairing a visit to Coffee Thyme with a visit to Ratchawat Market. With plenty of street food stalls available in and around the market, a coffee from Coffee Thyme will be the perfect digestif after a morning or afternoon of munching around the market!
Make sure you visit the market hungry as there’s plenty of tasty treats on offer!
Mother Roaster, Talad Noi
This is quite possibly the most unique location of all the coffee shops we’ve listed here. Set in an old warehouse, in the arty Talad Noi district, Mother Roaster serves quite possibly the best coffee we’ve drunk in the whole of Bangkok.
As you reach Mother Roaster, you enter through a large industrial door onto what can only be described as an explosion in a scrapheap. Inside this old and dark warehouse sits old engines, metal cogs and copper wire all sitting in large piles on the floor. On our first visit here, we did question whether Google Maps had led us to the correct location as it really didn’t feel as though this warehouse would be home to a trendy coffee bar!
To get to the coffee shop, you just need to climb the creaky wooden stairs to the left. Once upstairs though you’re in for a treat, as this is the place to grab one of Bangkok’s finest cups of coffee on offer in the city.
Mother Roaster is not just a great coffee shop, but also has a wonderful story behind its creation. Ploenpit Rianmek or “Auntie Pim” as she’s more well known, is a Bangkok legend. Serving coffee for over 30 years, Auntie Pim is famous for serving her hand drip coffee from her small store. As she grew in popularity, she was able to upgrade from her small store with only two stools, to a full coffee shop above the warehouse in Talad Noi. To this day, the coffee shop is still run by her family and if you’re lucky she may even be behind the bar. They still use her same machines to grind the coffee.
When you enter the coffee shop you’re instantly hit with the smell of coffee in the air. With dark wooden planks on the floor, wooden panelled walls, vintage furniture it feels as though you’ve stepped back in time. To contrast against this wooden, warehouse feel, there is a large L shaped steel coffee bar, with orange glowing lights hanging above. It has a sleek, cosy feel compared to the messy warehouse downstairs.
Mother Roaster offers every kind of coffee imaginable with a large menu of coffee beans, roast styles and preparations to choose from. If you’re stuck for choice just ask the barista what they’d recommend and they’ll help you choose your bean.
We both opted for the classic, “iced latte on the rock” with the local coffee beans from Chiang Mai (okay almost local to Bangkok). Served in small thick glasses (they felt to us like very fancy whiskey tumblers) on a small wooden tray, our two lattes came served with a giant sphere of ice. The latte’s were perfect in every single way. Nutty, earthy and smooth, it was tantalising. The slowly melting ice cube ball worked perfectly, giving a refreshing break from the protein rich milk. If there ever is such a thing as a perfect coffee, then this surely is it. We love Mother Roaster so much, we always make sure we head there for at least one coffee as a special treat on any trip to Bangkok.
Mother Roaster is not cheap, with iced latte’s on the rocks costing 150 baht each (£3.25), however what you pay for is a top dollar coffee experience. There’s a reason why Auntie Pim became a living Bangkok legend and the proof is definitely in the coffee!
Mother Roaster has opened up several other establishments in and around Bangkok in Pratu Phi, Sutthisan, Dadfa Lasalle and Wat Arun. You can also order your caffeinated beverage to be delivered straight to you via Grab or Lineman (ideal for those who’ve had a heavy night on the Chang!).
When you leave Mother Roaster make sure you check out the street art on the wall opposite the warehouse entrance as well as the very pretty Rong Kueak Shrine nearby.
Woodbrook Bangkok
For those looking for a coffee with a view then you really can’t get much better than ordering a coffee from Woodbrook Bangkok. Located south of Chinatown’s Yaowarat Road, Woodbrook Bangkok is located at the top of an unassuming building. From the roadside it really doesn’t look like much, but once you get upstairs, it’s achingly cool. With brushed concrete, dark wood furniture and plenty of comfy seating.
The best place to sit with your coffee is the open, covered deck with views directly over the Chao Phraya river. From this outdoor area, you can see downstream towards the popular Icon Siam shopping mall and the golden dome of the Lebua at State Tower hotel. To the right, you get a great view upstream towards the Chao Phraya Sky Park and the colourful roof and Chinese lanterns of the Guan Yu Shrine (Khlong San).
Woodbrook has an extensive coffee menu, ranging from all the usual coffees to coffees that combine tea and coffee, coffees made with butterfly pea milk and even a coffee that is made with cookies and cream! If you want a fancy coffee and not your “normal” go to coffee then this is the place to go.
We ordered a regular iced latte and a roasted coconut latte and both were fantastic. The roasted coconut latte had a nutty taste, yet was smooth and rich, with the unmistakable tropical undertones of coconut running through.
The coffees at Woodbrook are expensive and nearing London prices with the special coffees around 150 baht per cup and the normal coffees starting at 120 baht, however given the riverside view and the delicious coffee, we didn’t feel too cheated!
There is also a small bar, Barbon just next door to Woodbrook which serves cocktails, craft beers and wine. The coffee shop is also located above Hostel Urby which offers both dorms and private rooms, lots of common areas, a secret bar and sunrise / sunset views over the Chao Phraya river. Book your stay here.
SRC - Song Wat Coffee Roasters
Song Wat Coffee (SRC) was some of the best coffee we drank in Bangkok.
Brushed concrete, white tiles and dark wood contrast against the gleaming silver coffee bar in this achingly cool small coffee shop. It’s one of those places where industrial meets modern to create a super aesthetically pleasing interior.
The coffee shop has all the coffee favourites, as well as a small specials menu which has offerings such as the Viennese (a coffee topped with butterscotch cream and dark chocolate) and the Shakerato (an iced americano coffee shaken with orange syrup).
When we visited, we had to try their Songwat lattes from the specials menu. The coffee was nutty and rich in flavour, yet still smooth from the foamy milk. It was everything we could ever want in a latte.
As its name suggests, the coffee beans are roasted in house, and are available to buy if you have a coffee machine at home. You can also choose from the house SRC blend of beans, or the “special blend” of beans when ordering any of the coffees. There is also a small menu offering pastries and sweet treats.
The coffee shop gets very busy, and there is limited seating, but it's well worth a wait. If you can, we’d recommend ordering your coffee and taking a perch on one of the seats outside to watch the world go by. The coffee shop is just over the road from a Chinese shrine the Lao Pun Tao Kong shrine and school, so the area is always interesting and busy.
The coffees here are definitely on the tad more expensive level, but if you’re after an exceedingly good coffee, then it’s well-worth the extra spend.
The Artist’s House
Set on the canals of Thonburi, we don’t think you could find a more relaxing place for a coffee than the Artist’s House of Bangkok.
The Artist’s House is a traditional, wooden canal side house that has now been turned into an art gallery and coffee shop. There is an art gallery upstairs which showcases local artists and photographers and downstairs there is a small shop selling handmade souvenirs, books and art materials. At the back of the shop, the wooden walls open up onto a small courtyard garden with a moss covered stone stupa rising up to the sky. The contrast of the green foliage with the bright orange garland wrapped around the grey stupa, is an unexpected sight in this historic house.
The coffee shop has a small hot and cold drinks menu with everything from espresso to cappuccino. They also sell tea for those who aren’t coffee fans. We ordered two iced lattes and sat down on the best seats in the house - right on the water's edge! Sitting directly on the canal, whilst watching colourful longtails power up and down the water was a beautiful way to recuperate from a hot walk around the canals.
If you’re travelling with children, or love to get your creativity on, then there’s plenty of art activities you can take part in from making your own bracelet through to painting your own wooden box, there’s plenty to keep you occupied whilst you sip on your brew.
We paid 170 baht for two iced coffees. It was by far not the cheapest coffee we could have found in Bangkok, but for the view and canal side breeze, it was totally worth it!
Wanlika - Khao San District
This small coffee shop is only a short walk away from Khao San Road and Rambuttri Street. Set just off the canals, this small, sleek coffee shop has a wooden bar, brushed concrete walls and has a large open doorway that opens up directly onto the street side. There is plenty of seating available inside, however we’d recommend picking up a coffee to go and exploring the canal and streets to the north of Khao San road.
Wanlika offers all the coffee staples as well as different iced teas and flavoured sodas. The owners were extremely friendly and gave us great recommendations on where to eat in the local area.
We ordered two excellent iced lattes that were delicious and certainly hit the spot. They rejuvenated us enough to continue our exploration of Old Bangkok.
Wanlika is a great place to go if you want to escape some of the more crowded streets of Khao San and Rambuttri.
Merito Coffee & Gallery
Merito Coffee & Gallery is completely different to its more traditional neighbours and shopfronts of the Khlong San district of Bangkok.
Set in a sleek, modern, coffeeshop, full of comfy chairs, green plants and colourful wall art, Merito Coffee & Gallery serves up excellent coffee for those in need of a pick me up.
In need of a mid-morning coffee, we stumbled upon the cafe after taking a look at the traditional buildings of Lhong 1919 and the Mazu Shrine.
We both opted for two iced lattes and weren’t disappointed. Strong yet refreshing, the two latte’s hit the spot on a very hot and humid day in the middle of Bangkok’s wet season.
Merito Coffee sells all the normal coffees along with sodas, teas and sweet treats! We were very tempted by one of their brownies.
The coffee is more expensive than your normal streetside coffee, but totally worth it for the taste, cool air-conditioning, friendly staff and chilled out ambiance.
Market Stall - Thai Style Coffee
If you’ve been following us for a while now, then you’ll know that we predominantly dine street side, this includes when we’re on the hunt for our caffeine fix too!
Market stall coffee can be found all over Bangkok. Just head into any morning, afternoon or night market, or walk along any street in the capital and you’re bound to stumble upon a vendor selling coffee. These stalls can be selling anything from high end craft coffee to instant Nescafe, both ice cold or piping hot.
We’ve sampled some brilliant coffee from market stalls in the Thai capital, but there have been two occasions that have stood out:
Our first was when we had a fantastic Thai style coffee from a vendor on a food tour in Bangkok that had been serving his Nescafe recipe since World War 2 to the market traders of the Nang Loeng Market. Super strong and sweetened with condensed milk it was a great digestif amongst all the delicious food we were eating.
The second Thai style coffee we thoroughly enjoyed was on New Year's Day after a very long bus journey from the south of Thailand. We arrived bleary eyed on the streets of Dusit at 4am. Struggling to keep awake, we made our way out onto the streets to find breakfast and were greeted by two lovely aunties who served us fantastic iced coffee. They were very intrigued as to why we were wanting coffee and weren’t still revelling in the clubs of Khao San Road.
Coffee from market stalls are genuinely a lot cheaper and can be quite rough and ready, but sometimes you don’t need the Mona Lisa, just something hot, sweet and full of that delicious, delicious caffeine.
Speaking of cheap and cheerful…
7-Eleven Convenience Stores
We couldn’t write a Bangkok coffee guide without mentioning 7-Eleven. Before you all start shouting at us, we know the coffee isn’t going to win any awards and yes, we really shouldn’t be bigging up a huge corporation, but when you’re backpacking needs must!
For those on a tight backpacking budget, these coffees are perfect for a caffeine pick me up, for when you need to get up and go.
Selling all the coffee favourites from americanos, lattes, cappuccinos and espressos either iced, hot or frappe, the coffee sold at 7-Eleven are a great choice for those saving the pennies.
Cheap and cheerful and with at least one 7-Eleven on every street corner, you really can’t go wrong with picking up a cuppa here.
Coffees start at 35 baht for a small iced coffee. Make sure you check out the menus as they often have specials / drink deals.
One tip though, if you are ordering a coffee from 7-Eleven make sure you say no to any plastic bag! The Thai’s love putting things in a plastic bag, and if you don’t say no to a bag, your coffee will have more plastic layers than a Welsh child on a school trip!
Final Bangkok Coffee Thoughts
Finding a delicious coffee on the streets of Bangkok isn’t hard. After a day exploring the Thai capital on foot, we love to escape the humid heat and refresh with a caffeinated brew.
The list above doesn’t even scratch the surface on Bangkok’s coffee scene. In terms of coffee exploration in Bangkok, we’re still novices and still have a long way to go. We have yet to explore the delights of Elefin Coffee and its famous latte art, the popular Kaizen Coffee in Watthanana or Factory Coffee with its sleek interior and award winning baristas. The Bangkok coffee scene is booming and we can’t wait to discover more of it! Whether it's iced, piping hot, the traditional Thai style or frappe, we can’t get enough of the coffee in Bangkok.
Let us know in the comments if you have any other ‘must try’ Bangkok coffee recommendations!
Thanks for reading,
John & Ellie x
#adventuresofjellie
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