Chiang Mai
Best Coffee in Chiang Mai
Chiang Mai is the heart of Thai specialty coffee — the surrounding northern highlands grow most of the country's arabica. Nimman is the cafe district; the Old City has more atmospheric spots in restored Lanna houses.
Top Picks
- 1
Ristr8to
Nimman
Multi-time world latte art champion Arnon's flagship — the most awarded coffee shop in Thailand.
120 THBWalk-in, queues 9-11 AM - 2
Akha Ama Coffee
Old City
Direct-trade cafe sourcing beans from one Akha hill-tribe village — the social-enterprise role model of Thai coffee.
90 THBWalk-in - 3
Graph Cafe
Old City
Cult micro-cafe in a converted shophouse — five seats, world-class technique, often a 45-min wait.
180 THBWalk-in, expect to wait - 4
Wawee Coffee
Multiple branches
Local Chiang Mai chain (15+ branches) that started as a single hill-tribe coffee farm — solid, comfortable, reliable wifi.
80 THBWalk-in
Tips
- Ristr8to in Nimman gets queues between 9 and 11 AM — arrive outside that window if you want a seat.
- Graph Cafe has five seats in a converted Old City shophouse, so a 45-minute wait is normal — factor that into any coffee crawl.
- Wawee Coffee is the reliable fallback at 80 THB across its 15+ branches, useful when Ristr8to or Graph are full.
- Akha Ama's 90 THB cup is sourced from a single Akha hill-tribe village — worth asking staff which harvest is currently on offer.
- Prices run from 80 THB at Wawee to 180 THB at Graph — the gap is mostly about seating and queue time, not bean quality.
Frequently Asked Questions
More Chiang Mai guides → All Best Of Chiang Mai