Learning to drive in Chiang Mai has been an adventure, to say the least. Today I drove to Nimmanhaemin, which happens to be the hippest, brightest, most jam-packed part of town. Consequently, it also has the worst traffic in town. Therefore, I was already shaking when I walked into Ristr8to for a caffeine fix.

A friend from South Carolina had told me to pay a visit to this coffee shop, singing its praises. Thankfully, he was right. I ordered a delicious cappuccino, which came on a wooden plate describing its origins, flavor and other qualities. The owner has competed in international latté art competitions, worked all over the world brewing incredible espresso for five years and is now raising the standard for coffee shops in Thailand. Chiang Mai is saturated with little espresso cafés on every street, and Ristr8to has made itself a name among them without question.