Five Uniquely Thai Coffee Creations
My favourite thing about contemporary coffee culture in Thailand is the barista’s incorporation of their heritage and local ingredients in their brews. The wave of Thai Specialty and Independent Coffee Shops has been pushing the boundaries between coffee and cocktails. The barista’s creativity has led to a series of uniquely Thai signature coffees.
In this short article, we will show you five truly innovative creations that are must-tries for any coffee lover. With the exception of one, all coffee shops are easily accessible from central Bangkok. So if you’re in Bangkok, give them a go!
Click the buttons below to toggle between the cup of coffee and the traditional Thai dessert that inspired it!
1. The Summer Coffee, Ayutthaya
The old Thai capital of Ayutthaya delivered this melt-in-your-mouth dessert by blending Indian and Islamic culinary influences.
Roti Sai Mai is made by manually stretching melted sugar. This labour-intensive process, involving repeated stretching and folding of the melted sugar, creates a starkly different result from taffy candies.
The silky thin strands of sugar with a feathery texture and caramel-y flavour are served wrapped in thin roti pancakes.
The Summer Coffee Company is a company originating in Ayutthaya. The readily available Roti Sai Mai has provided them the ideal opportunity to incorporate it in their coffee to deliver a one of a kind Es-Yen.
Fresh and condensed milk are mixed with espresso to form the backbone of this cup. The finishing touch is the sizable portion of traditional Roti Sai Mai. Made of 100% sugar and manually spun into thin, silky strands, this Thai candyfloss brings a rich, toasted caramel flavour to the coffee.
The added melt-in-your-mouth texture of the candyfloss adds a sensory twist to an otherwise classic Es-Yen.
Whilst this branch is not in Bangkok, Summer Coffee has at least two branches in central Bangkok located at Talad Noi and Siam Paragon. The cafe also offers some exquisite specialty beans!
Name: The Summer Coffee – Factory
Location: Amphoe Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya, Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya
Price Range: ~100-180฿
Social: Instagram; Facebook
2. NiP Cafe Rama IV, Bangkok
A centuries old dessert popular across SE Asia, it can be found everywhere from street carts to high-end restaurants in Thailand.
The recipe is delightfully ‘simple’: glutinous rice, coconut cream and a ripe, juicy Thai Nam Dok Mai mango.
🍚 Soft, steamed glutinous rice
🥥 Creamy, slightly savoury coconut cream
🥭 The star of the show: nothing compares to the tenderness, sweetness and burst of flavour delivered by a Thai mango!
So what happens when you blend Thailand’s most beloved dessert with your caffeine fix?
Introducing ‘Tida’, an innovative Americano inspired by mango sticky rice. Tida delivers a burst of mango juiciness perfectly complemented by the rich and bold flavour of the classic Americano. Finished with golden slice of lemon, adding a bright citrus note to balance the sweetness.
The subtle flavour of coconut sticky rice provided a smooth, creamy finish to this caffeine-infused creation – despite the lack of actual milk!
NiP cafe is opposite Bangkok MedPark Hospital, easily accessible from MRT Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre. If you visit around lunch time, Dancing Duck Noodles nearby serves some amazing food!
Name: NiP cafe Rama IV
Location: Khlong Toei, Bangkok
Price Range: ~100-130฿
Social: Instagram; Facebook
3. Craft Cafe, Nakhon Si Thammarat
Photo Credit: SnowyCat
Khanom La (ขนมลา) is a traditional southern dessert from Nakhon Si Thammarat.
It plays a key role as one of the five offerings given to monks on Sat Thai, a festival honouring the spirits of the dead.
Its light, airy, and crispy texture is designed to mimic silk. During Sat Thai, it represents offering clothes to the deceased.
Its golden yellow colour is inherited from the mixture of rice flour with egg yolk. Palm sugar gives it a delicately sweet flavour. This thin lacy dessert is of particular cultural significance.
The delicate sweetness and silky smoothness of Khanom La, create a delicious pairing with a ‘Dirty Coffee’. The very cold milk in this cup creates a visually striking effect, with rich coffee strands seeping into your milk. The light density of the Khanom La makes it float on top of your coffee, adding a refined aesthetic layer.
Traditionally used as an offering to monks, Khanom La is a rare treat. Its seasonality and southern origin may make it challenging to find outside of Nakhon Si Thammarat (NST).
Nestled on the beachfront on the way to Khanom, Craft Cafe is only accessible by car. This is the only coffee shop not located in Bangkok, you will need to travel to Nakhon Si Thammarat to enjoy this cup!
Name: Craft Cafe
Location: Sichon, Nakhon Si Thammarat
Price Range: ~70-100฿
Social: Instagram; Facebook
4. Smur Café, Bangkok; Part 1
Tung Mey (ตังเม) is the Thai equivalent of nougat. Made of coconut cream, sugar and glucose syrup, this log-shaped candy is popular with children (and adults if you believe Pinn). It’s often sold at markets or near schools!
It has a crunchy texture with a strong nutty, coconut flavour and a dark caramel aftertaste.
Careful with your fillings 🦷, it gets quite sticky!
This latte is an original creation that pays homage to Tung Mey!
A classic latte is elevated with delicate nougat shavings, adding a satisfying crunch and a subtle coconut sweetness.
The nutty, caramel notes of the Tung Mey perfectly blend with the creamy latte, delivering a gentle, smoky aftertaste.
This uniquely Thai latte offers a delightful sensory experience!
The only coffee shop making this list twice, Smur provides a relaxed atmosphere and some truly spectacular drinks. If you ever visit OneBangkok, the newest shopping mall, Smur is located immediately next to it.
Name: Smur Café
Location: Sichon, Nakhon Si Thammarat
Price Range: ~80-120฿
Social: Instagram; Facebook
5. Smur Café, Bangkok; Part 2
If you’ve explored Thailand, you must have likely come across a vibrant orange drink that locals delight in.
Thai tea (cha yen), a unique fusion of cultures, traces its roots to tea traditions in India and China. What sets it apart is the blend of Ceylon, Assam infused with spices like star anise and tamarind, and enriched with condensed milk to deliver a bold and uniquely Thai aromatic flavour.
The last decade has increased its popularity thanks to the success of large franchises such as ChaTraMue and Yodcha. There is a growing trend of smaller independent stores brewing ‘Premium Thai Tea’ using original recipes.
Smur Thai Tea is a unique blend of their house Thai tea and coffee. It stands out with its distinct aroma and flavour, differing from the overly vanilla-forward profiles of other well-known Thai teas. It has a fragrant profile, with notes reminiscent of Ceylon and Assam teas. Blending tea and coffee can easily result in one overpowering the other, but in this beverage, both flavours are remarkably balanced.
Ordering unsweetened Cha Yen can be ‘interesting’ for those unfamiliar with it. An unsweetened ‘Cha Yen’ may taste incomplete, as sugar plays a significant role in its traditional flavour. Therefore, I recommend ordering this beverage with minimal sweetness rather than none at all.
Name: Smur Café
Location: Sichon, Nakhon Si Thammarat
Price Range: ~80-120฿
Social: Instagram; Facebook
Very cool! Thank you for sharing! One day I hope to return to Bangkok. I lived there once, but I was a baby.
Thank you for having a read! Bangkok has changed a lot over the years. Especially the coffee scene, there’s so many local gems hidden everywhere!