The buzz: Thonglor has quietly welcomed an airy German cafe that serves delicious homemade cakes and health-conscious breakfast and lunch dishes.

The vibe: Follow the signs leading around the back of Panjit Tower office building and you’ll come across a peaceful, plant-filled, blue-and-white cafe that feels miles away from bustling Thonglor—especially if you grab a window seat overlooking the green garden and pond out back. Order at the counter then choose between the laptop-friendly, light-filled main seating area, the balcony, or the separate kids’ area, which draws Japanese moms for its baby seats and cute play barista counter (kids can order free “babycinos”—frothed milk topped with marshmallows in a mini tea cup). Personal touches like a pair of 100-year-old skis belonging to the owner’s father-in-law, framed family recipes from her grandmother, and a background track of German radio add to the homey Berlin vibe.

The food: Adhering to a ”no junk” motto, the menu avoids artificial additives and unnecessary sugar. For breakfast, the Brotchen (B200) comes with a choice of a sourdough, sesame or ciabatta roll from Landhaus with three toppings of your choice (Thai goat cheese, smoked salmon, pistachio mortadella, vegan cheddar and more). Alternatively, order eggs (from B150), homemade yogurt with fruit and granola (B150), or German-style open sandwiches like the classic “Berlin” (a.k.a. strammer max—sourdough topped with ham, cheese and a fried egg; B200) and the vegan “Melbourne”—possibly the cheapest avo-toast in town at B150. Local office workers drop in for daily lunch specials and staples like the Goulash soup (B200) and German potato salad (B150; add a grass-fed beef burger patty for B100 or steamed salmon for B150), while it's hard to resist the homemade cakes made using recipes passed down by the owner’s grandmother; don’t miss the not-too-sweet Grandma’s Apple Crumble cake (B100 for a huge slab) or the vegan chocolate brownies (B100). A kids menu is also available (from B80).

The drinks: If you need to cool down, order the apfelschorle (sugar-free German apple juice; B80), otherwise get buzzed on Thai arabica coffee (espresso, B80; cappuccino, B100)—in a rare feat, sugar-free soy milk, almond milk and lowfat milk options are available.

Why we’d come back: Rather than vying for influencer attention, Glück nurtures real community spirit, with an attention to detail that is rarely found in Bangkok. Add to that tasty, no-nonsense food at reasonable prices, and we’re considering making this our new work spot. They also get bonus points for being plastic-free and scrapping the mandatory service charge.