5 Brunch Spots in Thonglor and Ekkamai

Ask ten people in Thonglor where to get brunch and you'll get ten different answers, usually delivered with some passion. This is our list. It isn't a ranking of every café on Sukhumvit, just the five places we keep sending guests to, and the ones we end up at ourselves on a slow Saturday. We've been honest about the downsides too, because there are a few.

1. Folk Lane: The Old Toby's, Grown Up

If you only try one place, make it Folk Lane by Toby's on Sukhumvit Soi 38. Long-timers will know the house: for years this was Toby's, the café every other brunch spot in Bangkok seemed to be copying. The same team has relaunched it as Folk Lane, with a broader menu, a lot more sourdough and some Middle Eastern touches, and they've kept a few of the old favourites for people like us who would have complained. The room is still bright and the coffee is still serious. It's open daily from 8am to 5pm, and the weekend queue hasn't gone anywhere, so get there before ten or bring patience.

2. Roast: The Best Plate of Food on This List

Folk Lane wins on coffee and comfort. Roast wins on food. It's on the third floor of The Commons on Thonglor Soi 17, and the shakshuka with a thick slice of sourdough is the dish we'd order if we could only order one thing in the neighbourhood. Portions are generous and the coffee is roasted in house. It can get loud when The Commons fills up, so it's better for catching up with friends than a quiet morning alone. If you want to stay and work afterwards, the rest of the building is surprisingly good for it (we wrote about that in our Thonglor co-working guide).

3. Broccoli Revolution: Vegan, and You Won't Mind

Don't let the word vegan put you off. Broccoli Revolution is the place we'd send meat eaters to change their minds. It sits on the corner of Sukhumvit Soi 49, a short walk from Thong Lo BTS, in a leafy glass-fronted space, and the menu of smoothie bowls, grain bowls and plant-based burgers is filling enough that nobody leaves hungry. It's our go-to when a group can't agree on anything, and it stays open into the evening, which is handy when brunch drifts into dinner.

4. Featherstone: Come for the Garden

Featherstone on Ekkamai Soi 12 is the prettiest place on this list, and it knows it. Plants everywhere, vintage furniture, colourful sparkling sodas and a small lifestyle shop by the door. Honestly, the food is good rather than great. We don't go for the eggs. We go because the garden is one of the calmest places to sit in the whole area, and on a hot morning that counts for a lot. It's a short motorbike taxi ride from Ekkamai BTS, which is part of why it feels so quiet.

5. Kaizen Coffee: For People Who Care About the Coffee

Some mornings you don't really want brunch, you want a very good coffee and something to eat with it. That's Kaizen on Ekkamai Road. They're properly serious about preparation, the nitro cold brew is worth trying at least once, and the breakfast burger is better than it has any right to be. The room is calm and plain, and plenty of people stay with a laptop for the morning. If you're the sort of person who judges a café by its long black, start here.

A Few Things We've Learned

Go early. By eleven on a Saturday, every place on this list has a wait, and walking between sois at midday in Bangkok heat is less romantic than it sounds. Grab is your friend for anything more than a few minutes away. And menus and opening hours change more often than you'd think, so take a quick look at each café's page before you head out.

Why We Write These for Owners Too

When guests are choosing between two similar condos, they often pick the one in the neighbourhood that sounds better to live in, and good coffee nearby is a big part of that. It's why we put our favourite local spots in every listing and in the house guide we leave for guests. It costs nothing and it shows up in the reviews. If you're curious why this stretch of Sukhumvit does so well, our guide to the best neighbourhoods for Airbnb in Bangkok goes into it, and our Thonglor page shows the homes we look after here. Own a unit nearby? Book a free consultation and we'll tell you honestly how we think it would do.