Welcome to Simply Chiang Mai—a guide to the city’s vibrant breakfast, brunch, and coffee scene. New for 2025, Simply Chiang Mai helps navigate this culinary wonderland, showcasing favourite spots for coffee, brunch, and beyond.
Beyond the Temples
Chiang Mai is a place like no other. Surrounded by breathtaking mountains and lush jungle, it’s best known for its ancient temples, rich history, and vibrant culture. But beyond its spiritual and historical allure, Chiang Mai is also a paradise for food and coffee lovers. With a thriving community of coffee roasters, skilled baristas, and passionate coffee enthusiasts, it has earned its reputation as Thailand’s coffee capital.
Navigating Chiang Mai’s Gastronomic Gems
With thousands of cafes, coffee shops, and restaurants to explore—there are over 2,500 venues listed on TripAdvisor for Chiang Mai City alone!—choosing where to go can feel overwhelming. Simply Chiang Mai helps simplify this process, with a curated guide to regularly visited and treasured venues, focusing on daytime establishments within a 10-kilometre radius of the Old City. From charming cafes to vibrant brunch spots, these are the places that truly stand out. And while this guide is still a work in progress, there’s plenty more on the way.
Guided by Us, Judged by You
Recommendations stem from personal experiences and ongoing discoveries. The aim is to convey each venue’s atmosphere, style, and offerings, occasionally highlighting popular menu items based on reviews. While pride is taken in these selections, it’s understood that taste is subjective, and the final judgment is yours to make.
Where Taste and Style Collide
The ambience and design of an establishment can make all the difference in creating a memorable experience. And Chiang Mai’s venues excel in this regard. That’s why each of our recommendations includes a photo gallery, allowing you to glimpse the unique style that sets these spaces apart.
Decoding Simply Chiang Mai’s Coffee & Dining Categories
The lines between Coffee Shops, Cafes, and Restaurants often blur. In the main menu, you’ll find posts grouped into Coffee Shops and Cafes/Restaurants. Under Coffee Shops, you’ll find establishments where the focus is firmly on coffee, while Cafes/Restaurants generally feature a more extensive food menu and extra seating. Since there’s often a fine line between the two, you may not always agree with our groupings (you say potato, I say pot-ah-to 🙂 ).
But these are just initial groupings. You can also browse in our ‘Discover‘ menu via a broad selection of topics… like Table Service, Industrial Style, or Late Coffee. Or check out our A to Z listing.
Simply Chiang Mai (A-Z)
A note from the author:
Why Simply Chiang Mai?
Simply Chiang Mai is a personal project inspired by the vibrant and diverse restaurant and coffee culture of Chiang Mai. It began as an aide-memoire to capture and celebrate the incredible restaurants and cafes discovered over several years of living in this vibrant city. What started as a personal guide to help remember favourite spots has grown into a resource that will hopefully inspire you, too, as you decide where to explore next.
Stay tuned as the collection expands, with vibrant photo galleries and stories celebrating the city’s flavours, styles, and hidden gems.
