SS1254372 Cafe, Chiang Mai

I don’t think I’ve ever seen such a concentration of independent cafes and coffee shops in one place like I did in Chiang Mai. SS1254372 Cafe is one of those independents that definitely stood out from the crowd. It was a tranquil spot. I could happily spend my days people watching in cafes with some kind of tasty beverage in hand!

SS1254372 Cafe is situated in the rather hip Nimman area of Chiang Mai and was just moments from out hotel. We discovered this ultra cute cafe whilst exploring and wandering down the soi’s. Nimmanhaemin Road is probably the best place to cafe hop in Chiang Mai as there are so many different options. Which was one of my top things to do in Chiang Mai. Each cafe has it’s own character so make sure you explore!

The coffee culture has exploded in Chiang Mai over recent years and its great to see such passion and quality in whats on offer. And that is definitely evident at SS1254372 Cafe. This art cafe is a beautiful space that also serves beautiful fresh food and equally great drinks and coffees. I was feeling a little under the weather when we came here and my stomach was a little fragile so I opted for a rather small meal – very unlike me!

I went straight for the drinks – you know when you feel poorly and you just want something with flavour? So I ordered a tea and soda. They were good. Like real good. I wanted to order another two but D told me to calm down, I’d had enough excitement for one day and shouldn’t over-do it. He was right. Damn it.

This might sound a little crazy, but it was the best herbal tea I’ve ever had! I don’t really do the whole herbal tea thing, not when it’s tea bags. Don’t get me wrong, I absolutely love a green tea, but the fruit ones always smell better than they taste – who else finds this!?

But oh no. Not this tea. I ordered a ginger, lemongrass and honey tea. This definitely had no tea bag involved. It was almost a little thick, you could tell fresh ingredients had been used. It may have started as a paste with hot water poured over it – the consistency was a little like that of gravy (obviously way better though). But yes, it was spicy and fragrant and sweet all at once and perfect for how I was feeling.

I also ordered one of the fresh sodas on offer. Whilst we were looking through the menu we saw a few come out and they looked so thirst quenching and ice cold. We didn’t want to miss out so ordered some for us. Fresh fruit added to soda, so simple but perfect for the hot weather. And I loved how the sodas and cold drinks were served in little jars – if I ever open my own place this is how I’m serving my drinks!

D ordered poached eggs on toast with asparagus, mange tout and bacon and a portion of chicken on the side (standard). It came with a lovely tangy sauce too. The dish was simple and fresh, just like most of the food here.

I definitely kept things on the small side. I really must have been feeling ill! One slice of toast was topped with slices of ripe, sweet and super juicy mango. It was finished off with a drizzle of honey and sprinkle of toasted almonds and coconut. Mango on toast – who knew!? Amazing delicious. Tried to recreate this at home. Don’t. No mango will ever compare to the mangos in Thailand.

As well as a cafe there is a gallery off the court yard. The whole place is filled with fun and quirky items. After we finished we wandered around the little gallery. There was a mix between paintings and sculptures and something around every corner.

This is where we discovered Besto Boy. Created by the artist Torlap Larpjaroensook (Hern) who we got to meet whilst there. He created a few differentiations of these, to depict a changing story – Besto meets a lady friend in the end! You can see a life-size one here, but ours is about 20cm tall. Anyway, D had to have it. I think only 500 were made, and we managed to bring him back safely half way around the world to our home in London!

Everything here was bright and happy. I loved sitting outside opposite the gallery, the space filled with beautiful tables and walls. Basically I miss this place! SS1254372 Cafe is the perfect spot to enjoy breakfast or lunch. Oh and the name? Well from what I could understand it’s the length of the space in millimeters. What a great name!

Do you like spending hours people watching in cafes? Are there any like this spot in London!?

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