[BANGKOK] Coffee enthusiasts would have known this Japanese brand – Hario.
It is one of the biggest names in the specialty coffee brewing industry known for their equipment such as pour-over drippers, filters, grinders and servers.
In the recent years, Hario has expanded into the cafe scene, which also provides a retail space to showcase their products.
The 3rd Hario Cafe outlet in Bangkok is opened at Sukhumvit 33, few streets away from CPS Coffee at Thong Lor.
“Hario” comes from two Japanese words “Hari” and “Ou”.
The classical Japanese word for ‘glass’ is ‘Hari’, and ‘Ou’ refers ‘king’ in Japanese, thus it means ‘The King of Glass’.
Started off as a company manufacturing laboratory and industrial glassware since 1921 and eventually branching off into coffee-related products, Hario products are purely “Made in Japan”.
The double-storey Hario Cafe is huge, with 4 different seating areas.
Enter through the main entrance and you will be greeted by their white and minimalist cylindrical coffee bar counter, featuring all their pastries and cakes on the shelves.
This coffee bar counter is known as their Slow Bar, featuring Hot and Cold V60 Drip Coffee and Syphon Slow Drip (starting THB 150, SGD 6).
Head to the right-hand side on the first floor, you will see the Speed Bar, a metallic bronze space in contrast to the white, minimal space at the Slow Bar.
The espresso-based drinks are made over at this counter, with prices starting from THB 100 (SGD 4) for a cup of Espresso.
Diners can choose from 2 different blends for their espresso-based drinks, namely a 3-beans house blend of Colombia, Brazil and Indonesia that is chocolatey, floral and caramelized.
Or their 2-beans special blend from Colombia and Indonesia that is bright, acidic with brown sugar sweetness.
My cup of Flat White (THB 120, SGD 4.80) was medium-bodied, smooth but robust with distinctive notes of sweetness, a perfect perk-me-up drink in the morning.
Head to the 2nd floor for more seating space, either above the Speed Bar which has an overview of all the actions taking place at the coffee bar downstairs, or at the grand hanging chandelier above the Speed Bar.
5 signatures drinks are exclusively available at Hario Cafe in Bangkok: Cold Brew Fizz (THB 190, SGD 7.80), Baked Apple Cold Brew (THB 150, SGD 6), Samui Brûlée (THB 190, SGD 7.80), Dusk Till Dawn (THB 120, SGD 4.80) and Latte on the Rock (THB 150, SGD 6).
Each of them have different toppings and concoctions, and I decided to go with the Cold Brew Fizz (THB 190, SGD 7.80), topped with honey yuzu juice, yuzu ice cream and a piece of honey comb.
The yuzu enhanced the acidity of the cold brew, giving it a fuller body with citrusy notes, yet the honeycomb counter balances the taste by adding a nice sweetness to it.
Definitely refreshing in Bangkok’s weather context.
Apart from their specialty coffee, Hario Cafe also offers a comprehensive brunch and dessert menu.
Think Salad (THB 180, SGD 7.20), Pasta (THB 180, SGD 7.20), Savoury Croissants (THB 160, SGD 5.20), Waffle (THB 220, SGD 8.80), Honey Toast (THB 220, SGD 8.80) and Croffle (THB 120, SGD 4.80).
The Yuzu Orange Cake (THB 180, SGD 7.20) is a yuzu sponge cake drizzled with generous amount of orange puree, topped with a single slice of orange and rosemary.
The sponge cake is moist and fluffy, with fruity notes from the orange puree and a nice refreshing tang from the yuzu.
The Matcha Mousse Cake (THB 95, SGD 3.80) was my favourite, a very reasonably priced matcha cake with generous amount of matcha ganache and a layer of Azuki red beans to counter balance the earthly bitter notes.
The matcha was rich, creamy and fragrant, a pleasant contrast to the fluffy matcha sponge.
Opened at 6:30am daily, Hario Cafe would be a perfect stop to start your day of café hopping in Bangkok, especially with their comprehensive and extensive menu.
On top of that, you might be inspired to start your own coffee brewing journey with their large numbers of Hario items on display.
Hario Cafe
29 Sukhumvit 33 Alley, Khlong Tan Nuea, Watthana, Bangkok 10110, Thailand
Opening Hours: 6:30am – 8:30pm (Mon – Sun)
Google Maps – Hario Cafe
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* Written by Nicholas Tan @stormscape who loves all things [NEW]. DFD paid for food reviewed unless otherwise stated.
