Kope Hya Tai Kee

Kope Hya Tai Kee is an old-style Thai-Chinese coffee shop on Samranrat Road in the old town, opposite the square around the Giant Swing and Bangkok's City Hall. It has been serving coffee and breakfast since 1952, and it is one of the few places in the area where you can still eat in a traditional kopitiam-style setting. The interior has been renovated over the years, but it has kept its old feel, and pitchers of free tea are set out for customers.

The menu centres on traditional coffee, made strong and sweet in the old style, served hot or iced. Many coffee variations are on the menu, alongside tea and other drinks. For breakfast, the best-known dish is a plate of fried eggs topped with spiced minced pork, served with a crisp, toasted baguette for dipping. Singapore-style kaya toast with coconut jam is another favourite, alongside omelettes, curry with roti and other simple plates. Prices are low, and portions are sensible for breakfast or a mid-morning snack.

The shop opens early in the morning and closes in the evening, but it is at its most atmospheric at breakfast time, when local regulars drop in for coffee. Hours can change, and the shop has historically closed on one Tuesday each month, so check before making a special trip. Payment is generally in cash, so carry small notes. There is no need to book, though tables fill up on weekend mornings.

Kope Hya Tai Kee suits early risers, budget travellers, families and anyone who wants a taste of everyday old Bangkok before visiting the temples. It is a relaxed place to sit for half an hour with an iced coffee and plan the rest of the day. Allow thirty to forty-five minutes.

The coffee shop is at 37 Samranrat Road, at the corner with Siripong Road in Phra Nakhon, across from the Giant Swing and Wat Suthat. Sam Yot MRT station is around ten minutes' walk away. The Golden Mount, Raan Jay Fai and Thipsamai are all within walking distance, and the shops selling Buddhist images and temple supplies along Bamrung Muang Road are just round the corner.