The buzz: Phrom Phong’s luxurious brunch darling, Bangkok Trading Post, takes a casual turn, offering mammoth breakfasts and pocket-friendly lunches right next to BTS Chit Lom.

The vibe: Forget the soaring windows and marble counters of the flagship branch; at this self-serve spot, white-tiled walls, wood tables and hanging ferns create a clean and straight-forward look. Here, the focus is on convenience and efficiency: customers order from the counter at the front, either to sit in or go. Located on the ground floor of Chit Lom’s Mercury Ville mall, this spot attracts commuters and local office workers seeking caffeine kicks and hearty meals. Free WiFi draws in the roaming workers, too.

The food: Like its older sibling, creative classics dominate the menu: eggs Benedict (B250); black angel hair pasta with plump shrimps, Ikura caviar, garlic and a kick of chili (B250), and what is quite possibly the cheapest avocado toast in town at B165. Yet, it isn’t taking all its cues from its tried and tested predecessor. In fact, it’s set to act as a testing ground for dishes like the already popular Hong Kong-style congee (B120). When it comes to breakfast, our favorite has to go to the scrambled eggs, avocado and smoked salmon on toast (B250), which comes in a satisfyingly huge portion, with sweet cherry tomatoes from Chiang Mai, though the mixed berry waffle (B280) is also utterly irresistible, piled sky-high with fresh strawberries, blueberries, raspberries and cream—we suggest going with a friend and ordering both so you can share. Though you can opt to crunch your calories with salads like the spinach and pumpkin with honey mustard dressing (B165), there’s no denying the satisfaction of the juicy steak (again, huge; B790), which comes perfectly medium rare, served with perfectly crisp-edged fries and additively good nam jim jaew. 

The drink: From quality down-the-line Americanos (B90) to down-right bizarre creations like the Taengmo Surprise (B90), based on the old-school Thai dessert, pla haeng taengmo (who knew dried fish in a watermelon smoothie could actually taste good?) and pleasantly sweet jackfruit coffee with smoked-candle milk foam (B135). You’ll also find refreshing Italian sodas like the Mango Mania (B90), which comes with real mango frozen into the ice cubes.

Why we’d come back: This has to be one of the best value breakfasts in town. If only our office was a little closer, we’d add it to our regular lunch rotation, too.