We're living in an era where aesthetic takes precedence. Food presentation and atmosphere can make or break a restaurant nowadays, and this Thai café succeeds at both while being totally unique.
Located in the heart of Bangkok, Pooltime Café serves up bacon burgers that come in shades of black and blue as well as matcha frappés that will make you forget all about Starbucks. I fell in love with their whipped cream layered pancakes which taste like strawberry shortcake.
As the name implies, the café has a pool theme — white tiled floors, wire beach chairs, tropical plants, and neon signs — making every corner of this spot Instagram-worthy. You might forget that you're in one of the busiest cities in the world.
Saying hello to Bobby, A-po, and Yeepun
Pooltime Café is also home to three adorable raccoons, but I'll be honest, before I visited I was worried about how they were being cared for. You hear a lot of horror stories about animal cafes. To my surprise, everything was under control.
The raccoons looked healthy and seemed to enjoy playing with people. One kept following me around their playroom and it felt like I'd made my own furry friend. It's a good thing I have enough self control to fight the urge to take them home.
I dig the retro pool-side vibe and as an artsy person I felt like I fit right in. Pooltime is super unique and has managed to stand out in a city filled with hundreds of cafés.
If you're in Bangkok or visiting there, I highly recommend stopping by Pooltime to meet their adorable raccoons. Khaosan Road and Full Moon parties are fun, but everyone does that. Experience the city in a different way, and make some fury friends while you're at it.