Hot new cafes in Bangkok

Set in a building that was built during the reign of King Rama V, TaiGuan Café features the original structures’s large double wooden doors and a feng shui-approved open centercourt. The beverages and sweets are inspired by old-school Chinese snacks and drinks, such as the Chinese Pastry, a wafflelike adaptation with two filling options: red pork with salted egg or scrambled taro. Pair this with Longan Sorbet, a fruity and creamy treat topped with tofu.

This eye-popping milk bar on the third floor of Fotoclub in Soi Charoenkrung 32 is permeated with cute, from the tables and walls in different shades of pink to the counter bar lined with boxes and bags of groceries (feel free to join the hoards of youngsters taking selfies and videos for Tik Tok). The menu offerings are likewise coated with sugary sweetness, including the Jaffa milkshake with dark chocolate, orange and chocolate chips, and baked goodies on rotation like M&M soft cookies and pretzel brownies.

Though the place has only been open for a few months, this smoothie bowl establishment is already a hit among health enthusiasts and cafe-hoppers. Its classy interiors feature mosaic tiles, whitewashed walls, and an eye-popping marble-topped counter studded with colorful contemporary art pieces and neon signs. The smoothie bowls are even artsier than the decor—think tie-dyed prints but on a smoothie. Our favorites include the Paco Bowl (banana, pineapple, Dunaliella Salina and blue spirulina), and Blue Magic (blue spirulina, banana, and pineapple). Both bowls are topped with different kinds of fresh fruits and seeds, and contain about 190 to 230 calories. Every bowl served here is fruit-based and free of artificial colors, sugar and gluten—perfect for re-energizing the body during hot days.  

This small cafe and lifestyle store offers mocktails, each of which is made with lychee juice (to pay homage to its Nanglinchi address), as well as Thai herbs and house-made syrups. Try the Petchakat, a peppery and smoky drink made with roasted pepper syrup, or the Talitto, which boasts injections of cherry blossom and cucumber. The cafe also serves familiar snacks like cinnamon rolls and a variety of coffees.

Decked out with vintage pieces—from a slot machine to cool vinyls of The Beatles and The Smiths—dark green walls, dark wood furnishing, and black and white marble floors, this well-decorated cafe blends in nicely with the vibe of historic Phra Nakhon. The menu carries a shortlist of simple comfort food, but every dish is well-rolled out and more than spot-on. The Pancake Maple Bacon and Thai-inflected Spaghetti Basil & Garlic are best for carb-craving appetites, while the super moist and aromatic Orange and Poppyseeds Cake will assuage all sugar hankerings. Mojo Old Town also makes homemade syrup for their drinks.

Co-incidence Process Coffee, the small kiosk on Soi Sukhumvit 49 has been expanded into a fullfledged café and lifestyle shop that sells Co-incidence-branded merchandise, from stationery items to toiletries. After browsing the store, indulge in a number of comfort bites, such as the Cheese and BBQ Sauce Hot Dog or the Bacon and Cream Spinach Sandwich. The coffee here, which uses Arabica beans from Nan mixed with beans from Chiang Rai, is a medium roast with a faintly fruity and nutty taste. We recommended the Black Tonic, astrong, long shot black coffee with tonic water and sliced lemon. Have it with their carrot cake.

This huge semi-open-air cafe gets its name and decor inspiration from one of the owners’ passion for cowboy apparel. The two-story steel structure is mostly decorated with leather rugs and metal chairs, making the whole place look like a large smithy. The black coffee is a blend of Doi Pha Tang beans and fruity Brazilian beans, while milkmixed cups combine the nutty and chocolatey flavors of Thai-LaoBrazil blends. Our favorites include Dirty Honey, a cuppa mixed with black forest honey; and Smith, which combines brewed coffee with orange juice, ginger juice, lemon juice and saffron. Noncaffeinated options include Black, a smooth drink that mixes melted cold French chocolate with cocoa brewed with fresh milk.

Run by a South Korean couple that’s settled in Bangkok, this cafe brings a slice of minimalist Gangnam kitsch to the party strip of RCA. Curtains in shades of white and brown set off wooden furniture topped with dried flowers. The menu is also Korean-inspired, featuring traditional Korean tea but served cold to suit Thailand’s weather. Try the Yuza Slush, a refreshing sweet and sour drink made from the skin of yuza (a citrus fruit that we know as yuzu), or the Strawberry Blueberry Ade made with two kinds of fruit tea.

Vistro proffers vegan dishes so flavorful that you may even consider going full vegan after the meal. The two-floor establishment is airy and sizeable—easily one of the biggest vegan places in town. The first floor is perfect for grabbing small healthy bites and drinks to go, while the second floor is where all the creative dishes are served. We highly recommend the Vistro Dumplings, a pleasantly flavored dish served with Taiwanese-style chili oil and gyoza sauce, and the Tokyo Tacos, which stuffs green oak lettuce, teriyaki tofu, sushi rice, sriracha mayo, Korean chili flakes and crispy shallots into crispy nori taco shells. Their house-made kombucha and wellness lattes are also a must. Try the Pink Chai or kombucha of the day. Vistro also serves several gluten-free dishes.

This café puts a spotlight on weeds (actual weed plants, and not the kind you’re thinking), as well as fruits and vegetables (hence the name). Worth a try are tea made from weed plants like maiyarab (sleepy plants) as well as ivy gourd and calabura, or milk made from lotus seed. Snacks and desserts are given a very Thai treatment, such as pomelo salad served in a crispy shell, and crispy rice served with starfruit jam. It’s rather charming interiors complement the unconventional F&B draw. Bold murals stage a colorful background for kitschy objects scattered throughout the premises, such as Hawaiian shirts with temple mural prints, traditional Thai kites and even a luxury motorcycle.

Once a small cafe in Soi Langsuan, this cute, little cafe has reopened in a community space on Soi Sukhumvit 32, a street packed with many other Japanese establishments. The Scandinavian style cafe is divided into three zones—a cafe, lifestyle shop, and a gallery on the second floor. You can’t say you’ve dined here until you’ve tried their signature scone, which comes with different homemade creams or in a mixed plate with cake and gelato. For sugary rations, try the Matcha Chocolate Shake (matcha shake with milk and chocolate chips, and pair it with their homemade New York Cheesecake. They also serve seasonal tea.

Homu, which means “house” in Japanese, churns out its owner’s take on wakashi or Japanese confections, such as soy pudding with honey and milk, and topped with nut powder and kuromitsu (black sugar syrup) and warabumochi, a jelly-liked treat covered in nutty kinako powder. Also worth ordering is the photogenic rain drop cake  or mizu shingen mochi made with Japanese-imported mineral water and sakura flowers.

The name, 28ml, pertains to the precise measurement in each cup, and reflects the quality control and the effort that goes into making a drink. If you want to cool down from the heat, we recommend the Honey Lemon, a refreshing sipper that combines freshly squeezed lemon, wild honey from Kanchanaburi, and an espresso shot. For those needing a caffeine kick, go for Dirty Coffee, which combines coffee extract, cream and fresh milk. This establishment also carries bubble tea—try the Brown Sugar On Fire, which blends brown sugar and fresh milk-blended Taiwanese tea.