The Good Stuff: Sripoom Espresso Bar, Banglamphu
Banglamphu is full of tiny treasures; little places that aren’t on the usual backpacker trail. One Friday evening, walking around the vicinity of Khao San Road, I found myself outside just such a place: Sripoom Espresso Bar. I’d passed by there many a time, but on this particular night I decided to give it a go, and in I went.
Once inside Sripoom, I got the feeling that this place was something special. The DJ was spinning some chilled soul tracks, the mirror ball was casting little lights on the walls, and I sat down on one of the cube-shaped seats to soak up the unique atmosphere of this tiny bar, feeling glad to have taken a chance and come here.
One of the first things that struck me about this place was the funky, artsy decor. Vintage furniture, gorgeous lamps, mirrors, and a huge monochrome photo mural all add to the relaxed mood.
After a couple of minutes, a bartender brought me a menu. Coffee-lovers are more than well catered for at Sripoom, with an array of different ways to get your caffeine fix, and there are also numerous alcoholic drinks on offer, including various cocktails. I ordered an iced mocha (65 baht), and sat back to watch the hustle and bustle of the street outside.
The Nintendo “Wii Sports” screen, mounted on the wall just to the side of the door, looked like a lot of fun. Two friends were playing ten-pin bowling on the in-house games console, which features a number of different games (20 baht per person per game).
My iced mocha arrived, and I had a chat with Jean, one of the friendly staff. She was really welcoming, and told me about the weekly Monday-night specials at Sripoom. Customers can play Wii Sports free of charge, and it’s also “iPod night”, when you can hook your iPod up to the sound system – and grab your 15 minutes of superstar DJ fame and a free drink. Sounds good to me!
There’s also a room upstairs that’s available for private parties.
After my deliciously icy coffee, I opted for a Long Island Iced Tea (90 baht), which was really good and came in a pleasingly tall glass. It was fun to watch the young Thais arriving to meet their friends for a night out; Sripoom attracts quite a mix of people, from university students to young professionals, and some travellers too.
Sripoom is the kind of place where you could go for a couple of quiet drinks or for a more lively evening. Tasty Thai food is also available. The music, the friendly Thai vibe, the great bar menu – this place has it all. I’ll definitely be going to Sripoom again.
Open:
Monday – Sunday, 5 p.m. to 1 a.m.
Getting there:
Turn right at the police station end of Khao San Road. With the temple on your left, go past the left turn into Soi Rambuttri, and Sripoom is just a little further on.
Banglamphu is full of tiny treasures; little places that aren’t on the usual backpacker trail. One Friday evening, walking around the vicinity of Khao San Road, I found myself outside just such a place: Sripoom Espresso Bar. I’d passed by there many a time, but on this particular night I decided to give it a go, and in I went.
Once inside Sripoom, I got the feeling that this place was something special. The DJ was spinning some chilled soul tracks, the mirror ball was casting little lights on the walls, and I sat down on one of the cube-shaped seats to soak up the unique atmosphere of this tiny bar, feeling glad to have taken a chance and come here.
One of the first things that struck me about this place was the funky, artsy decor. Vintage furniture, gorgeous lamps, mirrors, and a huge monochrome photo mural all add to the relaxed mood.
After a couple of minutes, a bartender brought me a menu. Coffee-lovers are more than well catered for at Sripoom, with an array of different ways to get your caffeine fix, and there are also numerous alcoholic drinks on offer, including various cocktails. I ordered an iced mocha (65 baht), and sat back to watch the hustle and bustle of the street outside.
The Nintendo “Wii Sports” screen, mounted on the wall just to the side of the door, looked like a lot of fun. Two friends were playing ten-pin bowling on the in-house games console, which features a number of different games (20 baht per person per game).
My iced mocha arrived, and I had a chat with Jean, one of the friendly staff. She was really welcoming, and told me about the weekly Monday-night specials at Sripoom. Customers can play Wii Sports free of charge, and it’s also “iPod night”, when you can hook your iPod up to the sound system – and grab your 15 minutes of superstar DJ fame and a free drink. Sounds good to me!
There’s also a room upstairs that’s available for private parties.
After my deliciously icy coffee, I opted for a Long Island Iced Tea (90 baht), which was really good and came in a pleasingly tall glass. It was fun to watch the young Thais arriving to meet their friends for a night out; Sripoom attracts quite a mix of people, from university students to young professionals, and some travellers too.
Sripoom is the kind of place where you could go for a couple of quiet drinks or for a more lively evening. Tasty Thai food is also available. The music, the friendly Thai vibe, the great bar menu – this place has it all. I’ll definitely be going to Sripoom again.
Open:
Getting there:
Turn right at the police station end of Khao San Road. With the temple on your left, go past the left turn into Soi Rambuttri, and Sripoom is just a little further on.
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