The growth of the city’s coffee culture has been quite spectacular with coffee shops, from the trendy to the homey, opening up all over the city. Here are some of our faves this month.
Ristr8to Lab
The city’s hottest coffee shop, Ristr8to on Nimmanhaemin, is already packed to the rafters every single day. But fear not, just a hundred or so metres away between sois 3 and 5, they have opened up this super cool new soi-side coffee lab. Morning to night, this uber trendy joint has Chiang Mai’s beautiful people milling around enjoying the spectacular latte art (the owner came sixth in the world for his skills two years in a row), sampling new gourmet blends and as night falls, sipping some of the great coffee liqueur the lab brews up. Bring your lap top, meet some new people, and make this your coffee destination. Want to get arty? Why not draw something up and ask the barista to turn it into your own bespoke latte art?
Soi 3 Nimmanhemin Road
053 215278
Facebook: ristr8to lab
Closed on Tuesdays
Four Heavens Cafe & Bistro
What happens when the two owners don’t share a passion? They combine them! At Four Heavens, one owner is obsessed with cycling and another with cooking, hence this conceptual cafe and bistro dedicated to the love of cycling. Modern decor with intriguing objets d’art made from bicycle parts, the cafe serves many signature dishes, both savoury and sweet as well as featuring a bicycle shop selling all sorts of cool bike stuff. Come to get your bicycle cared for with their maintenance and full service facilities, or to bling it up with some sweet new toys, while enjoying a steamy cup of coffee in the cool air coned interior, or the lush green garden.
Open hours 9.30am – 8pm (closed on Wednesdays)
555/107 Moo 2, Fifth Avenue
Facebook: FourHeavensCafeBistro
Tel. 084 888 4840
B(e)arista
On the ground floor of Thiprat Place apartment building, this charming coffee shop on Santitam Road sells cute-as-cuddly-bears everything – from bear-designed latte art, to bear-decorated cakes, bear mascots and logos and all things warm and fuzzy. The owner loves bears and says that since he is a large man and sees himself as a cuddly bear, he has made this coffee shop a place where large people – especially foreigners – will feel at home. Chairs are large sized and comfortable and unlike many mini-furniture pieces seen in the city’s trendiest venues, comfort is king here. Order coffees, smoothies, cakes or cookies and sit back with a book or a laptop. Or if you are really hungry, you can order one plate dishes from the Thai restaurant across the road. Comfort is king in this bear’s den.
7 am-7 pm daily
Facebook: CaffeBearista
0828912599