Café profile: the May Flower, Seoul, South Korea

The outdoor patio of the May Flower

Most of Seoul's cafes are crowded and noisy, but in the midst of all that chaos, I was surprised and relieved to find my oasis at the May Flower. This spacious café featured an enormous outdoor seating area, that could have easily been a restaurant or nightclub. I remember searching for it on Google Maps or looking for their website somewhere, and found nothing. I'm not sure if this place is still around, or if they have an internet presence, but I enjoyed my time here so much.

As soon as we entered, I felt like I could stay there forever. We probably spent two hours at this place, the lost we spent anywhere in Seoul exact our hostel, where we only slept a mere 6 hours anyway. Some of the photos were taken from the patio cafe, and some where taken from the second floor balcony, where we climbed up to watch the sunset. Such a peaceful place in the heart of the city. 

View from the balcony

View of the entrance

The yellow stand is where coffee is ordered

Cafe Profile: Taf in Athens

Welcome to Cafe Taf

Athens can be draining. Crowds, cars, congestion.
That's when you duck into Cafe Taf.
Sit inside to avoid the cigarette smoke (Greek smoke like the 80s).
Take a seat and a friendly server will hand you a menu and take your order. 

The cafe's modern design make me feel like it could be in any country in the world. I love this look. It makes me nostalgic for nowhere and everywhere. The coffee too, is world-class. I was impressed with both the latte and the mocha. Most Greek cafes tend to have very sugary or very strong coffee but Taf keeps it real. 

I would chill here any day in Athens. 

These guys are pros

A latte and a mocha

Menus at Taf

Cafe Profile: Cong, Hanoi, Vietnam

A Cong Caphe sign in the Old Quarter

Of all the great cafes in Hanoi,  Cong Caphe has to be my favorite. This is a posh place. The ambiance is retro Hanoi with a modern slant. Cong has branches all over the city, but each one is unique. 

They are open late, have reliable wifi, and great drinks. I ordered Yogurt Coffee, one of Hanoi's specialities, twice and each place made it slightly different. 

In case you are looking for a Cong Caphe in Hanoi, the signs are small and easy to miss, so looks for the groups of hipsters smoking outside. That's how you know you're in the right place. 

Cong Caphe in the Old Quarter

Cong Caphe in the Old Quarter

Cong Caphe in the Old Quarter

Yogurt Coffee in the Old Quarter

Cong Caphe in the Old Quarter

Cong Caphe in the Old Quarter

Cong Caphe near the Military Museum

Yogurt Coffee near the Military Museum

Cong Caphe near the Military Museum

Cong Caphe near the Military Museum

Baguette and condensed milk near the Military Museum

Café Profile: Artisan, Chiang Mai

I almost don’t want to write about this café because it is one of the few quiet places left in the bustling Nimman neighborhood of Chiang Mai. I want to keep this little gem for myself, so that I can continue to be the only one there in the afternoons. But alas, I am a generous soul and I must share this great place with the world.

In addition to being charming, atmospheric, and quaint, Artisan has fast wifi, delicious drinks, and the best almond-croissant I’ve ever had.

Good luck finding it in one of the back alleys by the YMCA. I found it by accident while walking back from another place. 

Reference the Google coordinates for exact location: 18.799553,98.977561

Café Profile: Too Fast To Sleep, Bangkok

Every once in a while I find a café so incredible that it deserves a solo post. Many of these amazing places became my go-to spots inJapan. And I find them in other parts of the world, from Astoria, Oregon to Oslo,Norway. And now I have found that place in Bangkok.

Hello Too Fast Too Sleep. A sprawling, two-story multi-room café that rivels the library of any college campus.

Open 24 hours.

Cheap and delicious drinks. Nachos. Milk toast. Wifi.

A 2-minute walk from Sam Yan MRT station.

I came here almost everyday in Bangkok. During the day, the tall ceiling and natural lighting make for an atmospheric work place. The only downside, if you even consider it a downside, is that I was – day after day  - the oldest person in the café. I'm 27.

Brown Book Café: My Go-To in Sapporo

Many Japanese look forward to early May as the time of Golden Week, a sequence of five national holidays that allow for unusually long vacations. I spent my Golden Week in Hokkaido, with four days of it being in the largest city Sapporo.

I did little planning before arriving in the city, but like all my frolics in Japan, I envisioned spending most of my time at case. Before leaving for Hokkaido and just after arriving,  I tried and failed to find a Café Guide for Sapporo, like the ones I had found for other cities. Seeing this as an ominous sign, I began to worry about the café offerings in this northern city.

At the recommendation of a friend who lives in Sapporo, I visited three cafes that she described as “good places to write.” While I was able to bring my laptop to all of them, they were lacking in atmosphere and lattes. Bitter and dejected, I trudged home from a failed coffee expedition and happened upon a curious building. My eyes wondered into the dimmy lit bar on the first floor, and up to the windows of a clothing store on the second floor, then I spotted the words “café.”

The Brown Book Café.

A sign on the sidewalk pointed to a staircase, “books, coffee, and cake,” it read.

I decided to give it a try.

At first glance the staircase appears to lead to apartments on the upper levels, but when I spotted the aqua blue wall and old black and white film posters, I knew I had found the right place.

With a light push on a rickety wooden door, you are immediately transported into an attic in 1920s Berlin. Yellowed children’s book in many European languages lined the walls in shelves up to the ceiling. Pillar of decades-old fashion magazines rose from the table tops. I weaved through the maze of books to the café section, a tiny arrangement of old wooden furniture。Cluttered and dimly lit, the café boasted a large glass window which provided a private glimpse into the glittering streets of Sapporo.

So let’s see how this place measures up to my criteria:

1. Coffee and Espresso in the form of frothy and sweetened lattes:

Yes! Finally found a place in Sapporo that serves more than a “café au lait.” I ordered their almond latte and was very satisfied.

2.    Wifi

Didn’t try. I read a book while looking out the window.

3.    Ordering at the counter, and not having a waiter check up on you

Yes. The nice man in thick-framed glasses and a lab coat did bring me water, but since it is a book café (and not a busy one at that) I’m sure they would not mind if I stayed for hours.

4.    Seating for singles

Yes, the small wooden tables comfortably seat two, but it wasn’t busy and it felt fine to be occupying the table by myself.

5.    The ability to bring your laptop and sit there uninterrupted for at least two hours without feeling pressured to order something else or leave

Yes. Besides drinks, they only serve small cakes, so there is no expectation that you’ll be eating dinner there. There is no printed menu for food, and the daily selection of cakes is written on a board near the counter.

I strongly recommend Brown Book Café if you are looking for an offbeat place to chill. If you every have the urge to hide in an attic and read a book, this place is for you.