The Commons at Thonglor is Bangkok’s Hottest Destination right now.

With 28 restaurants, cafes and shops to boast, it is an enchanting space in Thonglor that opened its doors to public in January 2016. It is not “just another mall”; it is a community, and a way of life to the guys who envisioned and built The Commons.

“Our intention is to build first a community, then a mall. We want to become Thonglor’s backyard – a gathering ground for specialized producers and their customers. We hope to promote wholesome living and a true sense of community.”

With the words of the founder of The Commons, you know this is where you should be.

At The Commons, one should first know that going with an empty stomach and a thirsty desire to explore is necessary. For one, The Commons is anything but common and conventional.

The sheer splendour of the building is one that will leave you in awe – the space, the architecture, the enthusiastic beings you will meet… everything is unique to The Commons. Everyone gets together for a unanimous belief – the love for life.

Explore the world of gourmet here at The Commons. Some brands and concepts to look out for are Maison Jean Philippe, Roots Coffee Bar (another concept by Roast which used to be located at Ekkamai), Peppina, Soul Food (by the famous Soul Food Mahanakorn), Meat & Bones, The Beer Cap, Egg My God, East Bound, Absolute Fit Food, and Barrio Bonito Mexican Restaurant. They all have their own stories to tell, and a menu to tease.

The “Village” zone is marked by Plant House, a famous florist shop in Bangkok. This level also includes Jona Waffle – a cafe that specialises in waffles, with 10 different flavours such as Orange Suzette, French Toast Waffle, and Blueberry Cheese Pie on the menu.

On the third floor, Play Yard, you can find Absolute Yoga. Well-being is definitely integral to the community.

And on the top level, we have Roast’s new home. The ever popular cafe has relocated from its previous location at SeenSpace, and its spanking new space at The Commons is nothing short of cosy too. Expect the usual fare – brunch items, a la minute desserts, great coffee, friendly staff, laidback vibes.

Apart from these, there are several lifestyle and fashion boutiques within the building.

The Commons is currently still in a soft launch stage, but expect more exciting brands to open in the coming months. All in all, this is the newest spot in Bangkok that you totally have to visit if you are in the city.

The Commons
Soi Thong Lo 17, Khlong Tan Nuea
Watthana, Bangkok 10110, Thailand
Tel: +66 89 152 2677
Nearest BTS: Thonglor

For more recommendations, read our guide to the best cafes in Bangkok.

Varatt Vichit Vadakan (or Tae), the owner of Roast Restaurant and Roots Coffee Roaster, is the guy to go to if you want to learn more about coffee. We had a chat with Tae to talk about coffee, some of his favourite places in Bangkok, as well as his future plans.

1. Tell us more about Roast and Roots Coffee Roasters.

These two places were created from with a passion for good food and coffee. Roast is an all day dining cafe that serves up good brunch, dinner and desserts, along with freshly roasted coffee. We try to keep the menu and all the dishes as simple and comforting as possible. Our philosophy is simple, make everything from the freshest ingredients possible, try to make as many things from scratch as possible, then prepare simply with respect to the ingredients.

As for Roots, it’s really just our coffee roastery. Our aim was never to make it a commercial space/cafe, but really a place to educate customers about our philosophy of coffee and share our passion with those who care about coffee. We open for the public on Saturday and Sunday from 12pm-6pm. On weekdays, we have various workshops/classes and use the place to roast coffee for our establishments and our wholesale clients.

2. What is a good cup of coffee?

A good cup of coffee is a cup made with care and understanding. It would be ideal if the barista (the last hand) knows and control the coffee from farm to cup… That’s why we source/import our coffee carefully while working with farmers up in the northern part of Thailand to ensure we get the best quality green beans to roast and brew for our customers.

3. The speciality coffee scene in Bangkok is growing fast, with more people starting to appreciate a good cup of coffee. What is your take on it, and how do you think it will evolve?

It’s a great thing that’s happening here in Bangkok. I think it’s a natural thing to happen after having seen how the coffee industry changed in Singapore, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Japan in the last 5-8 years. It’s good that people are beginning to appreciate a story of a good cup of coffee and can now some what differentiate between the operators who care or don’t care. Once the consumers know why they are paying a lot of money for the coffee (for the quality and not marketing) those operators who serve good coffee will definitely benefit. It’s definitely a healthy competition going on in Bangkok.

4. Can you share with us some of your favourite places in Bangkok?

As far as cafe goes, I enjoy Ceresia Coffee Roaster, Brave Roaster, Casa Lapin, Brooklyn Baker, RMA Gastro 1/6, Wonderwall Kaffebar, and of course Roast and Roots.

5. Any plans on opening a new dining concept in Bangkok or overseas? Perhaps a cafe in Singapore?

Our newest baby is Rise, a bakery which offers freshly baked bread, pastries and simple tray cakes, We are also in the process of developing a concept for our new Taco shop and bar in Thonglor. It’s going to be fun, simple and buzzing! Please visit us the next time you come here. We are planning on opening in March 2014. Besides that we are just preparing for our market project which will happen in 2015. Lots of things to come in the next 18 months or so.

Roots Coffee Roaster is opened by Varatt Vichit-Vadakan (or Tae) who is also behind Roast Restaurant – one of my favourite brunch spots in Bangkok. It is a boutique coffee roastery on the quieter side of Soi Ekamai, which is just one street away from the popular Thonglor.

Besides supplying coffee to its sister restaurant and other cafes in town, it also conducts coffee appreciation classes and barista training courses during the week. As such, the cafe only opens to the public on weekends.

With so many players in the market, Roots is not the only boutique roastery in Bangkok, but it stands out because of Tae’s passion and commitment towards coffee.

It is a challenge to groom baristas in Bangkok because it is still quite a new occupation with very little interest. At Rootsand Roast, they put their barista through a 3-month training course before they become a full-time employee. Once they have reached a certain standard, they continue to provide them with more training and incentives that is competitive in the market. This is how Tae values every worker as he believes that his best asset in this industry is people – his staff are the ones who will make a difference.

Therefore, the coffee roastery also tries its best to constantly improve the baristas, equip them with more knowledge and train them to become better at their work. At the same time, a career path is also mapped out for all his workers. This is definitely heartening to know, because a Progressive Wage Model will not only hone the skills and improve the quality of work life for a barista, but also bring out the best in staff. With more motivated, trained and happier staff, the environment of the cafe will naturally be more pleasant and inviting.

The goal to produce good coffee does not just stop there. At Roots, they are also committed to ensuring a safer workplace for the workers. For the roastery, the staff (in charged of the roasters) are taught the basic fire procedures so that they know how to react during emergencies such as if the electricity goes off during roasting, or if a fire breaks out in the roaster. In addition, there are basic equipments like fire extinguisher and basic medical kits on all floors.

If you are planning to go Bangkok for a holiday, you must stop by for coffee. Besides serving an excellent cup of coffee, what I really like about Roots is that it uses a honesty box system whereby you pay the amount that you think it is worth for the coffee and freshly baked pastries.

This message is part of a ladyironchef x Labour Movement project where we seek to share with you insights on the different initiatives by the Labour Movement to give workers in Singapore better jobs, better pay and better work-life balance.

Roots Coffee Roaster
Ekamai Terrace #2-4
Sukhumvit Soi 63
Between Ekamai Soi 15 and 17
Tel: +66 88 190 5950
Sat & Sun: 12pm – 6pm
Nearest Station: Ekamai

For more recommendations, read our guide to Bangkok’s Best Coffee Shops

The speciality coffee scene in Bangkok is getting very popular, with many new players driving the city’s new wave of cafes. Here is a highlight on the best coffee shops across Bangkok.

#1 CASA LAPIN

There are many cafes that offer good coffee in Bangkok but Casa Lapin stands out for its inviting vibe. The original Casa Lapin at Thonglor Art Village is a hole-in-the-wall coffee joint, while the new Casa Lapin X49 at an alley on Sukhumvit Soi 49 opposite Smitivej Hospital is a cosy and intimate space where you can have coffee, linger around and read. What also impresses me is the range of magazines that they offer – Cereal, Frankie and Kinfolk, to name a few.

Thonglor Art Village
Between Thonglor Soi 17 & 19
Mon to Fri: 8.30am – 8.30pm
Sat & Sun: 10.30am – 8.30pm

Soi Songphinong
Between Thonglor 13 and Sukhumvit Soi 49/7
Tel: +66 81 261 2040
Mon to Fri: 7.30am – 8.30pm
Sat & Sun: 10.30am – 8.30pm
Nearest Station: Thonglor BTS

#2 CERESIA COFFEE ROASTER

Owned by Venezuelan sisters Marian and Lucia Aguilar and Lucia’s husband Bret Asavaroengchai, Ceresia Coffee Roaster is a spot where you can drop by for a cuppa, and have a discussion about coffee with the passionate owners.

This boutique roaster takes great pride in serving only the best coffee. Case in point: They roast their beans in small batches so as to maintain the original flavours from their origins.

593/29-41 Sukhumvit Soi 33/1
Tel: +66 2 843 8235
Tue to Sun: 8am – 6pm
Nearest Station: Phrom Phong BTS

Nearest Station: Asok BTS/ Sukhumvit MRT

#3 KUPPA

Kuppa is one of the most popular brunch spots in Bangkok, and besides eggs and toast, they also serve very good coffee. It is no newcomer to the coffee business, however. They have been roasting their own beans for many years. With good coffee and delicious breakfast, Kuppa is a place that you should drop by when in Bangkok.

39 Sukhumvit Soi 16
Tel: +66 2 663 0450
Daily: 10am – 10pm

#4 PHIL COFFEE COMPANY

Tucked in a quiet alley on Sukhumvit Soi 61 which is in between Thonglo and Ekkamai, Phil Coffee Company is where coffee-lovers in-the-know flock to for their daily dose of caffeine. Here, coffee beans are sourced from all over the world, and roasted in small batches. For those who want to learn more about coffee, Phil Coffee Company provides barista training which includes latte art and coffee tasting.

21 Sukhumvit Soi 61
Tel: +66 02 001 5850
Nearest BTS: Thonglo/Ekkamai

#5 ROAST

Avid coffee lovers flock to Roast, one of my favourite cafes in Bangkok. It is a hip and trendy spot at Seenspace Thonglor Soi 13 where you can go for a good brunch and coffee, or a nice romantic dinner. Roast is recognised by many as one of the leading coffee shops in Bangkok, and I wholeheartedly agree.

SeenSpace Thong Lor Soi 13
Tel: +66 2 185 2865
Mon to Thu: 10am – 11pm
Fri & Sat: 9am – 12.30am
Sun: 9am – 11pm
Nearest Station: Thonglor

#6 ROCKET COFFEE BAR

The combination of good coffee, free wifi, simple and earnest wholesome food like sandwiches, salads, and breakfast make Rocket Coffee Bar a place where you will always return to.

49 Sathorn Soi 12, Silom
Tel: +66 2 6350 404
Tue to Sun: 7am – 7pm
Nearest Station: Chong Nonsi BTS

#7 ROOTS COFFEE ROASTER

Roots is a coffee roastery by Roast Restaurant and besides supplying coffee to its sister restaurant and other cafes in town such as After You Dessert Cafe, it also conducts coffee appreciation classes and barista training courses. As such, the cafe only opens to the public on weekends. We like that it uses a honesty box system whereby you pay the amount that you think it is worth for the coffee and freshly baked pastries.

Ekamai Terrace #2-4
Sukhumvit Soi 63
Between Ekamai Soi 15 and 17
Tel: +66 88 190 5950
Sat & Sun: 12pm – 6pm
Nearest Station: Ekamai

#8 WONDERWALL THE KAFFEBAR

Just down the road from Isao, an excellent Japanese restaurant which serves wonderful fusion sushi rolls; and Appia, a popular Italian eatery, is Wonderwall The Kaffeebar. It is a hidden gem and a great spot to chill with friends while enjoying lattes, cappuccinos and espressos.

Avora 31 Residence
28 Sukhumvit Soi 31 Bangkok
Tel: +66 86 528 2824
Mon to Sat: 7.30am – 7pm
Sun: 10am – 7pm
Nearest Station: MRT Sukhumvit/Phrom Phong BTS

For more recommendations, read our guide to the best cafes in Bangkok.