The 10 Best Chiang Mai Coffee Shops!

A sizeable bulk of our time in Chiang Mai was spent in the city’s amazing coffee shops, so it’s been a great pleasure reviewing them and reporting back to you! We’re not sure what a doctor would say about our caffeine intake – but it’s all in the name of research! Chiang Mai and coffee shops go hand in hand!

All the coffee shops we’ve reviewed in Chiang Mai have to fit a certain criteria to be included in our coffee shop review.

Each coffee shop must:

  • Have Wi-Fi
  • Be independently operated – No Starbucks please
  • Be homely/quirky/fun/weird enough to amuse us
  • Have bone-chilling air-con
  • and obviously serve amazing coffee!

There are hundreds of coffee shops dotted around Chiang Mai, and these are our 10 absolute favourites – mainly located in Chiang Mai’s old city or around the Nimmanhaemin area.

Check out our super duper Chiang Mai Coffee Shop interactive map!


View Chiang Mai Coffee Shops in a larger map.

Librarista

Librarista!

Librarista!


Librarira is probably the most sophisticated coffee shop in Chiang Mai we’ve visited. First thoughts are that it’s like an art museum café back in England; incredibly modern décor, expensive looking fittings, and comfy chairs! With an attached library and clean lines it’s uber cool The library is stunning, with English and Thai language books. There’s also a meeting room upstairs.

Charge Points: Several
Americano Price: 70B
Cappuccino Price: 75B
Décor: Exposed piping, futuristic, ultra-modern, Clean, sophisticated. Fun exterior, colourful
Location: 16/2 Nimmanhaemin, Soi 5
Facebook: cnxlibrarista

Pros: Jaw dropping décor, comfiest chairs in our review.
Cons: Low tables, a bit more expensive (but worth it)!

Café de Thaan Aoan

Thaan Aeon

Thaan Aeon

Café de Thaan Aoan is one of our most frequented coffee shops in Chiang Mai as it was so close to our apartment!
It’s a very mellow café, quiet music, ever happy staff, English language newspapers, good furniture – tables and comfy chairs for working and a sofa for relaxing. Shaded and sunny spots out the front if you like to sit outside.
Plus loads of cake options, and HP sauce on offer if you’re ordering food!

Charge Points: Two, but sometimes have an extension lead available!
Americano Price: 35B
Cappuccino Price: 50B
Décor thoughts: Soft pale colours and furnishings, bright and airy, loads of natural light
Try: Chocolate rum balls!
Location: 154/5 Prapokklao Road
Facebook: cafedethaanaoan

Pros: Well priced, relaxing!
Cons: Lack of charge points, the ambiance music seems to be set on loop (James Blunt a lot of the time)!

Sipping Coffee

Sipping Coffee - Amazing!

Sipping Coffee – Amazing!

Situated right near the main Chiang Mai university campus, Sipping Coffee is one of our favourite Chiang Mai Coffee Shops for its sheer coolness. From the kitch ornaments on the large shelves, to the model railway above your head when you walk in! With a cosy, stylish vibe, plastic flowers and comfy chairs and glass tables – It’s a great place to work or just flick through their many coffee books and magazines!
Hot tip! 20% off on Wednesdays!

Charge Points: One or two, over 30mins 20B for 2 hours
Americano Price: 50B
Cappuccino Price: 55B
Décor thoughts: Kitch floral, blocks of green colours, clean, loads of natural light
Try: Cappuccino Cream Dream
Location: 81 Suthep Road

Pros: Far from Chiang Mai’s old city, 20% off on Wednesdays.
Cons: Far from Chiang Mai’s old city.

Coffee Lovers

Coffee Lovers!

Coffee Lovers!


We first came here because we heard they sold Vietnamese coffee, but don’t come here especially for that. The outside and inside seating arrangements are a mixture of table and chairs, and big fat comfy single sofas. They’re incredible – great for those long sessions!. There’s two computers available to use (free for 20mins).

Charge Points: Yes, but they charge 20B for 1 hour
Americano Price: 35B
Cappuccino Price: 55B
Décor thoughts: Well lit, airy, mixture of brick and dark wood. Rustic, earthy vibe!
Try: The White Mocha (70B)
Location: 175/1 Ratchamalka Road
Facebook:

Pros: Comfy seats, extra friendly staff, well priced, they sell Beer Lao!
Cons: The charging fee, the bad Vietnamese coffee.

Sweet Love Coffee

Sweet Love Coffee - Very pink!

Sweet Love Coffee – Very pink!

Situated south of the old city towards the airport, Sweet Love Coffee has been a regular of ours for its quiet vibe, strong Americanos and girlishness (Eloise’s words not mine!)
In and outdoor seating, floral covered tables, hearts and soft pink cushions, old Christmas decorations, low sofas, crystal chandeliers and flower pot men guarding the front door makes Sweet Love Coffee an interesting place to get caffeinated!

Charge Points: Loads
Americano Price: 35B
Cappuccino Price: 45B
Décor thoughts: It’s pink! A lot of pink everywhere. Did we mention pink?
Try: The ‘Sweet Love’ Americano!
Location: Thippanet Road (at Wua Lai 6).
Facebook: sweetlovecoffee

Pros: Always quiet, quirky decor.
Cons: Not very masculine…

CoffiZebra

CoffiZebra!

CoffiZebra!

Escape the carnage of Suthep Road and enter the cool, white and black world of CoffiZebra. Keeping to a zebra theme, the main area when you enter is prominently white, with white seats, cushions tables and chairs – while the other area behind is black – black cushions, table and fittings.
Hot tip! 10% off on Thursdays!

Charge Points: Charger heaven – There’s one for every seat! 2 points!
Americano Price: 35B
Cappuccino Price: 45B
Décor thoughts: Clinical, space-age
Try: Hazelnut Mocha (amazing!!!)
Location: Suthep Road, Suthep

Pros: 10% off on Thursdays, chargers everywhere! Well priced.
Cons: Some of the white furniture looks a bit worn.

Ristr8to


A real coffee lover’s coffee shop, Ristr8to is loaded with some pretty amazing coffee options. After our Coffee tour with ‘Koffie’ when we were exploring the Bolaven Plateau by motorbike on our second visit to Laos, we were lucky to learn a lot more about the fine points of coffee production. We were pleased to see that Ristr8to had several ‘single origin’ coffee bean sources. Plus their head barista is a latte art pro! The prices reflect this.

Charge Points: None!
Americano Price: (Single Origin Long) 78B
Latte Price: (Thai beans) 68B
Décor thoughts: Wood, brick and black walls, chalk boards with loads of coffee related stuff. Old, geeky and highly scientific coffee making utensils on display, indoor and outdoor seating.
Location: 15/3 Nimmanhemin Road
Facebook: Doppio Ristr8to

Pros: If you love coffee and its fine points, this place is for you.
Cons: If you want to kick back and chill in a comfy quiet coffee shop or get some work done, this place isn’t for you.

Coffee Bar

Coffee Bar!

Coffee Bar!

Coffee Bar came highly recommended to us as one of Chiang Mai’s popular digital nomad hangouts, and we stumbled across it by accident one day on our coffee shop quest. It’s a popular little place, especially with young Thais and students. The sort of place people stay for a long time, sipping their drinks while studying and generally not feeling rushed! The garden at the front is particularly funky with loads of quirky touches.

Charge Points: Loads!
Americano Price: 50B
Cappuccino Price: 55B
Décor thoughts: Retro, rustic yellow/blue/brown wood, mock leather armchairs, good work areas.
Location: Nimmanhaemin Road, Soi 7
Facebook: The Coffee Bar

Pros: Hip studenty vibe, quite communal, no pressure to drink and go!
Cons: Relatively few seats, it might feel a bit too communal for some.

Marble Arch

Marble Arch!

Marble Arch!


Weirdly named after the Marble Arch underground station in London, one of Chiang Mai’s most upmarket coffee shops, Marble Arch is one of our favourites and most visited on our coffee shop list. Marble Arch is a nice place to be, is well lit and relaxed with obviously decorative references to Marble Arch and London in general!

It’s set-up for people who want to work; digital nomads and students alike! There are bench-style worktops in the windows and tons of chargers. There’s also an expansive upstairs area that’s never open!

Charge Points: Unfortunately not near the sofas, but at the workstations around the edge of the room
Americano Price: 55B
Cappuccino Price: 60B
Try: Marble Arch Coffee – The best latte EVER.
Décor thoughts: high ceilings, professional, loads of light,
Location: Nimmanhaemin Soi 9.
Facebook: Marble Arch

Pros: Stunning décor, best latte in town, heavy on the Union Jack flags!
Cons: Tad expensive, I would like to sit upstairs!


So there we have it! Sorry if we’ve missed off your favourite! Where have we missed?!

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