Over the past few years trendy instagrammable cafes mushroomed around Chiang Mai, eyeing selfie-obsessed young Chinese tourists. Some are there mostly for the pictures, but some also serves exceptional food and drinks. Magokoro belongs to the latter category: their tea and dessert offering is outstanding.
The visit
I have been to Magokoro several times because they have one of my favorite desserts in Chiang Mai. If you can, go on a weekday. On weekends you might need to queue (they even have a waiting room in the building next door). Yes, it is that popular.
The building has been renovated to look like a traditional Japanese tea house.
The main house is not huge, with a simple and elegant decor.
The most coveted seats are outside, facing a Japanese garden.
In my first visit I had a cold brew of hōjicha (roasted green tea). I am not an expert, but I liked that even in a cold brew the crispy flavor of the roasted green tea was very distinct.
But what won me over was the hōjicha parfait. The ice cream was ok, but what made it delicious was the tasty red bean paste. The jellies were also very good and I liked the layer of corn flakes that added a different texture. They have the same also with normal matcha. Both are among my favorite desserts in Chiang Mai.
Since I like the parfait so much I have not tried many other products. But their matcha panna cotta looks good.
The check
The parfait was 239 THB (7.50 USD) and the tea was 119 THB (3.75 USD). In Chiang Mai you can buy a large meal for this money. Even if it is not cheap by local standards, I think their tea and sweets warrant the premium price.
Where in Chiang Mai:
191/1 Sridonchai Rd.