Patonggo Cafe
246 Phra Sumen Rd, Talat Yot, Phra Nakhon, Bangkok 10200
Founded in 1968 by a second-generation owner known as Hia Tak, Patonggo Cafe distinguished itself by first frying then grilling each dough stick over low heat, a double-cook method that drives off excess oil and produces a lighter, crisper result than standard street-side patonggo. Order the Thai Style Seafood Salad with Patonggo at 60 baht and the Grilled Patonggo with Pandan Coconut Sauce at 40 baht. Both reward first-time visitors immediately.
You arrive at the corner of Phra Sumen and Sip Sam Hang roads and find a low-key cafe operating from an address that has barely changed since 1968. The official name carries the founding year in its title: Patonggo Cafe Since 1968. The current owner, Hia Tak or Khun Thitikorn Chokkasut, represents the second generation of this Banglamphu institution, which built its reputation in a neighbourhood known for long-established local shops and proximity to the backpacker corridor near Khao San Road. The product that sets this cafe apart from standard patonggo carts is the preparation method. Each dough stick is first deep-fried, then moved to a low-heat grill. That second pass removes trapped oil and produces a thinner, crispier exterior without drying out the interior. The result is a patonggo with a noticeably lighter texture. This double-cook technique, combined with a menu of over sixty variations, earned the cafe Michelin Guide listings in 2018 and 2019, making it what Japanese food media called one of the most affordable Michelin-recognised spots in Bangkok. The menu divides between sweet and savoury directions. On the sweet side, Grilled Patonggo with Pandan Coconut Sauce at 40 baht is the essential order: chopped grilled dough sticks with a coconut custard sauce and fresh coconut slivers. Dipping sauces range across chocolate, orange, strawberry, and condensed milk. Patonggo with ice cream is available at 40 baht for a small portion and 80 baht for large. The savoury programme is where the kitchen shows its inventiveness. The Thai Style Seafood Salad with Patonggo at 60 baht layers shrimp, squid, and fish in a spicy lime dressing over the grilled dough. The Crispy Shredded Pork with Roasted Chilli Paste version at 60 baht pairs the dough with nam prik pao. Rice meals including Crispy Pork with Rice and Chicken in Gravy with Rice run 50 baht each. Soybean milk and Thai tea are available at 30 baht. The cafe opens daily from 8:30 am and is reachable from Sam Yot MRT station.