Last Updated on July 21, 2024 by Travelationship
We both remember the day we discovered Naga Café in Bangkok, Thailand. The restaurant was located just around the corner from our hotel, which was particularly exciting for us. The restaurant was less than a 5-minute walk, which was great because the heat outside was intense.
We arrived for a late lunch and were instantly delighted with the front patio covered in greenery. If it weren’t for the heat, we would have eaten outside. Our experience would have been entirely different had we eaten outside. A golden opportunity to converse with Sanit would have been lost.
Naga Café is for Everyone
We entered the restaurant and were greeted by two little dogs and the owner, Sanit. We had our choice of seats with a slight hint to sit at the 2-seater next to the bar. It ended up being the best table in the place because we were able to chat easily with Sanit while he worked.
He gave us menus, but Matt didn’t need one because 99% of the time, he orders Pad Thai Kai in any Thai restaurant. I was excited that the menu was written with English titles because I had mixed up the Thai names. With a few description clarifications from Sanit, I quickly decided on stir-fried pork with garlic and green peppers. After placing our order, Sanit returned to ask us where we were from and how long we were visiting Thailand. From there, our conversation flowed and lasted for a couple of hours.
Sanit is one of those people who instantly makes you feel relaxed. He has this incredible way of making you feel at home and welcome. A travel agent in his previous career, so he is full of fun travel stories and recommendations for places to visit. He is also a skilled cocktail maker; his Long Island Iced Tea is lip-smacking good. However, I recommend waiting for your food before you start sucking the drinks down.
Inside Naga Café
The eclectic décor in Naga is essential to note because Sanit’s warm personality nurtures the feeling you are sitting in an old friend’s house. Think of Liberace meets shabby chic with a hint of Rugby rough and tumble. At first glance, it may seem borderline overdone, but the delicious food all settles you into an at-ease, enjoyable mindset.
Our food came out pretty quickly. Sanit tried to give us time to eat, but we invited him to continue the gabfest with us. The food hit the spot so well that we made plans to return for more meals before we had even left the restaurant.
Why We Love Naga
There are just some places we connect with or embrace wholeheartedly, and Naga is one of those places for us. It’s a combination of the feelings of being in your happy place, a home away from home, and the amazing exhale after you eat a plate of solid, satisfying, comforting food. Add Sanit’s fun personality to the recipe, and it’s a favorite we will return to every time we visit Bangkok.
It’s crazy to think that on our first visit, we walked in for a simple, quick lunch and walked out two hours later with a good friend and a place we love. These are the times and experiences that feed our obsession with travel. Whether 2 km or 2,000 km from our base, we love finding the places and people that fill our souls and make us feel “at home.”
Two of our friends have since visited Naga Café. One met Sanit, and the other visited when Sanit was out of town. Both enjoyed the food and returned more than once during their visits. If you want a good, home-cooked tasting and feeling meal, I hope you add Naga Café to your list.
What to Eat at Naga Café
The menu consists of traditional Thai dishes with a Sanit twist or two. The meals are fresh and varied, and spice levels can easily be adjusted to your request. For you non-Thai food eaters, they offer a few Western meal options such as spaghetti and omelets.
Matt tends to stick to the same dishes of Pad Thai Kai (chicken pad Thai) or chicken fried rice. He has switched between the two multiple times and thoroughly recommends both meals at Naga.
I’ve tried and would highly recommend the glass noodle soup with pork, noodle soup with pork or chicken, deep-fried vegetable spring rolls, stir-fried pork with garlic & green peppers, and Thai fried rice with chicken. If I had to pick favorites, I would probably choose the noodle soup with pork or the stir-fried pork with garlic & green peppers.
I have scoured Naga’s menu and would like to try everything. Unfortunately, my allergies prevent me from eating fresh pineapple or coconut foods—a tough break in Thailand since so much is made with one or both. On my first visit, Sanit was very nice in pointing out all my safe choices.
How to Get to Naga Café
Website – Naga Cafe – Facebook Page
Address – Naga Café 170/6-7 Suan Phlu Rd, Thung Maha Mek, Sathon, Bangkok 10120, Thailand
Location Tip – Located in Soi Suanplu in the Sathorn area, opposite Krungsri Bank.
BTS/MRT – It’s about a 15-minute walk from the Sala Daeng BTS, Chong Nonsi BTS, or the Lumphini MRT stations.
Bus – The 22 or 67 bus stops are about a 1-minute walk away, or there are a few bus stops off the Sathon Tai and Nuea, which are close.
Taxi, Uber, or Tuk Tuk – if the driver isn’t familiar with the address, let them know it is about a block away from Sathorn Vista, Marriott Executive Apartments.
Travelationship Rating
5 out of 5 Travelationship High Fives. For the Traveler Who Likes – good, reasonably priced food, friendly service, and fun ambiance; perfect for solo, couples, or families.
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We will surely be visiting Bangkok soon (hopefully before the end of this year) and will definitely need to stop at Naga Cafe. It sounds like a charming place to dine at. So glad that you got the opportunity to connect with Sanit. He sounds amazing!
Yes, please stop in and visit
Given how delicious Thai cuisine is, Matt needs to broaden his horizons and mix up his choices a bit more!
It’s always great when you find a place you love, and people you connect with!
I agree on both accounts.
The Naga Cafe looks like a cool place to hang out in Bangkok.It is a pity that we did not know about it when we were there a couple of years ago. the food looks good too and I am sure I will like the veg variants.
It’s always nice to find a place to eat that offers much more than good food. Your experience reminded me of a taverna we ate at on Santorini Island in Greece. The owner even serenaded us while playing on his bouzouki, then took our picture with a polaroid camera and hung it from the rafters where there were hundreds of photos of happy customers!
That’s great!