Digital nomads love the cafes in Southeast Asia for their quality coffee, fast WiFi and space to work in. Sammi and I found ourselves spending lots of time in these cafes, whether it be killing hours before an overnight train or simply taking the chance to cool off in the air conditioning. I was impressed at how hip these cafes were and they would fit right in in places like New York or Melbourne.
The Best Cafes in Southeast Asia
Nangnon Coffee, Chiang Rai, Thailand
Our hostel in Chiang Rai didn’t include breakfast, so after a night without A/C, we woke up early to have breakfast at this cafe near the night market. The cafe decor was cute and they made Sammi coffee art on her cappuccino. I, on the other hand, had eggs on toast. The space is small, but Nangnon Coffee gets their beans from northern Thailand, so you’re getting a local experience.
Joma Bakery Cafe, multiple locations
I first fell in love with Joma Bakery Cafe when we were looking for breakfast options near our hotel in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. We splurged on bagels (on par with American ones!) and chocolate chip cookies for our long ride back to Siem Reap. I was glad to see that there was another in Hanoi, where we spent all day using their WiFi, eating doughnuts and waiting for our night train to Hue. The Asian chain also has locations in Laos.
New Leaf Book Cafe, Siem Reap, Cambodia
New Leaf Book Café feels almost like a library in that it’s surrounded by books. The bookstore and cafe offers continental favorites with a Cambodian twist, like the chicken sandwich I had with taro fries. New Leaf also supports local NGOs and runs book drives and donations for local schools.
Sister Srey, Siem Reap, Cambodia
Two Aussie sisters run Sister Srey Café, so it makes sense that they would serve Australian coffee and food. The hipster decorated cafe offered a steak sandwich that reminded me of the ones I had at the pub I worked at in Sydney. We should have gone earlier, as they ran out of what Sammi wanted to order, but I still liked what I got. Every seat of the Old Market area cafe was also taken at 1 pm. I read back issues of Australian magazines while we waited.
Brooklyn Baker, Bangkok, Thailand
On our three days back in Bangkok while waiting for our Vietnam visas, Sammi wasn’t feeling well, so I went in search of lunch near our hotel. This is how I found my way to Brooklyn Baker, a cafe in a spa in a residential area of Phloen Chit.
The cafe had Instagram prints of New York City on the walls and sold delicious baked goods in addition to salads and sandwiches. I enjoyed an heirloom tomato salad with thick crusty bread croutons. The prices are higher than the other places I tried in Bangkok, but was worth it.
Cafe Bicycle, Bangkok, Thailand
On the same trip to Bangkok, we had a big breakfast at Cafe Bicycle, which offers all day breakfast in addition to lunch. It’s on the busy corner of Sukhumvit Road and is run by cycling enthusiasts. I had a delicious waffle with fresh fruit and powdered sugar on top. There were many people having business meetings while we were there. I loved that they offered free water cups for the hot Bangkok day.
L’uisine, Saigon, Vietnam
I had read about L’USINE before we arrived in Saigon and I was excited to try it out. It was difficult to find the location near the Opera House, but once we went down the alley and up the stairs, we were glad to settle down for a delicious sandwich and glass of wine.
I loved this place so much that we went two nights in a row and it was our last meal in Vietnam. They have a second location closer to Ben Thanh Market with a retail space and both have the same level of coffee and dishes. I loved the barbecue pork sandwich on French bread with potato salad, pictured above.
I haven’t been to SE Asia but nearby Malaysia, in Georgetown, there was great café culture. The iced coffees and great food were a lovely reprieve from the sticky weather!
I’ve heard good things about the cafes there, Naomi! Thanks for sharing.