Rocket wrote: ↑Sun Feb 09, 2025 7:59 pmHave you tried Stunning Coffee?
Yes, several times.
Today, the coffee was good.
When I went last week, it was too weak, but I think that was the exception, as it's been good on previous visits.
They open some time after 10:30, so too late for my breakfast. More of a candidate for the second or third coffee of the day.
At the bottom of Dongtan Beach, next to the View Talay swimming pool.
This place is popular with young Thais, who like to take selfies. Including one handsome young lad on my latest visit.
Nice coffee. Easily the best I've found within a 10 minute walk of the complex.
I'm not sure it's optimised for profit though. About 40% of the indoor part is taken up by the counters, leaving limited seating space. Bear in mind that some of the Thai customers like to nurse a drink for a long time. The extensive outdoor seating only offers light shade and isn't popular, except for people taking photos. They're overstaffed.
None of those things matter, as long as there's a suitable seat available when I visit. If there isn't, I keep going.
On second road, immediately north of the Central mall.
Nice strong Americano with good flavour, 70 baht.
Most of the seats prioritise style over comfort, but I still managed to find one suitable for sitting on.
Another one of these places with a tip box on the counter, despite it being an order and collect at the counter establishment. I suppose that would be like a 7-Eleven having a tip box?
The cute waiter is no longer working at Benjamit. Nevertheless, it's a fine coffee shop. Jomtien Complex could benefit from somewhere serving coffee like this.
My model for a Jomtien coffee shop would:
1 Sell high quality coffee from one of the best Pattaya roasters
2 Have a few pastries for breakfast
3 Have cute all male staff in skimpy tight fitting white clothes
CocoCanelle has opened at the top end of Jomtien Complex. I thought this was brand new, with building work recently completed, or rather just being finished off. However, there are older google reviews. From the photos, I suspect they have changed their location.
Americano 75 baht. Better than that at Delices (60 baht), but not as good as the coffee at Casa Myka, which is also 75 baht.
The CocoCanelle croissant was 60 baht and it tasted good.
They either need to improve the coffee or adjust prices to get regular business off me.
Jomtien doesn't quite have anything to compete with the best coffee shops in Pattaya, some of which are outstanding.
One strange trend I see is having coffee shop menus only in English.
Starbucks do this. I once amusingly watched a young Thai kid ordering coffee in English, under the supervision of his mother. A good way to learn.
Some independents do as well. For example, The Backstreet Cafe.
Even in places like Nakhon Ratchasima, which has few farang, some coffee shops have English menus only. Despite having mainly Thai customers.
I suppose it's all about giving the customers the chance to show they're sophisticated and educated ?
Similar to the pointless use of French on some restaurant menus.
Jun wrote: ↑Sun Jun 29, 2025 4:14 pm
One strange trend I see is having coffee shop menus only in English.
I don't know about coffee shops, but I've seen some places with English-only menus that also have Thai menus, but on request. I wonder if any of the coffee shops do that.
Gaybutton wrote: ↑Sun Jun 29, 2025 4:35 pmI've seen some places with English-only menus that also have Thai menus, but on request. I wonder if any of the coffee shops do that.
No doubt some might have a menu printed in Thai, but I've not seen it in the shops I'm referring to.
Such coffee shops usually have the menu on the wall, or a large fixed menu on the counter.
There have been numerous instances where I have been waiting behind Thai customers who need to discuss the English menu at length whilst ordering. If they had a Thai menu, that would be the time to bring it out.
I know of one shop that also has a large shelf full of books, in English. Despite 80~90% of the customers being Thai.
