Best Cafés to Work From in Chiang Mai

Chiang Mai, in Thailand, is one of the main digital nomad hubs in the world, not just in Southeast Asia, and it’s easy to see why.
I spent a few months living in this wonderful city in northern Thailand, during which I had the chance to try dozens of coffee shops and co-working spaces. While cafés are usually free to enter, co-working spaces require an entrance fee, but both offer comfortable environments to work from, with some being more suitable for meetings than others. These are the places I ended up enjoying the most.

Blue coffee at Agriculture CMU - Café

Comfort - 7/10
This modern coffee shop is well suited for focused work, offering different desk setups and decent chairs. While the tables aren’t very spacious, they’re ideal for solo laptop sessions. The atmosphere stays relaxed and quiet even when the café is full (from 12pm to 3pm is almost always full!), though it’s not suitable for meetings.

Ambience - 8/10
The ambience is definitely the highlight. The café features beautifully designed architecture with large glass walls and a lovely view over the agricultural allotments at the back, which change throughout the year and add a calm, natural touch.

Wifi - 8/10
The Wi-Fi is reliable and suitable for everyday remote work. When you buy a drink at the counter, you’ll receive a 4-hour Wi-Fi voucher.

Menu - 6/10
The menu offers a good selection of drinks, pastries, and cakes, but it’s quite limited and doesn’t really include proper meals.

Prices - 8/10
Prices on the menu are affordable, clearly designed for students from Chiang Mai University, which is located nearby. A coffee shop like this could easily charge an entrance fee, but that’s not the case.

The Baristro Asian Style - Café

Comfort - 7/10
This stylish, Japanese-inspired coffee shop offers a variety of seating options. While most are intended for enjoying food and drinks, a few spots are well suited for working, with comfortable tables, decent chairs, and easy access to power outlets. Some tables are located in the main room near the counter, where the atmosphere is livelier, while a separate room provides a calmer, more relaxed setting that’s better for focusing.
That said, it’s not ideal for meetings and tends to get quite busy in the afternoons and on weekends. Informal meetings could still work in the quieter room, though it’s not always completely silent.

Ambience - 9/10
The atmosphere is simply stunning, spacious and defined by Japanese-style wooden architecture and large glass windows overlooking the surrounding greenery and a peaceful zen garden. Coming here early in the morning, right at opening time, is the perfect way to start a productive day.

Wifi - 7/10
The Wi-Fi is reliable but not particularly fast. That said, it’s still better than what you’ll find in most coffee shops around Chiang Mai.

Menu - 8/10
The menu offers a good variety of options, from cakes and pastries to excellent sweet and savoury brunch dishes, snacks, and traditional Japanese desserts. The drinks menu is even more impressive, with plenty of choices, especially for matcha lovers.

Prices - 7/10
At the entrance, you’ll be asked to pay a minimum spend of ฿80 (about €2), which simply counts toward your order. In any case, very few items on the menu are priced below ฿80. Prices are slightly higher than the Chiang Mai average, but well justified by the unique atmosphere of the place.

BOB Coffee - Café

Comfort - 8/10
This hidden coffee shop near Chiang Mai’s city centre features two spacious rooms with different layouts designed for working, offering wide, solid tables and comfortable chairs. One room is air-conditioned and quieter, making it ideal for focused work, while the other is open on one side and slightly noisier. Despite this, both spaces are comfortable and well suited for working. Informal meetings can also work in the air-conditioned room, keeping in mind that it’s not completely silent and there’s light background music. A special mention goes to the excellent cleanliness and the very well-maintained toilets.

Ambience - 7/10
Although the interior spaces face a large parking area that isn’t particularly appealing (but is set well back from street noise), the inside of the café is stylish and well designed. Recycled materials and interesting finishes create a relaxed and pleasant atmosphere.

Wifi - 9/10
The Wi-Fi here is extremely reliable and very fast (around 400 Mbps). It never gave me any issues, even when the place gets busy in the late morning and early afternoon.

Menu - 6/10
The menu is quite limited, offering mainly beverages and a few croissants, with no proper meals available. However, many people leave their laptops at their desks during lunchtime and return afterward, as cameras monitor all areas.

Prices - 9/10
Prices for drinks are very affordable considering the quality of the space, especially since there’s no entrance or access fee. The coffee counter is located at the entrance, and there’s no pressure to keep ordering drinks while working.

The Baristro x Ping River - Café

Comfort - 7/10
This coffee shop, like its twin The Baristro Asian Style, offers a variety of seating options, both indoors and outdoors. While most visitors prefer sitting outside to enjoy their drinks and food with a beautiful river view, the interior, spread over two floors and several rooms, provides decent tables and acceptable chairs for working. The upstairs area in particular remains relatively calm even during the busiest hours, making it a convenient option for getting work done and informal meetings.

Ambience - 8/10
The indoor spaces feel slightly neglected at times, and the furnishings aren’t always the most stylish. However, the river view is undoubtedly the highlight of this café. Taking a short break to sit outside and enjoy the scenery is enough to recharge your energy in just a few minutes.

Wifi - 7/10
The Wi-Fi is reliable but not especially fast. Still, it performs better than what you’ll find in most coffee shops around Chiang Mai.

Menu - 8/10
The menu is the same as at The Baristro Asian Style and offers a wide variety of options, from beautiful, colourful cakes and pastries to excellent sweet and savoury brunch dishes and snacks. The drinks menu stands out even more, with plenty of choices, especially for matcha lovers.

Prices - 7/10
Prices are slightly higher than the Chiang Mai average, but well justified by the unique atmosphere and location of the place.