Vientiane Cafes: Best for Work, Photos & Late Nights

Featured image: © Pierre André, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Quick answer: which Vientiane cafe for which need

Start with what you need from the room. Work, photos, late hours and strong coffee point to different venues. Lao coffee often comes from the Bolaven Plateau, so look for local beans on the menu. For background on Lao-grown beans, read Saffron Coffee's site. Fees and closing times below were noted in 2024, so look at a venue's own Facebook or Google page before you go.

Best Vientiane cafes for working

Sili Cafe suits focused work. Reviewers mention around 4 laptop-height tables inside, plus a patio facing Wat Ong Teu. Payment is by cash or Lao QR only. Naked Espresso Misay is a branch of a multi-location local chain. Remote workers fill its tables, and meeting rooms are on the second level. Sailomyen Cafe & Hostel has modern seating and an all-day breakfast menu. Hostel guests crowd it at breakfast, so arrive early for a table. Wifi speeds varied widely between cafes in 2024, so run a speed test on arrival instead of trusting any number. Sockets are scarce at Tree Town Cafe, so charge your laptop before you leave.

• Sili Cafe: strong coffee, cooked meals, cash or Lao QR
• Naked Espresso Misay: many tables, card accepted without extra fee in 2024
• Sailomyen Cafe & Hostel: some sockets, card with a 3% fee in 2024

Most photogenic and themed cafes

Tree Town Cafe is built for photos. A tree trunk rises through the room, with artificial greenery overhead, a piano, and a second floor with bean bags. It takes no cards, so bring cash. Senglao Cafe & Restaurant sits in a quiet alley with a Hollywood theme. Expect cars, figurines and popcorn at the table. It adds a service charge and a 3% card fee. The Cubano by Phanhsy Cafe is quieter in style. Vinyl records and photo-frame collages fill 2 floors. Themed rooms suit a relaxed visit better than deep work. Senglao is quiet in the daytime, so aim for weekday mornings.

Late-night cafes and cafe-bars

Hours are the main trap. Sailomyen Cafe & Hostel turns into a bar after about 5pm. Balance Bar & Cafe runs a cafe from daytime into the night, while its bar opens later. Its terrace hosts live music on good-weather evenings. Expect a 7% service charge on top of menu prices. Drip 1920s is attached to the Barn1920s hostel. It serves drip and pour-over coffee and doubles as a cocktail bar late. Visa and Mastercard carry a 2.8% fee. The Cubano by Phanhsy Cafe also stays open late. For a sunset drink, Tipsy Elephant sits on the 10th floor of the SureStay Hotel and opens from 5pm. It is a rooftop bar, not a cafe.

Cafes near the sights

Senglao is about a 15-minute walk from Pha That Luang, so it fits a temple morning. Sili Cafe's patio faces Wat Ong Teu. Use the official Tourism Laos site for temple visiting details. Cafes also cluster along Setthathirath Road, around Nam Phu Square and along the Mekong riverfront. French influence shows in the bakeries there, with croissants and baguettes beside Lao coffee. Joma Bakery Cafe is a well-known name for baked goods, but branches and hours vary. If you want a savory stop, pair coffee with a bowl of Khao Piak Sen in Vientiane: What It Is and How to Order It. Check each walk on a map before you commit, because heat slows a 15-minute stroll.

Paying, tipping and costs

Payment rules differ sharply between venues. Carry cash and a Lao QR option if you have one. Fees in 2024 ran from 2.8% to 7%. Sili Cafe was described as very affordable, while meals at Naked Espresso cost more than the same dishes elsewhere. Tipsy Elephant charges more for its hotel location. For cheaper local meals, try Vientiane Street Food: What to Eat, Where and When. Prices here are relative, since current menus were not verified.

• Tree Town Cafe: no cards
• Sili Cafe: cash or Lao QR only
• Senglao Cafe & Restaurant: card with a 3% fee, plus service charge
• Balance Bar & Cafe: 7% service charge, card without extra fee in 2024
• Drip 1920s: 2.8% fee on Visa and Mastercard

Mistakes to avoid

Most problems come from timing and payment. Cafes that become bars change their crowd and their rules. Keep a plan B if your first choice turns out to be closed. For a full meal, see the 8 Best Restaurants in Vientiane by Craving and Style. If you want to learn what goes into Lao dishes, consider a Vientiane Cooking Class Guide: How to Choose and Book.

• Arriving at Sailomyen after 5pm and finding a bar
• Relying on a card at Tree Town Cafe or Sili Cafe
• Assuming fast wifi without a speed test
• Treating Tipsy Elephant as a cafe
• Working at a themed cafe at peak photo hours