Bangkok Cafes have a vibe of their own. Each cafe has good coffee, great ambience and even better food.
Are you a cafe person? Every time I go to Bangkok, I make it a point to explore at least a handful of new cafes. I call this breakfast time! Here are 5 of my favourites, arranged in no particular order. There’s even a pet-friendly cafe here, in case you want to bring a furry friend along. Get ready for good coffee, fantastic sourdough and mouth-watering fresh cheeses!
Sarnies BKK
Okay, first up we’ve got Sarnies. And yes, if you’re thinking you already know about Sarnies in Singapore, you’re right. This is the same thing but in Bangkok. Somehow the coffee is better here, or perhaps it’s just me (or Bangkok).
Either way, Sarnies Bangkok is tucked into an alleyway in Phrom Phong, which happens to be my favourite place to stay in the city. They are called Sarnies Cafe Sukhumvit and are open from 7 am to 10.30 pm daily. To get here, you’ll need to take a BTS to Phrom Phong Station and slide to the side of Emquartier Mall. You’ll find a narrow alleyway in which Sarnies awaits with a hot steaming cuppa jo.
I’d recommend getting the coffee. But check out their menu, pretty much everything on it is freshly prepared with local ingredients and is simply divine. A nice start to the day.
Bartel’s Bangkok
Aaaahhh Bartel’s. I keep coming back here for the open-faced sandwiches. Think sourdough toast, topped with rocket leaves, a fat, juicy ball of burrata and prosciutto ham and whatever else they can think of. You guys, I’m telling you, it’s WORTH it.
Bartels is located between Thong Lor and Phrom Phong BTS stations, and is very walkable from Phrom Phong BTS. They are open from 7 am to 6 pm daily, and are a pet-friendly establishment. This means you get to play with other people’s dogs!
I also had their coconut coffee the last time. Essentially coffee but with coconut water. Very unique, and served in a coconut no less.
Holey Artisan Bakery
Okay, if you’re a serious sourdough fan, then Holey Artisan is where you need to be. Is this place convenient to get to? No. But is it a must-visit? You bet your Bangkok flight tickets.
They open from 7 am to 7 pm daily and can get crowded around late morning, so I’d recommend going early. I can’t simply pick one item from their menu that’s good, because EVERYTHING with their sourdough is simply sublime.
Okay so a caveat here, I wouldn’t recommend their baked goods. I once tried their Death by Chocolate cake and it was drrryyyyyyy. However, the sourdough breads are made in-house and are truly worth it. You can even purchase a loaf or two to take back home with you – they help to wrap it up nicely.
Jolie Cafe
I stumbled upon this cafe when I was searching for my morning fix that time I stayed on Soi 26. It was convenient, as I was looking for a cuppa quite early, around 7.
This place is quite a walk from the Phrom Phong BTS Station, so I would recommend taking a bike or a grab down. They are open from 7 am to 8 pm daily and are actually part of a hotel called Lucky Hotel. Despite its name, the place looks pretty fancy for a 3-star location. Guests get to eat their breakfast at this cafe.
I’d recommend getting their sandwich set, which is a lot tastier than it looks on the menu. Coffee is decent, too and the location has pretty homely vibes.
Roast at Thong Lor
I have been to Roast on countless occasions, it’s one of my favourite cafe chains in Bangkok.
They have an extensive menu, and each location has different things to offer. This Roast outlet I went to is at Thong Lor, a hip area in Bangkok. It’s part of an open-air community space slash mall called The Commons Thong Lor, you can find Roast on the third floor.
There was no one in the cafe when I was there, which was perfect as I was there to finish up some work. So if you’re looking for a place to work while in BKK but need good coffee and pancakes with blueberry compote (or maybe that one’s just for me), then I’d recommend coming here. This cafe is very conducive for working. They open from 8 am to 10 pm daily, and it’s best to take a grab unless you like to explore the area on foot. It takes about 30 minutes to get here from the Thong Lor BTS station if you were to walk.
Nick
This one’s an outlier on this list because it’s nowhere near Phrom Phong. But I love it anyway – this cafe is within walking distance from Pleon Chit BTS station, so it’s pretty easy to get to even during rush hour. They are open from 7 am till 6 pm daily. I can safely vouch for their open-face sandwiches, paninis, coffee and Caesar salad. Every single item is good, the staff are friendly and nice and because this place is kinda secluded, it’s not always crowded. Unless you go on a Saturday morning, then expect a crowd.
And the cafe list will keep growing! I have an extended list of up to 16 new cafes in Bangkok, coming soon. Watch this space, gurl.