Your Guide to the Best Cafes in Thailand’s Ari Neighbourhood

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Your Guide to the Best Cafes in Thailand’s Ari Neighbourhood

Good news, coffee fans: cafe culture has officially hit Bangkok! The tiny Ari neighbourhood is where this boom finds its origins, with talented baristas looking to brew strong cups of coffee that’ll put their city on the map.

Trust us, you can easily spend a whole day hopping from one cafe to another (not that we’d recommend it, unless you want a caffeine overdose). Here are some picks worthy of your radar:


Bangkok Espresso Bar

Image credit: @bangkokespressobar on Instagram

This tiny bar doesn’t have a lot of seating options, but its location amongst some of the best food stalls means you probably won’t be staying long anyway. Bangkok Espresso Bar is conveniently located near the BTS Ari station, making it perfect for a quick energizer before exploring or a comforting cup at the end of a busy day.


DICE

Image credit: @mintcharna on Instagram

Head to Dice! when you want more than just coffee. Dice! is a unique three-story concept that houses a cafe on the first floor, a board game room on the second, and an events space on the third. This interactive space draws in a steady mix of locals and expats, providing a welcome alternative to the rapid growth of online gaming with 188bet and battle-arena games. If you’re lucky, you can even catch a show on the third floor!


Sa-Ti Handcraft Coffee

Image credit: @eming518 on Instagram

Sa-Ti has all the trappings of every Instagrammable cafe ever: there are floor-to-ceiling windows, lots of indoor plants, and all the coffee brewing equipment is displayed on an open bar. Thankfully, this minimalist industrial aesthetic is also matched by some seriously good coffee. If you can’t make the trip to coffee meccas like Seattle or Melbourne, the baristas at Sa-Ti will make sure that you won’t want anything else.


Oh! Vacoda

Image credit: @ohvacoda on Instagram

Our post on Ho Kow Hainan Kopitiam proves that sometimes it’s not always about the coffee — cafes should serve some delicious food, too. Foodies will find a warm welcome in Oh! Vacoda. Everything on the menu features avocado, from avocado bacon pancakes to pad kaprao with a side of golden, deep-fried avocado. Yes, really. The shop’s warm pastel walls make it hard to miss, and there’s alfresco seating for those who want to enjoy the warm weather.


Coffee Roasting Division of Pladib

Image credit: @mutmeepimdao on Instagram

Serious coffee fanatics should definitely make it a point to visit this roaster in Ari. The beans come from northern Thailand (and sometimes from Laos), which means you’ll be hard-pressed to find a similar blend elsewhere. The friendly and knowledgable baristas are also great resources if you want to delve into the world of coffee science, or if you’re just curious about what makes Thai coffee so special.


Common Room

Image credit: @commonroomxari on Instagram

Common Room’s minimalist white interiors have earned a nod from Design Boom magazine, with its bright atmosphere serving as the perfect accompaniment to the cafe’s all-day breakfast menu. Their fresh berry parfaits pair well with any drink on the menu, so you’re guaranteed to leave with a happy tummy alongside some stunning photos.


Bangkok’s culture is slowly being shaped by the influx of expats and modern local youth. Nowhere is this shift more evident than in Ari’s cafe scene, which mixes traditional Thai hospitality alongside the recent global cafe boom. The next time you’re in town, head to one of these cafes, take a seat and enjoy the sights and sounds of Bangkok!