Naga Café: Our Happy Place in Bangkok

Last Updated on February 12, 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. Our particular excitement was due to the proximity of the cafe. 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.

Front patio of Naga Cafe.
The front patio of Naga Cafe.

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 the menu was written with English titles because I got the Thai names mixed up. With a few description clarifications from Sanit, I quickly decided on stir-fried pork with garlic and green peppers. After our order had been placed, 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 you instantly feel relaxed around. 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, along with Sanit’s warm personality, it 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 along with the delicious food, it all settles you into an at-ease, enjoyable mindset.

Heather and Sanit catching up.
Heather and Sanit are catching up.

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.

Heather, Sanit, and Matt.
Heather, Sanit, and Matt.

It’s bananas to think on the 1st visit, we walked in for a simple, quick lunch and walked out 2 hours later with a good friend and a place we love. These are the times and experiences which feed our obsession to 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 are looking for a good, home-cooked tasting and feeling meal, I hope you add Naga Café to your list.

Naga Cafe Bangkok.
Naga Cafe Bangkok.

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.

Matt's Pad Thai Kai.
Matt’s Pad Thai Kai.

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.

Naga Cafe Bangkok.
Heather enjoying her soup.
Heather is enjoying her soup.

I have scoured Naga’s menu and would like to try everything. Unfortunately, my allergies prevent me from eating foods made with fresh pineapple or coconut—a tough break in Thailand since so much is made with one or both. On my first visit, Sanit was very nice to point out all my safe choices.

Naga Cafe Bangkok.

How to Get to Naga Café

Website – Facebook

Address – Naga Café 170/6-7 Suan Phlu Rd, Thung Maha Mek, Sathon, Bangkok 10120, Thailand

Location Tip – Located in Soi Suanplu in 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; fun ambiance; perfect for solo, couples, or families.

Naga Cafe Bangkok.

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7 thoughts on “Naga Café: Our Happy Place in Bangkok”

  1. 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!

    Reply
  2. 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!

    Reply
  3. 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.

    Reply
  4. 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!

    Reply

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