Bangkok's matcha scene has grown a lot in the last three years. Now, it's much more than just sweet green lattes. You can find good tea, Japanese-Korean-Thai desserts, and café spots that feel as nice as the ones in Tokyo. This guide shares eight great cafés in four parts of the city. It also tells you what to get, what not to pick, and how to get around the city's matcha scene if you are going there alone.
Why Bangkok for Matcha?
Bangkok is at a special point where cultures mix. Japanese tea culture came here many years ago with people who moved from other countries and with fancy restaurants. But in the last five years, there is a new group of Thai café owners. Many of them trained in Japan or Korea. They have helped to make a new matcha scene in Bangkok. People now care a lot about where matcha comes from. They also love to show it in fun ways and are not afraid to mix old and new styles.
You can see a Thai barista, who learned in Kyoto, make Uji matcha. This tea might be served with a pandan-flavored madeleine inside an old shop turned into a café. This mix of styles is now something the city is known for.
Three things that define Bangkok matcha culture:
Trusted sources of tea. The best cafés get tea right from Uji and Kagoshima. Baristas can tell you the farm, the type of plant, and the season it was picked.
Thai flavour integration. You get pandan, coconut, mango, and Thai tea mixed with matcha. It comes together in a way that feels natural and not just for show.
Space as experience. Many Bangkok cafés put a lot into how their place looks. You will see simple Japanese style mixed with green Thai plants. The feel of the space adds to your drink.
Neighbourhood Guide Along Green Sky Train Line
Ari — The Residential Gem
Ari is in the north part of the city. It has many trees and buildings that are not very tall. Many young, creative people in Bangkok want to live there. The coffee shops found in Ari feel relaxed and run by people from the area. There are not many tourists here, and for many people, that is the good thing about it.
1. Nana Coffee Roasters — Ari
This is the main spot for Bangkok's most respected coffee roaster. They also take matcha very seriously. You will get Uji matcha, made fresh just for you, and it's served in handmade ceramic bowls. The place is a house from the middle of the last century, and it sits in tropical gardens. Try to go on a weekday morning when there are not many people. Ask for the usucha and a slice of pandan coconut cake. The pandan gives a green, plant taste, and the matcha brings that deep umami flavor. You might think these flavors won’t work together, but they go very well. Soi Ari 4, ~฿180–320 ($5–9 USD).
2. Kaizen Coffee — Ari
This is a small café with a simple look. A Thai barista runs it, and he learned how to make drinks in both Melbourne and Kyoto. The matcha comes from Kagoshima. You can get it three ways here: the old style usucha, an iced latte with oat milk, or a special matcha tonic with yuzu and Thai basil. The tonic is the best of the three. It is bubbly, has a fresh herb taste, and feels new. You can't get a drink like this in other places. Soi Ari 2, ~฿150–250 ($4–7 USD).
Ekkamai & Thonglor — The Sophisticated Strip
Ekkamai and Thonglor make up the high-end dining area in Bangkok. The cafés in this place look stylish, and have a modern feel. Prices here can be high. If you want a nice matcha drink, you should come here.
3. Peace Oriental Tea House — Ekkamai
The Bangkok location of a Japanese tea house sits in a white simple building with a koi pond. The place offers more than 20 kinds of matcha, from top grade to high quality. The tea menu is 12 pages long. The staff wear linen aprons and talk in soft voices. This is not the kind of café where you use a laptop. It is a place to have tea the old way. Try the matcha flight. You get three different grades of matcha next to each other, with a small sweet between sips to clear your mouth. Ekkamai Soi 10, ~฿250–450 ($7–13 USD).
4. Simple. Natural Kitchen — Thonglor
Don’t let the health-food feel trick you. This sunny café has what many say is one of the best matcha lattes in Bangkok. They use organic Uji matcha and make their own almond-coconut milk, not oat milk. This gives the latte a sweet taste and a creamy feel that goes well with the matcha flavor. The drink is smooth but still lets you taste the tea. The menu is all gluten-free and has no refined sugar, but it tastes really good.
Get the matcha latte and try the charcoal matcha waffle with coconut yoghurt. Thonglor Soi 13, ~฿180–280 ($5–8 USD).
Sathorn & Silom — The Urban Escape
Sathorn is where you will find many banks and big offices in Bangkok. There are tall glass buildings, lots of cars, and many good cafés hiding in small side streets. These spots serve food and drinks to people who work at offices and design studios in the area.
5. Rocket Coffeebar — Sathorn
This café brings together Scandinavian and Thai styles. It has been well known in Bangkok for almost ten years. The Sathorn branch is a bright place with tall ceilings and a mezzanine. While their matcha menu may not be the biggest in the city, what they serve is always good. The iced matcha latte is a favorite here. It is not too sweet and comes in a tall glass. There is one big ice cube in it that melts slowly. It’s good to enjoy it with their cardamom bun. Sathorn Soi 12, ~฿160–220 ($4.50–6 USD).
6. Hands and Heart — Silom
A popular and simple café from the team behind some of Bangkok's best coffee spots. The Silom spot is small. It is a white building with a window for takeaway orders. The matcha at this place tastes great. They make it with Uji matcha from one place. You can get it straight (usucha-style) or with milk (latte). The straight one is for people who want the true matcha taste. The one with milk is what most people pick. Both drinks are made with water and milk at set temperatures every time. There is no food, Wi-Fi, or places to sit—just a window and the best drink. Silom Soi 7, ~฿120–180 ($3.50–5 USD).
Yaowarat (Chinatown) — The Unexpected Find
Bangkok's Chinatown is famous for street food, gold shops, and a lot going on. You do not really think of matcha here. But now, some young café owners have set up in old shophouses. They have made some of the city's most new and special places.
7. Wallflowers Café — Yaowarat
There is a rooftop garden café on top of a flower shop. It sits in a shophouse that is over one hundred years old. The matcha they serve is good, but not the best. Most people come here for the feel of the place. There are three floors. You will see old furniture, lots of green plants, and nice views of Chinatown.
It is best to visit at sunset. You can order the matcha affogato. This is a scoop of vanilla ice cream with some hot matcha poured on top. While you enjoy it, look down at the street and see it change as neon signs flicker on. Soi Nana (Chinatown), ~฿180–250 ($5–7 USD).
8. As.is Coffee — Yaowarat
This small coffee bar is in a narrow Chinatown lane. The owner used to be an architect. He made the design himself with raw concrete, warm wood, and room for only one barista. The barista works by hand with an espresso machine and a matcha whisk. They serve just one kind of matcha, called usucha. There is no milk, no sugar, and no other choices. It's known as the boldest matcha drink you can get in Bangkok. You stand while you drink, then you go. The whole visit is done in about ten minutes and costs less than $3. Trok Itsaranuphap, ~฿100 ($2.80 USD).
What to Order in Bangkok
The Bangkok Matcha Lexicon:
Matcha Yen (ชาเขียวเย็น) — This is an iced matcha latte. At most cafés, this is the drink people order by default. Be sure to say "wan noi" if you want it less sweet, because in Thailand, they use a lot of sugar.
- Matcha Ron (ชาเขียวร้อน) — A hot matcha latte. You do not see this drink as much, but you can get it at some coffee shops.
Matcha Sot (มัทฉะสด) — "Fresh matcha," means matcha that is whisked with only water. This is for people who want pure matcha. You can get this drink at a few good cafés.
Matcha Bingsoo (บิงซูมัทฉะ) — This is Korean-style shaved ice topped with matcha syrup. You can find it at Korean-Thai dessert cafés. This dessert is made to share with people. It is not for one person, unless you really want to eat it alone.
The Bangkok Matcha Hack: Ask for a "matcha yen, wan noi, oat milk" at any café that has good drinks. You will get a balanced drink. If you are at a regular café that does not have milk choices, say "matcha yen, wan noi, coconut milk." A lot of Thai cafés have coconut milk, and they will make it for you. This makes the drink feel creamier and gives it more of a tropical flavor than the usual drink.
Matcha Maya's Travel Notes — Bangkok
Neighbourhoods featured: Ari (a place where people live, creative, quiet), Ekkamai/Thonglor (upscale, with new design), Sathorn/Silom (in the city, gets things done), Yaowarat (old, busy, surprising).
Cost:
- Ceremonial usucha — ฿100–250 ($2.80–7 USD)
- Matcha latte (hot or iced) — ฿120–220 ($3.50–6 USD)
- Matcha flight (3 grades) — ฿350–450 ($10–13 USD)
- Matcha dessert (cake, waffle, bingsoo) — ฿150–350 ($4–10 USD)
- Matcha affogato — ฿180–250 ($5–7 USD)
Best time to visit: November to February is the cool season. The temperature is between 25–30°C (77–86°F), and the air feels less sticky. You can sit outside and feel good. From March to May, it gets hot. That is when you want to be inside air-conditioned cafés. Walking outside will feel tough. June to October is when it rains more. Not many people visit then, and the city looks green. But, you should get ready for heavy rain in the afternoon.
Getting around:
The BTS Skytrain goes to Ari, Ekkamai, Thonglor, Sathorn, and Silom. The MRT stops at Yaowarat at Wat Mangkon station. You can use Grab (it is like Uber in Southeast Asia), and it is good and not too pricey. Tuk-tuks are fun to try once, but they can cost too much and feel hot. Be sure to talk about the price before you get in.
Safety for solo travellers: Bangkok is safe for people who travel alone if you follow some basic safety tips you use in the city. Stay in well-lit spots. Use trusted ride-hailing apps. There are many cafés, so you will often be around other people even when the place is new to you. Watch out for busy traffic and always cross the road with care. The weather can also be very hot, so make sure you drink water when you stop for matcha.
Suggested one-day matcha route:
Start the day at Hands and Heart (Silom). Have your morning usucha there.
Take the BTS to Ekkamai. Try the matcha flight at Peace Oriental Tea House.
Walk to Thonglor. Get a matcha latte at Simple. Natural Kitchen.
Take the BTS in the afternoon to Ari. Taste the pandan cake at Nana Coffee Roasters.
In the evening, use Grab to go to Yaowarat. Watch the sunset and have an affogato at Wallflowers Café.
There are six stops, and you will go through four neighbourhoods, all in one day.
## Related Articles on MATCHA MAYA
Matcha Around the World: A Solo Traveller's Global Guide — The main part this guide links back to
- Interview: Bangkok Matcha Café Founder — Coming up next in the series, you will get to hear from a Thai-Japanese café owner about the city’s matcha scene and how it has changed over time.
How to Order Matcha in Japan — A simple guide that helps you get around the Japanese tea culture
Matcha in Seoul: Cafés, Desserts and Tea Culture — The Seoul companion guide
This guide is part of MATCHA MAYA's city series. There is one city and eight cafés. You will find lots of matcha. The next stop is Kyoto.
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