Where to Eat Breakfast in Pai Thailand - Romance Market

A new favourite for breakfast in Pai Thailand

A new cafe discovery in our favourite town

Our trips to Pai have become quite predictable over the years so we made a special effort to search out a new favourite place for breakfast on our most recent visit.

The idea of a Folk House Cafe was very intriguing to us

After several loops of the main walking areas in Pai town we stumbled upon The Romance Market. Tucked down one of the smaller side streets, we were certain that we had never laid eyes on this tiny little café before. The name was unfamiliar and intriguing so naturally we gravitated toward its door left slightly ajar, beckoning for us to pull on it and see what wonders lay within.

The inside of Romance Market was very cool

What we found inside was a little cove of delights, perfectly suited to our kind of café criteria. The bench seating was made from Hay Bales and the walls were lined with graphic novels. There were Pai postcards and even a little letterbox to post them on the counter. Cookies and fresh Artisan breads were on display on the tables and to top it all off, the menus were fashioned to look like ancient scrolls.

Ancient scroll design = My kind of menu 😉

Romance Market had already hooked us in before we had even made an order, but things were about to become more complete when we unravelled the scrolls to lay eyes on the menu. Eggs Benedict with Bacon, Spinach Omelettes, Big Meaty Breakfasts with fresh fruits, toast and home baked cookies, we were spoiled for choice.

The Eggs Benedict was deliciousThe pictures reflect the food accurately 🙂

This little self proclaimed Folk Café is run by just one young guy, manning the counter with pride and always ready to take your order. We were impressed at his ability to put together such impressive breakfasts from such a small working area and one hot plate, but he delivered every time which kept us coming back for more. From our brief encounters he seemed like a really nice person and we really liked him and his cafe.

The man behind the Romance Market

With a mix of modern pop music and old fashioned vintage tunes playing over the sound system, the Romance market has a nice cosy feel that made us want to order more and stay for longer. It is TINY though, and if there are 2-3 people inside it would feel crowded. I presume the food would back up with delays on a full house during the high season, but we noticed that the owner brought in his friend for back up when several big food orders were placed. So don’t let it discourage you from stepping inside the wonderful world of vintage folk, retro beauty that this little folk café has to offer.

Sending a postcard to the parents from the Romance Market!