Artisan is one of those gems I just walked right into, not really expecting to fall in love at first... sip? I'd heard good things about this one via the internet, but nothing to prepare me for the hippest of all hip coffee shops in Chiang Mai.

Artisan is connected to Oxotel, a hostel known for it's minimal and trendy atmostphere as well as the amount of light it can get to flow into one space. The café is equally as well lit, the shadows just adding to the coolness of the place. The coffee and tea lattés are delicious, all made in an organized chaos little kitchenette at the front of the shop.

Every detail, down to the floors, adds to the interest of Artisan. The staff is friendly and attentive, every seat is comfortable, and every place is suited to quick respites or long days of work. The bright and giant ferns out front are echoed inside with the garden-like display of entomology and photog paraphernalia. The old suitcases and the dried flowers inside tie the antique with the modern and the place just feels fresh.

These folks take their interiors and coffee seriously, from the playlist to the latté art, the variety of wood stains and textures around, and the extensive coffee menu. This is a place I kinda want to keep a secret so I can retreat here on a busy, hot day, but it's too good to horde it all to myself.