Sanyong Cafe in Nonthaburi
With its sloping roofs and red lanterns, Sanyong Cafe is a cozy hidden cafe in Nonthaburi that brings to mind teahouses you’d find along the streets of the Forbidden City. You know those little pitstops your OTP in wuxia C-dramas will swing by on their mission to uncover the truth behind the protagonist’s birth and secret kingship. I digress, of course.
If you’re a bit of an old soul, you’ll definitely want to pop by this retro cafe in Thailand to try their signature croffles or spend a sleepy afternoon sipping tea – and spilling the tea – with the squad.
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Sloping tiled roof at the entrance resembles a quaint teahouse
Image credit: @taii.jon.yen
Right from the entrance, as a passerby peering in, the sloping tiled roof that extends upwards for 2 storeys definitely piques our interest. Because it’s such a statement piece in terms of architecture, we’d recommend standing further away to admire it before heading in for your little Journey To The North.
Image credit: Sanyongcafe
The moment you step into the cafe, it is almost as if you took a trip to an older part of China and visited a quaint little teahouse there, albeit with modern twists.
Image credit: @taii.jon.yen
Look out for the geometric mosiac squares fronting the cafe’s bar, paired with a deconstructed stone floor – an homage to the architecture you’d see in a lot of traditional Chinese homes.
Image credit: @taii.jon.yen
The natural lighting in the cafe also makes for a backdrop to snap mandatory pics for the ‘gram when you visit. We’d recommend posing near props from the past, notably: the traditional abacus and old fans as well as scrolled paintings hung up on the wall.
Anywho, if you think this cafe’s just all about references to its Thai-Chinese heritage, think again. There are two levels to this establishment, and once we go upstairs, the mood changes immediately.
Second floor loft features more private seating and mood lighting
Image credit: Bonita VoYage
With wooden blinds lining the windows on the second level, the ambience here seems to be more moody than the naturally lit ground floor.
With the air of privacy around you, this could make for a perfect place for a private business meeting.
Image credit: Bonita VoYage
Alternatively, for those looking for a cafe where you can have a more intimate afternoon date, this almost feels like a daytime speakeasy.
Image credit: Sanyongcafe
With the warm rays of the setting sun peeking in through the blinds at around 5PM, we think this loft area could easily pass for another place altogether. Now that we’ve discussed the ambience and architecture, it’s about time to check out Sanyong Cafe’s menu offerings.
Modern cafe fare like signature croffles or galorgee
Image credit: Sanyongcafe
I love a cafe that not only makes a good coffee, but also offers yummy bakes. Sanyong Cafe certainly has your typical fare, but we’ll zone in on this signature dessert: Galorgee. For context, Galorgee is an ancient Chinese dessert that’s a savoury pan-fried version of glutinous rice dough.
So for those of you looking to switch it up from Mango Sticky Rice, you could give this dish a shot.
Image credit: Sanyongcafe
There’s just something comforting not having to pick between a croissant or a waffle, so do consider their Signature Croffles, served with jam on the side. A perfect pairing for an iced latte in the afternoon heat.
Image credit: Sanyongcafe
For drinks, pick from specialty coffees like their Black Lychee Latte ฿90 (~USD2.60). Fellow tea drinkers, we got you covered as well. Sanyong Cafe recently introduced a new matcha menu. We spotted an intriguing Honey Lemon Matcha going for only ฿115 (~USD3.40), making their drinks not just incredibly presentable and tasty, but also pretty affordable.
Getting to Sanyong Cafe
If you love your afternoon coffees or teas, and admiring architecture that pays homage to other cultures with a modern twist, then perhaps it’s time for you to add this retro Thai-Chinese teahouse to your bucket list.
Sanyong Cafe could very well be the hidden pitstop you’ll need to fuel up, while on road trips to Nonthaburi.
Plus points for being able to fool your TikTok followers into thinking you stopped by a legit Chinese teahouse, while you’re in Thailand, of course.
Sanyong Cafe
Address: 22/33 หมู่ที่ 10 Bang Mae Nang, Bang Yai District, Nonthaburi 11140
Opening Hours: Sunday – Friday, 7.30AM – 7PM
Telephone: +66 8 9891 3118
Sanyong Cafe Facebook | Instagram | Google Maps
Cover images adapted from: @taii.jon.yen, @sanyong.cafe, @taii.jon.yen