Chiang Mai is a popular destination for digital nomads and entrepreneurs alike. There are many cafes in Chiang Mai (with free wifi) that are worth checking out and spending your baht on, so do not coop yourselves up in the hotel! While co-working spaces are aplenty in Chiang Mai, I’m sure you would rather check out a new café every day and indulge in delicious food and drinks, right?
Internet access is always of top priority for people with location-independent jobs. Trust me, I know how you guys feel! That was once upon a time my daily routine. If you are planning to visit Chiang Mai and need a list of beautiful cafes with reliable wifi, then this concise listicle of Chiang Mai cafes with complimentary wifi might just come in handy for your upcoming trip.
1. Akha Ama Coffee La Fattoria – Fair trade coffee by the Akha people
Akha Ama Coffee La Fattoria is only a 5-minute walk from Wat Chedi Luang temple and makes a great pit stop after hours of exploration. From bean to cup, the social enterprise is involved in every step of its coffee production process. You can also purchase Akha Ama Coffee’s roasted beans and coffee blends here (fair trade coffee beans are sourced from the village of Maejantai).
Note that no proper food is served at Akha Ama Coffee La Fattoria. Only cakes and other pastries are available, so don’t come here with an empty stomach! Prices here range from 50 baht for a Flat White to 85 baht for a Cold White Pour Over. That’s almost three times cheaper than the rates in Singapore.
Address: Si Phum, Mueang Chiang Mai District, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand
2. Dom Cafe – A glasshouse cafe beside MAYA Lifestyle Shopping Centre
Dom Café is a cute café characterised by floor-to-ceiling glass panelled windows. The venue spans across two levels and a massive cat statue sits at the entrance. It’s impossible to miss the glasshouse when you are in the Think Park vicinity. Dom Café is also a stone’s throw away from MAYA Lifestyle Shopping Centre and my favourite local eatery Gopuek Godum.
Dom Café’s Tom Yum Kung Spaghetti (185 baht) was surprisingly delicious, albeit a tad too spicy. We also recommend their Charcoal Cubic Toast (185 baht) served with soft serve, strawberries and caramel. I’m not a fan of bingsu, but it seems like their Watermelon Snowie Bingsu (185 baht) – stuffed with lychee jelly, refreshing longan ice cream and real logan – is the most popular dessert in Dom Café. We didn’t get to try their drinks, so no comments about their coffee.
If you were wondering… There aren’t any typos in the prices. Each dish happened to be 185 baht!
Address: Huaykaew Rd, Tambon Su Thep, Amphoe Mueang Chiang Mai, 50200, Thailand
3. Ristr8to Specialty Coffee Crafters – Award-winning Coffee Awaits
Ristr8to Specialty Coffee Crafters is Chiang Mai’s most popular café. Coffee is serious business here. Take a look at the coffee menu and you will know what we mean. Every year, the Ristr8to team travels far and wide to further develop their already established coffee menu. Look forward to Rist8to’s Spanish Cortado, Melburnian Magic, Italian Marocchino and more (88 baht each).
A multitude of single-origin coffees and blends can be found here. Ristr8to’s owner, Arnon Thitiprasert, was first introduced to coffee in Sydney and there was no turning back. He went on to win Thailand National Latte Art Championship thrice and there are now three Ristr8to outlets in Chiang Mai. I can totally picture myself returning daily if I were to live in Chiang Mai.
Address: 15/3 Nimmanhaemin road, Suthep, Mueang, เชียงใหม่ 50200, Thailand
4. The Barn: Eatery Design – Do not bring your girlfriend here
I burst out laughing when someone commented ‘do not bring your girlfriend here’ on The Barn: Eatery Design’s Trip Advisor. It’s true, though. The Barn: Eatery Design’s is indeed every bit Instagram worthy – I will let the pictures above do the talking. Visitors can chill at the outdoor courtyard under the pretty fairy lights or dine inside the rustic wooden barn.
When I entered The Barn: Eatery Design, everyone was studying or working on their laptops… I felt compelled to work too! I really enjoyed their Shabu Pork with Curry and Fried Chicken Wings. However, their coffee was… Disappointing. Perhaps you would like to get a bottled craft beer instead.
Fun fact: A few Chiang Mai University students opened this wooden barn as their final year project.
Address: 14 Srivichai Soi 5, ตำบล สุเทพ Amphoe Mueang Chiang Mai, 50200, Thailand
5. Yaring Royal Southern Cuisine – A halal cafe famous for Nasi Kerabu
Yaring Royal Southern Cuisine is actually located within the Muslim-friendly Chang Moi House (Little Village) Boutique Hotel. The intimate café serves halal traditional Thai food from both the South and the North. However, their most popular dish is actually the Nasi Kerabu, a Malaysian delicacy.
The fragrant rice has been dyed blue with butterfly pea flower and is served with a variety of herbs, spices and a halved boiled egg. How to eat it: Pour the anchovy sauce over the dish, mix it and dig in!
Address: 37 ถ ช้าง ม่อย เก่า ช้างม่อย เมือง โทร 084-4065573 Chang Wat Chiang Mai 50300, Thailand
