The Neighbors Cafe

Attach a cafe to a hostel and you usually get an afterthought. This one on Phangnga Road works the other way round, drawing in people who aren't staying upstairs at all, which tells you most of what you need to know.

It's casual and a bit scruffy in the way old-town places often are, with a mix of hostel guests, solo travellers passing through and locals who've clearly been coming for a while. That makes it easy to sit alone with a coffee without feeling conspicuous, and easy enough to fall into conversation if you'd rather. Prices sit in the mid range, so it's not the cheapest breakfast in Talat Yai, but you're paying for a place you can linger in.

Where it earns its keep is the hours. Doors open at eight and don't close until midnight, so it covers morning coffee before you walk the Sino-Portuguese shophouses and street art, and a late plate after the Sunday walking street. Good base if you're staying in town.