Chiang Mai has a significantly lower number of chocolate shops per capita than the more popular destination of Bangkok. However, it is not an impossible task to locate. In addition to the three chocolate makers that are already established in Chiang Mai, there are a few new chocolate makers that will be entering the market some time in 2020. Please see the following for an up-to-date list of chocolate shops in Chiang Mai.
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Chiang Mai Chocolate Cafes
Siamaya Chocolate
It is pronounced “sah ya mah ya,” and this chocolate home, which is located on the outskirts of town, is open every weekday to welcome people who are interested in learning more about how their chocolate is prepared. The business was established in 2017 with only four types of bars, and since then it has grown to include twelve flavors, cocoa powders, and a storefront with beverages. I like interacting with their employees since they were kind and helpful. I would highly suggest an iced chocolate with a milk and coconut truffle, if you are able to locate them, and having a wonderful, in-depth talk with one of the proprietors of the establishment.
The white chocolate drinks had a flavor that was much too mild for my taste, but I really enjoyed trying out the bars that were inspired by Thai cuisine and getting a little taste of each one. The café has enough seating for seven or eight people, but if you are unable to visit during the week, you may go on their website to find a list of nearby retailers that carry their products.
Address: หมู่ที่ 1 103/19 Mae Khua Mung Rd, Mueang Chiang Mai District, Chiang Mai 50300, Thailand
Hours: 12pm-6pm, weekdays
Khom Chocolate House
This very modest chocolate shop can be found right in the heart of Chiang Mai’s Old Town. It has only three tables but can accommodate ten customers. In the front is a limited selection of cookies, and immediately to its left is a display case that contains cakes, candies, and chocolate-based beverages that can be taken away. If you place an order for a beverage, the proprietor will prepare it for you right in front of your eyes. You can choose from white, dark milk, or very dark chocolate among the available varieties of chocolate.
You will find a description of the process of making chocolate as well as the distinctions between the various types of cocoa powders contained within the menu. There is air conditioning and wifi, with background noise consisting of soft piano music and the conversations of whoever else may have entered during that time. In addition to my drink and bonbon, I ordered a piece of strawberry shortcake, and I was pleasantly surprised to find real cream and tart strawberries in it. The chocolate drink was rich, but the 80% alcohol content was too bitter for my taste. The bonbons are tasty, but if I had to choose between another piece of cake and another bonbon, I’d go for the cake.
Address: 4, 2 Sinharat Rd Lane 3, Si Phum Sub-district, เมือง, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand
Hours: 10:30am-6pm, Thu.-Tue.
Chiang Mai Chocolate Makers
Clean Chocolate
Despite the fact that there are only two chocolate shops in the city center of Chiang Mai, there are more than two companies in Chiang Mai that make chocolate. Clean Chocolate is a vegan chocolate business that was established in 2018 by Elena. The company’s primary products are dark chocolate bars and nut butters. At the moment, Elena only obtains her cacao from Thailand, and she makes an effort to use only Thai ingredients in her products, such as the coconut sugar that she uses to sweeten them.
Despite the fact that she specializes in dark chocolates, Clean Chocolate is now developing coconut-based milk chocolates for customers who have a need for something sweet. You can see a list of the things she sells on her website. Visit the Facebook page of Clean Chocolate to see the full list of retailers that carry their products.
MarkRin Chocolate & Aimmika Chocolate
MarkRin Chocolate and Aimmika Chocolate are two brands of chocolate that are commonly associated with Chiang Mai. However, it can be difficult to locate their products within the city itself. Both Aimmika and MarkRin appear to only sell their wares at the Cocoa Center Thailand; however, MarkRin takes weeks to respond to customers’ messages and is located far from the heart of the city. Aimmika’s products can be found at one vegan cafe in the city.
Chocolate Workshops
This is a different kind of grouping altogether. In this episode of the podcast, I had the pleasure of speaking with Mae of Bean Blah Blah, who is currently planning chocolate events in Chiang Mai for 2020, but with an emphasis on farming. The newly established chocolate manufacturer Kanvela, which also operates a cacao farm to the west of the city, is making preparations to launch their own cafe within the same year.
In addition to that, more cacao trees are being planted all the time in and around the cities of Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai. I have a strong feeling that Chiang Mai and the rest of northern Thailand will experience the same kind of growth in chocolate production that Bangkok did in 2018, and I can’t wait for it to happen.
Late in the year 2020, this article will once more be updated.
