Our favourite cafes in Chiang Mai

Chiang Mai has a café scene to rival France and Italy. In fact, the cafes in Chiang Mai possibly make up the biggest cafe scene I’ve ever come across in my life. You can’t walk 100m without stumbling across a coffee shop. There seems to be a new one opening every week, offering delicious cakes and sometimes questionable brews…

One of the reasons we decided to spend time in Chiang Mai earlier this year was because of its café scene. Each morning we would wake up, shower, and go to a new coffee spot to work. In the afternoon we’d work in our apartment or go out exploring the city.

Chiang Mai is much more modern than other cities in Asia and has more large shopping centres and other facilities than our other favourite places in the region, like Ubud. Although this modernity does seem to steal some of the old city’s soul, it does make it an ultra convenient place to base yourself as a digital nomad.

We’ve come up with a guide to our favourite cafes in Chiang Mai so you have a chance to enjoy them too.

Cafes in Chiang Mai

Librarista

This was possibly our favourite café in the whole of Chiang Mai, as it’s the perfect spot to work. Get to Librarista when it opens and you have the whole place to yourself. We worked in the library area which is quiet and full of books you can browse as you like. The air conditioning is strong and the green space around the café is picturesque to admire through the floor to ceiling windows.

What you need to know:

Address: Nimanhaemin, soi 5

Opening hours: 10am – 8pm

Price of a coffee: 85 baht (AUS$3.25)

Ambiance: The perfect place to work, complete with study nooks and charge points.

Wi-fi: Very strong, but it only lasts for one hour per purchase.

Rating: 5/5

Coffee Plus

This little coffee shop in the old town had only just opened when we visited, but we loved it. It’s a little haven away from the heat and the customer service is second to none. The owner runs Coffee Plus with his mum and you can see they put their heart and soul into what they do. The teas are delicious and you can choose to sit on a couch, bar stool or at a table. The chairs are a little uncomfortable but they all have cushions on them, which helps.

What you need to know:

Address: 14 Rachadamnone Rd. Soi 5

Opening hours: 7am – 5pm

Price of a coffee: 55 baht (AUS$2)

Ambiance: A quiet place with great service

Wi-fi: Very good

Rating: 5/5

Roastniyom

The coffee here is better than most and although there are now two locations, we prefer the original which has a tree growing through the centre of the building. This location was at the bottom of our apartment building so we used to pop in there regularly. It’s best to visit Roastniyom at the beginning or end of the day, when it’s not so crowded and noisy. The staff are friendly and if you can score a big table near the window overlooking the street then it’s a good spot to work.

What you need to know:

Address: 51 P.T. Residence Sirimangkhlajarn Rd

Opening hours: 7am – 10pm

Price of a coffee: 55 baht (AUS$2)

Ambiance: Can get noisy during popular times of the day

Wi-fi: Good

Rating: 4/5

Café de Thaan Aoan

This café in the old town has a homely feel and is a good spot to come for breakfast or lunch. There is a good selection of food at Cafe de Thaan Aoan, as well as cakes, to keep your tummy full. The wait staff can be a little slow but it’s a comfortable place to work. Sometimes families come in with their children though, which can be distracting.

Inside Thaan Aoan

What you need to know:

Address: 154/5 Prapokklao Rd

Opening hours: 7:30am – 8pm

Price of a coffee: 45 baht (AUS$1.70)

Ambiance: Quite relaxed although there’s sometimes children running around

Wi-fi: Good

Rating: 4/5

Shewitkhontammada

What a mouthful of a name! This place seemed brand spanking new when we dropped in, although it was already packed with locals – there wasn’t a foreigner to be seen. It is certainly a pricey place to have a beverage but I’m guessing you’re paying for the top notch décor which wouldn’t look out of place in a five star hotel. The staff at Shewitkhontammada don’t speak very good English but will do their best to try and help out.

What you need to know:

Address: Nimanhaemin, soi 17

Opening hours: 9am – 8pm

Price of a coffee: 45 baht (AUS$1.70)

Ambiance: The music – Asian pop – can be very annoying so bring headphones.

Wi-fi: Good

Rating: 3.5/5

Canito

We went here numerous times when we lived in Chiang Mai. The food at Canito is really tasty and good value, and the building is beautiful. Set in lush gardens, you can sit inside to escape the heat and still appreciate the outdoor space through the floor-to-ceiling windows. There is a playground for children and the dining area is huge – although we never ventured upstairs. Try the steak if you go, it’s delicious.

What you need to know:

Address: Soi 5, Nimmanhaemin Road

Opening hours: 10am – 10pm

Ambiance: It can get busy and loud and most people come here to eat rather than work.

Wi-fi: Pretty terrible. Sometimes it didn’t work at all.

Rating: 4/5

My Secret Café in Town

We loved this hidden spot in the old town. The food is really good at My Secret Cafe in Town, especially the desserts – which is what the restaurant is known for. The décor is lovely and the staff are very attentive and helpful. Upstairs there’s a little art gallery. It does get hot here in the mornings when the sun shines through the big windows, although they do have air conditioning.

What you need to know:

Address: 175/12 Rachadamnoen Road

Opening hours: 9am – 10pm

Price of a coffee: 55 baht (AUS$2)

Ambiance: It was always very quiet and a good place to work when we visited.

Wi-fi: Good

Rating: 4/5

And there you have it – some of our favourite cafes in Chiang Mai. The crazy thing is that there were so many places we didn’t even get a chance to visit. Oh well, there’s always next time…

Did you like our list of cafes in Chiang Mai? Do you have a favourite café in Chiang Mai? Let us know in the comments below!

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