Mother Roaster Coffee: The Story of Grandma

Hidden in the ruins of the second floor of a small market (Talad Noi) in Bangkok, Mother Roaster is a 70-year-old grandmother who fulfills her 30-year-old dream of coffee. Her dedication has made her and the café famous, with fans from all over the world, leading her to open 4 locations in Bangkok.

Opening Story｜

Grandmother Ploenpit Rianmek (Pa Pim) didn’t like a leisurely life. Every weekend, her eldest son would take her to work at a café, where she became interested in coffee-related matters. After retirement, she threw herself into the coffee world, finding the best way to spend her life and fulfill a long-held dream. In 2019, she decided to open a café: “Don’t waste the remaining time. Encourage yourself to go out and learn new things while doing what you love.”

The Mother Roaster coffee shop originally opened in February 2019 in a small corner of a residential area on Mahaphruttharam Road (ถนนมหาพฤฒาราม), with just two stools. Surprisingly, it became incredibly popular, not just for the high-quality coffee, but also because of 70-year-old Pa Pim, who brewed espresso with a manual espresso machine.

Relocation and Expansion｜

At the end of 2019, Mother Roaster moved to the second floor of a small market alley, turning it into a secret base-like adventure. The first floor was filled with discarded mechanical parts, and the place had a dim and greasy metal smell.

Walking up the small stairs to the second floor, you’re pleasantly surprised to find another world: corridors adorned with greenery, potted plants swaying gently in the warm breeze, and a few cats lazily sleeping on wooden planks.

The interior retains the vintage charm of the old house, with old phones, antique furniture, potted plants, the grandmother's son’s original artwork, and some modern furniture. The mix of decorations creates a unique modern vibe, and every corner is perfect for taking different styles of photos.

Recommended Selection｜

The coolest thing in the café is, of course, the barista grandmother, who uses coffee beans grown in Thailand (Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, etc.) as well as beans imported from Brazil, Kenya, and Ethiopia. She makes coffee with a warm smile, and her craftsmanship is very professional!

Highly recommended is the Iced Latte on The Rock (80 Baht), which combines a rich milk coffee brewed with Autumm Blend beans, blended with nuts and dark chocolate, and served with round ice cubes in a glass that helps maintain the coffee's intensity. It has a smooth, soft texture when you drink it.

Other options include Shakerato (80 Baht), Drip on Ice (80 Baht), and Single Snow White (90 Baht), each with different flavors worth trying.

Grandmother's Popularity｜

Just a reminder, the grandmother doesn’t come to the small market branch every day. When Thai customers visited, they didn’t meet her, which was a bit of a disappointment. Five months later, at the Mother Roaster Pratu Phi branch, they returned to try their luck and hoped to interview her. To their surprise, they saw her as soon as they entered the shop and got to speak with her.

Thai Customer: “Grandma, you’re hard to find! I’ve been chasing you like a fan!”

The grandmother laughed and humorously replied: “I don’t even know which shop I’ll be at! It all depends on my mood. If I’m in a bad mood, I’ll go to the small market, and if I’m in a good mood, I’ll come here.” The grandmother enjoys interacting with customers at various branches.

“You call me grandma, but I’m not that old, just in my 60s (laughs).” The grandmother jokes and asks Thai customers to write her age smaller. She has visited Taipei and loves Jiufen, considering the guesthouse she stayed at in Ruifang to be wonderful.

After a simple conversation, the grandmother believes there are no secrets: "Just do it seriously and happily." The grandmother, who loves to share her experiences, added: “Next month (July), there will be a new branch, the 5th one, near the King Rama Temple (Limin Temple). There are a lot of fans there, so we have to go.”

Thai Customer: “Wow! That makes it even harder to find you! It’s like chasing a star—you might not find me even if you go to every branch. It’s harder than meeting a celebrity!”

Currently, there are four branches: Talad Noi / Pratu Phi / Sutthisan / Dadfa Lasalle.

Ghost Gate Branch｜

The Mother Roaster Pratu Phi branch carries the style of the original shop, with an old building on the roadside and simple decoration. The only difference is the cats—unlike the lazy cats at the small market branch, the grandmother had to decorate with her cat-related collectibles, such as coffee cups and other decorations featuring cats.

Using the same coffee beans, the focus here is on pour-over coffee. If you want to drink manually brewed coffee, head to the small market branch. The grandmother rarely brews coffee herself now and leaves that to her son.

Thai customers chose an iced coffee brewed with Chiang Rai coffee beans, priced at 100 Baht per cup. It was incredibly delicious!

Grandmother’s Charm｜

From the displays at the small market branch entrance and during conversations with the grandmother, you can feel her love and dedication to coffee. Her cheerful personality and smile add to her charm, and she finds great satisfaction in continuing her hobby in her senior years while creating a business for her family.

A cup of coffee, a story to reflect upon. Thai customers believe that interacting with the grandmother here will give you more insight into life.

Mother Roaster Talat Noi

Address: 1172 Soi Chareonkrung 22, Talat Noi, Samphanthawong, Bangkok

Business hours: 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM

Phone: 06-1216-227

Mother Roaster Pratu Phi

Address: 457 Maha Chai Rd, Samran Rat, Phra Nakhon, Thailand, Bangkok

Business hours: 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM

Phone: 0 89 488 0112