Siamese Cocktails
For a relatively small city, Chiang Mai has more than its share of craft cocktail places. While they may not be quite world class level, they do boast some excellent flavors.
Nophaburi
Nophaburi s a cute, pretty small place in the south of Old Town. Though it’s got all the ingredients, it’s somehow not very atmospheric.
The drinks are delicious, especially the one on the right — “Darling” — which had a good flavor combination — watermelon, cucumber, light ginger. But overall, their drinks could use some more finesse and balance.
Forbidden bar
This bar, in central Nimman, is gunning hard for a swanky feel, but struggling a bit to pull it off. The cocktails themselves, though, are excellent. I tried “Afternoon tea” and was pleasantly surprised by how well they nailed the silky rich texture.
On the east side of town, meanwhile, the cocktail craft is a bit more advanced, starting with the recently opened —
Looper
On a Tuesday, it was almost completely empty. But their “star” drink — “starry night” — blew me away (pun intended).
Beyond the presentation, the drink had a spectacularly effective combination of blueberry and jasmine flavors; the barman is an artist. Unfortunately, the other cocktails on the menu were not as interesting. Perhaps the place needs more time to build up a repertoire.
Thuub
A small bar at top of hotel with a colonial theme, it has a similarly professional approach to Looper, but a somewhat more atmospheric space. Of all the places I tried in Chiang Mai, Thuub’ s cocktails were the most visibly Thai-flavored. The “Prai rum phan” had a nice pandan and sweet coconut flavors, along with the right viscosity. Interestingly, it used Malibu coconut liqueur, with high quality coming not from fancy ingredients but craft.
The second cocktail was also very good as the bartender adjusted it to my taste -- a little smoky, with a bit of kaffir lime flavor and a dragon fruit garnish, an excellent pairing for mezcal. Oh and the snacks were tasty too!
Restaurants
Finally, cocktail culture in Chiang Mai has permeated upscale restaurants, and places like Uchi Japanese Gasto and Ginger Farm Kitchen have some excellent offerings
