Ten Relaxing Coffee Shops In Hat Yai
Introduction
When I first arrived in Hat Yai at the end of 2003 there were very few Western style coffee shops where you could sit down for a drink and cake.
Some time after that there began a coffee shop craze and lots of coffee shops started to open. Thais earn very little as employees and all Thais want to have their own business. Owning a successful coffee shop is an attractive business proposition and I think that was one reason for the coffee shop boom.
Another factor was the introduction of Wi-Fi Internet. Thais were late starters with the Internet, but now they are avid Facebook users and they all have Smartphones. Coffee shops offer free Wi-Fi and this draws people in.
At the end of 2003 it was easy for me to make recommendations because there were so few coffee shops. The problem these days, with so many coffee shops, is being spoilt for choice and not knowing where the best places are.
As I am a permanent Hat Yai resident I see and use coffee shops every day. Below is a list of ten places I think are worth visiting.
As with my other 'Lists of Ten' on this site I refrain from using adjectives such as 'Top' or 'Best'. Any list like this is purely subjective and objectively there are no Top Ten lists or best coffee shops. It depends on individual taste and preferences.
Nonetheless, if you want to drink coffee in a comfortable environment, if you have some work to do, or if you simply enjoy cafe hopping, here are ten places that I think you will enjoy.
Comments: This is one of the most upmarket cafe/restaurants in Hat Yai. Great food, great cakes, great drinks, great atmosphere.
It's a little way off the well-beaten tourist trail, but well worth finding.
More Information: Billin Cafe Bistro
Comments: Chill Chill has been around for several years, but it is in a location that will never be found by tourists. The only reason I found it years ago is that I used to walk everywhere in Hat Yai to find out what was there.
Chill Chill has a wonderful garden area filled with plants and lots of bonsai trees, which creates a very relaxing atmosphere to sit down with a drink. The upstairs wooden decking area in the garden resembles a cross between an old timber ship and a Robinson Crusoe style tree house. The staff are really friendly, the cakes and drinks are good, and prices are very reasonable.
One criticism, and this is quite a common criticism in Thailand, is that the drinks are often quite sweet. If you don't usually take sugar in your coffee, you will probably find the coffee as it is served too sweet for your taste.
More Information: Chill Chill
Comments: The only downside to Coffee Craft is that most visitors to Hat Yai will stay in the downtown area and this restaurant is located near the airport. However, as you pass by - going to or from the airport - it is a great place to stop for a drink or bite to eat.
The interior decoration is first class and I find the atmosphere really relaxing. On offer are an excellent selection of hot and cold drinks, breakfasts, Thai food, burgers, spaghetti, steaks and salads.
Prices are very reasonable and there is ample parking.
More Information: Coffee Craft
Comments: Coffee D used to be a massage shop. It's in a fairly seedy area with several Karaoke shops and aap op nuat establishments nearby, but the coffee shop itself is a little gem.
The interior design is so attractive that I found myself talking to the owner with a view to doing some similar things in my own home. The beverages are excellent and the shop also sells fresh coffee beans and tea, etc, to make drinks at home.
More Information: Coffee D
Comments: This place was recommended by a friend. The owners were taught to bake authentic American-style pies and desserts by a Thai lady who lives in the States.
The desserts here are probably the best in Hat Yai.
More Information: The Company
Comments: Owned by a dentist (the dental clinic is located above) this place has a pleasant atmosphere and sells food and drink that is tasty and reasonably priced.
More Information: Dent Cafe
Comments: Ep's was one of Hat Yai's original coffee shops and it was already there when I arrived in Hat Yai. Since then it has been refurbished and it still retains a classy, relaxed atmosphere.
More Information: Ep's Bake House
Comments: The Habita Hotel, which opened in March 2017, has very comfortable, well-furnished rooms and it has an equally impressive coffee shop.
Different coffee shops have different themes. If you want to be outside surrounded by bonsai trees then Chill Chill would be a good bet. The Habita coffee shop is in the form of a very comfortable reading room in a very comfortable house.
There are book shelves with real books (a hotel I stayed at in Bangkok had book shelves full of fake books), comfortable chairs and sofas, and also Apple computers on which to surf the Internet.
More Information: The Habita
Comments: When a new plastic surgery clinic opened in the heart of the downtown area in 2019 the owners turned the upstairs of the building into a very large, very comfortable cafe.
More Information: Muangsombut Cafe
Comments: This small cafe opened in 2019 at the same time as the B2 Hotel. It is located directly in front of the hotel.
There is a lot of glass in the construction and therefore it is very bright and airy inside. If you want somewhere darker and moodier, somewhere like Ep's Bake House would be better. However, if you want somewhere that is bright and feels very open this would be a good choice.
It serves breakfast, which is convenient for guests at the B2 Hotel because the hotel doesn't serve breakfast, and there is a good selection of drinks and cakes at reasonable prices.
More Information: World Wide Cafe