Tucked in the same soi as the Jim Thompson House, Cafe at Ease sees a giant tree shooting through the conservatory’s roof, Eames chairs, earth-tone tiles and Astroturf all jammed into one space. Fittingly, the space is also both a café and shop, selling bric-a-brac curated by Monrissa Leenutaphong, of Monrissa Couture. Among the t-shirts, stationery and some artworks she has selected, you’ll be sipping rose tea (B150), orange and cinnamon rooibos tea (B185) or an English Tea Set of chamomile tea (B185) served with milk and lemon. The food menu ranges from desserts—passion fruit tart (B150) or a slice of dark chocolate tart (B150)—to BBQ chicken wings (B115) and grilled mussels with cheese and garlic (B140).

 

Tea Avenue serves up more than 70 different blends of tea along with sweets like brownie (B75) and strawberry yoghurt cheesecake (B95). After taking tea sommelier courses with the Tea Association of Canada, the owners, a couple, returned home and are putting their efforts into developing intriguing flavors like black tea with raspberry and popcorn, yellow tea or rooibos with cranberry and vanilla. All blends start from B90 a pot with choices hailing from places like South Africa, Taiwan and China. 

 

Born in 1880, Fauchon is a French delicatessen (or “epicerie fine” as they say in Paris), best known for selling jars of foie gras, boxes of chocolates and macarons. Just like LeNotre or Dean & Deluca, this old dame is now being pimped out as a global name, with the first Bangkok address opening at Groove. The décor is all about the brand’s trademark mix of pink and black while the menu is big on pastries and tea. Your cup of thé (B290) is available in six flavors such as salted caramel oolong tea and violet and wild strawberry tea. You can also bring it home in the cute packages (B995 for 100 grams). The macarons (B95) claim to follow the recipes from the mother branch in Paris, as do the delicate vanilla millefeuille (B200) or charlotte fraise framboise (B250). If you need more than tea for the weekend, there’s also a mojito royale (B790)—Parisians’ favorite cocktail.

 

Speaking of French patisseries, LeNotre’s old space at Paragon has been taken over by the British. We like what they have done to the place, from the giant teddy bear out front to the colonial revamp and new mezzanine space. Harrods’ afternoon tea set (from B390) comes with parade of sweet items such as macarons, cupcake, scones and lemon tart, while the tea is Harrods’ blends, shipped in straight from London, such as the popular No. 14 English Breakfast Blend. Feeling adventurous? Ask for a whiff of the 15 varieties on offer and pick your fave.