As someone who grew up in the heat of Thailand, cafes in Bangkok are always a must-stop for us; it is also one of the most popular questions we see on social media. Sometimes you just need a cool place to escape the weather, sit down for a bit, get some work done, and enjoy something sweet or savoury. So here are 5 cafes in Bangkok that we would personally like to recommend.
Dear Readers,
Throughout our university and working life, we would often go to cafes to study, work on our projects, or simply relax, and although many have closed down, these are the ones that are still open, and we are still going back occasionally. None of them is sponsored or in any way associated with us.
Rather than showing you the popular places only, or a few of those cafes you visit once and never go back to, we are here to present to you the places that we found to be consistently good. For us, it is the places that shine just bright enough without ruining their quality.
Now, let’s jump to our picks for cafes in Bangkok.
Honeyful Cafe
This is definitely one of the best places for sweet-tooth people. They do have some savory options, so it works whether you just want dessert or a light meal.
Recommended drinks:
Honey & Milk (my favorite choice: Honeyful & Eucalyptus). This drink always has a special place in my heart. Although I try to order other drinks sometimes, I always come back to this one. So, you can trust the taste of this drink—especially if you like sweet drinks.
Lavender-infused honey. This one feels a bit more relaxing, with the lavender smell gently touching your nose. It’s the type of drink that makes you feel so relaxed you could go to bed, but it’s also refreshing at the same time!
If you prefer something more refreshing, I would recommend the passionfruit honey soda. This one is actually my partner’s favorite since he sometimes avoids milk.
And if you’re up for some coffee, please do try the Manuka Latte. Although I’m not really a coffee drinker, my partner always enjoys this menu every time I order it for him.
One special thing here is that when you dine in, you get to try a few drops of the honey that is used in the recipe on a spoon. It’s a small detail, but it makes the experience quite fun.
Recommended menu:
Yuzu-inspired cheesecake: really refreshing and perfect with almost any drink.
Honeyful toast: amazing for a light meal or small brunch.
Their ice cream option is also delicious, although the only downside is that we found the portion a bit small.
Currently, there are two locations: Sukhumvit 24 and on the top floor of Central Embassy.
P.S. I’m quite sad because I liked the old design at the Sukhumvit 24 branch, where it felt a bit more private and had more space. The new one is still pretty nice, but there’s slightly less room if you want to sit for long hours, as they now share some space with their new tea-based ice cream shop at the back.
Gâteau-lien
This Japanese bakery is located in a small house along Soi Ekkamai 12. In my opinion, it’s one of the best cafes in Bangkok if you’re looking for Japanese cakes. And not just cakes—they also have cookies.
Although the price is on the higher side, the quality really speaks for itself. You can taste how carefully they choose their ingredients, and everything feels very well-made. It also makes a perfect gift for family, friends, or guests if you want to bring something sweet.
For years now, this place has been the cake of choice for most of our celebrations.
Recommended menu:
Rare Cheesecake: A cheesecake with a cloud-like texture
Strawberry shortcake: Super light and fluffy. FYI, I’m not really a fruit eater, but my partner always finishes them for me, and he always loves it.
Gâteau chocolate: This is also one of my partner’s favorite choices. It’s really rich but not too bitter and not too sweet—a perfect balance of chocolate flavor.
Earl Grey cookies: As an Earl Grey tea and cookie lover, this is the perfect combo. I’d love for them to sell it in a big package so I can buy it at home and enjoy it for an hour like popcorn during movies.
Currently, they have two locations: Ekkamai 12 and One Bangkok. The One Bangkok branch only offers takeaway. If you would like to sit, relax, and slowly savour the dessert, I recommend visiting the Ekkamai branch instead.
I’m pretty sure you won’t regret spending your afternoon sipping tea and enjoying Japanese cake at this little cafe in Bangkok.
Grow Tea.studio
Located within walking distance from Emsphere on Sukhumvit 31, this tea house is a great spot if you’re looking for a nice pairing of dessert and drinks. They really have all kinds of tea leaves for you, from traditional to menu mix with milk, and even mocktail tea.
Recommended drink:
I’m not very good with high-caffeine tea, so I like to stick to the clear yuzu, which is really refreshing and can clean your palate after the sweet, delicious dessert.
Recommended menu:
Honestly, try all the dorayaki menus they have! Whether it’s chestnut dorayaki, red bean dorayaki, or pure hazelnut dorayaki… I’ve tried several of them and enjoyed every single one. Please, please, please do.
Their classic custard is also sooo gooood. The soft texture and the caramelised part—I approve this dish very much.
Fruit-filled parfait: As you know, I’m not really a fruit eater, but my parents actually enjoy this menu a lot and always order this one. You also get to enjoy ice cream and the custard too!!
This place is also a nice change of pace if you’re exploring different cafes in Bangkok, especially if you enjoy tea and Japanese-style desserts.
PARDEN
Ahaaa, you might wonder—I’m not a fruit eater, so why did I add a fruit-specific cafe? You’ve underestimated me. For your record, I’m actually fine with some fruits in the form of ice, ice cream, or drinks. So I can enjoy the ice part, eating like a hamster, while my partner savors the fruit part.
Located in Soi Sukhumvit 39, this is a cafe that always changes its menu according to seasonal fruits. Isn’t that cool! The menu is always exciting, and I still keep my heart a bit open to trying them. Among the cafes in Bangkok we have been to, no other place does it quite like this cafe.
Of course, this also depends on the month you visit, but these are some menus we loved:
Strawberry cheesecake: Really good, and it comes with a bit of jam paired with tea. OMG, this is the perfect afternoon tea time for me.
Melon parfait: I mostly enjoyed the ice part of it, and my partner said the melon was really refreshing.
Fig parfait: Also, really nice. The layers they created for you to experience are actually really fun.
Honestly, if you like fruits, please try their seasonal menu here.
Chu (Chocolate Bar & Cafe)
And of course, one of the ultimate cafes that many foreigners living here always like to come to: Chu Chocolate Bar & Cafe. At first, I wanted this blog to be more about the less popular, but a place shouldn’t be excluded just because it is doing very well. So let’s just continue down this road to our last cafe on this list.
Even though Chu has great food, allow me to talk more about their drinks and desserts, which I normally go for!!
Recommended drink:
Classic chocolate. The basic choice that you can always trust. I’m a white chocolate lover, but I have to say their white chocolate might be a little too sweet for me to conquer (maybe the younger me could, but right now my sweet tolerance has slightly changed). So I would recommend the 35% milk chocolate option instead.
Other special hot chocolate drinks are also really nice. I tried the Spanish thick hot chocolate before, and it is really, really thick. But sorry, it wasn’t sweet enough for me, so I’d recommend it for people who prefer a slightly more bitter taste.
Belgian. This one is actually a good balance between milk and dark chocolate. I have to be honest here—I usually can’t finish a bar of dark chocolate, but this one!! Probably because it’s balanced with milk chocolate, I somehow enjoy it and always finish the whole cup.
Recommended menu:
Moving on to the dessert side, their pancakes are really fluffy and enjoyable.
I also like trying the desserts on their dessert display. The cookies are definitely a must-try as well.
Do book in advance if you come in a large group, as this place fills up pretty quickly during the day.
The Closing
We hope you enjoy a bit of a light-hearted read of our real recommendations to cafes in Bangkok.
Most of these places are accessible via the BTS skytrain within a short to moderate walking distance, and are located along the Sukhumvit city center area. Gâteau-lien, however, may require a short car or motorbike ride; you can see our tip for that here before you call one. You can also explore some other tips, like crossing the road in Bangkok, here.
May you have a good time,
Travel Tegami