PAGA Microroastery

Romanian brewer Gabriel Carol, a national brewers cup champion who placed ninth at the world stage in 2018, opened PAGA with his fiancee Patricia on a quiet stretch of Sukhumvit 31, naming the shop after a blend of their own names that happens to echo a Thai word for flower. The room reads closer to a product showroom than a traditional cafe, all white surfaces and clean lines, built around a single rule the couple keep returning to: no blends, ever, only single origin microlots chosen for a bright, sweet cup.

Beans are roasted in house on a Loring Smart Roaster that runs up to ninety percent smokeless, and the bar moves between pour over, espresso and filter without ever reaching for a house blend to fall back on. Wifi and a handful of outdoor seats make it workable for a quiet hour with a laptop, though the acoustics and minimalist furniture lean more exacting than cosy, and the small kitchen turns out a lemon tart regulars keep coming back for alongside the rotating bean list.