5 Beautiful Cafes in Thonglor That Serve Divine Coffee
Next on our series of coffee shops in Bangkok is the hip Thonglor area. Located right downtown, Thonglor is home to a countless number of marvelous cafes hidden within the alleys. We’ve put together a list of the coffee enthusiasts of 5 beautiful cafes in Thonglor that serve divine coffee, along with several photographs from the location.
Roast
One of the two on our list located inside The Commons - an open air concept mall found at Sukhumvit Soi 31, be prepared to take in Roast’s exquisite aroma of coffee lingering in the air as soon as you walk through the cafe doors. The cafe takes pride in offering freshly roasted coffee beans from across the globe. A large variety of choices are available between three categories - the Espresso Based Coffees, Signature Coffees and Filter Coffees. We ordered the original “Journey Blend” Caffe Latte and an Iced Caffe Mocha that featured coffee beans from Roast’s collaboration with Thai High Ventures “Farmer Project”. The Caffe Latte packed quite a strong dose of caffeine, which was an interesting change to it’s lighter latte counterparts. Meanwhile, the Iced Caffe Mocha’s cocoa powder accents brought out a malt-like aftertaste to the beverage, which we absolutely loved.
A creative take on the Iced Espresso Latte involves using ice cubes made out of espresso that helps hold the flavor of the coffee. Instead of having the drink gradually become diluted from melting ice, this technique preserves the taste and actually has a reverse effect of adding an extra punch of caffeine over time. In addition, Roast is known to be one of the highly talked about brunch spots in town, so needless to say, we had to give the food selections a try! With a bread basket as an appetizer, we decided on the Truffle Alfredo and Bacon Garlic Spaghetti - both of which tasted as impeccable as they looked.
Our verdict? Perfect for a lively Sunday brunch. Do arrive earlier as the cafe tends to have a waiting line after noon hours. Be sure to try out the desserts as well - the Passionfruit Semifreddo ordered by the table next to ours was a delight to the eyes.
Roots Coffee Roasters
Roots is a project curated by the creators of Roast and are set on the ground floor of The Commons as well. More of a pick-up and go style of a cafe, Roots is packed with queues of coffee enthusiasts looking to get their fix of caffeine throughout the day. We went for their famed iced Cafe Latte, which proved to be a perfect balance of the three-part milk, one part espresso drink. Delicate, yet fragrant, and easy on the taste buds.
Coffee bean selections for the week were the House Blend & Thailand (Doi Saket, Chiang Mai) for espressos, along with the Ethiopia (Yirgacheffe) & Thailand (Mae Kampong Village, Chiang Mai) mix for batch brews. The options are on rotation weekly. On this month’s Root’s Barista Choice menu is the new Ume & Apple cold brew, an already instant favorite of the regulars. The fruity concoction is a refreshingly different take on the regular black coffee brew, infused with a delicious tangy taste of honey and glazed green apples.
Our verdict? Extremely well-crafted coffee that can be appreciated by both caffeine and non-caffeine drinkers alike. Completely worth the twenty-minute wait. Roots also offer free delivery service around Bangkok on purchases of their black and white cold brew, should you find yourself craving a dose of chilled coffee.
Greyhound Cafe
First established in the 1980s as a men's clothing brand, Greyhound became one of the first few fashion concept stores in Thailand to open their own cafe line back in 1997. Today, 14 Greyhound Cafe branches can be found in the country, along with locations overseas in London, Hong Kong, Singapore, Jakarta and more. Having been dubbed the “the Hottest Seats in Bangkok” by Fortune Magazine, a quick glance at the vibrant menu showed a wide array of culinary fusions to choose from.
The House Blend Cappuccino was presented with their popular greyhound logo etched atop the foam. The ashy roast tasted far stronger than it looks accompanied by an aromatic scent of fresh brew. Curious about their signature Iced Lemon Tea, we ordered that too - and were pleasantly surprised with a serving of lemon infused ice cubes and a pitcher of tangy tea to pour over.
Our verdict? Greyhound has reached a high standard across their selections of food, beverages, and in this case, coffee. The laidback yet high-end atmosphere of the cafe has allowed it to be favored by many. If you’re up for a meal, try out the Fermented Pork Rigatoni, Fried Tons of Crab Meat with Rice or the Fish and Chips in Beer Batter.
D’Ark by Phillip Di Bella
D’Ark is one we’d definitely call an aesthetically appealing cafe. Situated at the entrance of PIMAN 49, D’Ark’s minimalistic interior is bright and a sight for sore eyes. The cafe was created by world renowned coffee roaster Phillip Di Bella, who scouted the globe in search of the perfect coffee mix in what is now served at the cafe as the signature D’Ark Blend.
White coffee at D’Ark is extracted from the award wining state-of-art Black Eagle Volume espresso machine, ensuring only the best possible quality. We decided to go with the Flat White and a hot Mocha, two that provided a nice contrast of flavors. The Flat White’s D’Ark House Blend had a fragrant butterscotch caramel scent and a hint of roasted caramel. On the other had, the Mocha’s Nicaraguan Nero Blend was stronger and had a more distinct rich smell. We enjoyed the flavors of chocolate against the dark roast.
Our verdict? The design of the cafe itself is pleasant enough to make you want to keep coming back. The PIMAN 49 store opens from 7:00 AM in the morning, while the EmQuartier branch opens at 10:00 AM and offers an impressive brunch menu of Tuna Tartare, Ham & Eggs Benedict, and Banana Pancakes.
Audrey Cafe and Bistro
Slightly different to the previous four on our list in terms of decor and atmosphere, Audrey Cafe is notably one of the more well-known brunch places in town for their Victorian-esque themed decorations and intricate desserts selection. Having been inspired by Audrey Hepburn’s iconic Breakfast at Tiffany’s, the Thai-Western fusion bistro branch on Thonglor is also the largest and the original location to open as well.
A recommendation from the waitress led us to order the Iced Vanilla Latte and a white chocolate cheesecake to go with. We weren’t disappointed with our 10/10 first impression of the latte’s good looks. The vanilla-like accents left a buttery taste while providing a nutty blend of dark coffee. Props to the white chocolate cheesecake too. The smooth texture of buttercream, chocolate bits, and cheesecake finishes off nicely with an Oreo cookie crumble base.
Our verdict? We’d say the Iced Vanilla Latte here leans more towards the sweeter side and is meant to be enjoyed more as a dessert sort of drink. For more of a caffeine kick, go for the Americano or the signature “Cafe Audrey” blend. Audrey Cafe currently offers free delivery on orders of food and beverages on their mobile application.