The cafe: The second branch of Baristro by Guu, the focus here is on quality cold brew and nitro coffee (B120), cute cakes (around B99) and bingsu shaved ice in funky flavors like pandanus (B129). 

 

 

The color: White

The vibe: The space is sparse and simple, with dark wood furniture and big stretches of wall broken up with an occasional plant. On roasting day, the scent of coffee wafts from the back room where the big drum roaster lives. This cafe has the advantage of being just beyond the main Nimman drag, meaning it’s peaceful in the way of a silent reading party (a real thing).

The cafe: The earthy cold brew is steeped overnight, and if you’re in the mood for something sweet, it comes with ginger caramel (B90), too. Don’t miss the cheesecake (B90), which is made daily and perfectly balances sweet and tart flavors.

 

 

The color: White

The vibe: You’d be forgiven for mistaking this coffee shop for a science lab given its glassy and glossy surfaces, boxy furniture and the clinical precision brought to bear on the drinks and baked goods. The bare-bones decor is consistent with their motto of “Quality and Fair,” here taken to mean ordinary prices and a down-to-earth atmosphere.

The cafe: Find Coffee’s affordable fare doesn’t compromise on quality. The daily-baked, small-batch Cruffin (cross a croissant with a muffin) comes in three lip-smacking flavors: custard, green tea and lemon. Keeping the coffee cheap (B40-B60) has meant sourcing locally, not a bad thing given what’s available these days in the foothills of Chiang Mai.

 

 

The color: White

The vibe: We cheated a little here: this relaxed cafe’s most striking feature is a blue truck that doubles as a countertop. Truck aside, the decor’s white in a mismatched, homey way that makes you feel like you’re hanging out in your friend’s shop-house.

The cafe: The vibe stems from the cafe’s origins as a weekend pop-up by the people behind Rubber Killer, a brand that turns old tires into backpacks, and Omnia cafe. Its success has meant it’s now open full-time, from 9am-5pm daily. The drink list is short and sweet: long black (B65), piccolo (B65), cold brew (B150) and the fancy stuff brewed in an Aeropress (B80) or a V-60 (B100).

 

 

The color: Pink

The vibe: Ever wondered what it’d be like to get coffee in a doll house? Here’s your chance. Surround yourself with flamingo sculptures, colorful treats in bell jars, potted flowers and neon signs with cloying, Insta-friendly declarations.

The cafe:  The focus here is frozen yogurt, which comes in the fruity flavors of mango, melon, blueberry and lychee, or plain. The real treat, though, is the offering of over 50 toppings, including fresh-cut fruit, gummies and all manner of cookie (B59 for 100g).

 

 

The color: White

The vibe: The favorite cafe of Chiang Mai University’s coffee snobs and Instagram aesthetes has opened a second branch in the Suthep district. Dash in for a quick morning coffee and you’ll invariably be drawn into the cafe’s cozy, loungey mood and the Scandinavian minimalism that’s right out of a Kinfolk photoshoot. (Drinking game: an espresso shot for every magazine on the shop’s IG.)

The cafe: It’s not all eye-candy either—the house-roasted coffee is delicious, whether served as espresso or in the rich and messy Iced Latte Lava, which comes with a foamy top and caramel dripping down the sides (B120). Don’t miss the shop’s specialty, the Jelly Black (only six cups per day, B95), which is coffee jelly with milk.

 

 

The color: Pink

The vibe: You get a tooth ache just stepping through the door. The decor here isn’t plush and furry in the usual way of cute cafes though, instead skewing minimalist, with a glass-brick wall and occasional signs the only ornamentation.

The cafe:  We’re convinced Cloud 9 is a euphemism for a sugar high. Everything on the menu here will have you buzzing for a good hour, whether that’s the drinks topped in clouds of cotton candy or the signature Fluffy Unicorn Poop, a double almond brownie with a heaping scoop of cookie & cream ice cream topped with cotton candy (B155). Another favorite is the You are the Straw to my Berry (B185): ice cream served with a bowl of cherries, strawberry sauce and condensed milk.

 

 

The color: Pink

The vibe: “Taste Me & Drink My Soul” is the neon slogan of Piccadilly, Nimman’s dessert extravaganza. Like its many sweet-shop peers, this snug spot comes in solid pink. The shop has its own alley with outdoor seating and a tree canopy for cloud cover, making this the perfect place to indulge in a cheat-day treat.

The cafe: We’d say it’s safe to judge this book by its cover: every item on the menu is picture-perfect and cute, the focus being ice cream festooned with kaleidoscopic toppings from Froot Loops and Pocky through marshmallows in myriad shapes. They also do baked goods like scones, brownies and cookies, which come together excellently in a mini high tea set.