Plant-based cuisine that’ll guac your world!

By Amrita Sachdev

Nestled in one of Bangkok’s trendiest areas, newly-established vegan restaurant Nature’s Charm Café offers much-needed refuge from Thonglor’s hustle and bustle. Although the restaurant is a newcomer to the city’s rapidly-growing range of plant-based eateries, we can already tell that its unique menu will play a role in convincing more people to embrace the sustainable food movement.

Founded by long-time vegans and seasoned experts in the plant-based food industry, sisters Marisa and Sonya Osonphasop’s journey began six years ago with the launch of the world’s first sweetened condensed coconut milk under the Nature’s Charm brand, which catered to people who went vegan but missed variety in their desserts. This same philosophy also led to the establishment of Nature’s Charm Café, which serves comfort food that doesn’t require anyone to compromise on their cravings. 

First Impressions

A café-lover’s sanctuary, the three-storey restaurant’s striking white exteriors and plant-adorned walls exude a homely, welcoming atmosphere. Inside, in typical bistro-like manner, a spiralling staircase takes you up to the cosy dining area (try your best to resist sampling all the tempting desserts displayed at the entrance before heading up, but don’t be surprised if you failed just like we did). Upstairs, you’ll fi nd whimsical quotes printed on the walls, intimate bar-style seating, windows allowing warm sunlight to flood the room, and a striking pink, Instagrammable wall that ties the space together. All elements that make the café an ideal Sunday breakfast spot. 

Food and Drink

What makes Nature’s Charm Café a solid contender in Bangkok’s vegan restaurant scene is their creative dishes that combine innovation with elements that effectively replicate the taste, look, and texture of non-vegan food. With a menu that cleverly fuses Thai and Western breakfast items, the café’s wide range of choices are great for diners who have embraced a vegan diet, as well as those who are keen on becoming more familiar with vegan cuisine.

We began with their signature appetiser, the Chick’n pops & slaw (THB 320). This fast-food inspired dish, served with a side of mashed potatoes and gravy, was reminiscent of its meaty counterpart thanks to its punchy flavours. Cleverly made using home-made fried jackfruit, the ‘chicken’ was crisp on the outside and ultra-tender on the inside, and every bite was a forkful of comfort.

The next dish we tried was Breakfast of the champions (THB 360). Most certainly living up to its name, its presentation made it look almost identical to a brunch-style non-vegan breakfast plate, but the flavours of the rice paper ‘bacon’ and tofu ‘scrambled eggs’ left us wondering why we needed to eat any meat in the first place!

For mains, the menu features a wide array of traditional and fusion options. One of their signatures, the Nature’s Charm fish & chips (THB 390) is presented in authentic fashion with a side of green peas and tartar sauce. Another dish crafted using jackfruit, the crispiness on the outside and melt-in-your-mouth texture on the inside will leave you wondering how a vegan spin on this dish manages to maintain all the flavour you’d expect from the original. Another signature dish that excited us was the Tom yum mac & cheeze (THB 290), a bowl of al dente macaroni, ‘chicken’ and fresh chillies tossed in a creamy tom yum sauce. This fusion creation had us dragging our spoons across the plate until we finished it all.

Next came dessert. We started with a taste of their decadent Banoffee cutie pie (THB 220) before moving onto What pancake dreams are made of (THB 280). Another dish that lived up to its name, it combined fluff y pancakes with slices of fresh fruit, coconut-based whipped cream, and a generous drizzle of their caramel dessert sauce.

Masala Recommends

As I’ve never tried a vegan version of Kraphao gai, I was curious to see how the Hail the holy bowl (THB 260) would stack up in terms of flavour. Made with jackfruit, chillies, and aromatic holy basil, the dish was undoubtedly one of my favourites of the morning. However, as it was on the piquant side, I recommend pairing it with one of their many delightful beverages. I opted for the Fresh coconut (THB 95) for some added freshness.

Nature’s Charm Café

29 Sukhumvit Soi 51,
Khlong Tan Nuea, Wattana, Bangkok, 10110

Time: Open weekdays from 7am to 5pm (closed on Tuesdays);
weekends from 9am to 9pm
Tel: 02 258 5860
Instagram: @naturescharmcafe
Facebook: @naturescharmcafe