Barely a month old and tucked in front of the Silom Grand Terrace Condominium, Ubuntu is a refreshing newcomer on the Bangkok coffee-shop scene. Necessity is often the mother of invention, and the desire of founder Pakorn Rattanasuteeranon for somewhere different to get his caffeine-fix resulted in the birth of Ubuntu. Five more friends came onboard, creating the inspiration for the name—Ubuntu is a Zulu word that can be loosely translated as helping each other or humanity. (Tech geeks might also know it as the name of the Linux-based OS).
Where it differs from other coffee shops is it offers so much more than a simple cuppa joe. Reflecting its shared heritage, the store has four house brands from the different co-owners, which means it’s also a furniture showroom, clothing store and art-space. The nature-inspired brand Aarde handles the interior decoration and furnishings, while Croque provides cakes and tasty treats. T-shirts and other clothing items are by Lovebite, while the shop’s brand, Ubuntu, deals with the coffee.
Mixing the modern and the rustic while making the most use of the narrow spaces and stark lines of their two-story shop, the walls are stacked with half-shelves brimming with African and tribal decorations, playfully shaped vases and sculptures. Artsy black and white pictures of Bangkok highway underpasses and empty streets decorate the walls, along with featured art by local artists that changes monthly. Anything that catches the eye can be yours for a price. Depending on the type and size of the chosen item, furniture prices can range from B850 to B35,000.
The usual suspects in coffee are available, utilizing a special house blend that mixes Thai Arabica and Robusta beans. An espresso is B45; a cappuccino or café latte is B60/B75 and frappucinos are B80-110. Food ranges from B95-145, with a rotating selection of tasty cakes, toasted sandwiches and panini on offer. Sharon Kaserer
Shop 9 (Cafe Ubuntu). Silom Grand Terrace Condominium, Saladaeng Rd., 089-208-5499, 02-632-0381.
