50 of the Best Cafes in Chiang Mai

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  1. jmayel says:

    Thank you so much for collating all these gems! We didn’t know many of them and can’t wait to go back and vlog some of them πŸ˜€

  2. Katie says:

    This post is incredible! Absolutely saving this for my return trip to Thailand next spring. I’ve only been to Ristr8to on this list, but Akha Ama, Clay Studio Coffee, Coffee Villa (you had me at big-sized iced coffee for 60-baht!!) and Free Bird Cafe especially caught my eye. Seriously appreciative of your research on this one! I’m sure it felt like some pretty hard work on your part, too πŸ˜‰

  3. Nice write-up! I have been to a few but not all of them. I have been striving to write EPIC posts and I think this definitely passes the test. I’ll be sure to share! Cheers!

  4. Awesome List! I’m excited to try some of these that I haven’t heard of. There are so many so it’s easy to get lost or stick to the same one. We have one near us called Uncle Coffee and we love it! He serves huge drinks, very popular with expats and locals too!

  5. Raj says:

    Wow! Thank you for putting this list together. I will becoming to live in Chiang Mai next month and this information will be very useful. Keep up the great work πŸ™‚

  6. Ashley says:

    Amazing – I didn’t realize Chiang Mai had so many incredible cafes! Definitely bookmarking this post for my (hopeful) return to Thailand someday soon!

  7. Great write up and beautiful photos! I am impressed at how many of the cafes you have visited. Tom and I are such creatures of habits that we often will keep visiting the same cafes and restaurants in different cities…

  8. Amelie says:

    This is a great post. I spent a lot of time between Overstand and Ristr8to when I spent a few months in Chiang Mai last Winter and always meant to do this guide for my own blog. Now I can just share yours instead πŸ™‚

  9. Leah says:

    WOW what an impressive list! I can see that Chiang Mai has changed a LOT since I was there. I bet most of these are pretty new, hey? They certainly look modern. I’m hoping to make it up there after TBEX so I’ll have to check some of these out!

  10. Britt says:

    I love Chiang Mai and the cafe scene was definitely a favourite of mine.

    I personally love Into the Woods!

  11. Great, GREAT list! I loved a little cafe just outside the front doors of the Empress Hotel – wish I could remember the name, but it was a small cafe with great iced coffee and decent wifi πŸ˜‰ Can’t wait to go back to Chiang Mai and try out some more !

  12. Nik says:

    Nice list – I didn’t know some of these although I’m apparently at Ristr8to Lab enough to be caught on that picture above (in the background). Pacamara can have pretty outstanding coffee (depending on the barista).
    But in some ways that it’s only down there in the also mentioned section is a testament to how much coffee and excellent coffee has grown in the city. Pacamara was the best coffee before Ristr8to came around, but now Akha Ama, R8, Pacamara, Graph, Ponganes all have improved so much it depends more on day form who is best.

    Kudos for not even mentioning Starbucks. Not worth going when in Chiang Mai. Although I found Tom N Toms equally bad, i.e. near undrinkable.

    • Alana Morgan says:

      How funny you were there! I do like Pacamara (just didn’t have any great pictures of it to include in the first part of the list…) and have never been to Tom n Toms though I’m seeing more and more of them…I looked at the menu once and was shocked by the prices! Can’t imagine it’s worth it.

  13. All of these options look fantastic, but I’m mostly in favor of Aha Ama because of it’s social enterprise focus. I love finding more companies that support and empower local artisans! Thanks for sharing!

  14. Miriam says:

    Such a great guide to Chiang Mai! I see we have a common love for ice coffee, and they surely know how to make them in Thailand! πŸ™‚ I’m heading to Chiang Mai in January and will use your guide to visit some new cafes. Thanks for the inspiration.

  15. Mumun says:

    Hmm… this looks yummy. Wouldn’t it be great just to go to Chiang Mai to have coffee? Oh the dream. I have to admit, I only read the first 3 before giving up. It’s tickling my travel bug too much. So I stopped before I purchase a ticket.

  16. James says:

    The variety of cafes in CM is simply wonderful. I have been to many of them and yet not one of the places I have been is on your list, lol. There are that many. Prices are very good and the coffee is, too. CM understands coffee.

  17. I am sorry to say I haven’t been to any of these coffee shops. Gives me plenty to do when we return next year.

  18. I Left Home says:

    This is such a great list of really unique and beautiful cafes! I can’t wait to go back to Chiang Mai and check a few of them out! πŸ™‚

  19. Nicole Fu says:

    Hi Alana, just got to CM & found this post when I was looking for coffices to work from. But I assume not all the cafes listed here have wifi?

    • Alana Morgan says:

      Almost everywhere in Chiang Mai has free WiFi – massage shops, restaurants, cafes, everywhere – the only place I can think of on the list that does not have WiFi is Ponganes.

  20. Haley says:

    My Lord. This makes me want to jump on a plane to Chiang Mai right now!!!! Thank you Leah. You create things of beauty.

  21. Patty says:

    I’ve found your blog in pinterest.
    Btw, i live in chiang mai and i’m glade that you have a good time there πŸ™‚

  22. I love this! Super helpful as I’ve just moved to Chiang Mai. Thanks for all your work in putting this together! πŸ™‚

  23. jasbir says:

    Great list pretty lady πŸ™‚ I am planning to go Phuket this November. Any list for Phuket.

  24. stephanie says:

    Oh my I have spend two weeks in CM in 2015 and two weeks in 2016 and I dont remember any of these cafes! I feel so bad :O LOL
    Ive written this article down, for the next time I go to CM.

  25. Misty Funk says:

    Hi, Alana. I just want to tell you how much I appreciate this post. A friend and I have been working our way through the shops on your list. Know that we are blessing you each day as we explore another lovely place in Chiang Mai. β€”Misty

    • Alana Morgan says:

      How many have you gotten too??

      • Misty Funk says:

        About 10 so far…and we’re still working through the list. I love seeing different parts of city as I explore your list. So far my favs are Artisan Cafe, Clay Studio, and Fahtara. Yesterday we walked 45 minutes to Akha Ama. Love love love their story! Thx again, Alana. Exploring you list has been a key part of my experience in Chiang Mai. #MuchGratitude

      • Misty Funk says:

        Hi, Alana. Just a fun update for you. The “friend” I mentioned above has since become my boyfriend; we met in CM over one year ago and really connected over coffee. Since that time, we have had the great fortune of lots of travel. I even spent last summer in Europe with him. We managed to visit 12 of the places on your list! My faves were Artisan, Clay Studio, Fahtara, Secret Cafe, & Freebird. I miss walking the streets of Chiang Mai looking for great coffee and wonderful environments. Many blessings to you where ever you are in the world today. xoxo, Misty

        • Alana Morgan says:

          Wow! What a fun story πŸ™‚ Those are some of my favorites too…although there are soooo many more in town now. I need to update the post but keep coming across new ones all the time so feel like I can never catch up!

  26. Tom Tukiainen says:

    There are two that you love, love, love. Graph Cafe is one of them. Which is the other? πŸ˜€

    Thanks for a great list πŸ™.

    • Alana Morgan says:

      I love the coffee at Ponganes and that’s where I always buy beans to brew at home. Unfortunately they operate more as a roaster and distributor so the cafe isn’t really a space to sit and relax for a while…but great to grab a quick cup!

  27. Michael says:

    Outstanding reviews, thank you…..but I know my location of where I’m staying but do not know where any of the locations of the cafes are without timely trial and error to locate each one on a map.
    I know it would take a bit of work but would be extremely helpful for touro’s if a map showing the locations was provided.
    Cheers and thank you for providing what you have

  28. Angelique says:

    My mom and I are in Chiang Mai right now, and so far I’m obsessed with the places we’ve been to. We started at Graph- OBSESSED! Then headed to Fahtara, the spa there looks worth visiting too! Tomorrow morning we are headed to Cerbrum and maybe after lunch at Woo Cafe we will visit at Tanita House. Hoping our last day we will make it to Clay Garden and Free Bird. I wish we were here longer to try them all! Let me know if you have any new favorites! We’re trying to go to the ones closest to us.

  29. I’ve been to a lot of coffee cafe’s back in 2015 in Chiang Mai but nothing beats the taste of Akha Ama… it is outstanding and way too delicious πŸ™‚

  30. HL Thailand says:

    Wow! I just realized that I still have lots of cafes to visit. Thanks for sharing this list, now I can finally fill up my itinerary when I go back to Chiang Mai next month.

  31. What a great time you must have had trying out the coffee shops. I wish! I’ve visited several on your list, but I aim to try out more next time in Chiang Mai. Thanks heaps.

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