Sarnies & Friends — Restaurant in Talat Noi Subdistrict

Sarnies & Friends in Talat Noi is a beautifully executed extension of the Sarnies universe—an atmospheric café steeped in charm, flavour, and just the right amount of cheeky indulgence. Nestled in a lovingly restored building, it pays homage to its architectural roots with vintage patterns and nostalgic materials, evoking the quiet elegance of old Yaowaraj, all while serving up some of the most modern, punchy flavours in Bangkok’s café scene.

Let’s talk about why I made the pilgrimage here: the Peking Duck Toasties. I am a devoted disciple of all things Peking duck, and these toasties had been whispering rumours to my soul for some time. The moment I took that first bite, it was everything I hoped for. The pulled duck was richly textured, laced with hoisin sauce and kissed by an orchestra of warm, aromatic spices. It’s decadent, no doubt. But—let’s not mince words—it is also undeniably salty. With each bite, my thoughts oscillated between “this is glorious” and “this might pickle my tongue.” I had to call in reinforcements: plain water. But would I order it again? Absolutely. Just go in with your palate braced.

To soothe the salt and restore balance to the universe, I turned to Smoothie Criminal—not a jazz band, but the café’s signature blend. The coffee is a triumph: smooth, mellow, with playful notes of brown sugar and ripe berries. A chef’s kiss in liquid form. However, word of advice—do not pair it with the toasties unless you’re looking for a taste clash of titanic proportions.

Instead, I did the only sensible thing: ordered the cheesecake as a chaser. Dense, rich, and unapologetically firm—it resisted the fork just enough to signal that you’re dealing with serious dairy business. Paired with the coffee, it created a dessert symphony that could make angels weep.

The service? Warm, attentive, and genuinely thoughtful. The staff knew their menu inside out and were ready to guide without being overbearing. It’s service with the confidence of experience, not the performative polish of a training manual.

Yes, it’s Sarnies, so the prices lean on the indulgent side—but every baht feels justified. The only caveat? Parking. Or rather, the absence of it. If you’re driving in, you’ll want to plan ahead unless you enjoy existential despair and illegal u-turns. You’ve been warned.

In short: Sarnies & Friends is not just a café—it’s an experience. It’s where bold flavours meet thoughtful space, where duck dreams come true, and where your wallet may wince, but your...

Potentially a great workspace, staff and menu. However, the Muzak is far too loud. If a customer wants music, they can easily listen to a personalized choice using bluetooth.

Why do I have to suffer such loud Muzak I do not choose imposed on me at such high volume that I cannot talk without shouting, nor read my book, nor focus on my work on my laptop?

Some background music would be OK, but this community café seems to confuse its identity with that of a nightclub. I observed several others trying to talk, but shouting to hear each other. Eventually moving outside.

There are quieter tables overlooking the river without the noise, albeit those tables are not air conditioned space. Staff are very friendly, but point blank refused to lower the music volume.

Be aware last orders are strictly at 5:30 p.m. My young daughter arrived after a long journey at literally 5:31 p.m., terribly thirsty, but was refused a drink before her singing lesson nearby.

The road outside is dangerous to cross.

The place just needs more humanity. Simple...

OK if you don’t mind waiting a long time and paying a lot for average food. Poorly organised table waiting service: we had to remind them we were there in order to place our order. Then each of us got our coffee with a time difference of over 20 min, same for the dishes, so we didn’t eat together. They completely forgot one of the drinks. The food quality was mediocre. Extremely runny poached eggs, extra thick cut bread that was mushy instead of crunchy. Considering the place was mostly empty, no excuse really. The reason I’m giving it 3 instead of 1 star is the very kind waiter who helped with choosing a safe...