5 Best Cafes in Talat Noi (Picked By a Former Barista!)
Talat Noi is a little slice of Bangkok’s history preserved in amber. Hip yet weathered, an amalgam of all the cultures that came before it but still quintessentially so Thai. It’s no wonder that Talat Noi has won a spot in the hearts of locals, expats, and in-the-know travelers alike, many of whom consider it Bangkok’s best — and hippest — neighborhood.
Before Bangkok grew and swelled into a metropolis — before it even became a city proper — the little port settlement of Talat Noi (Thai for “little market”) welcomed those seeking new lives on the banks of the Chao Phraya river. Portuguese traders came first, having left the capital, Ayutthaya, upstream. Chinese, Cambodian, and Vietnamese followed, with each immigrant group imprinting a bit on Talat Noi and leaving a lasting impression.
As a result, Talat Noi is a place where churches from the 18th century sit on the same street alongside Chinese shrines, incense curling in the hair and lanterns aglow at night. Street artists reclaim crumbling brick wall; steam rises from the clatter of woks on the streets.
And, of course, it is a place for coffee lovers everywhere to go on a pilgrimage, trying it in different iterations and styles all over Talat Noi, tables tucked away in cute coffee shops in aesthetic settings.
As a huge coffee lover, Talat Noi is my favorite place to go try a new café, even though it’s rather far from where I live. I love coming here for an afternoon to go for a coffee and art walk, winding through the laneways, sometimes ending up at River City Bangkok at the end of a long walk.
Here’s a quick guide to some of the best cafes in Talat Noi, Bangkok. This is a living guide that will be updated every time I find a new gem that I want to share with you!
The Best Coffee Shops in Talat Noi, Bangkok
La Cabra
- Address: 2-854 Charoen Krung Rd, Talat Noi, Samphanthawong, Bangkok 10100
- Hours: Open daily from 8 AM to 5 PM
La Cabra may pay homage to its Spanish name—”the goat”—through playful artwork scattered across its walls, but everything else about this Talat Noi cafe shouts Scandinavian design, as this coffee shop actually first started in Copenhagen.
When it comes to aeshetics, it’s all about Nordic restraint and minimalism here. Green subway tiles add a little vibrancy to the white walls and minimalist but intentional art, while leather chairs and wood tables invite you to linger a while and enjoy a coffee break the way the Scandinvians intended — longly, leisurely.
Here, I always go for the classics: a perfectly balanced flat white or a simple, perfectly prepared matcha later. But also, their pastries stand out here, particularly the Danish classic, the tebirkes: a flaky, shattery pastry rich with poppyseeds and marzipan.
Sarnies & Friends
- Address: 951 Chai Phatthanasilp, Talat Noi, Samphanthawong, Bangkok 10110
- Hours: Open daily except Monday, 8 AM to 6 PM
Located in my favorite building in Talat Noi — home to a lot of cool places from a craft brewery bottle shop to a lovely coffee shop that feels like your living room to endlessly changing gallery rooms and occasional events — the Corner House is home to a branch of the popular sandwich chain Sarnie’s, but its coffees also shouldn’t be overlooked!
This iced coffee with coconut milk was delicious — the toasted shaved coconut flakes on top gave it a nutty and slightly savory taste, and the umbrella added a little fun festive flair to a mid-day coffee pick-me-up.
The sandwiches here were of course delightful — I went with a friend and we shared a Peking duck inspired sandwich with a hoisin-mayo spread and shredded cucumbers as well as a veggie mushroom and grilled cheese sandwich.
Koff & Bun
- Address: 983/2 ถนน ทรงวาด Samphanthawong, Bangkok 10100
- Hours: Open weekdays 8 AM – 5 PM and weekends 8 AM – 6 PM
Another favorite, Koff & Bun on Songwat is a lovely cafe with lots of chic vibes. It’s a narrow building but still manages to maintain that cozy feel.
Just order downstairs and then bring your coffee upstairs where there are two rooms to choose from, including a really cool seating area in the first upstairs room that’s sort of like a horseshoe-shaped bar with velvet upholstered stools — think old school saloon vibes, and then there’s another room that has a lovely exposed brick vibe that reminds me a lot of being back in Brooklyn.
They have delicious coffee and of course — plentiful pastries, as the ‘bun’ in the name would suggest! They also roast their own beans which you can also buy here!
Everything about this place has a vintage feel and it’s clear they care a lot about their coffee, too; my iced americano with orange was delicious. It’s also close to some street art and just lots of interesting spots around Songwat, one of Bangkok’s coolest streets.
Envies
- Address: 922 ถ. เจริญกรุง Talat Noi, Samphanthawong, Bangkok 10100
- Hours: Daily from 8 AM to 6 PM
Envies is another really cool coffee shop in the Talat Noi area and it feels like your eclectic collector aunt’s house in all the best of ways… if she also happened to make excellent coffee and serve delicious brunch, too.
There are lots of different seating options at Envies and it’s definitely more focused on getting people to get together and enjoy a coffee rather than being a laptop work zone type of place.
There’s so much to look at that it’s almost a bit overstimulating, but in the best of ways. There are vintage pieces and also mirrored bits of artwork and old magazines and other antique objects so it’s really fun to photograph this cafe!
But don’t worry, the focus on coffee is not at all lost here. I had a butterfly pea coconut iced latte and it was delicious, with the exact right amount of sweetness to bring out the beautiful coconut flavors against the bitter coffee.
Sunset Coffee Roaster – Charoenkrung
- Address: 741 ถ. เจริญกรุง Khwaeng Talat Noi, Khet Samphanthawong, Bangkok 10100
- Hours: 7:30 AM to 5:30 PM on weekdays (until 6 PM on weekends)
A really fun coffee roastery and cafe, Sunset Coffee Roaster is on the middle of a busy intersection in Talat Noi (right next to the viral Optimus Prime installation art) and it carries that same energy on the interior, at least on the weekends.
When I visited on a recent Sunday, there was a DJ playing live music — but at a reasonable noise level so you could still enjoy your conversation — and there was also interactive art you could play with, with an old-school camcorder and several stacked TVs making a ‘selfie’ in an analog way. I loved that contrast and found it to be a really fun addition to an already cool café. It’s very fitting for the artsy neighborhood of Talat Noi!
As with the other coffee shops on this list, yes, the aesthetic and vibe is cool, but the focus on coffee is not lost — especially because this is a coffee roastery as well! I really enjoyed my yuzu americano (delightfully presented with a sprig of rosemary and fresh lemon) which was a great break from the heat.
