Ari Is A Cafe Hotspot 15 Minutes From Pratunam For Cafe-Hopping In BKK

Cafe-hopping in Ari, Bangkok

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We’ve covered ROAST at theCOMMONS, Instagram-ed the heck out of Ekkamai’s many cafes – but what comes next? If you’re getting tired of rinsing and repeating your cafe-hopping agenda when in Bangkok, these 6 gems are reason enough for us to make the quirky neighbourhood of Ari our next pitstop.

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1. Puritan

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Busts, sculptures, and even a fountain adorn the pathway to the cafe – what a way to set the mood!

Puritan is really an enchanting sight to behold from the moment you lay eyes on its entrance. Awash in overhanging vines and greenery amidst the backdrop of Greco-Roman furnishings, you’ll feel as though you’ve been whisked away to B.C.E era, a place akin to some bizarre recreation of The Hanging Gardens of Babylon.

And as if the aesthetic of the place isn’t eccentric enough, you have to remove your shoes before entering the cafe. The interior, on the other hand, is all chandeliers, pre-18th-century plush velvet chairs, marble table tops, and suspended bird cages.

Known for its Japanese-style cakes and specially curated, premium tea blends, go for a slice of their Blueberry Cheesecake (฿210) and Blackforest Cake (฿180).

And for a pot of tea that looks good on both on and off-screen, go for their Midnight Blue Tea (฿170) – a delicate blend of white tea with lavender, rosemary, and butterfly pea accents.

Address: 46/1 Soi Ari 5, Phahon Yothin Road, Samsen Nai Subdistrict, Phaya Thai District, Bangkok, Thailand
Opening Hours: Tue – Fri: 1-10PM, Sat – Sun: 11AM-10PM (Closed Mondays)

2. Casa Lapin x Ari

Just a couple of BTS stops down from our favourite weekend market, is the cosy hideaway that calls itself Casa Lapin x Ari. And while a quick Google search will reveal other sister outlets around the city, the upsized food menu and spacious industrial interior of this outlet will make every bit of the journey there worthwhile.

Not only do they serve up silky, single origin brews and intricately layered tea concoctions –  their brunch and dessert menu is every bit as photogenic as the cafe itself. 

Image credit: Casa Lapin, loewebe

Left to right: Torrija Toast, White Chocolate Yoghurt
Image credit: Casa Lapin

They also routinely run flash discounts on their food and drink menu so keep an eye out for them on their Instagram page.

Note: The cafe is located within a private residence, but you can just tell the security guard you’re here to dine there if you’re asked.

Address: 8/2 Phahonyothin Rd, 1/F Noble Reform Condominium, Soi Phahon Yothin 7, Khwaeng Samsen Nai, Khet Phaya Thai, Bangkok 10400, Thailand
Opening Hours: 8.30AM-10PM, Daily

3. SA-TI Handcraft Coffee

SA-TI Handcraft Coffee is a cafe you might miss if you’re not looking carefully. The walk here will take you through a long and narrow walkway that’ll make you think you’re walking straight into a construction area. 

This is literally what it looks like from the doorway

But, get through the maze and it’s truly a serendipitous discovery. Tucked behind a woodworking space and built to resemble a glasshouse, SA-TI is just the space for sun-seekers who can’t stand dimly-lit interiors other cafes pride themselves on.

Specialising in nitro brewed coffee, you’ll find a whole list of intriguing drinks from Salted Yogurt Soda to Coconut Latte. We ordered their Iced Peanut Butter Latte and Iced Masala Chai Latte for ฿120 each. 

Image credit: ADayMagazine.com

And if the kick of caffeine isn’t enough, SA-TI even offers its patrons a DIY bar complete with syrups ranging from Amphawa (candy smoke), Dusit (pandan), and even Phra Nakhon (tom yum) for you to take the intensity of your coffee up a notch.

They also sell small bites like Brownie Fudge (฿50) or a Blueberry Cheese Pie (฿90).

They even have a small terrace just beyond the glasshouse with a swing and a piano if you want to lounge alfresco-style

SA-TI Handcraft Coffee

Address: 110/4 Soi Rama 6 Soi 30, Rama 6 Road, Samsennai Phayathai, Bangkok 10400, Thailand
Opening Hours: 8AM-8PM, Daily

4. DICE! Cafe

Comprising of 4-storeys plus a rooftop terrace, DICE! Cafe is an eatery, board game hideout, co-working space, and event venue all rolled into one. If you’re game for some fun, head to the 2nd floor where you’ll be greeted by an extensive and overwhelming selection of board games for you and your crew to battle it out. 

1st Floor: Urban Cafe

The board game room is open all the way until closing, so you can spend the entire day here. It costs ฿50 per hour to play.

More than just a board game cafe, DICE! Cafe takes things up a level with a dedicated playroom for console games and virtual reality (VR) gaming. Pick from games from a wide range of genres such as space and horror, or channel Katniss Everdeen from The Hunger Games with some VR archery! This costs ฿500 per hour to play.

Address: 1/4 Soi Ari 2, Khwaeng Samsen Nai Khet Phaya Thai, 10400 Bangkok, Thailand
Opening Hours: 8AM-10PM, Daily

5. KAFFE by li – bra – ry

KAFFE by li – bra – ry stands out from the stretch of offices and banks dotting the road along which it’s situated. Its 2 storeys are a welcome spot for anyone craving a quiet space to work or read.

The main cafe sits on the 1st floor, while the 2nd floor is for those seeking uninterrupted tranquillity with its filled bookshelf, tables equipped with charging points, and 3 hours of complimentary Wi-Fi.

The seating situation on the 2nd floor

Their signature dish to order is the li – bra – ry Waffle (฿95), which has 4 matcha-flavoured waffle triangles positioned in the shape of a tower. To keep to the green theme, we ordered an Iced Green Americano (฿125), which was not matcha-laced coffee as we thought it was, but actually an interesting mix of green apple juice and espresso. 

Address: 308/1 Thanon Phahon Yothin, Khwaeng Samsen Nai, Khet Phaya Thai, Bangkok 10400, Thailand (At Noble Space Ari)
Opening Hours: 9.30AM-8.30PM, Daily

6. Raan-Keng

Ari is chock full of themed eateries, and Raan-Keng is part of that list. I doubt you’ll find a Thai-Japanese fusion eatery as dedicated to a colour theme – in this case, blue – like this one.

Apart from a solidly blue exterior and interior, everything on the menu is also carefully pigmented to go with the theme.

We went with their Butterfly Pea Drink (฿29), Butterfly Pea Ebi Tempura (฿189), and Butterfly Pea Noodle Salad with Shrimp (฿139). 

Here’s a close-up to show you how well and truly blue the noodles are!

As you’ve probably guessed by now, the blue comes from mixing butterfly pea flowers into the food. But you don’t have to worry about the taste not matching up to appearances – every dish we dug into packed a whole punch of flavour in every bite.

Raan-Keng also scores top marks for atmosphere – fairy lights illuminate the driveway and yard leading up to the cafe giving the place an air of dreaminess, especially when night falls.

Address: 9 Kingchinda Alley, Soi Pradipat, Khwaeng Samsen Nai, Khet Phaya Thai, Bangkok 10400, Thailand
Opening Hours: 12-2PM & 6PM-12AM, Daily

Expand your BKK cafe checklist

So if you’re looking for more cafes to conquer, take a pass on the much too frequented malls and night markets for this new up and coming locale – there’s really a bottomless chasm of treasures in BKK if you’re down for on-foot exploration and leaping out of your habitual hotspots.

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This post was written by Alexandria Schoon for TheSmartLocal.com in collaboration with Amazing Thailand.