A GUIDE TO THE BEST SPECIALTY COFFEE IN CHIANG MAI
BY TREMOR CHRIST
Unbeknownst to many, the northern city of Chiang Mai is a mecca for coffee afficionado's. It only takes a quick google to see how many coffee shops there are scattered around the city (and beyond), but for a first time visitor it can seem daunting to know where to go. Whilst most places offer the usual fare of Colombian/Ethiopian cups, if you really want to try something different may we suggest doing a deep dive on the locally grown beans. The Thai varieties tend to lend themselves to pour-over, due to their fruity flavours, but if you are a fan of darker roasts, they can throw up some quite interesting espresso shots.
It inevitably comes down to personal preference: Are you a fruity/acidic coffee drinker who likes your brew of lighter roasts, or do you enjoy the robust fullness of a dark roast in your hand. Chiang Mai answers all of your coffee complaints with aplomb, navigating the veneer of human fussiness with suprising polish. Though some shops truly cater more to the instagram crowd, spending more money on interiors than (cup) content, we managed to track down multiple spots that showcase glorious Thai coffee in the right environments.
The Mouth sent it's most caffeinated testers to try over 30 of the top rated cafes, and narrow them down to their favourites. Personal preferences intact, below is a list of the places we think are brewing the best cup, offering their consumer something different, or combining a great espresso with a little slice of the good life.
In an effort to appease the majority of people, we will try add locations spread all over the city so you can rest assured you'll find something delicious nearby.
For a full link of all the places on google maps, click the icon below:
ASAMA
For those who want a decent meal and a cup of coffee in one fail swoop, look no further than here. Located a short drive from downtown Chiang Mai, Asama features a great range of locally grown or regionally sourced Thai coffee. The setting couldn't be more picturesque, clinging to a bend in the river, with mountains and thick forest beyond. Whilst many places in Chiang Mai specialise in pour-over, this is the place you dabble in the espresso realm. The match of Thai beans and expertly prepared coffee make for a truly interesting experience.
The excellent restaurant Krua Ya is barely a hop and a skip away, so it's definitely worth taking the trip out here for lunch and a magnificent afternoon coffee.
#THEMOUTHSCHOICE
THREE
Occult coffee conjurings occur at this small concrete slab cafe a few kilometers from the elephant pant tourist congregations. Sublime brewing methods, cool interiors, knowledgable and approachable owner, there is not much more you need in your Chiang Mai coffee sojourns.
YOURPROJECT_
A ten minute walk from THREE, yourproject is a delicious coffee brewer located in an old house off the main thoroughfares. A tad tricky to find at first, once you do you'll be rewarded with delicious pour-overs and a nice artistic space housing vinyl collections and weekly DJ's.
COTTON TREE
Shockingly very few of my Thai friends have heard of this place, even tho it's located in the middle of hip-dom Nimman, and a boomerang throw away from the Maya Mall. Come here if you want to try nerding out on some local beans, and ask the barista for tips.
NINE ONE COFFEE
Slightly more conventional looking, and prone to habitation by mac-wielding digital nomads, Nine-One still offers up some excellent versions of your favourites, easily substituting Thai origin coffee for something different.
MALED ROASTERS
Winners of numerous coffee awards, with their roastery and production room in plain sight, Maled is definitely the place we'd recommend you to visit if you want balanced, standard and well prepared coffee. It won't knock your socks off with innovation, but you're guaranteed a solid consistent cup each time.
AKHA AMA
One of the first to market in the regional coffee craze, Akha Ama are the most well-established in Chiang Mai and draw a fervid crowd of regulars. If we recommend any of their branches, the one below is it. Further afield from the tourist throngs, and with a wooden porch to sip on if the weather is kind, this is a place to check out if you have already been to a few of the other ones.
OMNIA
A hidden gem not too far from Cottontree, but rarely visited by anyone of foreign ilk who is not a coffee-holic. Recommended to add the final crema to your espresso voyage!
PONGANES COFFEE ROASTERS
Along with Akha Ama, Ponganes was one of the first places to start championing "third wave" coffee, as well as locally grown and sourced beans. Despite not being our personal favourite, having a bit more of an under-extracted vibe overall, if you are doing some deep nerding then it's a worthy stop on your coffee explorations.
As with everything in life, you gotta pay respect to the OG's.
TOFFEE ROASTERS
Another coffee shop in uber-hip Nimman that is important to visit if you want an overview of what is developing in the Chiang Mai coffee scene.
SCHOOL COFFEE
They say somewhere in the world is a person that will love you, and using that logic there is a coffee shop for every taste. If your tastes are of the influencer / instagram style, then this is the perfect location for extended photo shoots amongst cups of coffee. The good thing about School coffee, is if you detest influencers, you can still pop by for a coffee and sit in a corner away from the iPhone capture field.
SENSATION COFFEE ROASTERS
Panamanian Geisha fanatics can spend a small fortune on a cup of ooh and aah sips. A great place to stop off on the way to Asama or Krua Ya as a small detour.
GALLERY DRIP
Pour-over coffee enthusiasts can find a table inside or embrace the furnace in the lovely courtyard in full attack of the Northern Thai sun. There are not many amazing coffee places within the old town, but this, Ponganes and Akha Ama are a couple options.
THOR-PHAN
Another coffee shop gem in the midst of the hectic old town. Thor-Phan roast coffee on site and have a small cafe at the front seating about 20 ppl. They sell a mix of Thai origin and international blend beans, and have an array of coffees to enjoy either V60 or espresso style.
One to hit on your Chiang Mai coffee trails!
TERROIR.CNX
The new stomping ground of Bangkok based roaster "Brew Boy", this ultra-hip shop has limited seating but plenty of options if you want higher grade true specialty coffee. Think rare Geisha's, etc.
However if your wallet is more atuned to student budgets, their Ethiopian house blends turn out a very drinkable Americano.
KHAGEE
Perhaps better known for their dedicated pastries and bread, this charming cafe by the river offers a mellow respite from the outside landscapes. Tucked away, it's a tranquil oasis to sip a coffee and enjoy a pastry and stare out the window.
FLO COFFEE ROASTERS
Chiang Mai is becoming overrun with camera wielding TikTok & Instagram vermin, and it's unfortunate that a cafe tries to make the interiors look retro and cool only to succumb to being the backdrop of every tourist and local's REEL story.
Flo Coffee Roasters is a great place for an Aeropress, Espresso or V60 if you can handle the lack of air conditioning and the menace of content creation.
GATEWAY ROASTERS
Brownie points for the ultra-cool interiors worthy of a few minutes repose. Bring a book, grab yourself a corner table and slowly sip some black goodness.
COFFEE SUPPLIES
HILLKOFF
For those Chiang Mai dwellers, or coffee nuts who need to bolster their ever-growing homebrew equipment inventory, head to Hillkoff. A veritable treasure trove of all things coffee. Scales, grinders, machines, V60s of every assortment, aeropress filters, coffee by weight, literally anything and everything your little fruity heart could conceive, they'll have.
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