bangkok coffee talk
lovely lattes + lowkey cups
Gather ‘round, darlings.
Between us, there’s been one solitary, stand-out oat latte experience in my Da Nang days.
Scratch that. I’m not complaining. Nor is it today’s focal point.
While the me of a decade ago would be a little surprised by this: It’s so not a big deal in my life anymore. That was then / this is now.
Nowadays, I’m utterly, endearingly content with the Robusta cà phê đen đá routine.
So, it was genuinely fun and vacation-esque to experience the Bangkok coffee scene and sit down with an oat latte (or three!) while I met up with my charming brother and his equally adorable fiancée from NYC in early December.
Take one former Portland [vegan!] hipster + her first-Starbucks-generation brother + a couple with a double dose of longhaul jetlag + the sudden responsibility to serve as a big sister tour guide, and you’re gonna be wanting caffeine. Needing coffee.
Seriouslyyyy, whether this trio is in Brooklyn or the capital of Thailand - which, BTW, according to Time Out Asia, is “officially the most visited city on the planet” at this point in time - we’re gonna be on the look-out for appropriately decadent + drizzled caramel macchiatos and top quality oat lattes. His, hers, hers. Bro, fiancée, jess.
Look at that. Family time and some indulging! Bring on the photogenic caffeine. An impending examination of Bangkok oat lattes. What a throwback title that only my longtime friend and Portland vegan coffeeshop owner Karla just may recognize the distant the nod to. The throwback to the late, great soy latte photo essay exercise of the earlier ‘oughts. Eh, I know what I mean. <3
That’s the point of this missive - as was proper caffeination!
These cups were nostalgic / purposeful / contemporary / calming / activating = all of that.
Cooler weather + lovely lattes.
Happenstance and neighborhoods. Photos follow.
Hi. Did you know? Both Arabica and Robusta beans are grown, farmed and roasted across different regions of Thailand. Many coffee shops I’ve dug in both Bangkok and Chiang Mai offer a choice between varieties for cups and beans.
I made repeat visits to stof below for multiple reasons. Location, price, quality, assortment + ambiance ! Then, a power walk across the Siam BTS platform or street to the mall basement across the street to Talalak’s for consistently flavorful, good eats.
Okay, the next cup had nothing on the same drink from dear Roastniyom in Chiang Mai. Between us, once more.
“Yeah, what flavors you got? You got caramel?” - my brother walking into any cafe.
[video caption = my brother’s Suprema being poured / factory coffee / december 5, 2025]
Ah. Inevitably, these cups are often plastic. Sometimes a surprise. You do what you can, and avoid when feasible.
Phew, paper cup.
Uh, this was me making a DIY Vietnamese-style Cà phê cốt dừa (coconut blended coffee) in Thailand. Mhm, check-mark.
Do you have a go-to spot for a latte afternoon?
Some personal background…for those who don’t know me well…YET…let the record state that I spent my 20s & 30s as a devoted soy and then-oat latte sipper in my prior life in the Pacific Northwest.
Where I learned coffee culture was a way of life, long before this relocation to Vietnam.
Sitting in Stumptowns - in “Stumptown” itself (okay, since rebranded Portlandia for a turn there) - when it had a mere three small locations. Before national exposure, sell-out status and oat milk was a thing, to boot. Eh, let that one echo for two particular coffee and oat brand empires.
On a more fond note, I think back to spending time in Portland, Seattle, Olympia, Astoria, and all that lush land and the big & small cities alike all over these vast, interesting states where the beans roast, the brussels and berries grow, and the baristas totally do their thing. 🖤 ☕ 🖤
Oh, my, gosh.
As for that sole, absolutely lovely latte in Da Nang that I mentioned in the beginning - here’s the dramatic reveal - it turned out to the walnut milk! NOT OAT. It was too creamy and good to be true. I didn’t order it myself, for another record.
Take it off my list, as I’ll sadly confirm from behind my non-fatal though-very much-existing treenut allergies. ‘Doh.
Oh, I’ve had acceptable ones here. There’s just, no need and it’s not usually my scene.
References + Relevant Links:
Bangkok lattes + coffee in this episode:
Chongsook Coffee ชงสุข in Silom
Factory Coffee in Phaya Thai
Number 9 Coffee Roastery x Wang Lang Siriraj (วังหลัง ศิริราช)
nip coffee @ Post / MBK
stof.coffee สาขา @ SiamSquare1
Coffee From Thailand: The Creative Flavours Of Thai Coffee, HOMEGROUNDS December 6, 2023
dare to duran - dream of dragonfruit, the scone archives november 1, 2025
A few Da Nang lattes I do enjoy: Minbrew Coffee Lab, Roost Coffee Roasters + Lapin Bakery + Dessert Cafe (granted, they carried walnut milk, though it was dreamy)
Jet Black Coffee Company in Portland, OR
These three Asian cities ranked among the top 10 city destinations in the world in 2025, Time Out Asia December 9, 2025
P.S. Pssst, oat milk very much does exist in Da Nang at cafes and stores. Multiple brands. Even reasonably priced barista editions. Hi, Singapore brand Oatside is all over the place in both Thailand and Vietnam. Including my fridge. : )
Family time and photogenic caffeine sounds perfect to me!
What a delicious list! Jess, I am so curious about that yuzu coffee! And the passionfruit one! Are they like espresso tonics? I’ve just gotten into those recently. Love the vibrant cafe culture you are experiencing.